This local feature story narrates a local man’s battle with COVID-19, after 51 days of treatment at UTMB. Shawn Nishi speaks about the efforts of his entire care team. “Each person came to care for this patient and display their purpose and their calling to contribute to the well-being of others,” Nishi said. ‘It’s truly an honor to serve alongside such inpiduals that come together as a team to work wonders.”

Many people ask why we see novel coronavirus outbreaks in humans. Victor Sierpina points out that infectious disease experts strongly feel that the impact of humans on nature, overpopulation and climate change all play a role.

UTMB’s Galveston National Laboratory was one of three labs to confirm a therapeutics company’s drugs were able to neutralize the pandemic coronavirus. “Our lab tested a panel of antibodies against a real SARS-CoV-2 in biocontainment. We were pleased to see very good neutralizing activity for some antibodies,” said UTMB’s Alex Bukreyev.

UTMB’s Rizwana Sultana is one of several experts in this article providing advice on how to keep your immune systems healthy. According to Sultana, sleep is important because it helps with T-cell function and production, which protect the body from pathogens and cancer cells.

Staff gathered for a welcome sendoff, as a COVID-19 patient they provided care to for more than a month was discharged from Jennie Sealy Hospital. “It truly is a huge undertaking to take care of these patients,” said UTMB’s Shawn Nishi. The Galveston County Daily News also covered the patient’s discharge.

Galveston’s local newspaper takes a look at projects being conducted to preserve what is happening locally surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. It is part of an effort to make sure future generations will know what took place. Work conducted by a team at UTMB to collect stories from students, health professionals, staff and patients who experienced the pandemic are included in the article.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of patients using telemedicine to access primary care physicians. Victor Sierpina writes that may just be the trend going forward and urges readers to contact their doctors if they need something.

The National Confectioners Association trade publication examines consumer changes regarding packaging in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many consumers are calling for more single-use disposable products, without realizing they are not necessarily safer. UTMB’s Vineet Menachery explains that reusable products can be safe when cleaned with plain old soap and water.

UTMB, working with Galveston County has resumed drive-through coronavirus testing for county residents at three sites in the county.

In their latest column, Megan Berman and Richard Rupp remind readers that staying current on routine vaccinations and health care is still important during the COVID-19 pandemic. They encourage everyone to keep appointments for well-visits, and well-child visits to keep children current with their vaccinations.