UTMB News

There are many questions SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing, but most agree it is needed in order to gather data for epidemiological models. They could also indicate whether someone is immune to the illness. UTMB’s Vineet Menachery stresses that antibodies are not a definite indicator of how long someone is immune to secondary infection.

UTMB’s Vineet Menachery provides an answer to the question: can a person get COVID-19 more than once? This is one of many questions answered in this Q&A from Time.

Health care workers face personal challenges at home in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic as reported in this story from Brazoria County. One of the workers discussing those challenges is UTMB’s Sherry Marques at UTMB’s Angleton-Danbury Campus.

The first local drive-thru COVID-19 testing site was conducted yesterday in Texas City. By the end of the day, more than 150 people received tests. The Galveston County Health District set up the testing site. Processing of the tests will take place at UTMB’s Galveston National Laboratory, which can process about 400 test daily according to UTMB’s Gulshan Sharma.

Nurses were front and center as World Health Day was observed and the World Health Organization declared 2020 the International Year of the Nurse and Nurse Midwife. Recently, UTMB nurses have played a large role in preparing for the university’s COVID-19 response.

Reporting on research from a team led by UTMB’s Pei-Yong Shi, working to combat COVID-19, that has developed a system that will unlock researchers’ ability to more quickly develop and evaluate developing vaccines, diagnose infected patients and explore whether or how a virus has evolved. Science Magazine, Health Medicine Network, Bioengineer, Science Codex, Technology Networks and ABC 13 Houston all reported the research findings.

With family routines disrupted by COVID-19, many parents are seeking guidance on how to explain things to their children. UTMB’s Jeff Temple encourages parents to be accurate and genuine when discussing the virus with children, as children know when parents are not telling the truth.

With the spread of COVID-19, the use of telemedicine has increased dramatically as part of social distancing efforts. UTMB’s Alexander Vo and Rex McCallum are both contributors to this local story about the use of telemedicine. According to McCallum, COVID-19 could end up being a changing event for the practice of medicine.

Many people believe that disposable products are more hygienic but that may not always be the case since you do not know who has touched the products before you. Interviewed for this story, UTMB’s Vineet Menachery says reusable products can still be safe.