Category: Infectious Diseases
Weber Recognizes Masks and Social Distancing Remain Crucial With COVID Surge
Doctors: Masks and Social Distancing Crucial As COVID-19 Cases Skyrocket (August 5, 2021) A WRAL.com news report acknowledges doctors are learning more everyday about the Delta variant, and as new information is released, it can be confusing and overwhelming. David Weber, MD, MPH, professor of medicine in infectious diseases, said it takes 15 minutes for delta particles to spread … Read more
Cohen Discusses First Covid Antibody Treatment to Prevent Infections Authorized by FDA
People at considerable risk of developing severe Covid-19, including millions of Americans with compromised immune systems, now have the option of receiving a preventive monoclonal antibody treatment if they have been or are at risk of being exposed to the coronavirus, NBC News reports. Myron Cohen, MD, the Yeargan-Bate Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Microbiology and Immuno … Read more
Wohl Discusses Immunity of the Vaccinated, Reaching Biden’s 70% Goal, Parents At Odds Over Masks, and Gift Card Vaccine Incentives
Amid Covid Booster Debate, West Virginia to Check Immunity of Vaccinated Nursing Home Residents (August 3, 2021) Physician’s Weekly reports West Virginia raced ahead of the country last winter to get people in nursing homes vaccinated against covid-19, but with cases and hospitalizations on the rise again, state officials want to know whether immunity levels are falling for resid … Read more
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COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement for UNC Health, Most Frequently Asked Questions
David Weber, MD, MPH, medical director for infection prevention at the UNC Medical Center, answers the most frequently asked questions related to UNC Health’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate in a new video series. Find the questions and Dr. Weber’s responses.
Boyce Awarded Doris Duke Funding for Malaria Study in Uganda
The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation has awarded Ross Boyce, MD, MSc, a 2021 Clinical Scientist Development Award for his research proposal entitled, “Getting malaria off the back of women and children in western Uganda,” which aims at reducing the incidence of malaria among infants and young children in rural Uganda. Boyce, an assistant professor in UNC’s Division of Infectious … Read more
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Weber Discusses Latest CDC Guidance in CNN, Philadelphia Tribune Article
To prevent further spread of the Delta variant, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its mask guidance to recommend that fully vaccinated people wear masks indoors when in areas with “substantial” and “high” transmission of Covid-19, which includes nearly two-thirds of all US counties. The updated CDC guidance makes “excellent sense,” said David Weber, MD, pr … Read more
Department of Medicine Grants & Funding: July 1 – July 31, 2021
Division of Infectious Diseases Ed Browne, PhD, received a $4-million NIH grant to study the effects of cannabis use on the HIV reservoir. The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation has awarded Ross Boyce, MD, MSc, a 2021 Clinical Scientist Development Award for his research proposal entitled, “Getting malaria off the back of women and children in western Uganda,” which aims at reducin … Read more
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Why the Delta Variant is More Contagious and Prevalent in Younger Populations
The News and Observer reports that there is much to learn about the delta variant of the virus that causes COVID-19, recognizing why it is more contagious and how symptoms can differ. “People who are now getting COVID-19 are largely younger and younger people,” said David Wohl, MD, a professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases. He emphasized that younger people h … Read more
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Weber Says Waiting For Full FDA Approval Before Getting COVID-19 Vaccine is a Bad Excuse
The record pace at which COVID-19 vaccines were developed led the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to grant them emergency use authorization. That action saved many lives from a disease that has killed more than 600,000 thousand Americans and 4 million around the world. “As you know, tens of millions of people have received this vaccine,” said David Weber, MD, MPH, professor of … Read more
Wohl Talks to CBS-17 About Returning to Masks in the Classroom, the Push For More Places to Make the Vaccine Required, and the Potential For COVID Vaccine Boosters
Will CDC’s Recommendation For Masks in Schools Lead to a Renewed Mandate in Central NC Classrooms? – July 27, 2021 The CDC now recommends everyone in school buildings wear masks, regardless of vaccination status, as the more contagious delta variant spreads. Most school districts in central North Carolina said they are reviewing recommendations from the CDC. One big question: wil … Read more
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Weber Responds to Updated CDC Mask Guidance
CDC Updates Guidance, Recommends Vaccinated People Wear Masks Indoors in Certain Areas To prevent further spread of the Delta variant, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its mask guidance on Tuesday to recommend that fully vaccinated people wear masks indoors when in areas with “substantial” and “high” transmission of Covid-19, which includes nearly two-thi … Read more
NC’s Hospital Admissions Trending Younger During Latest 2-Week Rise in COVID Patient Count
With the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients across the state reaching its highest level in months, the proportions of those in hospitals are skewing younger, a CBS17.com data analysis found. The findings appear to further illustrate the connection between high vaccination rates and low hospitalization rates — and vice versa — among the nine age groups tracked by state Depar … Read more