News Archive - COVID-19

COVID Gets Airborne

In May 2021, the Centers for Disease Control officially recognized that SARS-CoV-2—the virus that causes COVID-19—is airborne. Now UC San Diego Professor and Endowed Chair of Chemistry and Biochemistry Rommie Amaro has modeled the delta virus inside an aerosol for the first time.

Same Treatment Tested for Kids with Kawasaki Disease and Rare COVID-19 Reaction

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine tested the same treatment for kids with Kawasaki disease and rare COVID-19 reaction.

Kids With MIS-C Mount Normal T Cell Response to COVID-19

UC San Diego study suggests multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a rare condition associated with COVID-19, is not caused by abnormal T cell response to COVID-19 virus as previously hypothesized.

Students, Faculty and Staff Assemble Do-It-Yourself Air Filtration Boxes that Fight COVID-19 Spread

Last week, as students returned to in-person classes, dozens of UC San Diego students, faculty and staff gathered on campus in one of the outdoor classrooms to build 250 do-it-yourself air filters to support our Return to Learn program.

Study: No Serious COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effects in Breastfeeding Moms, Infants

Researchers found that breastfeeding mothers who received either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccination reported the same local or systemic symptoms as what has been previously reported in non-breastfeeding women, with no serious side effects in the breastfed infants.

These Fridge-Free COVID-19 Vaccines Are Grown in Plants and Bacteria

Nanoengineers at the University of California San Diego have developed COVID-19 vaccine candidates that can take the heat. Their key ingredients? Viruses from plants or bacteria.

With Time and Without Masks, COVID-19 Vaccines Wane in Protection

A study measured effectiveness of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines among health workers, most notably during the emergence of delta virus variant and coincident with end of state’s mask mandate, finding protection waned over time, dropping sharply 6-8 months after full vaccination.

2VIDA! Tackles COVID Vaccine Hesitancy and Barriers in Latinx, Black Communities

UC San Diego is collaborating with San Ysidro Health on an NIH-funded outreach program to address COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Latinx and African American communities. The team runs pop-up vaccination sites across San Diego, and goes door-to-door to homes and local businesses to spread awareness.

Human Mini-Lungs Grown in Lab Dishes are Closest Yet to Real Thing

UC San Diego researchers developed first-of-their-kind lung organoids that include all cell types that make up the organ, allowing for “Phase 0” testing of new treatments for respiratory infections such as COVID-19.

Second Breath: Region’s First Double Lung Transplant for COVID-19 Patient

After more than 50 days on advanced life support, a multi-disciplinary team at UC San Diego Health helps a patient who contracted COVID-19 become a candidate for a successful double lung transplant. The transplant surgery was the first in the region performed on a COVID-19 patient.