COVID-19
What you need to know about COVID-19
As COVID-19 continues to spread, the UW-Madison Global Health Institute is gathering relevant resources to help you navigate what’s happening. You’ll find trusted websites, insights from the GHI community and news posts featuring GHI experts.
Trusted sources for information
Safe Voting
Other resources
Messages from GHI Director Jonathan Patz
What You Can Do
Stay Sane
- I mask up for ...
- Stay safe during reopening
- Check out Mary Michaud's drawings for comfort and conversation.
- Have your kids color these coronavirus pages
- PBS Wisconsin At-Home Learning
- Try these projects from 4-H
- Check out the Dept. of Psychiatry's mental health guide
- Check out the well-being toolkit
- Get screened for COVID-19
- Find tips on coping for families
- Reframe distancing as kindness
- Caregivers: Find your new normal
Coronavirus news
Global HealthBharat Biotech co-founder receives honorary degreeThe University of Wisconsin–Madison recognizes these extraordinary contributions of delivering over4 billion vaccines to people in 123 countries by awarding Krishna the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2011 and an honorary degree in 2022.Read more…
Global HealthUW–Madison researchers lead effort to create a universal coronavirus vaccineThe National Institutes of Health is investing in three teams working to develop a vaccine against a broad range of coronaviruses. Among them is a research collaboration, the Pan-Coronavirus Vaccine consortium, led by UW–Madison School of Veterinary Medicine Professor of Pathobiological Sciences Yoshihiro Kawaoka, who is also a GHI Advisory Committee member.Read more…
Wisconsin Partnership Program announces 2022 Collaborative Health Sciences Program grant recipientsJuly 8, 2022Wisconsin’s Covid Condition: Pediatric vaccination expands, omicron settles inJune 30, 2022Global health electives in the COVID-19 era: resuming travel and strengthening global health academic partnershipsJune 6, 2022
University of Wisconsin News: Understanding the human-animal interplay of COVID-19 and other diseasesApril 4, 2022Current anti-COVID pills work well against omicron, but antibody drugs are less effectiveJanuary 31, 2022More news »
GHI responds
January 11, 2021: Ajay Sethi, a GHI Advisory Committee member, shares what we’ve learned from this pandemic – and what it will take to implement those lessons in the future.
UW epidemiologist: ‘We’re not out of the woods’ with holiday COVID-19 spike
December 21, 2020: Ajay Sethi, a GHI Advisory Committee member, says don’t let up on pandemic precautions.
Q&A with UW immunization expert James Conway on Wisconsin’s COVID-19 vaccine process
December 20, 2020: GHI Associate Director James Conway says, ”People have kind of started to come around to understanding that a vaccine really is our best and most likely off-ramp to get off of this horrible ride.”
Early SARS-CoV-2 mutation fueled pandemic
November 12, 2020: GHI Advisory Committee member Yoshihiro Kawaoka leads study that shows the virus mutated in early 2020.
How politics paralyzed Wisconsin’s pandemic response – And left families to grieve their losses
GHI Advisory Committee members Ajay Sethi and Dominique Brossard consider what makes messaging successful.
Madison hospitals, public health concerned about possible ‘twindemic’
August 24, 2020: GHI Associate Director James Conway urges early flu shots to ward off outbreaks during COVID-19 pandemic.
Pandemic Preparedness and Response Under a Different President
August 10, 21020: Ambassador John E. Lange, a member of the GHI Board of Visitors, looks at the response under George W. Bush.
Hamsters develop protective immunity to COVID-19
June 22, 2020: GHI Advisory Committee member Yoshihiro Kawaoka showed that prior infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus provided protection against reinfection.
Capital City Sunday: UW System reopening plants, ballot harvesting & asymptomatic spread of COVID-19
June 14. 2020: GHI Associate Director James Conway weighs in on asymptomatic infections.
Emerging infectious diseases on the rise
Mary Wilson, M.D., a GHI Board of Visitors member, helps explain the connection between disease and changes in landscape and human populations.
Here’s what you need to know to stay safe as the economy reopens
May 27, 2020: GHI Advisory Committee member Ajay Sethi joins Nasia Safdar to outline was to stay healthy during reopening.
Wisconsin Partnership Program announced COVID-19 grants
May 1, 2020: GHI Advisory Committee member Yoshihiro Kawaoka, receives a grant to test a new approach to developing a coronavirus vaccine.
Climate justice meets global health in the time of COVID-19
May 4, 2020: GHI Director Jonathan Patz is keynote speaker for the webinar.
Primatologists work to keep great apes safe from coronavirus
May 1, 2020: GHI Associate Director Tony Goldberg discusses efforts to protect the health of apes and humans.
Republicans haven’t come together on a COVID-19 response plan
April 30, 2020: GHI Associate Director James Conway says opening different regions at different times is “terrifying.”
Preventing the next pandemic: Urgency for a Planetary Health approach
April 20, 2020: GHI Director Jonathan Patz presentation from the Nelson Institute’s Virtual 2020 Earth Day Conference. Also listen to Patz on Wisconsin Public Radio.
UW-Madison researchers tracking travel, social media to help contain virus
April 13, 2020: GHI Director Jonathan Patz is co-PI on the study looking at travel and the virus.
Jonathan Patz: Reason for hope against coronavirus
GHI Director Jonathan Patz calls for physical distancing to thwart virus.
Pandemic: COVID-19 documentary
GHI Advisory Committee member Ajay Sethi is featured in a Discovery Channel documentary.
Can veterinarians prevent the next pandemic?
March 25, 2020: Christopher Olsen, director of the Graduate | Professional | Capstone Certificates in Global Health and professor emeritus in Veterinary Medicine, looks at the links between human and animal health for the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Tokyo 2021? The decision to postpone the Summer Olympics, explained
March 24, 2020: GHI Board of Visitors members John Lange and Mary Wilson look at why postponing the games was the best decision.
Where does the novel coronavirus hang out?
March 19, 2020: Christopher Olsen, director of the Graduate | Professional | Capstone Certificates in Global Health, joins Nasia Safdar, medical director of infection prevention at UW Health, to discuss coronavirus basics.
Mass cancellations, restrictions for COVID-19 pandemic unprecedented for most Americans
March 16, 2020: GHI Associate Director James Conway, Advisory Committee member Richard Keller, and Seed Grant recipient Nasia Saftar discuss the history, current pandemic.
Biden has vowed to put science first to beat the pandemic. That won’t be enough.
December 22, 2020: Dominique Brossard, a member of GHI’s Advisory Committee, says facts alone don’t change our minds.
5 tips for how to actually change an anti-masker’s mind, according to experts
December 21, 2020: Dominique Brossard, a member of GHI’s Advisory Committee, has advice about how to talk to anti-maskers.
Rising positivity rate signals growing community spread
December 4, 2020: GHI Advisory Committee member Ajay Sethi explains the positivity rates for COVID-19 and what they mean.
COVID infections in animals prompt scientific concern
November 8, 2020: GHI Advisory Committee member Tony Goldberg sees devastation when disease travels from humans to chimps.
Flu shots urged to avoid ‘twindemic’ during COVID-19 pandemic
August 24, 2020: “More than ever, it’s really important for families to get immunized against the flue,” says GHI Associate Director James Conway.
July 22, 2020: Rebecca Alcock an incoming doctoral student is working in Guatemala.
Human Activity Contributes to Apparent Increase in Disease from Animals
July 3, 2020: GHI Advisory Committee member Tony Goldberg explains zoonotic disease.
Even with New Scientific Paths, Broad Vaccine Availability Still a Year or More
May 31, 2020 GHI Associate Director James Conway looks at spring 2021 for vaccine.
How to communicate responsibly during a pandemic
GHI Advisory Committee member Dominique Broussard discusses how to think clearly and communicate responsibly about risks during a pandemic.
Schauer leads COVID-19 testing efforts at hygiene lab
May 22, 2020: GHI Advisory Committee member James Schauer has helped the critical testing lab rise to the challenge.
Anxiety, hope, trust and slowing the spread of COVID-19 conspiracy theories
May 13, 2020: Ajay Sethi, A GHI Advisory Committee member, helps make sense of the coronavirus pandemic in a sea of misinformation.
Study shows cats can contract, spread coronavirus
May 14, 2020: Yoshihiro Kawaoka, a GHI Advisory Committee member, led the study.
Beyond Summer 2020: Safety abroad in a recovering world
May 12, 2020: GHI’s James Conway and Christopher Olsen look at the risks, moving ahead with international education programs.
Global Health Institute Director says environment key to preventing pandemic
May 1, 2020: GHI Director Jonathan Patz links environment and the pandemic.
The Revolving Door of Disease Between Humans and Animals
April 28, 2020: GHI Associate Director Tony Goldberg discusses ways pathogens and parasites jump from species to species.
COVID-19 disrupts a major year for biodiversity policy and planning
GHI Associate Director Tony Goldberg looks at COVID-19 consequences for biodiversity.
UW-Madison, Flugen, Bharat Biotech to develop coroflu, a coronavirus vaccine
Professor Yoshihiro Kawaoka, a GHI Advisory Committee member, joins an international collaboration to develop and test a coronavirus vaccine.
The Meridian 5: Global Response to COVID-19
Ambassador John Lange, a GHI Board of Visitors member, discusses pandemic preparedness and response. Including a YouTube video.
Taking survey can help thwart COVID-19, spread Wisconsin Idea
March 20, 2020: GHI Associate Director Lori DiPrete Brown helps lead a project to slow the spread of the disease through social media.
Director’s COVID-19 message: 1
March 20, 2020: GHI Director Jonathan Patz looks at the emergence of COVID-19.
Vaccines won’t work for some health threats, like climate change
March 23, 2020: GHI Director Jonathan Patz says climate chage impacts coronavirus, too.
UW-Madison’s Christopher Olsen on Wuhan coronavirus: WORT
January 30, 2020: Christopher Olsen, Director of the Graduate | Professional | Capstone Certificates in Global Health and infectious disease expert, discusses the new virus.
Analyzing the COVID-19 vaccine and flu season
January 18, 2021: GHI Associate Director James Conway explains what we know about the new COVID-19 variant showing up across the country.
How to communicate with students about COVID-19, according to science
December 21, 2020: Dominique Brossard, a GHI Advisory Committee member, says student leaders and community solidarity can make a difference to student outlook on COVID-19.
People over 75, essential workers next in lien for vaccine
December 20, 2020: HI Associate Director James Conway says, “This is the first time I’ve felt genuinely optimistic, looking forward to 2021.”
Emergency use COVID-19 vaccines likely in weeks, though U.S. still headed for a harsh winter
November 17, 2020: GHI Associate Director James Conway looks at the potential vaccines.
Early mutation in SARS-COV-2 virus in Europe led to its domination worldwide
November 12, 2020: GHI Advisory Committee member Yoshihiro Kawaoka leads study that shows the virus mutated in early 2020.
‘Infodemic’ complicates Wisconsin’s public health fight against coronavirus
November 6, 2020: GHI Advisory Committee member Ajay Sethi looks at CDC’s reporting method.
COVID questions: Dog park safety, antibody testing
September 3, 2020: GHI’s Christopher Olsen answers questions about dog parks and safety during the pandemic.
Investigating the link between ‘COVID toes’ and the virus
July 27, 2020: GHI Associate Director James Conway joins the team investigating the phenomenon that affects children.
Coronavirus pandemic causes kids to miss vaccinations
June 25, 2020: GHI Associate Director James Conway explains how the health community is trying to get ahead of the issue.
A coalition of scientists takes on COVID-19—with data
GHI Director Jonathan Patz is a member of the data team looking at COVID-19.
New Poll Shows Half of Americans Would Get COVID-19 Vaccine, Half Unsure or Would Refuse
May 29, 2020: GHI Associate Director James Conway talks about what attitudes mean for efforts to combat the virus.
May 18, 2020: GHI Associate Director James Conway and Advisory Committee member Ajay Sethi warn against amateur studies that can spread false information.
Experts split on whether Wisconsin should open on a regional basis
May 1, 2020: GHI Associate Director James Conway says loosening restrictions regionally is short-sighted.
UW System forms ‘Plan Ahead Team’ to prepare for fall semester
April 30, 2020: GHI Director Jonathan Patz and Executive Assistant Valerie Peterson join the statewide effort.
Flu ‘backbone’ headstart for COVID vaccine development: Krishna Ella
April 30, 2020: Krishna Ella, a member of the GHI Board of Visitors, looks at building a COVID vaccine on the ‘backbone’ of a flu vaccine.
Researchers at UW-Madison lead data science coalition to aid with COVID-19
April 21, 2020: GHI Director Jonathan Patz and Advisory Committee member Ajay Sethi join a campus-wide collaboration to understand and respond to the virus.
Artists find ways to help families get through the coronavirus pandemic
April 22: GHI Associate Director Lori DiPrete Brown leads a project to develop a coloring book and pages for children and drawings for adults facing these difficult times.
Hope to get nasal vaccine against COVID-19 into market in 12-18 months
April 8, 2020: Krishna Ella, a GHI Board of Visitor member and chairman of Bharat Biotech, discusses the vaccine collaboration.
GHI Associate Director James Conway sees health risks in Tuesday’s election.
Respect social distancing —and keep your kids home from school ASAP
March 15, 2020: GHI Associate Director James Conway and assistant scientist Malia Jones encourage distancing.
Emergency physicians discuss experience in Liberia with Ebola virus
March 20, 2020: GHI Associate Director Janis Tupesis talks about lessons learned from Ebola.
Scientists study, prepare for Chinese coronavirus in Wisconsin
February 11, 2020: GHI’s Christopher Olsen joins Nasia Saftar, experts from across Madison to discuss the virus.
Live animals markets worldwide can spawn coronavirus, experts say
January 25, 2020: GHI Associate Director Tony Goldberg discusses how viruses spread between species.
How the World Health Organization Responds to Coronavirus
February 5, 2020: Ambassador John E. Lang, a member of the GHI Board of Visitors, discusses how WHO operates in crisis situations.