COVID-19 Updates

two young women indoors
Pitt roommates Melanie Dong and Sophie Becker were close contacts of someone who tested positive for COVID-19, so they quarantined in their residence hall room. They want their peers to know it’s less intimidating than you might think—and the snacks are plentiful.
A person in a gray shirt and light face mask holds up a smartphone
A team of undergraduate students and faculty members is using techniques from engineering to provide a picture of how well students are complying with safety standards on the Pittsburgh campus.
A woman in a white shirt
A team led by Madhu Choudhary has joined a national trial testing therapies to keep COVID-19 patients out of the hospital. Funded through Operation Warp Speed, it is one of a handful of new trials at Pitt.
A person in a face mask, white coat and blue gloves holds up a vial
The discovery in animals is being used to make a drug for potential therapeutic and preventive use against COVID-19 in humans.
a screen showing a woman swabbing her nose, with directions in white text over a blue background that say "Hold cotton swab in place against the inside wall of your nostril for 10 seconds"
The University of Pittsburgh is working to monitor and contain the spread of COVID-19 on and off campus by randomly testing students for the virus. Going through the process is easier than you might think—take a look.
A depiction of a bloodstream and a virus
The National Institutes of Health has selected Pitt to lead a trio of Phase 3 clinical trials involving COVID-19 patients that will explore the use of blood thinners in saving lives and improving care.
A man in a Pitt face mask and striped shirt
Compressing the academic calendar to finish on-campus learning by Thanksgiving break means Labor Day is a class and work day at Pitt this year. The move was designed to limit the risk of spreading COVID-19 during the holiday travel season.
a woman in a Pitt branded blue and gold face covering with her arms crossed on her chest
Senior Sai Bhatte and a committee of undergraduate and graduate students are working to keep campus open. “You hear complaints from your friends, your peers, your professors—to be in a position to take that to someone in power and make a change is really impactful,” she said.
A person in a face mask next to a tablet
Face coverings are now required—indoors and out—regardless of Pitt’s operational posture.
Angus in a blue suit
Published as part of a four-article package today in JAMA, research led by Pitt’s Derek Angus found that an inexpensive treatment of steroids can substantially improve survival in critically ill COVID-19 patients. The findings, part of a multi-site global trial, were so stark that the World Health Organization is updating its treatment guidance for the disease.