COVID-19 Updates
Last Updated: 4 January 2021
Human coronaviruses are a type of virus and are common throughout the world. Scientists know of seven different coronaviruses that can infect people and make them sick. Common human coronaviruses usually cause mild to moderate upper-respiratory tract illnesses similar to the common cold. Most people get infected with these viruses at some point in their lives and these illnesses usually only last for a short amount of time.
However, two of these known human coronaviruses, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV have been known to cause severe symptoms including death.
In December 2019, a novel coronavirus was identified as the cause of an outbreak of a respiratory illness (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China. As of January 4, 2021, globally, there are more than 83,715,617 confirmed cases (based on WHO case definitions for COVID-19) and over 1,835,901 deaths as a result of the outbreak.
Please click here for a timeline of the outbreak.
For the most up to date information on COVID-19, please see:
COVID-19 Frontline Guide for Local Decision-Makers
The COVID-19 pandemic is causing significant disruptions to cities and local communities in the US and around the world. Successful suppression of COVID-19 in the United States will require urgent and decisive action by state, local and community leaders across the country. In collaboration with colleagues at the Nuclear Threat Initiative, the Center for Global Development, and Talus Analytics, we are launching the COVID-19 Frontline Guide. This resource is intended to provide leaders and public officials with a web-based decision support tool and progress indicators to assist in informed decision-making on how to combat COVID-19 in their jurisdictions. This guide provides a framework to help local leaders establish strategies to fight the outbreak, both by reducing transmission of the disease and by supporting their communities effectively. Access the Guide here: https://covid-local.org/
COVID Analysis and Mapping of Policies (AMP)
The COVID Analysis and Mapping of Policies (AMP) site is a part of the Georgetown Infectious Disease Atlas and provides access to a comprehensive list of policies and plans implemented globally to address the COVID-19 pandemic. In many cases, response efforts have been led by subnational governments or private and non-profit organizations. The database allows for simple searches, as each policy or plan has been categorized by the type of measure, in addition to implementation date and authorizing agency. In addition, policies can be identified by legal authority and plans by type of organization. Where available, PDFs or links to the original document or notice are included. Access the database here: https://covidamp.org/
COVAT: COVID-19 Vaccine Analysis Team
Addressing an Unmet Need for Expert Analysis and Communication on Emerging Information on COVID-19 Vaccines
At a time of both hyperbole and skepticism about COVID-19 vaccines, an ensemble of some of America’s most trusted vaccine experts has launched the COVID-19 Vaccine Analysis Team, or COVAT, to provide rapid expert analysis, perspective and communication for emerging information on COVID-19 vaccines. COVAT aims to objectively analyze rapidly evolving, challenging and complex science for the public, media, health care providers and elected officials. The goal is to provide unbiased analysis that can enhance understanding and decisions of both policymakers and the public.
Emergency Management for Epidemics
COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of strong capacities for organizing and managing the complex realities of a pandemic response, at regional, national, and local scales. However, emergency management, and the benefits it can provide, may not be familiar to many of the health authorities, especially at sub-national or local levels, that are battling to maintain control of the response effort. CGHSS faculty, in collaboration with subject matter experts at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Talus Analytics, have created a website containing training materials, checklists, and other resources for development and strengthening of public health emergency management capacities, with an emphasis on Emergency Operations Centers. The website also serves as a portal for asking questions about emergency management best practices as they relate to public health, and especially epidemic response, as well as to request further technical assistance.
The website is available here: www.epidemic-em.org (new window)
Research Briefs
Research Brief 2020-17 | Mandated Flu Vaccines: The Public Health Benefits, Current Policies, and Public Health Infrastructure
Research Brief 2020-16 | Transparency, accessibility, and comparability of COVID-19 contact tracing data in the United States: A mid-autumn reflection on changes in contact tracing data sharing since mid-summer review
Research Brief 2020-15 | Farm Workers & COVID-19
Research Brief 2020-14 | Exploring the Actions of the 116th Congress on Global Health Security & COVID19
Research Brief 2020-13 | Contact Tracing and State Surveillance: A Case Study of India’s Aarogya Setu
Research Brief 2020-12 | Professional Athletics during COVID-19: A Comparative Analysis
Research Brief 2020-11 | Contact Tracing during COVID-19: Global Case Studies
Research Brief 2020-10 | COVID-19 Contact Tracing Data
Research Brief 2020-09 | Community Colleges’ Reopening Plans
Research Brief 2020-08 | Major American College Athletic Conferences’ Plans
Research Brief 2020-07 | Analysis and Mapping of COVID Policies
Student Spotlight
Kate Toole, a junior in Georgetown’s Walsh School of Foreign Service studying Science, Technology, and International Affairs (STIA), is an undergraduate research assistant at the Center. She was recently inducted into the Alpha Sigma Nu Jesuit Honor Society. We congratulate her on this achievement! Read about it here.
Mackenzie Moore and Emily Shambaugh were recently published in an EcoHealth Alliance Report, titled Opportunities for Enhanced Defense, Military, and Security Sector Engagement in Global Health Security, with Dr. Ellen Carlin.
Sam Schlageter, Health Care Management and Policy major & undergraduate research assistant at the Center, on her journey into global health and COVID-19 research at Georgetown. Read it here.
COVID-19 Contact Tracing Data
Domestic Contact Tracing Data Tracker
Media Inquiries
Karen Teber
GUMC Senior Director of Communications
km463@georgetown.edu
Peer-Reviewed References
Boyce MR, Katz R. (2020). Rapid urban health security assessment tool: a new resource for evaluating local-level public health preparedness. BMJ Global Health, 5, e002606. DOI:10.1136/bmjgh-2020-002606.
Phillips CA, Caldas A, Cleetus R, … Phelan AL, … Carlson CJ. (2020). Compound climate risks in the COVID-19 pandemic. Nature Climate Change. DOI:10.1038/s41558-020-0804-2.
Rourke MF, Eccleston-Turner M, Phelan AL, et al. (2020). Policy opportunities to enhance sharing for pandemic research. Science, 368, 716-18. DOI:10.1126/science.abb9342.
Phelan AL. (2020). COVID-19 immunity passports and vaccination certificates: scientific, equitable, and legal challenges. The Lancet. DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31034-5.
Graeden E, Carlson CJ, Katz R. (2020). Answering the right questions for policymakers on COVID-19. The Lancet Global Health. DOI:10.1016/S2214-109X(20)30191-1.
Carlson CJ. (2020). From PREDICT to prevention, one pandemic later. The Lancet Microbe. DOI:10.1016/S2666-5247(20)30002-1.
Berger ZD, Evans NG, Phelan AL, et al. (2020). Covid-19: control measures must be equitable and inclusive. BMJ, 368. DOI:10.1136/bmj.m1141.
Phelan AL, Katz R, Gostin LO. The Novel Coronavirus Originating in Wuhan, China: Challenges for Global Health Governance. JAMA; 2020. DOI:10.1001/jama.020.1097.
COVID-19 Ask & Answer
Julie Fischer on Expanding COVID-19 Testing
Erin Sorrell on COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing
Ellen Carlin on COVID-19’s Origins and Preventing Future Outbreaks
Alexandra Phelan on COVID-19 Immunity Passports
COVID-19 & Protests
As protests against racial injustice continue, we encourage governments, organizers, and individuals to proactively take steps to minimize the risk of COVID-19. Click here for more information.
Other References:
Moore M., Toole K. Review of Community Colleges’ Reopening Plans in the United States. Research Brief 2020-09. Washington: Georgetown University Center for Global Health Science & Security, 2020.
Toole K., Remmel R. Major American College Athletic Conferences’ Plans for Fall 2020. Research Brief 2020-08. Washington: Georgetown University Center for Global Health Science & Security, 2020.
Katz R., Graeden E. COVIDAMP.ORG: A Global Resource for Governance in the Time of COVID. Research Brief 2020-07. Washington: Georgetown University Center for Global Health Science & Security, 2020.
Cimmino J., Katz R., Kroenig M., Lipsky J., Pavel B. A Global Strategy for Shaping the Post-COVID-19 World. Washington: Atlantic Council, 2020.
Toole K. Access to Free COVID-19 Testing in the United States. Research Brief 2020-06. Washington: Georgetown University Center for Global Health Science & Security, 2020.
Katz R., Graeden E. Outbreak Activity Library: An online, user-friendly compilation of activities essential for effective outbreak response. Research Brief 2020-05. Washington: Georgetown University Center for Global Health Science & Security, 2020.
Boyce MR. Comparing Reopening Metrics Proposed by the COVID Act Now and COVID-Local Initiatives. Research Brief 2020-04. Washington: Georgetown University Center for Global Health Science & Security, 2020.
Schermerhorn J. A Proposed Monitoring & Evaluation Framework for Contact Tracing. Research Brief 2020-03. Washington: Georgetown University Center for Global Health Science & Security, 2020.
Florida R., Glaeser E., Mohd Sharif M., … Katz R., et al. How Life in Our Cities Will Look After the Coronavirus Pandemic. Foreign Policy. 2020 May 1.
Chu E., Woolverton A., Standley CJ. COVID-19 in Africa: travel Restrictions and Border Closures. Research Brief 2020-02. Washington: Georgetown University Center for Global Health Science & Security, 2020.
Schlegelmilch J., Carlin EP. 4 steps Congress can take to help prevent the next big pandemic. The Hill (Online Ed.). 2020 Mar 27.
Standley CJ., Woolverton A. COVID-19 in Africa: Imported Threats. Research Brief 2020-01. Washington: Georgetown University Center for Global Health Science & Security, 2020.
Katz R. Panel Discussion: Leadership During the COVID-19 Crisis. Washington: Georgetown Institute of Politics & Public Service.
Boyce M., Katz R. The 1918 Influenza Pandemic and COVID-19. Boston: PBS The American Experience, 2020.
Muggah R., Katz R. How cities around the world are handling COVID-19 – and why we need to measure their preparedness. Cologny: World Economic Forum, 2020.
Sorrell EM., Gronvall GK., Fischer JE. Laboratory Diagnostics—Rarely Appreciated Until Something Goes Wrong. Think Global Health. Washington: Council on Foreign Relations, 2020.
Alton J., Carlin EP. Now is the time to resource the Public Health Emergency Fund. The Hill (Online Ed.). 2020 Feb 28.
Holmes C., Boyce M., Katz R. Africa’s Response to COVID-19: Success against coronavirus will require national leadership, engaged local responders, and strong cooperation with NGOs. Think Global Health. Washington: Council on Foreign Relations, 2020.
Carlin EP., Schlegelmilch J. What coronavirus teaches us for preventing the next big bio threat. The Hill (Online Ed.). 2020 Feb 24.
Katz R., Phelan AL. Why Global Governance of Disease Matters for the Emergence of a Novel Coronavirus. Think Global Health. Washington: Council on Foreign Relations, 2020.
Experts in the Media
Center experts have been helping to educate the public on the outbreak. Below are links to recent press articles quoting Center members:
WarCast
Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine to the World, podcast feat. Erin Sorrell, 18 February 2021.
Nature
Why did the world’s pandemic warning system fail when COVID hit?, feat. Alexandra Phelan, 23 January 2021
ABC
WHO warns of world is failing on COVID-19 vaccine distribution, feat. Alexandra Phelan, 19 January 2021
AlJazeera
How did the pandemic begin? WHO team to seek answers in China, feat. Claire Standley, 28 December 2020
The Signal
Will COVID Vaccines Reopen the World? Podcast feat. Alexandra Phelan, Apple Podcast and ABC 17 December 2020
The Warcast
Status Update on COVID-19, feat. Erin Sorrell, 4 December 2020.
HuffPost
How Infectious Disease Experts Are Spending Thanksgiving During COVID-19, feat. Erin Sorrell, 11 November 2020
The Frontier
Oklahoma officials continue to push ‘personal responsibility’ as experts say vaccine is months off, feat. Erin Sorrell, 10 November 2020
SciDevNet
COVID-19: Urge cooperación regional para atender a migrantes de Venezuela, feat. Claire Standley and Erin Sorrell, 6 November 2020
BBC Newscast Podcast
What’s the science behind mink and coronavirus?, feat. Claire Standley, 5 November 2020
WebMD
CDC Will Monitor COVID-19 Vaccine Recipients, feat. Claire Standley, 26 October 2020
The Washington Post
Biden’s Covid Response Plan Draws From F.D.R.’s New Deal, feat. Rebecca Katz, 16 October 2020
The Washington Post
China joins WHO-backed vaccine plan that White House spurned
feat. Alexandra Phelan, 9 October 2020
Daily Caller
‘Dying In A Leadership Vacuum’: New England Journal Of Medicine Slams US Coronavirus Response, feat. Alexandra Phelan, 9 October 2020
Science
WHO unveils global plan to fairly distribute COVID-19 vaccine, but challenges await, feat. Alexandra Phelan, 21 September 2020
Newsweek
COVID Could Be Transmissible From Animals to Humans and Vice Versa. feat. Colin Carlson, 18 September 2020
Popular Science
A coronavirus vaccine will save more lives if we share it widely, feat. Alexandra Phelan, 17 September 2020
JAVMA News
National Veterinary Scholars Symposium goes virtual, feat. Erin Sorrell, 16 September 2020
Washington Post
Scientific American backs Biden for its first presidential endorsement in 175 years (new window), feat. Rebecca Katz, 16 September 2020
Kaiser Family Foundation
Blog Posts, Report, Statement, Press Releases Address Various Aspects Of COVID-19 Pandemic, feat. paper by Alexandra Phelan & Rebecca Katz, 16 September 2020
Washington Post
Here’s how Joe Biden would combat the pandemic if he wins the election, feat. Rebecca Katz, 12 September 2020
Georgetown University Global Cities
Producing Resources for Cities to Manage COVID-19, feat. Rebecca Katz & Matthew Boyce, 11 September 2020
Well + Good
COVID-19 Transmission and the Weather, feat. Colin Carlson, 31 August 2020
Luminary
Rebecca Katz on the Past, Present, and Future of COVID-19, podcast feat. Rebecca Katz, posted 31 August 2020
WeddingWire
The Riskiest Things You Can Do at a Wedding Right Now, feat. Erin Sorrell, 26 August 2020
France24
Fears of ‘spillover’ to vulnerable in Europe as Covid-19 surges among young, feat. Claire Standley, 25 August 2020
C-SPAN
After Words with Deborah MacKenzie, interviewed by Claire Standley, 23 August 2020
New York Academy of Sciences
Ebriefing: Pandemic Preparedness and Response, feat. Rebecca Katz as a speaker, 22 June 2020, posted 21 August 2020
Huff Post
Infectious Disease Experts On What Frustrates Them Most During COVID-19, feat. Erin Sorrell, 19 August 2020
London School of Economics
Do we have the WHO we need? Global Health Governance and Reform, feat. Rebecca Katz, 18 August 2020
CNN
Why stores need to pay more attention to the air we breathe, feat. Erin Sorrell, 12 August 2020
The Science Times
Scientists Want To Conserve Parasites, Here’s Why and How, feat. Colin Carlson, 3 August 2020
The Atlantic
How the Pandemic Defeated America, feat. Colin Carlson, 3 August 2020
France24
How can we apply lessons from the Spanish flu’s second wave to Covid-19?, feat. Erin Sorrell, 31 July 2020
IJ NET
Key quotes: Six months later — results of the evolving COVID-19 public health response, feat. Claire Standley, 31 July 2020
France24
Covid-19 soars in Australia’s Victoria despite second Melbourne lockdown, feat. Claire Standley, 31 July 2020
NPR The World Podcast
The novel coronavirus, bats and other similar viruses (new window), feat. Claire Standley, 29 Jul 2020
Science Magazine
‘Vaccine nationalism’ threatens global plan to distribute COVID-19 shots fairly (new window), feat. Alexandra Phelan, 28 Jul 2020
Huff Post
Are Face Shields Better Than Face Masks For Protection Against COVID-19?, feat. Erin Sorrell, 28 Jul 2020
Vox
The global risk of “vaccine nationalism” (new window), feat. Alexandra Phelan, 27 Jul 2020
The Missoulian
Experts discuss COVID-19 prevention on local levels (new window), feat. Jordan Schermerhorn, 25 Jul 2020
The Digital Wise
How To Avoid Coronavirus Contraction With These Five Security Measures, feat. Rebecca Katz, 25 Jul 2020
Additional Resources
Coronawho?
Georgetown University Coronavirus Website
Expert Recommendations for U.S. and Global Preparedness for COVID-19 (pdf)
U.S. CDC – What to Do if You Are Sick with COVID-19 (pdf)
Emergency Legal Preparedness: Novel Coronavirus
WHO Global Surveillance for human infection with novel coronavirus
COVID-19 Zotero Group
Information Submission for Zotero nCoV Library