thesis statement example on covid 19

How to Write About Coronavirus in a College Essay

Students can share how they navigated life during the coronavirus pandemic in a full-length essay or an optional supplement.

Writing About COVID-19 in College Essays

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Experts say students should be honest and not limit themselves to merely their experiences with the pandemic.

The global impact of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, means colleges and prospective students alike are in for an admissions cycle like no other. Both face unprecedented challenges and questions as they grapple with their respective futures amid the ongoing fallout of the pandemic.

Colleges must examine applicants without the aid of standardized test scores for many – a factor that prompted many schools to go test-optional for now . Even grades, a significant component of a college application, may be hard to interpret with some high schools adopting pass-fail classes last spring due to the pandemic. Major college admissions factors are suddenly skewed.

"I can't help but think other (admissions) factors are going to matter more," says Ethan Sawyer, founder of the College Essay Guy, a website that offers free and paid essay-writing resources.

College essays and letters of recommendation , Sawyer says, are likely to carry more weight than ever in this admissions cycle. And many essays will likely focus on how the pandemic shaped students' lives throughout an often tumultuous 2020.

But before writing a college essay focused on the coronavirus, students should explore whether it's the best topic for them.

Writing About COVID-19 for a College Application

Much of daily life has been colored by the coronavirus. Virtual learning is the norm at many colleges and high schools, many extracurriculars have vanished and social lives have stalled for students complying with measures to stop the spread of COVID-19.

"For some young people, the pandemic took away what they envisioned as their senior year," says Robert Alexander, dean of admissions, financial aid and enrollment management at the University of Rochester in New York. "Maybe that's a spot on a varsity athletic team or the lead role in the fall play. And it's OK for them to mourn what should have been and what they feel like they lost, but more important is how are they making the most of the opportunities they do have?"

That question, Alexander says, is what colleges want answered if students choose to address COVID-19 in their college essay.

But the question of whether a student should write about the coronavirus is tricky. The answer depends largely on the student.

"In general, I don't think students should write about COVID-19 in their main personal statement for their application," Robin Miller, master college admissions counselor at IvyWise, a college counseling company, wrote in an email.

"Certainly, there may be exceptions to this based on a student's individual experience, but since the personal essay is the main place in the application where the student can really allow their voice to be heard and share insight into who they are as an individual, there are likely many other topics they can choose to write about that are more distinctive and unique than COVID-19," Miller says.

Opinions among admissions experts vary on whether to write about the likely popular topic of the pandemic.

"If your essay communicates something positive, unique, and compelling about you in an interesting and eloquent way, go for it," Carolyn Pippen, principal college admissions counselor at IvyWise, wrote in an email. She adds that students shouldn't be dissuaded from writing about a topic merely because it's common, noting that "topics are bound to repeat, no matter how hard we try to avoid it."

Above all, she urges honesty.

"If your experience within the context of the pandemic has been truly unique, then write about that experience, and the standing out will take care of itself," Pippen says. "If your experience has been generally the same as most other students in your context, then trying to find a unique angle can easily cross the line into exploiting a tragedy, or at least appearing as though you have."

But focusing entirely on the pandemic can limit a student to a single story and narrow who they are in an application, Sawyer says. "There are so many wonderful possibilities for what you can say about yourself outside of your experience within the pandemic."

He notes that passions, strengths, career interests and personal identity are among the multitude of essay topic options available to applicants and encourages them to probe their values to help determine the topic that matters most to them – and write about it.

That doesn't mean the pandemic experience has to be ignored if applicants feel the need to write about it.

Writing About Coronavirus in Main and Supplemental Essays

Students can choose to write a full-length college essay on the coronavirus or summarize their experience in a shorter form.

To help students explain how the pandemic affected them, The Common App has added an optional section to address this topic. Applicants have 250 words to describe their pandemic experience and the personal and academic impact of COVID-19.

"That's not a trick question, and there's no right or wrong answer," Alexander says. Colleges want to know, he adds, how students navigated the pandemic, how they prioritized their time, what responsibilities they took on and what they learned along the way.

If students can distill all of the above information into 250 words, there's likely no need to write about it in a full-length college essay, experts say. And applicants whose lives were not heavily altered by the pandemic may even choose to skip the optional COVID-19 question.

"This space is best used to discuss hardship and/or significant challenges that the student and/or the student's family experienced as a result of COVID-19 and how they have responded to those difficulties," Miller notes. Using the section to acknowledge a lack of impact, she adds, "could be perceived as trite and lacking insight, despite the good intentions of the applicant."

To guard against this lack of awareness, Sawyer encourages students to tap someone they trust to review their writing , whether it's the 250-word Common App response or the full-length essay.

Experts tend to agree that the short-form approach to this as an essay topic works better, but there are exceptions. And if a student does have a coronavirus story that he or she feels must be told, Alexander encourages the writer to be authentic in the essay.

"My advice for an essay about COVID-19 is the same as my advice about an essay for any topic – and that is, don't write what you think we want to read or hear," Alexander says. "Write what really changed you and that story that now is yours and yours alone to tell."

Sawyer urges students to ask themselves, "What's the sentence that only I can write?" He also encourages students to remember that the pandemic is only a chapter of their lives and not the whole book.

Miller, who cautions against writing a full-length essay on the coronavirus, says that if students choose to do so they should have a conversation with their high school counselor about whether that's the right move. And if students choose to proceed with COVID-19 as a topic, she says they need to be clear, detailed and insightful about what they learned and how they adapted along the way.

"Approaching the essay in this manner will provide important balance while demonstrating personal growth and vulnerability," Miller says.

Pippen encourages students to remember that they are in an unprecedented time for college admissions.

"It is important to keep in mind with all of these (admission) factors that no colleges have ever had to consider them this way in the selection process, if at all," Pippen says. "They have had very little time to calibrate their evaluations of different application components within their offices, let alone across institutions. This means that colleges will all be handling the admissions process a little bit differently, and their approaches may even evolve over the course of the admissions cycle."

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Covid impact statement

An optional impact statement to explain to your examiners how your project/thesis has changed as a consequence of Covid-19 restrictions.

Many PGRs will have had to adapt their research project, sometimes significantly, in response to Covid-19 restrictions and this may be a cause of concern. Be reassured that adapting research projects in the light of unforeseen circumstances is a normal part of research and you will not be disadvantaged for doing so, as long as you are still able to meet the criteria for the relevant award ( section 2 of the Policy on Research Degrees ).

If you believe the pandemic is having or has had a significant negative impact on your personal circumstances (for example, led to ill-health or a challenging domestic situation) you should request a  leave of absence  or  extension  on those grounds. As always, you can seek independent advice from the Graduate Student's Association advice team.

Challenges and context

If you started on or before 31 March 2021 and will submit from December 2020 onwards, you will have the option of submitting a short impact statement to give contextual information about the effect of the Covid-19 restrictions on your research project/thesis. Submitted statements will be shared by PGR Administration with your examiners, who may explore the statement in an oral examination.

The statement enables you to explain challenges, for example:

• difficulty or delay in collecting or analysing data due to the closure of/restrictions on laboratories/other specialist facilities/expertise, curtailed/cancelled fieldwork due to travel restrictions or social distancing measures
• reduced data in one or more theis chapters, and/or thesis chapters that are shorter and/or not as closely linked as might be expected

You can also explain how the planned (i.e. pre-Covid-19 restrictions) research would have fitted into the thesis’ narrative and the steps you took to address the challenges arising from the Covid-19 restrictions, in terms of adjusting the scope, design or phasing of their research project/thesis, for example:

• one or more changes of research topic
• a change in emphasis from empirical to theoretical research
• a change of research location (fieldwork, archive, etc)
• a change a method (e.g. running experiments remotely rather than in person, using simulation, moving from in-person data collection to online data collection, analysing existing data sets)
• altering the timing of, or substituting, one or more experiments.

Submit an impact statement

You should complete the impact statement just before you submit your thesis for examination. Please upload the completed impact statement (as a PDF file) with your thesis.

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20 Thesis ideas concerning Pandemics_Epidemics

The COVID-19 pandemic has paralyzed everything globally and has affected the smallest parts of the remotest countries as well. There has been no way yet to put a cap on to this, and scientists and doctors across the world are trying hard to come up with any kind of solution. This pandemic being airborne, the risk is multi-fold and is increasing like wildfire with every passing day. Looking at its effects, the pandemic does not seem to be coming down in the coming immediate years. We thus need to alter our lives and lifestyles to fight it and for that, we need severe changes in our surroundings; our public spaces, markets, eating joints, shopping malls, etc. all need to strictly follow social distancing norms, hygiene, etc.

Below are a few ideas for a thesis concerning the global pandemic.

1. Public spaces and hygiene

There is a sheer need to make people aware of the importance of hygiene while being in public spaces. Certain manners in us need to change and for a better tomorrow, this is just a small step. Especially in a country like ours, with the nerve breaking densities, we need to be careful with these smaller steps to be safe and clean.

2. Changes in public spaces after the pandemic

Our public spaces and their character is going to change and be pretty different than what it is now. Social distancing, use of sanitizers, face masks, etc. are going to turn these spaces into a new ball game altogether. New norms and guidelines will have to be in place to maintain these spaces in a civilized form.

3. Development Control Regulations (DCR) as a medium to fight the pandemic

There is going to be a need to substantially change the formulation of the DCRs, the way we look at them, and the basis of their formulation. Norms like social distancing are going to be a vital part of the DCRs. Density control through urban form, ensuring clean and hygiene city level infrastructure, clean and safe public spaces, etc. will be new aspects to detail out while framing the DCRs.

4. Housing typologies and their characters

We have to be extra careful and cautious while inviting people over to our place henceforth. You never know where they come from, how they travel, the things they have touched on the way to your place, etc. Thus the design of our housing apartments will have to be revised. Restricting certain groups of people at a particular point in the building premise, making sure they clean or sanitize themselves before entering the building, restricting the number of guests at a time for a family, ensuring that no person enters or leaves the building premises without following the instructions, etc. are a few things to be kept in mind.

5. Staggering of working hours

This has been a need of the hour for a while and now the pandemic has just made it an urgency. The surge in densities across the globe has made it the only choice left. It is not the ultimate solution; just a means to reduce the danger and harm to life. Staggering in work timings will not only reduce the number of people at a time in the office space but also will drastically reflect in the public transportation system, roads, at cafeterias, at all other allied spaces.

6. Design of workspaces

Workspaces will have to function differently once the lockdown lifts and the routine begins; we need to be careful enough at our respective workspaces as well. Screening and primary sanitization will be a must. Recurring cleaning of self and the concept of distancing while being in the same space will have to be executed and made into a regular practice.

7. Design of play areas

Controlling kids and making them follow discipline is a mammoth task. But for their safety and health, we need to bring in definite rules and regulations to design the spaces they use daily. Cleanliness and sanitization of the spaces they use, the playing equipment, provision of hand wash, use of face masks, etc. There will have to be restrictions for timings for which the play areas would be open, to limit the number of people.

8. Sanitization of residential buildings, surroundings, and interior spaces

Sanitization of our immediate surroundings is an important precaution to be taken at this time of the pandemic. Keeping our own house clean and sanitized, our apartment, our building, and its surrounding, etc. matters a lot. People entering and leaving the building need to be thoroughly sanitized and screened. There has to be a means to cap the number of guests coming to visit us, and vice versa. Routine habits like washing of hands, wearing face masks while stepping out, etc, need to be strictly followed by everyone. Special care has to be taken with house helps and their sanitization. At the same time, we need to be human towards them while doing so.

9. Pedestrianization in the time of corona

The lockdown had forced us to stay back in our houses and it has tested our patience big time. Going out for a mere walk can be so refreshing, and help us be more productive at work. But people do not seem to understand the fact that the lockdown has been lifted to keep the economy in place, not because the danger of the pandemic has ceased. Social distancing needs to be strictly practiced and noncompliance to the same has to be severely penalized. There is a need to provide sanitation infrastructure at public plazas, promenades, and other walking/running tracks. There have to be some means to monitor people at these places. Pedestrian areas need to be safely barricaded from vehicular roads for better safety. Have timings for people to use these pedestrian walkways. People need to follow the same even on the streets and in their daily pedestrian commute.

10. Public transportation and its effects during the pandemic and ways to fight the same

The modes of public transport are most susceptible to the spread of such diseases. There is a dire need to keep all public transportation modes clean and well sanitized. Restricting the number of people, allowing only essential service people as a priority are few of the many possible means to reduce the risk of spread. Increasing the frequency, using more feeder systems, etc, can be more helpful. A lot of human behavior will have to be documented and reflected upon while working on this topic.

11. Reconceptualization of restaurants and street eateries

After lifting the lockdown, when the eateries and restaurants are open, people must be careful visiting the same. apart from the basic sanitization precautions, the restaurants will have to keep a basic check on expiry dates of food products, cleanliness in the kitchen, cleaning, and sanitization of the people working in the restaurants, screening, and sanitization of customers, distancing criteria, etc. On-street eateries will have to take the same efforts. Basic hand washing must be mandatory and must follow the social distancing norms.

12. Street shopping after the pandemic

Street shopping will never be the same experience post the pandemic times. There will have to be a lot of discipline and formalization in the process, which itself is contradictory to the activity. But for safety reasons, it will have to be done. New guidelines have to be in place to allow street shopping in designated areas only. Timings will have to be strictly followed. The vendors and customers both should be aware of the practices of sanitizing and social distancing and they should follow them sincerely.

13. Effect on commercial activities in slums and other dense neighborhoods

A lot of small scales of commercial and industrial activities happen in the densely populated and compact urban fabric of slums. These provide a substantial amount of employment to the people in these settlements. There has to be an adequate screening of goods coming out from the settlement and the raw materials entering in. There has to be the provision of hand sanitizers, hand wash, face masks, and other necessary safety equipment for the workers. Transportation of goods has to be done in a similar sanitized manner.

14. Re-emerging commerce through shopping malls and other enclosed public spaces and its effects on human life

As we know the shopping malls and other public spaces were shut down for over three months now, to curb the spread of the pandemic by limiting people in public areas. But with the reopening of the same, the chances of the disease spreading are going to be spiked up. So it has to be taken with a pinch of salt. Before they are set to open for the public, there should be rules and guidelines in place to be followed to reduce the risk of life. Opening shopping areas in different stages or phases might be a good idea, to begin with.

15. Social distancing in dense neighborhoods

As we are aware of the brawling densities in our country, we also know that it is difficult to practice social distancing in certain areas. The houses are so cramped up and tightly held together, it’s practically impossible to follow things like social distancing. Also, these neighborhoods are damp, crowded, unhygienic, and perfect breeding grounds for any disease. It will be a task to get things under control in these neighborhoods and at the city level as well.

16. Guidelines for the celebration of festivals and other public gatherings

No celebration or festival in India happens without a massive crowd. Festivals in India are just another definition of a public gathering. With the current situation around, any gathering of people is likely to be dangerous and risky. But we want to celebrate our festivals as well. Just a few days back there were articles about the Jagannath Rath yatra, and how it had to be canceled for the safety of the people. There is a need to have guidelines. There is a need to have a designated area for such celebrations, well barricaded, sanitized, clean, and allowing a limited number of people at a time only. There have to be regulations in place to manage situations like these. We also need to incorporate certain behavioral changes for the betterment of society. All of these have to be considered and addressed.

17. Segregation of essential and non-essential services and prioritization of the same

Essential services like medical healthcare, traffic department, the police, banks, etc. are trying their best to provide the best possible services to the people even in the time of the pandemic. It would be better to segregate the essential services from the nonessential ones. It will help in controlling the spread of the disease. Also, priority should be given to the ones working in the essential services as they are the heroes doing more than their bit for us all. They deserve their share of security and safety. For example, the Mumbai local trains have recently started service for the essential service workers, for their ease of commute, which is a good initiative.

18. Redesign of markets

Markets or bazaars in an Indian context are other public gatherings of a massive scale. With almost entire neighborhoods pouring in, there is a doubt of how it will function once it reopens post the lockdown. There have been images circulated showing circles marked in front of the stalls to demarcate the three feet distance to be kept between two people as a norm, which is a good start. Similar measures can be taken and the markets can be redesigned in a way to accommodate these norms and guidelines.

19. Affordable sanitizing equipment

It is observed that in a crisis like this, it is the lowermost sector of the society that gets affected the most. The daily wage workers, site workers, household helps, etc. The government will have to incentivize the supply of these basic sanitation facilities and make sure all the lower class gets it at an affordable rate. There could be regulations and policies for the distribution of the same in this class of people.

20. Primary health care during and after the pandemic

It has been observed that the primary healthcare that we have, is not at all adequate to take care of our population. This pandemic has exposed this ugly side to us right in the beginning. The shortage of beds in hospitals, a shortage of primary healthcare workers, shortage of medicines, etc. is something that our country needs to work on. It is not an overnight process and there will have to be long term planning to cope up with this need. Suitable policies and guidelines can help this happen smoothly and efficiently. Where to manufacture, how much to manufacture, at what cost to manufacture, and at what cost to sell the infrastructure, will all be important decisions to be taken by the authorities, sooner.

As the global pandemic is wreaking havoc in the world right outside our doors, we have been planning measures to fight it and ways to keep it at a distance. It’s not the job of one profession or fraternity to come forward and take the responsibility to do this. Every single person must contribute in whichever way possible. For example, if ordered to stay indoors, individuals must understand the seriousness of the situation and follow the orders. It would be a much simpler job for the authorities to deal with the actual issue if people behave sensibly and take care of themselves at an individual level.

The pandemic has affected every corner of the world, and having a solution to it is going to take time. Every profession or fraternity can come up with ideas and solutions that can be implemented, to curb the effects of the spread of this disease.

It is a humble request to all to be human to one another at this time.

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An architect from Bombay, after graduation, he further studied Sustainable Architecture. Since then, he has been associated with a research organisation, working on urban development policies of Mumbai, Urban Design Research Institute (UDRI). Here, he has worked on projects that have strengthened his knowledge about the city. He is inclined towards researching public transportation alternatives, policies and infrastructure for pedestrians in cities, affordable housing, urban recreational spaces and non-conventional construction techniques.

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• Covid 19 Essays

Covid 19 Essays (Examples)

201+ documents containing “covid 19” .

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Covid 19 and healthcare worker burnout.

Article Review: COVID-19 and the Mental Health Impact Upon Healthcare WorkersAmericans lauded healthcare workers as the nations heroes during the height of the pandemic. But, just like other Americans, healthcare workers too were also personally and intimately affected by the impact of COVID-19. They had to deal with the overwhelming experience of dealing with stress, sickness, and death daily, in a manner which many of them were unprepared for before the crisis. Hall & Powers (2022) remind the reader in their article Addressing the mental health impact of the COVID pandemic on healthcare workers, America is now facing three years of the pandemic, and years of medical misinformation, death, and frustrations with the seemingly endless waves of infection and reinfection.Healthcare workers face greater physical risk from infectious illness, and also a psychological toll from frustration and a sense of helplessness, both when patients pass away, and also resistance to accepting….

Hall, E.J. & Powers, R. E. (2022, June 23) Addressing the mental health impact of the COVID

pandemic on healthcare workers. Newswires.  https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/577854977/addressing-the-mental-health-impact-of-the-covid-pandemic-on-healthcare-workers 

Covid 19 Pandemic Midterm Project

Covid 19 Pandemic Continues To Threaten the Survival of Human Service OrganizationsCovid 19 has impacted the physical, mental, and social lives of human beings from all dimensions. Despite the growing needs of social services firms or community-based organizations (CBOs), they struggle to fulfill those needs (Tsega et al., 2020). They have dwindling resources to meet the requirements of such individuals. Government and funding agencies are also out of techniques and funds to meet the demands of these contracts or the costs of delivering pertinent services.There are three main challenges that CBOs are facing in times of crisis: long-term financial survival, staff availability for being active even on low salaries, and delivery concerns to meet the clients needs (Tsega et al., 2020). Some of the ethical challenges that the social work employees were not aware of or were not prepared for beforehand when Covid struck the world are building a relationship….

Banks, S., Cai, T., de Jonge, E., Shears, J., Shum, M., Sobocan, A.M., Strom, K., Truell, R., Uriz, M.J. & Weinberg, M. (2020, June 29). Ethical challenges for social workers during Covid 19: A global perspective. The International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW).  https://www.ifsw.org/ethical-challenges-for-social-workers-during-covid-19-a-global-perspective/ 

Chadi, N., Ryan, N. C., & Geoffroy, M. C. (2022). COVID-19 and the impacts on youth mental health: emerging evidence from longitudinal studies. Les impacts de la pandémie de la COVID-19 sur la santé mentale des jeunes: données émergeantes des études longitudinales. Canadian Journal of Public Health= Revue Canadienne de Sante Publique, 113(1), 44–52.  https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-021-00567-8 

Exner-Cortens, D., Baker, E., Gray, S., Fernandez Conde, C., Rivera, R. R., Van Bavel, M., Vezina, E., Ambrose, A., Pawluk, C., Schwartz, K. D., & Arnold, P. D. (2021). School-based suicide risk assessment using eHealth for youth: Systematic scoping review. JMIR Mental Health, 8(9), e29454.  https://doi.org/10.2196/29454

COVID 19 Pandemic and Interest Rates

COVID-19 Pandemic The coronavirus pandemic is a grave global health threat, significantly disrupting everyday life and the economy in Canada as well as everywhere else across the world. While all Canadian economic sectors have been adversely impacted, a few like the travel, hospitality, service, and energy industry have been especially hit hard. Necessary public health measures are taken for containing virus spread, including the closedown of educational institutions, social distancing, and lockdowns, and emergency states, themselves greatly and adversely affect economic activity. But a key point to note is that though the effect is huge, it will, nevertheless, pass soon. Experts worldwide have adopted major valiant steps to combat the virus and its spread and support individuals as well as organizations through this very tough time (CBC News, 2020). Impact of COVID-19 on Interest Rates The average Canadian interest rate between 1990 and 2020 was 5.86% - it attained an unprecedented high in….

COVID 19 Vaccinations

1) What is the name of the article? Where was it published? Who is the author and what are his or her credentials?a. Name: Public health officials are failing to communicate effectively about AstraZenecab. Published: May 12, 2021c. Author: Joel Abramsd. Author Credentials: Manager of Outreach at The Conversation US2) Post a link to the article or the actual article with your assignmenta. https://theconversation.com/public-health-officials-are-failing-to-communicate-effectively-about-astrazeneca-1603403) How did you search for or find it (search words, reading, etc)?I searched for the article using Google. I was particularly interested in vaccinations and their overall impact on society. This was compounded by the exception speed by which the vaccines were approved and administered to the public. Due to the speed and complexity of the virus I was interested in researching aspects that failed with the vaccine rollout and how it was being communicated to the public. I wanted to see how health officials would….

1. Abbasi J. COVID-19 and mRNA Vaccines-First Large Test for a New Approach. JAMA. 2020 Sep 3. PubMed:  https://pubmed.gov/32880613 . Full-text:

2. Alter G, Seder R: The Power of Antibody-Based Surveillance. N Engl J Med 2020, published 1 September. Full-text:  https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMe2028079 .

3. Ball P. The lightning-fast quest for COVID vaccines — and what it means for other diseases. Nature 2020, published 18 December. Full-text:  https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-03626-1 

Financial Corporates COVID 19 Pandemic

COVID-19 Pandemic on Financial CorporatesA dividend can be defined as the dispersion of some of the companys incomes to a group of eligible shareholders as the firms board of directors determines it. Familiar stakeholders of dividend-paying companies are typically qualified if they possess the merchandiser before the date of ex-dividend. The bonus may be reimbursed out as coinage or as an arrangement of added merchandise. Additionally, fringe benefits are expenditures carried out by publicly recorded businesses as a prize to depositors for depositing their cash into the project. The statements of dividend payouts are usually followed by a proportional rise or fall in a companys stock value. Most companies retain earnings to be invested back into the company rather than paying dividends. Examples of dividends are cash dividends and bonus shares. A cash dividend is a dividend rewarded in cash and will reduce the companys cash reserves.On the other hand,….

Allen, Franklin, and Roni Michaely. “Dividend policy.” Handbooks in operations research and management science 9 (1995): 793-837.

Barr, Michael S., Howell E. Jackson, and Margaret E. Tahyar. “The Financial Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Available at SSRN 3666461 (2020).

Beck, Thorsten. “Finance in the times of coronavirus.” Economics in the Time of COVID-19 73 (2020).

Beckman, Jayson, and Amanda M. Countryman. “The Importance of Agriculture in the Economy: Impacts from COVID?19.” American journal of agricultural economics (2021).

Impact of COVID 19 on Pregnant Couples Persuasive Speech

Conquering COVID – A Guide for a Pregnant Couple Persuasive Speech Outline Topic: Conquering COVID – A Guide for a Pregnant Couple 1. Introduction a. Does COVID-19 hit harder when one is pregnant? If a pregnant woman is affected, will the virus damage the baby? b. Many of us have probably seen daily coronavirus updates and are aware of some of the measures we can take to prevent us from contracting the virus. We have received lots of information on wearing masks, social distancing, and hand hygiene practices. We have also heard about some of the measures taken to help one recover/conquer the virus when infected. However, there is little information on the impact of COVID-19 on a pregnant couple and what they can do to conquer the virus during pregnancy. c. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pregnant women are vulnerable populations that are likely to be hospitalized, risk preterm birth,….

How Covid 19 has impacted'supply chains in American industry

Simon Property Group is one of the premier shopping center operators in the world. The firm looks to own, develop, and manage high quality shopping and entertainment destinations. The company is also looking to transition its high value real estate assets into mixed used destinations. Here, the company will not only provide shopping, dining, and entertainment options, but also residential and office experiences. As of its latest annual shareholder filing, Simon owns properties in 37 states and Puerto Rico. COVID-19 has had a disproportionate impact on the overall retail industry and Simon Property Group. The fear of contracting the virus along with nationwide closures have significantly reduced traffic to Simon’s properties. As a result, it supply chains have been dramatically altered throughout the 2020 fiscal year. In addition, COVID-19 has indirectly impacted Simon, through higher adoption rates and usage of online channels. As consumers are now forced to purchased discretionary goods….

Hate Crimes against Asians The Surge in COVID 19

Introduction In China, the city of Wuhan is believed to be ground zero of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, which started in late December 2019. The virus has since spread globally, with cases of infection reported in almost all world countries. The United States, in particular, has been heavily affected by the spread of the virus, with the country's death toll in the hundreds of thousands and a still greater number of the infected. Amidst the worry and fear of the viral spread, several reports of harassment and even physical violence to Asian Americans have sprung up across the nation (Gover et al., 647). This paper uses a mix of media information and empirical sources to analyze the nature and effect of the hate crimes committed against Asian Americans in the nation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Anti-Asian Hate Crime during the COVID-19 pandemic The fear created by the rising number of daily….

Sample COVID 19 Marketing Program

Introduction: As the holiday season approaches, it is imperative that standards related to social distancing and PPE are adhered to. This is particularly true as Americans enter a critical holiday season where family gathers are scheduled to occur over the next few months. Due to this occurrence, a community outreach program is needed to help mitigate the impacts of the virus on local communities. Through a concerted door to door campaign, we aim to help lower the threat of the virus, educated the community, and ultimately save lives. The campaign will first consist of door to door outreach, talking specifically about how to minimize the impacts of the virus during the holiday season. Here, we will look to share information with households will also provide resources for individuals to utilized during their own time. In conjunction with the door to door campaign we also are looking to use small radio….

How NHL Responded to COVID 19

The National Hockey League and their COVID-19 ResponseThe COVID-19 global pandemic has significantly impacted lives and livelihoods across the globe as the virus continues to spread worldwide and new variants emerge. COVID-19 has essentially affected every sector of the economy and society as governments are forced to adopt measures to contain its spread. One of the areas that have been affected by the spread of the virus is sports. National sports leagues such as the National Hockey League (NHL) have been affected. In the initial stages of the pandemic, NHL suspended all sporting activities just like other national sports leagues in effort to curb the spread of the virus. However, the pandemic still rages on, which implies that NHL has to find better ways of COVID-19 response amidst the emergence of new variants like the Delta variant. This segment provides suggestions for improving NHLs response to the pandemic based on….

Global CAD. (2020). Managing your organization successfully during COVID-19. Retrieved August 17, 2021, from  https://globalcad.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/GlobalCAD-CovidEnglish_April15v2.pdf 

Gregory, S. (2020). The NHL had 0 positive COVID-19 tests throughout postseason. We asked Commissioner Gary Bettman what we can learn from that. Time. Retrieved August 17, 2021, from  https://time.com/5894175/nhl-gary-bettman-stanley-cup-covid/ 

Guffey, M. E., & Loewy, D. (2019). Essentials of business communication (11th ed.). Australia: Cengage.

Maguire, K. (2021). COVID-19 and football: Crisis creates opportunity. The Political Quarterly, 92(1), 132-138.

Effect of COVID 19 on Teacher Burnout

Findings and ResultsThe purpose of this study is to examine the impact of COVID-19 on teacher burnout. The study identifies the COVID-19 global pandemic as an example of environmental factors that contribute to or influence teacher burnout. This research was conducted on grounds that teacher well-being remains one of the most critical issues in the United States educational sector. Teacher well-being has gained interest in the U.S. because of the increased diversity and demands across schools and classrooms. Moreover, given the nature of their work, teachers are predisposed to a series of stressors including lack of emotional support, student discipline problems, and poor working conditions (Ross, Romer, & Horner, 2012). To achieve the purpose of the study, four individual teachers were included in the survey. These participants provided significant insights into the issue of teacher burnout, environmental factors contributing to it, and the impact of COVID-19 on teacher burnout.ResultsAs previously….

Buchanan, J. (2012). Telling tales out of school: Exploring why former teachers are not returning to the classroom. Australian Journal of Education, 56(2), 205-217.

Chang, M.-L. (2009). An appraisal perspective of teacher burnout: examining the emotional work of teachers. Educational Psychology Review, 21(3), 193-218. doi:10.1007/s10648- 009-9106-y

Graber, B. D. (2018). From frantic to focused: The impact of environmental factors and personal factors on elementary teacher stress (dissertation). Ann Arbor, MI: ProQuest LLC.

How Does COVID-19 Affect Healthcare Economically

Annotated Bibliography Cutler, D. (2020). How will COVID-19 Affect the health care economy? JAMA, 323(22), 2237-2238. DOI: 10.1001/JAMA.2020.7308 The author discusses the economic and healthcare crisis the COVID-19 pandemic created. The projections drawn in the paper predict a 10 to 25% contraction of the US economy in the second quarter. The writer asserts that the United States has entered a COVID-19 recession. The pandemic's economic effect is attributed to the federal government's failure to provide adequate testing facilities. Pak, A., Adegboye, O., Adekunle, A., Rahman, K., McBryde, E., & Eisen, D. (2020). Economic consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak: The need for epidemic preparedness. Public Health, 8(241). DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.00241 The author highlights the effect of COVID-19 on the global economy and financial markets. The paper indicates the significant reduction in income, unemployment rise, disruptions in industrial operation, and service rendering due to the measures employed to deal with the pandemic in various countries. An underestimation….

Florida Hospital COVID 19 Crisis

Good Health Hospital: COVID-19 CrisisWith any disease, there are three basic levels of addressing the crisis, that of primary care (prevention), management during the early stages, and then more intensive tertiary-level treatment when the disease has become more advanced. With COVID-19, the healthcare system has been dealing with several critical factors regarding the pandemic. As well as the disease itself, there has been an evolution of new variants such as Omicron, which has been infecting already-vaccinated people, and resistance to the idea of vaccination at all. The speed with which the pandemic is intensifying is of particular concern.According to Salvador-Carulla (et al., 2019), hospitals must move from an evidence-based framework, with rigorous long-term testing of various epidemiological approaches. Instead, an evidence-informed framework must be adopted. Hospitals must make do with good enough information, given the rapidity with which the pandemic has spread. Good management has always been compromised of a….

Khaliq, A.A. (2018). Managerial epidemiology: Principles and applications. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett.

Knowles, H. & Beachum, L (2022). Some GOP leaders are scornful or silent about booster shots seen as key to fighting omicron. The Washington Post.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/01/04/booster-shots-governors-republican/ 

Pilishvili, T., Gierke, R., Fleming-Dutra, K. E., Farrar, J. L., Mohr, N. M., Talan, D. A.,Krishnadasan, A., Harland, K. K., Smithline, H. A., Hou, P. C., Lee, L. C., Lim, S. C., Moran, G. J., Krebs, E., Steele, M. T., Beiser, D. G., Faine, B., Haran, J. P., Nandi, U., Schrading, W. A., … Vaccine effectiveness among healthcare personnel study team (2021). Effectiveness of mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine among U.S. Health Care Personnel. The New England Journal of Medicine, 385(25), e90.  https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2106599

More Beds in the ICU Needed to Fight COVID 19

Mitigating the COVID Crisis in the ERWhat can be done to mitigate the COVID-19 type crisis in America's emergency rooms? To mitigate the COVID-19 crisis in America's emergency rooms, several actions can be taken. First, increasing the number of hospital beds and staffing levels can aid in managing the high demand for medical care. This can be done through the construction of temporary facilities and the recruitment of healthcare workers from outside the region (Berlinger, 2020). Second, strengthening the supply chain for personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical supplies can ensure that healthcare workers have the resources they need to safely care for patients. This can involve partnerships with private industry to increase production and distribution of essential items. Third, improving access to COVID-19 testing can help to slow the spread of the virus and reduce the number of hospitalizations. This can be done through expanding the availability of….

Berlinger, N., Wynia, M., Powell, T., Hester, D. M., Milliken, A., Fabi, R., & Jenks, N. P. (2020). Ethical framework for health care institutions responding to novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) guidelines for institutional ethics services responding to COVID-19. The Hastings Center, 12.

Rockwell, K. L., & Gilroy, A. S. (2020). Incorporating telemedicine as part of COVID-19 outbreak response systems. Am J Manag Care, 26(4), 147-148.

How the Ethics Challenges Facing Accountants will Change Post Covid 19

AbstractBusinesses of all sizes and types have suffered from the adverse effects of the ongoing Covid-19 global pandemic, and the world is still facing a fundamental existential threat. Nevertheless, efficacious vaccines have been developed and increasing numbers of consumers are recognizing the need to be vaccinated against this deadly disease to the point where many observers can see the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. Although no one can predict the future with absolute precision, an article written by the Working Group formed by the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) and national ethics standard setters (NSS) from Australia, Canada, China, South Africa, the UK and the US provides a timely extrapolation of current economic trajectories to describe several ethics challenges that accountants can be reasonably expected to encounter in the years to come. The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical analysis of the….

Five ethics challenges that will intensify as the pandemic wanes. (2021, May 10). International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) and National Standard Setters (NSS) from Australia, Canada, China, South Africa, the U.K., and the U.S. working group. Retrieved from  https://www.ethicsboard.org/news-events/2021-05/5-ethics-challenges-will-intensify-pandemic-wanes .

Need assistance developing essay topics related to Covid 19. Can you offer any guidance?

Of course! Here are some essay topic ideas related to Covid-19: 1. The impact of Covid-19 on mental health: Discuss how the pandemic has affected individuals' mental well-being and explore potential solutions for addressing mental health challenges during this time. 2. The disparities in healthcare access during the Covid-19 pandemic: Analyze how different communities have been disproportionately affected by the virus and delve into the systemic inequalities that have exacerbated health disparities. 3. The economic consequences of Covid-19: Examine the economic fallout of the pandemic, including job losses, business closures, and financial strains on individuals and families. Consider potential strategies for economic recovery....

Essay Topics Related to COVID-19 Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on individuals, societies, and economies worldwide. Its multifaceted nature presents a wealth of topics suitable for academic exploration. This essay provides guidance on developing engaging and insightful essay topics related to COVID-19, offering a comprehensive range of perspectives to choose from. Health and Medical Impacts The Impact of COVID-19 on Public Health: Assessing the Global Response and Preparedness Long-Term Health Effects of COVID-19: Exploring Physical, Mental, and Social Consequences The Role of Vaccines in Combating COVID-19: Ethical, Scientific, and Policy Considerations The Impact of COVID-19 on Healthcare Systems: Resource....

How has COVID-19 impacted global travel and tourism trends?

COVID-19 has had a significant impact on global travel and tourism trends. The pandemic has led to widespread travel restrictions, border closures, and changes in consumer behavior, all of which have had a major effect on the travel and tourism industry. Some of the key impacts of COVID-19 on global travel and tourism trends include: 1. Travel restrictions and border closures: Many countries have implemented travel restrictions and closed their borders to international visitors in an effort to contain the spread of the virus. This has led to a dramatic decrease in international travel and tourism and has had a significant....

COVID-19's Devastating Impact on Global Travel and Tourism: A Trend Analysis The COVID-19 pandemic has unleashed a seismic shock on the global travel and tourism industry, leaving a trail of unprecedented disruption and economic turmoil. As governments imposed travel restrictions and lockdowns to contain the virus, the once-bustling travel sector came to a screeching halt, with dire consequences for businesses and destinations worldwide. Here's an in-depth analysis of the profound impact of COVID-19 on global travel and tourism trends: Crumbling Travel Demand and Economic Losses The pandemic has decimated travel demand, leading to a catastrophic decline in international arrivals. According to the World....

Creative Writing

Article Review: COVID-19 and the Mental Health Impact Upon Healthcare WorkersAmericans lauded healthcare workers as the nations heroes during the height of the pandemic. But, just like other Americans,…

Covid 19 Pandemic Continues To Threaten the Survival of Human Service OrganizationsCovid 19 has impacted the physical, mental, and social lives of human beings from all dimensions. Despite the…

COVID-19 Pandemic The coronavirus pandemic is a grave global health threat, significantly disrupting everyday life and the economy in Canada as well as everywhere else across the world. While all…

Article Review

1) What is the name of the article? Where was it published? Who is the author and what are his or her credentials?a. Name: Public health officials are failing…

COVID-19 Pandemic on Financial CorporatesA dividend can be defined as the dispersion of some of the companys incomes to a group of eligible shareholders as the firms board of…

Conquering COVID – A Guide for a Pregnant Couple Persuasive Speech Outline Topic: Conquering COVID – A Guide for a Pregnant Couple 1. Introduction a. Does COVID-19 hit harder when one is…

Research Paper

Business - Case Studies

Simon Property Group is one of the premier shopping center operators in the world. The firm looks to own, develop, and manage high quality shopping and entertainment destinations. The…

Introduction In China, the city of Wuhan is believed to be ground zero of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, which started in late December 2019. The virus has since…

Introduction: As the holiday season approaches, it is imperative that standards related to social distancing and PPE are adhered to. This is particularly true as Americans enter a critical…

The National Hockey League and their COVID-19 ResponseThe COVID-19 global pandemic has significantly impacted lives and livelihoods across the globe as the virus continues to spread worldwide and new…

Education - Administration

Findings and ResultsThe purpose of this study is to examine the impact of COVID-19 on teacher burnout. The study identifies the COVID-19 global pandemic as an example of environmental…

Annotated Bibliography

Annotated Bibliography Cutler, D. (2020). How will COVID-19 Affect the health care economy? JAMA, 323(22), 2237-2238. DOI: 10.1001/JAMA.2020.7308 The author discusses the economic and healthcare crisis the COVID-19 pandemic created. The…

Health - Public Health Issues

Good Health Hospital: COVID-19 CrisisWith any disease, there are three basic levels of addressing the crisis, that of primary care (prevention), management during the early stages, and then more…

Mitigating the COVID Crisis in the ERWhat can be done to mitigate the COVID-19 type crisis in America's emergency rooms? To mitigate the COVID-19 crisis in America's emergency rooms,…

Accounting - Economics

AbstractBusinesses of all sizes and types have suffered from the adverse effects of the ongoing Covid-19 global pandemic, and the world is still facing a fundamental existential threat. Nevertheless,…

Examples of COVID-19 Impact Statements

This brief includes examples of how faculty members can strategically describe the impact of COVID-19 on their teaching, service, and research, scholarship, and/or creative activities. The two primary mechanisms by which UMD faculty members can describe the impact of COVID-19 on their work are in faculty activities reporting ( Faculty Success ) and in optional COVID-19 Impact Statements submitted in promotion materials [2] .

The point of explaining COVID-19 impacts is to highlight new or ongoing invisible labor and to show how a faculty member’s research, teaching, and service changed, in quality and quantity, in ways that are not typically recorded on a CV. Making this visible and offering contextual information may be useful to the faculty member. No one is required to offer personal narratives or supplemental information they suspect will disadvantage them. Every faculty member will decide whether to provide this optional information in the system, to keep track of it elsewhere (in case a unit head asks later), or not to compile it at all. The intent is not to force unwanted work on any faculty but rather to enable people to record in an ongoing strategic way their activities, again, including activities not included on a CV.

Examples of new, alternative, or extra effort in teaching, service, and research

• As a PTK faculty member working in a lab, I coordinated my lab’s staff planning for return to campus in July 2020, which included approximately 40 hours spent creating safety protocols, attending safety training, developing a lab rotation, procuring supplies, and setting up the space with COVID-19 safety precautions in mind. I disseminated this information to all lab personnel, including 1 postdoc, 3 staff members, and three graduate students. These protocols were subsequently adopted by two other units in my college.
• Within my lab, from March 2020 - December 2020, I organized monthly online trivia competitions on historical and contemporary topics relevant to my field to foster a greater sense of community among lab staff. These meetings included two postdocs, 4 doctoral research assistants, and 4 undergraduate researchers and involved approximately 2 hours per month in preparation or in the actual meeting.
• I had already received IRB approval for conducting ethnographic research in Brazil, but could not travel; and the community I planned to study had little computer or internet access. I therefore spent five months exploring “studying up” methodology and doing preliminary research and writing on international NGOs engaged in protecting rainforests; got IRB approval for the new project, and have done pilot interviews, via Zoom, with six activists and policy-makers.
• I served on the department’s newly created caregiving committee, which met once a week for 12 weeks to discuss accommodations that could be made within the department related to the extra burden to faculty and staff in caregiving roles during the pandemic.
• As the director for undergraduate studies, I led the transition of all campus visits to the virtual environment, including training 10 undergraduate student ambassadors on how to host virtual campus visits for incoming students.
• I facilitated 3 departmental listening sessions on the climate for Black students in May and June of this year after the protests for racial justice. I have subsequently hosted two zoom sessions from noted diversity, equity, and inclusion experts in our field to give department members strategies for enhancing DEI in their classrooms.
• In fall 2020 I taught ADVN101, which enrolled 25 undergraduate students. Typically, I would have had in-person office hours for a total of four hours per week. As a result of the pandemic, I have made myself available for zoom consultations with students approximately ten hours a week, thereby increasing my “in-person” hours with students by 150% this semester.
• In summer 2020, I supervised 3 graduate student independent studies in a hybrid modality, primarily as a way to ensure that they met the criteria for in-person credit hours. I met with them for two hours each week to supervise and advise on the creation of a study using extant data because they were unable to conduct research in the lab. Students in this independent study conducted a group research project that examined diversity of the field using extant data (e.g., Department of Education statistics, reports from disciplinary associations). They presented their findings at our national association’s meeting in November.
• I participated in 5 workshops through my professional association and the National Academies for Science, Engineering, and Medicine related to inclusive pedagogy and high-quality teaching in the virtual environment. I participated in five college-wide sessions on strategies for online engagement, and I led a sixth session in use of clickers to liven up Zoom sessions.
• I attended four Office of Diversity and Inclusion anti-racism workshops and subsequently adopted several practices within my classroom: (1) I conducted a diversity audit of the authors on the syllabus for ADVN305 and, having observed the underrepresentation of BIPOC authors, I adjusted the syllabus to include a diversity of scholars; (2) I shifted two assignments that had previously been multiple choice exams to assignments based upon the principles of labor-based grading; (3) I implemented a statement of mutual expectations for students and instructors. This document articulates the shared principals that all members of the classroom agreed upon (e.g., mutual respect, emphasis on community, expectations for timely communication).
• As a PTK instructional faculty member, I usually teach three sections a semester, with 30 students per section. After my department determined that the nature of the class made online teaching of that many students simultaneously impossible. At my department chair’s request, I agreed to teach six sections with 15 students each, so although the amount of grading was the same, I spent twice as many hours in actual class meetings. One section was early in the morning, to accommodate students in Asia, and one section was at night, to accommodate students who had to share computers with younger siblings and/or parents also learning/working from home.

Mentoring / Advising

• As the only Latina faculty member in the department, I serve as an informal advisor to additional 5 Latinx undergraduate students who have sought mentorship. I meet with them as a group once a semester (previously in person, but now via zoom) and have 1-2 meetings with each student per semester as requested to give advice on career and professional development.
• As an advisor, I held once monthly graduate student happy hours via zoom from March 2020 -- December 2020 (approximately 20 hours). These meetings included 4 masters students and 5 doctoral students.
• Several of my advisees have reported significant mental health and/or financial need as a result of the pandemic. I have increased the frequency at which I am available for one-on-one checkins with my advisees, meeting with each doctoral student (4) on a bi-weekly basis (compared to once a semester before the pandemic). I additionally consulted with the campus counseling center regarding resources available to students.

EXAMPLES OF NARRATIVES

Impact of diversity, equity, and inclusion work.

In the wake of the protests for racial justice, I led several informal meetings of graduate and undergraduate students to discuss the diversity climate in the department, college, and university at large. I had 5 one-on-one discussions and three large group meetings. I communicated feedback to our department chair and, with two faculty colleagues, two graduate students, and four undergraduates, formed the departmental equity taskforce. We have drafted a statement of our commitments to antiracism in the department and subsequently held a departmental town hall regarding the diversity, equity, and inclusion climate in the department. We have contracted a graduate student to conduct a climate survey; our committee will use the results to assess best next steps.

Impact of COVID-19 on Research

My lab was closed from March - May 2020, when typically, I would have been running experiments. Instead I investigated several federal grant possibilities, and ultimately I applied for two grants of $500,000 each. I have already learned that I won one grant and the second application was approved to move on to the second stage of peer review. I anticipate hearing the second decision in March 2021. My three school-age children were in school from home, so I did my grading, writing, and data analysis at night. Over the late summer and fall I submitted three papers to top journals in my field. Ordinarily, peer reviews for these journals take two or three months, but because peer reviewers themselves are very busy, all three editors have said that the peer review process will take five to six months.

Adapting Grant or Programs to COVID-19 Context

I oversaw the transition of all grant-sponsored educational programs (parental engagement workshops, teacher professional development) that were intended to be delivered in person to the online environment. Successfully transitioning all of our curriculum to an online platform included developing a new, web-based interactive curriculum that enhanced parent efficacy in facilitating student literacy at home and a three-part workshop for teachers about fostering positive interactions with parents in the virtual learning environment. Initial evaluation results indicate that the online intervention has been successful, with participants reporting a 10% increase pre to post in their efficacy. Although we saw some program attrition, overall the results indicate extra effort in this area brought positive results.

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Pandemic Impact Statement Template

Download the Template

Why do we need templates for pandemic statements?

This pandemic impact statement template, which relates to the UMass ADVANCE Documenting Pandemic Impacts tool , provides templates that faculty can use in creating their pandemic statements. The goal is to cut the time spent writing these statements, while providing examples for how to write, short, clear statements. It is important to note that pandemic impact statements are voluntary, and faculty can decide whether to include them on AFRs, for internal audiences for personnel cases, and/or for external audiences for personnel cases.

Why do we write pandemic statements? 

With the pandemic impact statement, faculty members are helping ensure that the university recognizes both the additional contributions that they made due to the pandemic, and the limitations that the pandemic imposed upon them, so that their work is valued and any impacts do not derail their career. 

UMass ADVANCE develops the R3 model, suggesting that faculty need resources , relationships , and recognition for successful careers.  The pandemic statement allows for evaluators to recognize how the pandemic has shaped faculty experiences. It also may help faculty articulate the resources they need to re-engage with their work given what has occurred, as well as the relationships that need to be built or rebuilt, given that the pandemic has disrupted essential connections between faculty members. The pandemic impact statement is an opportunity for faculty members to communicate how they’ve been affected, and what they need, going forward. 

What are some concerns about writing pandemic statements? 

Faculty members write pandemic impact statements to document impacts while they still remember them. One concern is that writing such statements means additional workload at a time when many are already stretched. UMass ADVANCE’s solution to this issue is to keep documentation short, using templates to help limit the time spent crafting such statements. 

These statements also allow faculty members to clarify the specific impacts they experienced, since there is a great deal of variation by field, methods, gender, race, caregiver status, and other factors. Another concern faculty members express is that these statements ask them to document challenges, when faculty members normally only document achievements. UMass ADVANCE suggests that faculty members also use these statements to document their contributions, while using a matter-of-fact tone in addressing challenges caused by the pandemic. In addition, department personnel committees can provide summaries of how the discipline was disrupted, which can be appended to all annual faculty report evaluations or personnel evaluations, so that individual faculty do not have to specify details, if they wish. 

The point to the pandemic impact statement is for evaluators to recognize how each faculty member’s workload (how much they were doing in different areas) and work context (where and how they did their work) has differed due to the pandemic. Yet, another concern is that evaluators will ignore that context or workload, or – if faculty members document pandemic-related health and care issues – statements may activate caregiver or disability bias. UMass ADVANCE’s solution has been to train and educate evaluators to use pandemic statements appropriately, and about the need to avoid caregiver or disability bias. At the same time, UMass ADVANCE encourages faculty to only include care/health issues if they feel comfortable doing so. These statements are not mandatory, and some faculty members may want to write more detailed statements that they keep in their personal files, but do not share. 

What are some key principles in writing pandemic statements? 

• Pandemic statements are voluntary! Faculty members should only write statements if they wish to do so. 
• Statements are easier to write while effects are recent; consulting personal calendars can be helpful. 
• Include both disruptions and new/unexpected workload and contributions in response to the crisis. 
• Keep statements short and to the point. Faculty members can estimate how many additional hours specific activities took, but this is not necessary. 
• Faculty members get to decide whether to share personal details.  Some draft a personal copy (with additional information) for their own records.

General Template

We like this generic statement about the pandemic more broadly, taken (with permission) from a UMass faculty member’s statement: 

My students and collaborators are dealing with the stress of isolation; mental health crises; aging parents and parents sick with COVID-19 or other illnesses; compromised immune systems; and their own physical disabilities. The effects of the pandemic on me and my trainees’ careers are likely to be felt for years.

Teaching and Mentoring Templates 

I had to prepare material to teach remotely XX courses over 2020-2021, adding substantial unexpected work during summer 2020 and winter 2021. I had to prepare YY of these courses for hybrid (in-person and remote) offering to accommodate students that could not be present on-campus.   I taught XX courses online, and XX course in person over 2020-21. The online courses required new pedagogical approaches, which required training and took time to develop; the in-person required more time to address health and safety concerns, and had to be prepared for hybrid format or with allowances for student extensions.     The required internship for our M.A. program was no longer offered, due to its face-to-face contact. I worked with XX students to develop alternate plans to complete the program.   Over 2020-21, I had multiple undergraduate and graduate students in crisis. Advising undergraduate and graduate students required additional time each week. Attempting to contact students and referring them to appropriate support offices at UMass also required substantial time.    As a new faculty in Fall 2020, it’s hard to know the effects. I have spent a great deal of time on teaching, as I had not ever taught online before, though I’m not sure how much of that time is also adjusting to a new institution. Some students just would stop coming to class, and my efforts to track them down took substantial time. Other students met with me regularly, and seemed to need a lot of emotional energy.

Service Templates

My department moved from monthly XX-hour meetings to biweekly XX-hour meetings, meaning I spent an additional XX hours in meetings each month.    As program coordinator, I spent additional time helping colleagues transition courses for remote offering.    I developed or worked with staff to coordinate an online graduation ceremony for our students.   As session organizer for several sessions of our annual conference, I spend extra hours creating online sessions and replacing participants who dropped out. 

As a new faculty member, I felt like it was very hard to connect with colleagues.  I don’t know if this is usual, or connected to the pandemic.

Research & Creative Work

As a result of the increased time documented on teaching and service, I necessarily spent less time on my research.   I had to stop the community-engaged study I had been carrying out since Fall 2019. This work may not be published, given its abrupt end. It took XX months to receive IRB permission for a new study.    I had to cancel field studies that were time sensitive. I had to postpone or cancel field activities part of ongoing research projects, which will impact the outcomes and reach of my research.   My funding ended, and neither my postdoc or doctoral students were able to complete their experiments, given lack of access to the lab. I had to provide alternative paths or limit the scope originally planned for these students to enable them to graduate.   I was unable to recruit international students to conduct research that I received during 2020-21. I have spent substantial extra time in my efforts to attempt to recruit qualified students.     Of students that I was able to recruit, XX were unable to come into the U.S. because of travel restrictions.  This caused significant disruptions to my progress in my research.    All venues were closed, cancelling XX planned performances, which means less feedback and recognition of my creative works.   I pivoted my research/creative work in response to the racial health disparities of COVID-19, requiring substantial time, including time spent on public scholarship.  

My research has been impacted by all of the extra time spent on teaching and meeting with students. I know I am spending less time than expected on research, but since it was my first year as a faculty member, I don’t know how unusual this is, whether it’s the transition to being a faculty member or the pandemic.

Personal Impacts

After contracting COVID-19, I was very sick for several weeks.    In-person schooling was not available to my 5 and 7-year-old children consistently; thus, I had to juggle supporting my children’s on-line schooling with my work, working late into the night and on weekends.    Our childcare center closed, and there were no other childcare options; my partner and I had to juggle care for our 1 and 3-year-old children.     My father died unexpectedly of COVID; I have spent substantial time on his care, and dealing with the aftermath of his death. 

What resources exist for evaluation?

The UMass Provost’s office includes specific guidance for how faculty members should be evaluated. Amel Ahmed, Associate Provost for Equity & Inclusion, Michelle Budig, Senior Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, and Michael Eagen, Associate Provost for Academic Personnel provide bias training to personnel committees and further guidance.  Questions can go to [email protected].

The Massachusetts Society of Professors (MSP), the faculty union, provides support to faculty members and workshops for personnel committee members, and other materials on its website. Contact the union for further guidance.

The Office of Faculty Development provides many resources and support for career and leadership development. Contact: [email protected]

UMass ADVANCE provides support, workshops and consultations for both faculty members preparing for evaluations and evaluators during the pandemic. Contact: Joya Misra

Suggested Citation: 2021. Pandemic Impact Statement Template. University of Massachusetts Amherst ADVANCE Program.

Global Health (GHWG)

Content from global health (ghwg) working group, do you want to write a covid dissertation.

Professor Sophie Harman, a member of our Global Health Working Group, gives some advice about coming up with dissertation topics related to COVID.

Part of the joy and point of writing a dissertation is for students to come up with their own subject and research question. Both students and supervisors know this is often the most painful part of the process (second only to the week before deadline – start early, marathon not a sprint etc!). I know good supervisors can support students writing dissertations in all manner of subjects and this is what makes it so rewarding. However, in a year where we’re all dealing with increased pressure, demands on our time, and managing screen headaches, I thought I’d put my 15 years global health politics experience to good use and make some suggestions/pointers to help you when a student comes to you as says the inevitable: [1]

‘I was thinking of writing my dissertation on COVID-19’

Below are 10 suggested questions with suggested literature and methods, covering institutions, security, race, policy, vaccines, gender, aesthetics, expertise, knowledge. These by no means cover everything and by no means prescribe how I think a dissertation on that topic should be written. If helpful, see them as jump-off points to think about these topics. The only caution I have is make sure all projects are only focused on the start/first 6 months of COVID-19 – we are only at the end of the beginning. This is also a pre-emptive move to stop you getting your students to email me for ideas.

Institutions and global governance

1. Is the WHO capable of preventing and responding to major pandemics?

Literature: WHO, IHR, GOARN, global health security + previous outbreaks (Ebola, pandemic flu, HIV/AIDS)

Methods: Case Studies – look at the tools/instruments e.g. IHR, GOARN, Regional offices etc

2. Why did states pursue different responses to the COVID-19 outbreak?

Literature: Global health security, state compliance in IR, international law and international organisations

Methods: Pick two contrasting case studies e.g. England/Scotland, Canada/US, Germany/UK, Sweden/Denmark and then look at different levels of policy and decision making per chapter – Global, National, Regional/local and rationales behind decisions from – expert evidence, speeches, policy decisions, policy timelines

3. How can we understand the gender dimensions of COVID-19?

Literature: Gender and global health, Feminist IPE, Black Feminism, WPS (if looking at violence)

Methods: Explore 1 – 3 key themes from the literature – Care and domestic burden, Health Care Workers, Domestic violence in depth. Depending on networks and contacts, could run focus groups (ethics! And definitely NOT if doing violence), or analyse survey data – lots of surveys done on this and the raw data is always made available if have the skills to play with it.

Political economy

4. Are states the main barrier to vaccine equity?

Literature: Vaccine access and nationalism, access to treatment, IPE of health and trade, pharmaceutical companies, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Methods: Look at the different stages of vaccine development for 2/3 trials and consider the role of States (where putting money, public statements, any actions e.g. email hacks), Researchers (where get money from, how collaborating, knowledge sharing), Institutions (CEPI, GAVI, WHO), and the Private Sector (pharma and foundations – who’s investing, what is their return – and private security companies – who protects the commodity?). Think: interests, investment, barriers/opportunities.

Security and foreign policy

5. Were state security strategies prepared for major pandemics prior to COVID-19? If not, why not?

Literature: Global health security, securitisation and desecuritisation of health

Methods: 2 – 3 state case studies or 1 in detail, think about Strategy, Training/Preparedness, Actors. Content analysis of security strategies and defence planning and budget allocations, speeches, training, simulations etc.

6. What is the role of images in responding to outbreaks?

Literature: Aesthetics and IR, behaviour change communication and images in public health

Methods: 3 case studies on different types of images in COVID-19, e.g. 1. Global public health messaging; 2. National public health messaging; 3. Community Expression – OR pick one of these options and explore in depth.

Race and racism

7. Could the racial inequalities of COVID-19 been foreseen and prevented?

Literature: Racism and global health, racism and domestic health systems, Black Feminism, Critical Trans Politics

Method: Option 1 – look maternal health as a proxy in three case study countries e.g. Brazil, US, UK; Option 2 – pick one country and look at three health issues prior to COVID-19 e.g. Maternal Health, Diabetes, Heart Disease.

Knowledge, discourse, and experts

8. Is COVID-19 the biggest global pandemic of a generation?

Literature: Postcolonial/decolonial theory, poststructuralism, Politics of HIV/AIDS, pandemic flu

Method: Discourse analysis around ‘once in a lifetime rhetoric’ – who says it, when, and why; contrast with discourse around COVID-19 from countries with previous outbreaks e.g. Sierra Leone, DRC, China, Indonesia, South Africa, Brazil (you’ll need to be selective as can’t measure discourse from all states! Think through why you make your choices here and how they relate to each other) OR contrast COVID-19 with a previous pandemic, e.g. HIV/AIDS

9. What knowledge counts in COVID-19?

Literature: Postcolonial/decolonial theory, post-structuralism, IR and Global Health, politics of experts

Methods: Review lessons learned from previous outbreaks (there are lots of source material on this after Ebola and SARS for example) and how they led to changes/what learned for COVID-19; Stakeholder mapping and/or network analysis – Who are the experts? Look at backgrounds, types of knowledge and expertise, did they work on the Ebola response/HIV/AIDS in the early 2000s for example?; Case Study – UK/US – where have high concentration of public health experts and institutions, export knowledge to low and middle income countries, evidence of importing knowledge from these countries, especially given the experience?

UK/State responses

10. How can we understand/explain the first 6 months of the US/UK/Sweden/Australia/South Africa/China/Brazil/you choose! response to COVID-19?

WARNING! This is the question that could descend into a polemic so approach with absolute caution. I would strongly advise against, but have included to give a clearer steer.

The key with this question is to remember you are not submitting a public health or epidemiology dissertation, so bear in mind you probably don’t have the skills and knowledge to assess what was a good/bad public health decision (other than obvious ones such as PPE stocks for example). What you do have the skills to do is to look at the politics as to  why  a decision was taken and  how  it was taken – investigate what the different recommendations/guidance suggested, who followed/ignored/subverted it and what outcomes this produced.

Literature: health policy, public policy, state compliance IR

Methods: 1. Global – map what global advice there was and how did the state follow (or not) in preparedness and response and what was the rationale for doing so – political circumstances at the time, stated rationale for decision, who was making decision; 2. National – key public health decisions, commodities, social-economic consequences – how were these planned for/overlooked and why. To look at these two levels may require mixed methods of global and national policy timelines, stakeholder analysis, content analysis of speeches and recommendations, mapping changes to data presentation and access.

[1]  For the first two years of my career I supervised countless projects loosely based around ‘Is the War in Iraq illegal?’ I’m hoping some of the variety here will stop two years of ‘Is the UK government’s respond to COVID-19 a national scandal?’ or ‘Is the WHO fit for purpose?’ – two great topics, but tiresome after a bit.

Reproduced with kind permission from Global Politics Unbound at QMU.

Photo by iMattSmart on Unsplash

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Home > Honors College > Honors Theses > 1912

Honors Theses

An analysis of the effects of covid-19 on students at the university of mississippi: family, careers, mental health.

Hannah Newbold Follow

Date of Award

Spring 5-1-2021

Document Type

Undergraduate Thesis

Integrated Marketing Communication

First Advisor

Second advisor.

Cynthia Joyce

Third Advisor

Marquita Smith

Relational Format

Dissertation/Thesis

This study analyzes the effects of COVID-19 on students at the University of Mississippi. For students, COVID-19 changed the landscape of education, with classes and jobs going online. Students who graduated in May 2020 entered a poor job market and many ended up going to graduate school instead of finding a job. Access to medical and professional help was limited at the very beginning, with offices not taking patients or moving appointments to virtual only. This would require that each student needing help had to have access to quality internet service, which wasn’t always guaranteed, thus producing additional challenges.

These chapters, including a robust literature review of relevant sources, as well as a personal essay, consist further of interviews with students and mental health counselors conducted over the span of several months. These interviews were conducted and recorded over Zoom. The interviews were conducted with individuals who traveled in similar social circles as me. These previously existing relationships allowed the conversation to go deeper than before and allowed new levels of relationship. Emerging from these conversations were six overlapping themes: the importance of family, the need for health over career, the challenge of isolation, struggles with virtual education, assessing mental health, and facing the reality of a bright future not promised. Their revelations of deep academic challenges and fears about the future amid stories of devastating personal loss, produces a striking and complex picture of emerging strength.

Recommended Citation

Newbold, Hannah, "An Analysis Of The Effects Of COVID-19 On Students At The University of Mississippi: Family, Careers, Mental Health" (2021). Honors Theses . 1912. https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/1912

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Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): The Impact and Role of Mass Media During the Pandemic

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The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has created a global health crisis that has had a deep impact on the way we perceive our world and our everyday lives. Not only the rate of contagion and patterns of transmission threatens our sense of agency, but the safety measures put in place to contain ...

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7 Personal Statement Examples That Survive COVID-19

Sam Benezra

As summer approaches, rising seniors across the United States have college applications on their mind. This time around, however, things are a little different. The outbreak of COVID-19 has disrupted daily life around the world, and many students are concerned about how it will affect their chances of getting accepted to the school of their choice.

Don’t fret too much about cancelled internships and extracurricular activities or postponed SAT dates. A number of colleges, including Yale , Harvard , and Emory University have released statements assuring applicants that their admissions will not be affected by any disruptions caused by COVID-19. Universities know what students are going through right now, and are understanding of the constraints.

Nevertheless, the coronavirus will surely alter what college applications look like over the next couple of years. Without the opportunity to make their extracurricular activities stand out, students will have to lean on other parts of their application, including the personal statement or essay.

The personal statement or essay is the soul of a college application. It is your opportunity to talk directly to colleges in your own voice. It is a space to tell admissions officers who you are, what you’re interested in, and maybe even to charm them a little bit. When admissions officers read your essay, they want to get a sense of your personality, your passions, and the way you see the world. 

Under the current circumstances, the role of the personal statement is even more important than in an average year.

“The reality is, the way that college admissions is going to go in the fall is not going to be based on numbers and scores the way it might have been in the past,” Nicole Hurd, founder and CEO of College Advising Corps, told TUN . “Everybody is going to have to be able to tell a story that is going to be much more based on experiences and aspirations and narrative than just on numbers.”

With that in mind, here is a guide to writing your personal statement during and after the coronavirus outbreak.

What do colleges want to see in personal statements or essays?

First and foremost, when admissions officers read your personal statement, they want to get a sense of who you are, not only as a student, but as a person. They want to know about the things that matter to you, the way you think, and how you respond to challenges.

“You may be surprised to hear this, but one of the reasons we enjoy reading your essays and stories every year is because we get to understand what a generation is thinking about,” Emory University Director of Recruitment and Talent Giselle F. Martin said in an open letter to juniors and sophomores in April. “We encourage you to take this time to think about what matters most to you. After all, there is no greater gift than time.”

Colleges are still looking for the same qualities in applicants that they always have — intelligence, leadership, creativity, passion, curiosity, and maturity.

In your personal statement, be true to yourself and your experiences. Tell a story from the heart, not one cut out from a college applications handbook.

What are the qualities that define a strong personal statement or essay?

Personal statements should be personal — It’s called a personal statement for a reason. Your personal statement should first and foremost be a story about you. Find inspiration in the big moments in your life, but also in the small moments — dinners with family, laughs with friends, etc.

Personal statements should be meaningful — You don’t have to write your college essay about a profound, life-changing moment. However, whatever topic you do choose should carry some meaning to you or else your readers will be asking themselves, “so what?”

Personal statements should be tight — Your personal statement should be tightly edited and have a strong narrative flow. Common App essays are restrained to a meager 650 words. It can be difficult to pack a whole lot of meaning into such a small space, so make sure every word counts and have a teacher or parent proofread.

Personal statements should be engaging — Hook your reader in and don’t let go. The goal of a personal statement is to make a lasting impression on whoever reads it. Boring essays simply won’t cut it!

What are the personal statement topics and questions?

The Common App allows students to respond to one of seven different personal essay prompts, including an open prompt that allows students to choose their own topic, or even write in their own prompt. 

• Identity and passions : “Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, please share your story.”
• Overcoming challenges, setbacks, and failures: “The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?”
• Thinking critically: “Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?”
• Solving problems: “Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma — anything of personal importance no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.”
• Personal growth: “Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.”
• Inspiration and curiosity: “Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?”
• Anything at all: “Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.”

You can access Common App essay prompts for the 2020-2021 application period here .

When brainstorming, try to come up with at least one idea for each prompt.

Are there tips for brainstorming personal statement topics?

The most challenging part of writing your personal statement is settling on a topic to write about or a story to tell. But while brainstorming can be difficult, it can also be a fun process. Here are a few tips to help you generate ideas:

Ask yourself questions — To start generating ideas, it can be helpful to start looking inward and asking some introspective questions, such as:

• What are you passionate about?
• What do you want colleges to know about you?
• What are some impactful moments in your life?
• Who are some meaningful people in your life?
• What’s a story you will never forget? Why will you never forget it?
• How do you spend your free time? Why?
• What are you looking forward to?
• What do you want to get out of your college experience?

Don’t feel the need to impress — Crazy stories do not necessarily make better stories. Don’t get caught up in the idea that you need to tell an overly exciting or dramatic story. Likewise, don’t use your personal statement to list off achievements and awards. The point of the essay is to shine a light on who you are, not what you’ve done.

Think about the small things — Oftentimes, the most personal essays are those that focus on the details of life. Think about your favorite movies, books, and music. Reminisce on conversations and disagreements, sports events and camping trips, road trips, and walks around your neighborhood.

Avoid clichés — College admissions officers read thousands of personal statements every year and, as a result, are experts in picking out clichéd essays. While any topic can make a great essay, it is harder for yours to stand out when it sounds similar to many others. Topics like sports championships and eye-opening travel experiences can make great essays, but they are also a little overplayed, so it might be harder for them to stand out.

Should you write about the coronavirus?

Probably not. While the COVID-19 pandemic has surely been an impactful moment in many of our lives, writing your personal statement about the pandemic may not be the best choice, simply because so many others will likely also be writing about it.

Virtually everyone in the world has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in some capacity and has a unique story about the event. Unfortunately, admissions officers who have to read through thousands of college essays each year will likely have a difficult time differentiating between yours and two hundred others on the same topic.

The best college essays are memorable and unique. They have the ability to stand out amongst a crowd and leave a lasting impression. As a result, the most out-of-the box essays are often the most compelling. Writing on a common topic can make it more difficult to catch your reader’s attention. 

Furthermore, when you are writing about mass events like the coronavirus, it can be easy to write more about the event and about others than about yourself, which is what admissions officers really want to know about.

That doesn’t mean that the coronavirus is completely off-limits as a topic. If you think you have a powerful story to tell, by all means, tell it. However, you should keep in mind that any essay on the coronavirus will have to be outstanding to catch the eye of an admissions officer. 

A better alternative would be to use the Common App’s added question for fall 2020 admissions on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected you personally. 

“That’s definitely an opportunity for (applicants) to talk about what they were planning on doing and how that was taken away,” said Joe Korfmacher , a college counselor at Collegewise. “But it also gives them an opportunity to talk about what they did instead.”

Are there personal statement examples?

These personal statement examples illustrate what works for the students who wrote them.

• Prompt #1: Identity and Passions — Rocio’s “Facing the Hot Griddle”

In this essay, Rocio makes a tortilla, and in doing so, finds herself reflecting on her Guatemalan heritage and current life in the United States. She recounts some of the obstacles that she has faced as an immigrant and how, like masa harina being made into a tortilla, has been molded by her experiences and challenges.

• Prompt #2: Overcoming a Challenge — Heqing “Amy” Zhang’s “On the day my first novel was rejected, I was baking pies.”

In this essay, Amy Zhang recounts the experience of having her first novel rejected by a publishing house on the day of her church’s annual bake sale. With a unique narrative voice that highlights her storytelling skills, Zhang relates her feelings of disappointment and grief, and how these emotions helped her spin her next novel, which she would end up selling within three days.

• Prompt #3: Thinking Critically — Callie’s “Bridging Polarity”

In this essay, Callie reckons with the difference in beliefs between her friends that she grew up with in Texas and those in her new home of San Francisco. She recounts how a visit from a childhood friend led her to value different perspectives and to listen to those with opposing views.

• Prompt #4: Solving Problems — Seena’s “Growing Strawberries in a High School Locker”

Seena assigns himself a unique challenge: to grow strawberries inside an empty high school locker. What seemed initially like a simple task quickly grew into a complex project involving a solar-powered blue LED light, an automated plant watering system, and a 3-D printed, modified lock system that increased airflow into the locker. As Seena recounts this experiment, his innate curiosity, problem-solving, and disposition toward mechanical engineering are on full display.

• Prompt #5: Personal Growth — Anna’s “Returning to Peru”

Anna remembers how a trip to her father’s homeland in Peru helped instill in her a passion for protecting the environment. She recounts witnessing pollution, lack of clean water, and environmental degradation in impoverished areas of Lima and how it motivated her interest in environmental science and conservation.

• Prompt #6: Inspiration and Curiosity — Jillian Impastato’s quest to find women with tatt oos

Jillian Impastato dives into her fascination with the art of tattoos and the lives of women who have them. Intrigued by the symbology and the meaning attached to them, Impastato has embarked on something of an informal anthropology project in which she asks women she sees with tattoos questions. She hears their stories and learns about the relationships they have with the art on their bodies. All at once, this essay displays Impastato’s natural curiosity, her interest in art, her outgoing personality, and her willingness to pursue answers.

• Prompt #7: Anything At All — Madison’s “On Potatoes”

Madison presents herself with a not-so-simple question: “If you had to choose one food to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?” After weighing the options, she settles on the nutritious and versatile potato. She uses this as a jumping-off point to discuss her own disposition to variance and diversity. The potato becomes a clever metaphor for her innate curiosity and openness to new ideas.

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OHSU coronavirus (COVID-19) response

As of Friday, May 24, 2024

Patients hospitalized with covid-19.

• Hillsboro Medical Center: 0
• 1 Not Fully Vaccinated/Unvaccinated
• 2 Fully Vaccinated
• 0 de-isolated
• 4 infectious
• 0 Not Fully Vaccinated/Unvaccinated
• 0 Fully Vaccinated
• 0 Fully Vaccinated with Booster and/or Updated 2023-2024 Vaccine

OHSU uses the term “fully vaccinated” to describe the vaccination status of members and patients, and the CDC uses the term “up to date.” Individuals are considered “fully vaccinated” when they have: a) received both doses of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine, or b) one dose of a single-dose vaccine, and c) at least 14 days have passed since the individual’s final dose. Individuals are considered “up to date” regarding vaccinations when they have received all doses in the primary series and all boosters and updated vaccines recommended for them, when eligible: View the CDC’s information .

To find vaccination options near you, visit:  https://govstatus.egov.com/find-covid-19-vaccine .

OHSU-specific data

• Since Feb. 28, 2020, there have been 290,799 patients tested. Among those, a total of 31,914 COVID-19 cases have been detected; 4 patients are in hospital; and 115 patients have tests pending. There have been 262 in-hospital deaths.
• There have been 1 newly detected patient cases since May 23.

OHSU community vaccinations

• OHSU has administered 495,808 vaccine doses through its community vaccination sites, in addition to the 546,166 vaccine doses administered to date through the Oregon Convention Center vaccination site, which was jointly managed by OHSU, Legacy Health, Kaiser Permanente and Providence Health & Services. (For more information about community locations and who is eligible, see “Community COVID-19 vaccination sites” below.)

As the state's academic health center, Oregon Health & Science University remains engaged with state and local public health authorities and health systems across the metro area to coordinate a regional response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal is to contain the spread of the virus, including through the use of vaccines that first arrived at OHSU on Dec. 15, 2020 .

Beginning in the earliest days of the pandemic, OHSU activated an emergency operations center that adapted response plans already in place from previous pandemic influenza outbreaks, and this group continues to meet.

OHSU has prepared to treat a surge of patients with COVID-19 while working proactively to contain the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and protect our workforce.

Community COVID-19 vaccination sites

OHSU has committed its entire organization  to deploying COVID-19 vaccines, starting with difficult-to-reach community members and underserved communities. The university has also engaged students and trainees to vaccinate Oregonians .

After federal and state authorities recommended two COVID-19 vaccines for children as young as 6 months old in June 2022, OHSU organized appointment-only  vaccination clinics for younger children  at  OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital . OHSU Health also continues to offer vaccinations for individuals 12 years or older by appointment only at various   OHSU Health pharmacies , and for individuals 5 years or older through their doctor.

More information about OHSU vaccine services and our online vaccination appointment reservation system is available at the OHSU COVID-19 Vaccines  website.

The mass vaccination clinics at the  Portland International Airport, Red Economy Parking Lot  and  Oregon Convention Center  closed June 19, 2021,  after delivering more than 800,000 vaccine doses  from those two sites alone. OHSU’s  last day  managing the Portland Expo Center location was Jan. 14, 2022.  OHSU also ran an indoor vaccination clinic on  OHSU’s South Waterfront campus  between Jan. 19 and April 14, 2022.

COVID-19 testing

OHSU is committed to ensuring all Oregonians have access to COVID-19 testing and appropriate health care, particularly people of color and other individuals from communities hardest hit by COVID-19. Throughout the pandemic, OHSU offered low-barrier drive-through testing that has tracked surges in case counts, at various points accommodating as many as 700 people a day through sites in Hillsboro, the Oregon Convention Center and the Portland Expo Center.

Patients and community members can use their insurance or purchase COVID-19 testing at OHSU immediate care clinics on its South Waterfront Campus and in Beaverton.  Purchase home antigen test kits through local pharmacies or retail stores. 

Learn more about other OHSU COVID-19 testing options and resources.

Patient care

• OHSU is following the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations  to allow critical function health care staff to return to work six days, rather than 10 days, after a COVID-19 infection under the following conditions: Staff have had mild to moderate illness and are not immunocompromised; and their symptoms are improving and they are otherwise feeling well. This change enables OHSU to manage community health care needs and staffing challenges related to COVID-19. Staff in this position will be required to wear N-95 masks.

Oregon no longer requires masks in health care settings. At OHSU, we still require masks for ages 2 and older: 

In areas where patients and staff are at greatest risk. 

By patient request. 

Based on guidance from the CDC.

• On Feb. 1, 2022, OHSU opened a Centralized Transportation Center. Staff is available seven days a week to help schedule transportation for patients moving between buildings or discharging from the hospital and clinics. The center allows OHSU to more quickly make space for new patients during the current surge in cases driven by the omicron variant.
• OHSU manages an unprecedented surge of critically ill patients  from the delta variant beginning in the summer of 2021. Frontline health care workers reiterate the importance of people getting vaccinated. "This is a preventable illness," says Erin Boni, R.N., B.S.N., "This doesn't have to happen to anyone anymore."
• OHSU has  established a Long COVID-19 Program  to provide comprehensive, coordinated care for people experiencing debilitating symptoms months after their infection.
• OHSU has established a series of steps to prepare patients who have recovered from COVID-19 for  elective surgery following their illness . It's believed to be the first published protocol laying out a COVID-era path forward in American medicine.
• OHSU’s research community came together to launch an in-house COVID-19  testing lab  on March 24, 2020. The lab is an example of the many collaborations that have been happening at OHSU and in the health care community. In this case, members of the research community rallied to support the clinical community and testing in a drive to combat COVID-19. The lab's capacity greatly  expanded  in October 2020.
• In June 2021, OHSU received federal and state funding to dramatically expand the state's ability to track variants of concern  across Oregon and Southwest Washington.
• OHSU’s  Telemedicine Program  offers an opportunity for patients to consult with licensed clinicians through a telephone or video connection from their homes, limiting barriers to health care access. The service has  expanded exponentially  in response to COVID-19.

Workforce management

• OHSU offered childcare accommodations , including a $7.5 million hardship stipend, to help sustain its workforce during the pandemic.
• A training video  OHSU developed to prepare its students and staff to give COVID-19 vaccines is used to train California paramedics and emergency medical technicians as that state ramps up its fight against the pandemic.
• OHSU has  instituted a wellness program  designed to support clinicians, employees and students during the COVID-19 pandemic. One example is a grant-funded program that paid local restaurants to supply  hot meals for high-impact frontline health care workers  following the holidays.
• OHSU is promoting physical distancing within the university, and includes requiring non-critical function employees to work remotely and minimizing the number of people gathered for in-person meetings through video and teleconferencing alternatives. 

Research and development

• OHSU data scientist Peter Graven, Ph.D., has provided weekly updates of projections for hospitalizations statewide, which will become biweekly as the wave of infections generated by the omicron variant recedes . Beginning early in the pandemic, Graven  modeled  the projected unchecked spread of the virus and began sharing those projections with state and local policymakers at the onset of the pandemic in Oregon in March 2020. These projections helped inform Oregon’s “Stay Home, Save Lives” efforts to reduce the spread of the virus and ensure it doesn't exceed the capacity of health systems to treat a surge of patients who required hospitalization.
• A laboratory study published Dec. 16, 2021, suggests that breakthrough infections following vaccination generate "super immunity"  to COVID-19. Follow-up research published on Jan. 25, 2022, reveals equally robust immunity from infection followed by vaccination .  OHSU research published online on April 29, 2021 , suggests that people previously infected with the novel coronavirus stand to get a much better benefit of protection against new variants if they're vaccinated.  An earlier laboratory study  highlighted the importance of stopping the spread of virus variants through vaccination. And another laboratory study shows  telltale signals of immunity  against new variants in the blood of people 11 months after infection. On July 21, 2021, OHSU scientists co-authored a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association   linking age to immune response  measured in blood serum.
• An  OHSU study  aims to better understand the immune system's response to COVID-19 during and after pregnancy.
• OHSU scientists and physicians are engaged in a  multipronged effort  across the institution to improve scientific understanding of the novel coronavirus and bring the pandemic under control.
• In November 2020, OHSU announced a partnership with the local nonprofit Self Enhancement Inc. on a  pilot study  that combines wastewater monitoring with voluntary saliva-based testing of residents in four Portland neighborhoods. Preliminary results are promising, and the project has helped  forge connections with historically underserved communities .
• An OHSU-led  evidence review , published in June 2020, finds that facial coverings appear to decrease the risk of spreading respiratory illnesses in community settings.
• OHSU data scientists are leading a  nationwide collaboration  of clinicians, informaticians and other biomedical researchers who aim to turn data from hundreds of thousands of medical records from coronavirus patients into effective treatments and predictive analytical tools that could help lessen or end the pandemic.
• OHSU has joined  with other universities and academic medical centers across the country to ease licensing requirements to expedite promising new technologies to diagnose, treat and prevent COVID-19. 

Community measures

• Ending at the close of the 2022-23 school year,  OHSU offered free screenings for COVID-19 among students in K-12 schools  across three regions of Oregon in partnership with the Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Department of Education. In the 2021-22 school year, 37,350 students were part of the screening program. There were 316,330 tests completed. With vaccines and at-home test kits available and the pandemic receding this school year, the number dropped to 6,705 enrolled students and 50,938 tests completed .
• OHSU dramatically increased the region's ability to track virus variants , through new investments by federal and state public health authorities. The initiative harnesses the university's clinical and research expertise.
• In the battle against COVID-19, OHSU raced to vaccinate as many Oregonians as quickly as possible . Over time, the goal is to drive the virus into submission by cutting off its ability to spread.
• On Dec. 3, 2020, Gov. Kate Brown  appointed Louis Picker, M.D. , as one of two Oregon scientists to independently review the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines that receive emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. On Dec. 11, 2020,  Brown appointed OHSU Chief Administration Officer Connie Seeley  as a special advisor for vaccine implementation in Oregon.
• OHSU President Danny Jacobs, M.D., M.P.H., FACS, joined other national health care leaders in  raising the alarm  about disparities in health outcomes along racial and socioeconomic lines among those stricken by COVID-19. OHSU researchers confirmed the disproportionate impact of the virus on Black and Hispanic populations with an evidence review published Dec. 1, 2020.

Ways to help

• Donate to the OHSU Foundation's Pandemic Response Fund :  Financial donations will be used flexibly to address OHSU’s highest-priority needs.

Please consult these resources for the most current information on the COVID-19 response:

• Call 2-1-1 for general information
• Multnomah County Health Department:  Novel Coronavirus COVID-19
• Washington County Health Department:  Novel Coronavirus COVID-19
• Clackamas County Health Department:  Healthcare and Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Clackamas County
• Clark County Public Health:  Novel Coronavirus COVID-19
• Oregon Health Authority:  Emerging Respiratory Disease
• CDC:  Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) 
• CDC:  Travel health notices
• World Health Organization:  Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak