Woodruff Health Sciences Center

Emory Healthcare patient Alison Danforth, who is six-months pregnant, received the 100,000th dose of COVID-19 vaccine at Emory’s Northlake Vaccine Clinic today.

Emory's Woodruff Health Sciences Center has launched a strategic plan, Setting Priorities for Our Future, with five target areas: constructive culture, interprofessional education and collaborative practice, transforming models of care, innovative discovery, and data science. ON THE WEB: http://whsc.emory.edu/strategicplan/

For the past year the crew at JE Dunn Construction has been working tirelessly on the construction of the Emory Health Sciences Research Building II through cold, rain, summer heat and, yes, a pandemic. Once completed, this state-of-the-art research facility will serve as a hub for biomedical research. The building will include six stories above ground and two stories below, offering almost 350,000 ft. of dedicated research space. The new facility is being funded in part from a generous $400 million gift from the Woodruff Foundation. Target date for completion is April 2022. For more information, including live web cams footage and weekly construction updates, visit https://www.emoryhsrbconstruction.com.

U.S. News has ranked Emory School of Medicine's infectious diseases program No. 5 in the nation and No. 9 internationally. Emory also ranks No. 3 among universities in the nation for NIH COVID-19 research funding. Read all about it http://links.emory.edu/65

From a terrifying virus... to ICU care... to a rethinking of medical education... to a massive research pivot... to switching to telehealth.... to every form of PPE... to clinical trials... to collaboration with local, state and federal governments... to food and supply drives... to exhaustion and mourning... to vaccinating the healthcare workforce... 2020 is a year we at Woodruff Health Sciences Center will never forget -- and one that is now behind us. Let's hear it for 2021!

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Emory physicians played a critical role in establishing the safety and potential efficacy of the drug baricitinib, which per a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine can lead to improvement in patients in ICU with severe COVID symptoms. https://links.emory.edu/5N

During a holiday season like none other, how do you see friends and family, keep kids busy, and give back? Speaking with Vox, Emory's Dr. Jodie Guest offered these suggestions. LINK: http://bit.ly/37lbLej

In a joint editorial, Ed Bastian and Jonathan Lewin, the CEOs of Delta and Emory Healthcare respectively, have issued a plea: Everyone should wear a mask in public. "The data is clear -- masks save lives and they help to support our economy. They will help get us back to pre-pandemic activities, both socially and economically, more quickly and safely."

2020 has been an extraordinary year for research!!!!

Universal use of face masks is a critical component of prevention. We’ve learned in our own hospitals, when we simply strongly encouraged face masks, we still saw spread, whereas with required masks, we saw our workforce infection rates plummet to near zero." - Emory's Dr. Jonathan Lewin #WearAMask

A video message from Dr. Jonathan Lewin, who today reached out to everyone working under the umbrella of the Woodruff Health Sciences Center -- health care, medicine, public health, nursing, research -- to talk about the "new normal" at Emory, in Atlanta, and in Georgia.

Emory University has developed a sensitive and specific diagnostic antibody blood test that will help determine antibody responses in people who have been infected by COVID-19. Initially, testing will be available only to Emory Healthcare inpatients, certain groups of outpatients, health care providers and staff members, but will then be expanded significantly.

"We know what we as health care providers are asking you to do is not easy, and we are grateful for your sacrifice," Emory's Dr. Jonathan Lewin writes. In an AJC op-ed, Dr. Lewin focuses on the importance of staying home to help health care workers fighting.

As of yesterday, bells are ringing!!!! Staff and patients at Emory Healthcare EUH, Winship and Emory Clinic will be able to hear the Bill and Betty Robinson Clock Tower, located at the heart of Emory University's campus, toll in honor of health care workers and first responders on the frontline response to COVID-19. The carillon bells will play daily as shifts change at 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m., and will also play at 12:05 p.m.

With supplies of medical personal protective equipment (PPE) strained amid the COVID-19 outbreak, a cross-disciplinary team at Emory Healthcare and Georgia Tech is working on a new effort to supply thousands of face shields to health care professionals on front lines in the fight against the virus. Read more -- > https://links.emory.edu/gtmasks

Emory’s Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Unit is participating in a clinical trial testing a vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19, the first such vaccine to be tested in the United States. A vaccine against COVID-19 is urgently needed because of widespread infection and lack of preexisting immunity, says Dr. Nadine Rouphael, interim director of the Hope Clinic of the Emory Vaccine Center. We are looking forward to being part of a nationwide effort to respond to this crisis.

The Atlanta Hawks, through the Hawks Foundation and State Farm, are providing support and resources to deliver meals for front-line workers treating #COVID19 patients at Emory Healthcare through a multi-week meal program that will bolster the Atlanta restaurant community, putting people back to work. Details here: https://links.emory.edu/hawksfood

Emory vaccine trial mentioned during March 27 COVID-19 task force briefing (Video: CNBC)

A Message from Jonathan S. Lewin As Covid-19 spreads through Georgia, our brave health care workers are on the front lines. They continue to provide excellent and compassionate care every day in this challenging environment. For all of our team members who are not on the front lines or providing essential on-site support services, please know that you can also contribute by staying home. By staying well, you can help make sure we don’t overwhelm our capacity to care for patie...nts. Jonathan S. Lewin, MD, FACR Executive Vice President for Health Affairs, Emory University CEO, President, and Chairman of the Board, Emory Healthcare Executive Director, Woodruff Health Sciences Center

#COVID19 Update: Tomorrow the university will move into our new phase of remote learning and -- for many staff members -- working remotely. As you grapple with new challenges, please know you are not alone -- resources are available and people are eager to help. More info https://fal.cn/37dvI

Emory helps build free online tool to assess COVID-19 risk links.emory.edu/c19check

Mayor Bottoms has taken courageous steps today to help protect the citizens of Atlanta. Her bold actions will directly save many lives across our city, and we hope that others around metro Atlanta will follow this example to help flatten the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure our health care infrastructure can meet the needs." --- Dr. Jonathan Lewin, Emory Healthcare President & CEO