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Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation

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Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Conservation

Conservation Biology

conservation-learning environment

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Undergraduate Education

undergraduate research opportunities

School of Integrative Studies

environmental science

Department of Environmental Science and Policy (ESP)

Sustainability

Sustainability Research

Rare peace accord signed in the Congo, thanks to Carter School’s community-centered approach

Mariam Aburdeineh — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 00:18:43 +0000

Rare peace accord signed in the Congo, thanks to Carter School’s community-centered approach Mariam Aburdeineh Mon, 12/13/2021 - 19:18

In This Story

Alpaslan Özerdem

Charles Davidson

Members of 21 armed groups, Congolese leaders, members of the armed services and local community leaders, including several female peacemakers, met in November to discuss a path to peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Photo provided by the Carter School.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has not seen peace for more than three decades, but in November 2021, ��AV’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution helped the country take a leap in a hopeful direction.

In the province of South Kivu, the school gathered representatives from 21 armed groups, the Congolese government, military, police, intelligence services, religious leaders, civil society groups, and peace advocates. Not only did everyone discuss a path toward peacebuilding, but they also signed a peace accord to solidify it.

“As a methodology, what we’ve done here is exemplary, and it can really change the way peace processes are designed, peace agreements are brokered, and the role of academic institutions in that,” said Carter School Dean Alpaslan Özerdem. “This is the first of many direct engagements we’re hoping to have in carrying the flag of peacemaking as an academic institution.”

Female peacemakers were also in attendance and played a substantial role in the four day conference. Photo provided by the Carter School.

So, what was new about the school’s approach?

Charles Davidson, PhD ’19, Carter School research faculty and alumnus, said it was reexamining the intersection of local and international peacebuilding—something he calls the “new hybridity” approach.

“It’s about, what would it look like to not have outsiders dominate the conversation? What happens when locals and internationals combine efforts?” Davidson said.

Özerdem said the process gives locals hope and opportunities to build their own peace.

“The role of the Carter School has been to facilitate, to accompany local actors by providing our direct qualities of trust building, and knowledge in the planning and implementation,” Özerdem said.

Members of local armed groups sat alongside members of the Congolese state and armed services in pursuit of peace. Photo provided by the Carter School.

The school’s model flips tradition on its head.

Typically, peace processes are administrated by outside states or international organizations. Özerdem said that dynamic may cause lower trust among locals, due to the nature of the conflict and the legacy of those relationships.

“With this South Kivu process, the uniqueness is that it was really designed and implemented by local leadership and international actors accompanied the process,” Özerdem said. “When an external academic institution comes, that creates a different type of opportunity for trust building.”

In many peace negotiations, money is given to incentivize collaboration.

“We emphasized we are not going to pay [non-essential] stipends—you come if you’re interested in making peace,” Özerdem said. “That gave a different proposition than previous peacemaking attempts.”

Surprisingly, it was effective.

“Many people showed up who were not invited,” Davidson said, mentioning more than 60 people were in attendance. “Knowing they had nothing [financial] to gain…they still came and I think it was a huge testament to what was going on.”

Members of local armed groups sat alongside members of the Congolese state and armed services in pursuit of peace. Photo provided by the Carter School.

That wasn’t the only break from the norm. Özerdem said third parties typically consult academic institutions for expertise only if and when needed.

“In this one, because an academic institution is the lead actor in facilitating the entire process, the knowledge part is integrated in a much more organic and natural way,” he said.

Özerdem said the school plans to replicate the process, piloted in the Congo, in other conflict-ridden zones.

“Particularly with our renaming last year, one of our key aspects of the vision is our relevance for conflict-affected communities and how we can translate this into practice, from addressing issues in our neighborhoods here, to global challenges of peace and security,” he said

It’s a sensitive undertaking with risks the school does not take lightly, Özerdem said, so each step is strategic.

And that’s what the school’s mission is about.

“For units like the Carter School, it’s really important that the practice of conflict resolution is part of our DNA,” Özerdem said.

David Bubasha (center), a former child soldier who left the militia to start AJDC, an organization that works to demobilize child combatants in the Congo, speaks to members of the Congolese press about the peace summit. AJDC, Charles Davidson's nonprofit Innovations in Peacebuilding International, and the Carter School helped facilitate the peace summit in November 2021. Photo provided by the Carter School.

Members of local armed groups sat alongside members of the Congolese state and armed services in pursuit of peace. Photo provided by the Carter School.

Topics

Carter School Leadership

Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Peacebuilding

peacebuilding and analysis

Leadership

grand challenges

International Relations

Racing toward Mason’s first 3D-printed solar car

Mariam Aburdeineh — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 17:50:29 +0000

Racing toward Mason’s first 3D-printed solar car Mariam Aburdeineh Wed, 11/17/2021 - 12:50

Hypernova Solar, Mason's student-run solar car team, meets at the MIX to discuss progress and moving forward with building a 3D-printed, solar-powered car for competition. The team is building the 3D printer, pictured here, that will be used to build the car. From left to right: Mason undergraduates Abigail Kennedy, Phoenix Lee, Brandon Escobar, Kareem Elsharkawy, Petr Soucek. Photo by Shelby Burgess/Strategic Communications/��AV.

Most people with access to a 3D printer find themselves creating small objects or gadgets. But one student group working at the MIX at ��AV each Friday is driven by a different dream.

“We build, design, test and plan to compete in solar-powered car competitions,” said Michael Riggi, president of Mason’s solar car team, Hypernova Solar. “[We believe] our car, when complete, will be the world’s first and only 3D-printed solar car.”

Riggi, a junior studying systems engineering, said the team aspires to compete in the American Solar Challenge, which involves racing a couple thousand miles across the country against other university teams. Their subsequent goal is to race in the World Solar Challenge in Australia.

When Hypernova Solar was founded in 2019 by Mason alum Alex Hughes (BS Bioengineering, Honors College '21), Riggi said the group laid the logistical groundwork for parts, designs, and fundraising. Today, the group’s 50 members comprise everyone from Mason freshmen to seniors, and a few students from Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) and local high schools.

Their momentum has been strong.

“We’re in the process of building our own car, Hypernova One, that we plan to complete in about a year,” Riggi said, adding that the car’s steel frame that they weld on Mason’s Science and Technology Campus is halfway done.

From left to right: Johnnie Hall (ME Lab Shop Technician, Volgenau School) and mechanical engineering major Abigail Kennedy welding the new suspension for Orion in May 2021. Photo by Michael Riggi.

From left to right: Johnnie Hall, Exploratory Honors College student and EIP alum Elyas Shafiq, and Environmental Science major Brandon Escobar welding Hypernova One's frame in October 2021. Photo provided by Hypernova Solar.

Hypernova One will be the team’s proof-of-concept car, he said. Once it’s complete, they’ll review it to see what could be done better, and then build a second car for competition.

The group has also been working on a car that was donated to them in 2020 from the University of California, Berkeley team.

“We’ve completely revamped the suspension, the motors, the aeroshell and repainted it,” Riggi said of the 10-year-old vehicle they renamed Orion. “It gave everyone a good experience on what actually goes into a solar car.”

Michael Riggi, president of Hypernova Solar, with Orion. Photo provided by Hypernova Solar.

They’ve also been benefiting from Mason’s resources and experts.

“My systems engineering coursework has helped me manage the team, understand business concepts, as well as understand the engineering aspects and challenges presented to us,” Riggi said. “I’ve also taken a MIX workshop on 3D printing and am applying this knowledge to building a 3D belt printer to create the shell of our first car.”

A model of Hypernova One's shell. Image provided by Hypernova Solar.

Why is the team developing their own 3D printer?

“Unlike a 3D printer where you’re printing layer by layer going up, ours is tilted at a 45-degree angle and prints on a conveyor belt, so you can actually print on an unlimited axis,” said Ross Clark, Hypernova Solar’s lead designer and a NVCC student who said he’s transferring to Mason.

The unique printer helps make the car resilient and safe, he said. Printing vertically would make it more susceptible to breaking along the X-axis.

“The shell is going to be sturdy and meet safety regulations,” Clark said. “We’re also using a special plastic, PETG, which doesn’t break, it flexes more, and is a lot more heat resistant.”

“I’ve been impressed by the team’s passion and drive,” said faculty advisor Colin Reagle. “They are constantly pushing boundaries on what they can do within a university setting.”

“The opportunity to build a unique machine like this is a huge draw to a diverse group of students,” said Reagle, who teaches in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. “I can’t wait until you see them rolling around campus in this vehicle inspiring the next surge of students.”

Exploratory student Kareem Elsharkawy drills holes in aluminum at the MIX to help create a 3D belt printer, November 2021. Photo by Shelby Burgess/Strategic Communications/��AV.

Overall, Hypernova Solar is about more than just building cars.

“The most rewarding part is seeing progress on the car and watching team members develop new skills,” Riggi said. “Our goal is to develop the skills of the students, make them more well-prepared for the workforce, and also just make friends.”

In addition to the thrill of problem solving, and the joy of mentoring new members, Clark and Riggi said another benefit is the group’s inclusivity.

“We have a spot for everyone—even if you’re not an engineering major,” Riggi said. “Some members aren’t huge car people, but want to develop personal skills, or do business and fundraising.”

“That’s why I love this project so much,” he said, “you can tailor it to what you want to get out of it.”

Hypernova Solar, Mason's student-run solar car team, meets at the MIX in November 2021. Photo by Shelby Burgess/Strategic Communications/��AV.

Topics

Volgenau School of Engineering

systems engineering

Systems Engineering and Operations Research

student organizations

Leadership

The MIX

environmental science

mechanical engineering

Mason Nursing Alumna, Deborah Bundy-Carpenter, Featured in The Scroll

John Brandon Cantrell — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 18:46:19 +0000

Mason Nursing Alumna, Deborah Bundy-Carpenter, Featured in The Scroll John Brandon C… Tue, 06/01/2021 - 14:46

Bundy Carpenter earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Mason in 1979.

Article originally published by Mason's Alumni Association.

For Deborah Bundy-Carpenter, BSN ’79, there was no doubt about going to ��AV as soon as she decided she wanted to go into nursing. The program offered her the opportunity to pair hands-on clinical experience with the theoretical knowledge she would learn in the classroom, which would prepare her well for a career in nursing and public health. She also loved Mason’s diverse campus community, and it prepared her for caring for people from a variety of different backgrounds.

“All of the clinical experience we received at Mason taught us to get our hands dirty,” said Bundy-Carpenter, “and with that came lessons in humility that were really important.”

As a nursing student, she had clinical rotation placements at Fairfax Hospital (now a part of the Inova hospital system), the Arlington Health Department, DeWitt Army Hospital at Fort Belvoir, and in Manassas for public health rotations, where she was able to learn practical skills, like starting an IV and working in the delivery room. After graduating from Mason, Bundy-Carpenter worked in a pediatric unit in Charlottesville for a year before she began working at the University of Virginia’s medical center, where she largely worked in the operating room and emergency room.

“In the operating room, it was like all of the anatomy and physiology that I learned in school had come alive,” Bundy-Carpenter said. “It was such an education, especially at a trauma center like UVA, and being able to actually put eyes to what you had read about was one of my favorite things.”

After ten years at UVA, Bundy-Carpenter transitioned from the operating room to public health. As a nurse manager for the Virginia Department of Health, she was responsible for seven health departments across five counties in the Central Shenandoah Health District. In this role, she was responsible for engaging the various communities in the health district. Bundy-Carpenter traveled to communities to educate groups on public health initiatives, managed nursing and nutrition programs, wrote and managed the grants needed to fund local health programs, performed community needs assessments, and strategized with local coalitions to decide which health focuses needed to be prioritized in their communities. And while a lot of her work was administrative, Bundy-Carpenter also trained new public health nurses as part of their year-long orientation and continued with hands-on nursing herself, like administering flu shots. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Bundy-Carpenter, as a public health nurse senior manager, was tasked with leading the health district’s coronavirus response team. Her team has managed strategic planning for pandemic response, testing, contact tracing, community outreach, and now vaccination efforts.

“To this day, I still remember the nursing school’s mantra about self-care and people being their best selves,” said Bundy-Carpenter. “I still talk that talk with patients about self-care and reaching your optimal level of health.”

For all of her public health efforts, Bundy-Carpenter, received the highest honor for a state employee in Virginia: the 2020 Governor's Honor Award in the category of Personal and Professional Excellence. She was recognized for her dedication and excellence in her profession, public health, and collaborative spirit with other healthcare entities and agencies.

Bundy-Carpenter recently retired after more than thirty years of service with the Virginia Department of Health, but she is keeping busy by serving on the boards of local nonprofits organizations. She is currently studying to be a mentored counselor for hurting women.

Written By: Kristen Greiner, MFA '20

Topics

Three-time Mason Nursing Alumna, Theresa Davis, Featured in The Scroll

John Brandon Cantrell — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 18:07:57 +0000

Three-time Mason Nursing Alumna, Theresa Davis, Featured in The Scroll John Brandon C… Tue, 06/01/2021 - 14:07

Article originally published by Mason's Alumni Association.

Theresa Davis has earned a BSN (’98), an MSN in Nursing Administration (’02), and a PhD in Nursing (’13) from Mason.

As the clinical operations director of enVision TeleICU at Inova Health Systems, Theresa Davis, BSN ’98, MSN Nursing Administration ’02, PhD Nursing ’13, has been incredibly busy since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. She leads the telemedicine division that supports the intensive care units across the Inova hospital system. Since last March, the ICU has grown from 61 beds to 102 beds as patient acuity increased and more resources were needed. Davis’ unit also became a transfer center to move patients across the hospital system as the need arose.

Davis has been a nurse for over thirty-five years. She earned her associate’s degree from Northern Virginia Community College before transferring to ��AV, where she has earned her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, and the combination of working and learning throughout her career has been invaluable. Before the pandemic, Davis even taught classes on organizational learning and nursing informatics as an adjunct professor.

“I think being in school for a good part of my career has made my whole nursing experience very enriching because I love to learn, and it has allowed me to have a different way of looking at things and not get too focused in one area,” Davis said. “I grew up as a trauma nurse and I’ve been working in telemedicine for sixteen years. It’s been a very exciting adventure.”

Over the last year, hospital visitor guidelines became more restrictive due to COVID-19, making it difficult for family members to be at the bedside with their loved ones. This made the use of voice and video technology an essential capability. Over 1,000 iPads—some provided through donations to Inova—have been distributed across the Inova hospital system to support technology needs to bring families together.

“We connected families to their loved ones and clinicians to patients,” said Davis. “It was just incredible what you could do with the technology to create those connections.”

In addition to her role at Inova, Davis also had the opportunity to speak at the White House in March 2020 as a representative for the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, where she is on the board of directors. Davis sat across the table from President Trump and Vice President Pence, where she had the opportunity to brief the Coronavirus Task Force and answer questions about the issues nurses were facing in the early days of the pandemic. After the meeting, President Trump signed an executive order that invoked the Defense Production Act to expedite the production of critical medical supplies.

A year later, as the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues, Davis looks to the future with hope. The pandemic has changed how she sees the world—after such a turbulent year, it will take time to fully heal and become whole again, but she sees it as a chance to learn and grow as we enter our new normal. One way Davis plans to do this is by promoting diversity and working towards eliminating disparities and unconscious bias in healthcare. Inova has created many opportunities for this important work.

“I think that we have great opportunity to look at our future and the new world and what it should look like, and what we’ve learned,” said Davis. “We have to make sure all patients receive the care that they need, no matter who they are or where they come from. We have to think strongly about what we’ve just gone through and how we can create a better world for everybody. We will get through this!”

Written By: Kristen Greiner, MFA ’20

Topics

CHHS Alumni

Nursing Alumni

coronavirus; covid-19

Alumni Spotlight

CHHS News

Mason alumna Herring to speak at Winter Commencement

Melanie Balog — Mon, 23 Nov 2020 10:00:32 +0000

Mason alumna Herring to speak at Winter Commencement Melanie Balog Mon, 11/23/2020 - 05:00

Topics

Graduation

Schar School of Policy and Government

Mason alumna, Generation Hope founder recognized as a leader for racial justice

Mariam Aburdeineh — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 05:00:00 +0000

Mason alumna, Generation Hope founder recognized as a leader for racial justice Mariam Aburdeineh Thu, 11/19/2020 - 00:00

Nicole Lynn Lewis was named one of 31 inaugural awardees of the Black Voices for Black Justice Fund.

For Nicole Lynn Lewis, Master’s in Public Policy ’06, completing her undergraduate degree as a single mom not only opened doors of opportunity, but symbolized how far she had come despite the challenges involved.

With an overwhelming desire to help other young parents earn their degrees, but finding no organizations in the Washington, D.C. area with such a mission, she founded Generation Hope in 2010.

Since then, the organization has reported helping more than 200 teen parents in college and their children with mentoring, emotional support and financial resources, providing more than $800,000 in tuition assistance, and celebrating 93 college degrees.

For her impact, the ��AV alumna was recently named one of 31 inaugural awardees of the Black Voices for Black Justice Fund, an initiative championed by actress Kerry Washington, philanthropic leader Wes Moore, among others, that draws on $10 million to invest in Black leaders across the United States working on issues of racial justice.

“It means everything to have someone say, ‘We see you and we honor the work that you’re doing and what your vision is for the world,’” Lewis said. “It’s a validation of [teen parents’] experiences and how important it is that we support their dreams for their futures, because that is so connected to the journey that we’re on as a country for racial equity and justice.”

About 90% of the students Generation Hope works with are students of color, said Lewis, who has also been named a CNN Hero, a Minority Business Leader by Washington Business Journal and a “Top 40 Under 40” by Washingtonian. Funds from the award will be used to support Generation Hope’s mission and continue to tell the story of why teen parents’ success matters.

“[Teen parents] have so much to offer their communities [and they] tend to have higher GPAs than their peers, but there are so many systemic barriers and hurdles to their success,” Lewis said. “As we talk about higher ed, as we talk about solutions to poverty, and as we talk about racial equity and justice, we have to be talking about helping this population thrive.”

In her professional career, Lewis said she still draws on the skills she learned at Mason.

“A big takeaway for me was understanding the unintended consequences of legislation,” Lewis said. “As students, we were encouraged to uncover and ask the right questions and that’s been really helpful in the work that I do now when we’re thinking about free college efforts, financial aid reform, or how do we increase SNAP benefits to cover college students and be more accessible to college students.”

“Nicole is changing lives for the better every day,” said Schar School Dean Mark J. Rozell. “With her ability she could have chosen any other path professionally and made a lot of money, but instead she followed her passion to help people.”

“It’s gratifying to see people who never sought personal reward be recognized for doing good,” Rozell said. “I’m very proud of her. She represents the best of Mason.”

Nicole Lynn Lewis (left) with Mason alumna Karen Escobar, who received support from Generation Hope while a student, in 2019. Photo by Lathan Goumas

Schar School fact: The Schar School has achieved remarkable racial and ethnic diversity, with 36 percent of students coming from minority backgrounds. ��AV is a majority-minority institution.

Schar School

Carter School Political Leadership Academy

New academy at the Carter School helps future leaders navigate political conflicts

Colleen Rich — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 10:00:16 +0000

New academy at the Carter School helps future leaders navigate political conflicts Colleen Rich Tue, 11/10/2020 - 05:00

As division and partisanship are increasingly emphasized in American politics, it is easy for conflicts to escalate. ��AV’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution believes disagreements can be beneficial, when they’re approached the right way. That’s why they created the Political Leadership Academy (PLA) in partnership with the Bipartisan Leadership Project.

“The space for bi-partisan or nonpartisan political decision-making is increasingly constrained,” said Carter School Dean Alpaslan Özerdem. “At the Carter School, we wanted to address this challenge by focusing on the interface between political decision making and conflict resolution.”

The academy will be one of the school’s primary means of outreach to policy-making circles and a direct contribution toward bi-partisan decision making in our country, Özerdem said.

Charles Davidson, research faculty and a 2019 PhD alumnus of the Carter School, is director of the academy.

“We understand that conflict will always be present in our political system,” Davidson said, adding that differing opinions support a healthy democracy. “It’s not our goal to eliminate conflict, but rather to help people be effective through conflict.”

The inaugural cohort included 39 students who met for three weeks this semester over Zoom. The academy will also be held in future semesters.

“We’ve had everybody from college freshmen all the way up to elected officials and everybody in between,” Davidson said.

The cohort, which Davidson said comprised both conservatives and liberals, heard from a range of distinguished speakers, including Virginia State Senator Barbara Favola, U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, former candidate for Virginia’s 1st District Qasim Rashid, former mayor of Alexandria Allison Silberberg, Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Paul Ray, and Carter School faculty.

“The professors and practitioners we heard from were absolutely incredible and very well versed in their field,” said academy student Aidan Dunning, a government affairs associate with Rock Central.

The cohort also had the chance to connect during weekly networking sessions, which Dunning described as “top tier.”

“I was blown away by the thoughtfulness and intelligence of my fellow cohort, and I developed some relationships that I hope to carry on for years,” he said.

“Regardless if you see your professional career revolving around running for office or supporting a member of an elected position, the basic life skills that this course can teach you around conflict resolution and maintaining that ability to understand perspective are valuable and incredibly insightful for anybody,” Dunning added.

Those skills may be needed now more than ever.

“Conflict has reshaped itself into something that is much more based on identity, it’s more personal,” Davidson said. “If we can help to restructure people’s approach to American political conflict, we can help to re-guide the way conflict is approached both between acting politicians and our citizenry to make a stronger country.”

Topics

Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.

First Black fraternity at Mason celebrates 35 years of achievement with endowed book scholarship

Colleen Rich — Fri, 06 Nov 2020 10:05:20 +0000

First Black fraternity at Mason celebrates 35 years of achievement with endowed book scholarship Colleen Rich Fri, 11/06/2020 - 05:05

Tip Sheet: COVID-19 and the Seasonal Flu

Dr. Roess is a professor at ��AV's College of Health and Human Services, Department of Global and Community Health. She is an epidemiologist with expertise in infectious diseases epidemiology, multi-disciplinary and multi-species field research and evaluating interventions to reduce the transmission and impact of infectious diseases. Dr. Roess served as the Science Director for the Pew Commission on Industrial Food Animal Production at Johns Hopkins, and was an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

When disease outbreaks or other public health threats emerge, CDC EIS officers investigate, identify the cause, rapidly implement control measures, and collect evidence to recommend preventive actions.

Do you recommend getting the flu shot this year?

Flu season recently started in many parts of the country and it is a good idea to get the flu vaccine soon to protect yourself from the seasonal flu.

Remember that vaccines need a little bit of time to allow your body to produce an immune response. It takes about two weeks from the time you receive your flu vaccine for your body to develop enough antibodies to protect you from the flu. It's important that you get the vaccine at the start of the flu season. If you get it too late then your body may not have enough time to develop enough antibodies to protect. In many parts of the country getting the vaccine between the end of September to the end of October is about the right time to maximize the protective effects of the vaccine.

Older individuals and those with underlying conditions are a higher risk of serious flu complications and should prioritize getting the flu vaccine.

Can someone get the flu and COVID-19 at the same time? If so, how do you know if you have both? What symptoms would a person experience that would let them know they have both? What risks are associated with having both illnesses at the same time?

It may be possible to have both the flu and COVID-19 simultaneously. COVID-19 is a new virus and we do not know much about how it interacts with flu. Flu and COVID-19 have a few symptoms in common, including fever, cough and chills among others. It will be important to contact a health care provider to receive tailored guidance for your individual situation. Your health care provider may try to determine if you have COVID-19 by asking you about your exposures to individuals who have recently be diagnosed with COVID-19 or flu and by asking you to list symptoms. Some symptoms like loss of taste and loss of smell are very specific to COVID-19 and may help your health care provider differentiate between the two. Rapid tests are available for the flu and for COVID-19 viruses and some health care providers may offer testing to determine what their patients have.

Can a person have flu symptoms and also be asymptomatic for COVID-19? Can a person have COVID symptoms but also be as asymptomatic for the flu?

We know that transmission of both of these viruses can occur from a person who does not have symptoms (asymptomatic or presymptomatic). This makes outbreak response difficult because individuals often don’t know that they have been exposed and asymptomatic individuals don’t know that they are exposing others. It is very important that if you are diagnosed with either virus that you alert people you have been in contact with, this includes friends, family, coworkers and others and schools if your child is diagnosed.

Should a person get tested for both the flu and COVID-19 if they are experiencing symptoms? What are the tests like for each or is there one test?

COVID-19 testing is widely available and in most areas you can get one at a testing facility if you are symptomatic or have an exposure. Flu tests are generally limited to health care providers and you will have to make an appointment to get one. It is possible that some jurisdictions may offer broader flu testing. Your health care provider may collect throat or nasal swabs for COVID-19 and flu testing. Many health care provides have access to rapid flu tests and increasingly to rapid COVID-19 tests. There is a COVID-19 and flu test that some government laboratories have access to.

If a person can have both the flu and COVID-19 at the same time, what should they do? Should they take any medications? How long can they expect to feel sick, and how long are they contagious?

It is important that you notify a health care provider if you think you have COVID-19 or flu so that they can make the final determination and ensure that you receive adequate care. Older individuals and those with underlying conditions must take this very seriously. The sooner they get care the better. If your health care provider determines that you have flu then they may place you on an antiviral, like Tamiflu, to shorten the duration of the flu. Our treatment protocols for COVID-19 have improved since March and your health care provider will determine what the best course of treatment is based on your unique situation.

We are starting to see reports of co-infection but there is a lot that we don’t know about the long-term impacts of these. Older individuals and those with underlying conditions are at risk for severe complications from either flu or COVID-19. If individuals from these vulnerable groups are infected by both of these at same time complications may be more severe. For example, both viruses attack the lungs in different ways--if an individual’s lungs are attacked at once in multiple ways the outcome may be grave. Again, there is still a lot we don’t know about co-infections may play out but we do know that early diagnosis leads to early treatment and better outcomes.

Although meant to reduce the spread of COVID-19, can wearing masks and following hand washing and social distancing guidelines also help lower the spread of the flu and colds?

There are a number of things that you can do to keep your risk of COVID-19, flu, and colds low, including adhering to social distancing guidelines, wearing face masks, and washing your hands often and well, especially after getting home and before eating or handling food. We recommend washing hands with soap and water for twenty seconds. If you are in a situation where you cannot wash your hands, then use hand sanitizer. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer (some say with 60% alcohol content) is recommended to kill most germs.

Coronaviruses, influenza viruses and other respiratory pathogens are generally spread through air-borne droplets so wearing a face mask will lower your exposure to all of these. Remember it is important that everyone wear a face mask to protect us all.

Face masks make it easy to follow other recommendations including avoiding touching your eyes, mouth and nose. We often introduce viruses and bacteria that can make us sick into our bodies through those.

Topics

philanthropy

endowed scholarship

Greek Life