COVID-19

April 6, 2021

U.S. government reserves supply of COVID-19 antibody cocktail discovered at VUMC

The U.S. government has reserved up to 700,000 doses of a monoclonal antibody cocktail against the COVID-19 virus discovered at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and developed by AstraZeneca, officials have announced.

By Bill Snyder
Vials with medication and syringe on blue methacrylate table. Horizontal composition. Top elevated view.
April 2, 2021

Investigational vaccine to be tested against COVID-19 variant

Vanderbilt University Medical Center is participating in a national phase 1 clinical trial in healthy adults of an investigational vaccine against the B.1.351 variant of the COVID-19 virus that was first identified in South Africa.

By Bill Snyder
April 1, 2021

COVID-19 met with intensive teamwork

Team members serving COVID-19 inpatients were more densely connected, interacting far more than their medical ICU counterparts.

By Paul Govern
Zach Lloyd spent 95 days on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, after contracting COVID-19.
April 1, 2021

COVID recovery included long stay on ECMO, double-lung transplant

Zach Lloyd was only 37 years old with no pre-existing health conditions, but COVID-19 was bringing him within an inch of his life.

By Matt Batcheldor
April 1, 2021

Study shows new COVID target could improve vaccines

Despite an impressive vaccination effort that exceeds 2 million shots a day, rates of COVID-19 are again on the rise in several parts of the United States, as is the spread of highly transmissible variants of the virus.

By Bill Snyder
March 30, 2021

Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt selected as trial site for pediatric COVID-19 vaccine

Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt is set to begin a phase 2/3 clinical trial to study the safety and efficacy of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in children.

By Christina Echegaray
March 19, 2021

COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium study highlights racial disparities, increased mortality for patients facing dual diagnoses

The COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium (CCC19) published new findings in the Annals of Oncology showing heightened mortality and racial disparities for patients with cancer diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection.
By VUMC News and Communications
March 18, 2021

Study to assess allergic reactions to COVID vaccines

Vanderbilt University Medical Center is recruiting volunteers for a randomized controlled phase 2 clinical trial to help determine the prevalence of systemic allergic reactions (SARS) to the two-dose COVID-19 mRNA vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
By Bill Snyder
March 15, 2021

Preterm births in Tennessee decreased during pandemic

Statewide stay-at-home orders put in place as Tennessee fought to control the spread of coronavirus last March were associated with a 14% lower rate of preterm birth, according to a research letter published today in JAMA Pediatrics.
By Craig Boerner
March 12, 2021

Tears of joy, tears of sorrow — College sweethearts, a COVID unit wedding, and a love story that ended too soon

The inside story of how VUMC's COVID unit staff pulled together to arrange a wedding, and a reminder that not every love story has a happy ending
By Wayne Wood
March 11, 2021

‘Friendly’ bacteria may impact COVID severity

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded Vanderbilt University Medical Center a two-year, $3.7-million contract to determine genetic and bacterial factors that may increase the risk for severe illness and death from COVID-19.
By Bill Snyder
March 8, 2021

Infection Prevention team likens pandemic to an ultramarathon

“We always say that infection prevention is everyone’s business, and the pandemic reflects that."
By Jill Clendening
March 4, 2021

Monoclonal antibody “cocktail” blocks COVID-19 variants: study

A monoclonal antibody “cocktail” developed at Vanderbilt University Medical Center to neutralize the COVID-19 virus is effective against all known strains, or variants, of the virus, according to a report published today in the journal Nature Medicine.
By Bill Snyder