While most of 2020 has been pretty scary, Halloween doesn't have to be, say experts at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center played a key role in the development of remdesivir, the first drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of COVID-19.

The number of active COVID-19 cases in Tennessee is rising. In the 13 counties that comprise the Nashville Metropolitan Area, new cases have increased 50% over the last 2 weeks. We strongly urge everyone in Middle Tennessee, and all Tennesseans, to remain vigilant in their efforts to limit the spread of the virus by wearing masks, washing hands and staying socially distant — including not participating in large gatherings.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center, in collaboration with the University of Colorado and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, is leading one of the first “telemedicine” clinical trials to test a potential treatment for COVID-19.

It might be possible to use vesicles carrying the receptor for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, to bind the virus and prevent infection.

AstraZeneca is advancing into phase 3 clinical trials with an investigational COVID-19 therapy of two long-acting antibodies discovered by Vanderbilt University Medical Center and optimized by AstraZeneca.

Though the COVID-19 pandemic halted in-person patient visits at Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN) sites, including Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s, since March, groundbreaking behind-the-scenes work continues.