Media timeline: coronavirus coverage

From the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Fred Hutch scientists have been sharing their expertise through interviews and conversations with reporters and media outlets. Here is a list of some of the significant coverage:

Coronavirus may have spread in U.S. for weeks, gene sequencing suggests

Computational biologist Trevor Bedford is quoted on the COVID-19 outbreak in Seattle.
— The New York Times • March 01, 2020

Why Washington State? How did it start? Questions answered on the U.S. coronavirus outbreak

Trevor Bedford’s work on the spread and genetic variation of COVID-19 from China to the US is discussed.
—The New York Times • March 05, 2020

The strongest evidence yet that America is botching coronavirus testing

Virologist Dr. Keith Jerome’s COVID-19 testing kit is discussed, along with Trevor Bedford’s computational analysis of COVID-19 spread.
— The Atlantic • March 06, 2020

Scientists say coronavirus mutations aren’t more deadly or contagious

Computational biologist Trevor Bedford discussed how he has been using Nextstrain to understand COVID-19 genetics and spread. 
— Wall Street Journal • March 06, 2020

Why older and chronically ill Americans are at greatest risk from coronavirus

Dr. Steve Pergam comments on COVID-19 risk for cancer patients.
— The Washington Post • March 10, 2020

Mapping the social network of coronavirus

Betz Halloran commented on the power of data science and modeling to track COVID-19 and other viruses.
— The New York Times • March 13, 2020

Coronavirus hot zone: Research and responses in the U.S. epicenter

Dr. Steve Pergam is interviewed on COVID-19 and the risk to immunocompromised people.
— Scientific American • March 14, 2020

Coronavirus is hiding in plain sight

Dr. Elizabeth Halloran, an infectious disease expert, provided commentary on the need for widespread COVID-19 testing.
— The New York Times • March 16, 2020

How genetic mapping is allowing scientists to track the spread of coronavirus

Trevor Bedford and Jesse Bloom gave context to how they used genomic analysis of COVID-19 to track its spread.
— NPR • March 19, 2020

How the virus got out

Trevor Bedford and Dr. Elizabeth Halloran provided expertise for this interactive COVID-19 map, which overlays travel and migration data with epidemiological data.
— The New York Times • March 21, 2020

How does the coronavirus behave inside a patient?

Dr. Joshua Schiffer and Bryan Mayer discussed viral load variability in patients and what that could mean for COVID-19.
— The New Yorker • March 26, 2020

How coronavirus mutations can track its spread—and disprove conspiracies

Trevor Bedford explained how Nextstrain has evolved with open and rapid data sharing, allowing for real time tracking of COVID-19 mutations and spread.
— National Geographic • March 26, 2020

With record-setting speed, vaccine makers take their first shots at the new coronavirus

Dr. Larry Corey commented on the quick development of potential vaccines and vaccine trials for COVID-19.
— Science • March 31, 2020

Social distancing is controlling COVID-19; now scientists need to figure out which measures are most effective

Trevor Bedford’s latest tweets suggesting physical distancing measures have been effective in Washington state are cited.
— STAT News • April 09, 2020

No, you did not get COVID-19 in the fall of 2019

Allison Black, a genomic epidemiologist in the Bedford Lab,  debunked sentiments that SARS-CoV-2 was circulating in the U.S. in fall 2019.
— Slate • April 10, 2020

The coronavirus is mutating. What does that mean for a vaccine?

Trevor Bedford commented on how mutation rates may or may not impact a COVID-19 vaccine.
— The New York Times • April 16, 2020

Saving a city: How Seattle’s corporate giants banded together to flatten the curve

Drs. Tom Lynch and Larry Corey recalled the start of the COVID-19 epidemic and discussed Fred Hutch’s efforts to track and control the virus along with other notable Seattle companies.
— Fortune • April 17, 2020

Why Fully Recovering From Coronavirus Might Take Longer Than Expected

Dr. Josh Schiffer explains the complexity of COVID-19 immune response and variability across patients in a video. 
— The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2020

To take on the coronavirus, US vaccine makers consider an unprecedented strategy: working together

Dr. Larry Corey commented on COVID-19 vaccine trials and strategy. 
— CNN • May 13, 2020

Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, Some Scientists Bring the Bench Home 

Steven Heinkoff’s at home lab is mentioned in this article on scientists working from home.
— The Scientist • May 13, 2020

Coronavirus vaccine strategy: Larry Corey on the Long Run

Dr. Larry Corey discussed COVID-19 vaccine development and clinical trials. 
— The Timmerman Report • May 16, 2020

Fred Hutch study targets front-line workers most at risk from the coronavirus

The Covidwatch study is profiled, with Dr. Michael Boeckh explaining the study goals. 
— The Seattle Times • May 16, 2020