Coronavirus

Chancellor Daniel Diermeier expressed gratitude to the entire Vanderbilt community for efforts to return students and faculty to campus safely during the global pandemic, and pledged that Vanderbilt would continue to support faculty and their research, during his inaugural Faculty Assembly address held virtually on Aug. 27. Read More

According to new research by Associate Professor of Psychology Jennifer Trueblood, the development of an effective vaccine is only the first part of a solution to developing herd immunity against COVID-19. Read More

Informal meetups of members of the Vanderbilt community, whether on or off campus, are limited to 10 or fewer people, and all individuals must be physically distanced and masked at all times. Read More

Kathleen Montgomery, MD'15, made headlines this summer for a Facebook post she wrote in response to a conspiracy theory video regarding COVID-19. Her post, shared more than 200,000 times, pointed readers toward reliable sources of scientific information. Read More

Physician-scientists at Vanderbilt University Medical Center are investigating whether SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can be spread through aerosolized emissions (microscopic droplets and particles) during minimally invasive surgery in children. Read More

Vanderbilt University will expand its campus COVID-19 testing program to include mandatory weekly testing of all undergraduate students beginning Monday, Aug. 31. Read More

Vanderbilt’s substantial investments in classroom technology and efforts to foster collaboration over the summer were aimed at preparing faculty to teach effectively within the hybrid classroom this fall. Read More

The Nashville Math Club, hosted by Vanderbilt math professors for middle- and high-school students who want to learn concepts in creative and fun ways, meets online starting Sept. 8. Read More

Manuel Ascano, assistant professor of biochemistry and pathology, microbiology and immunology, discusses the challenges scientists face when researching which virus may cause the next pandemic. Read More

All of Vanderbilt’s schools and colleges will conduct classes on campus today for the first time since March 9, the result of plans developed with diligence and care over the summer to ensure the university is ready for faculty, staff and students to return. Read More

VandyRide will begin operating limited service with two shuttles, one on the Gold Route and one on the Black Route, today, Aug. 24. There will be longer wait times due to capacity restrictions related to COVID-19. Increased service and more on-demand options will be introduced later this semester. Read More

Vanderbilt's COVID-19 surveillance testing program will begin this week to ensure as much as possible the safety and well-being of the university community.This program is based on analysis of COVID-19 test outcomes and other factors to ensure a representative, meaningful and targeted sampling of the VU community. Read More

Both mask wearing and physical distancing are required on Vanderbilt's campus, and it can be uncomfortable to ask a fellow Commodore to put on their mask or to move 6 feet away. Here are some proven techniques for encouraging compliance by others. Read More

Vanderbilt's campus surveillance testing program—mandatory for students, staff and postdocs who come to campus and required for faculty engaged in specific in-person teaching activities with students—will launch this week. Other faculty may opt to participate in the program on a voluntary basis. Read More

Vanderbilt University Medical Center has been awarded a one-year, $34-million grant by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health, to conduct a nationwide study of “convalescent plasma” as a treatment for COVID-19. Read More

As the headlines fill with stories of universities forced to suspend in-person classes after reopening due to outbreaks on campus, we write to reiterate the utmost seriousness with which you—and every member of the Vanderbilt community—must take our public health and safety requirements, Chancellor Daniel Diermeier and Provost Susan R. Wente said in an Aug. 19 message to undergraduate students. Read More

Research by Vanderbilt history professor Arleen Tuchman on the cultural history of diabetes offers important lessons for other public health challenges, including COVID-19. Read More

When you return to Vanderbilt this week, you may notice some community members decked out in Public Health AmbassaDore shirts or buttons. These PHAs help educate the community on the new Return to Campus protocols and provide resources that help create a safe environment. If you notice COVID-19 protocols are not being followed, report it by calling the PHA hotline at 615-343-1352. The hotline is run by the VUPS Dispatch Center and should be used to report an active concern on campus regarding protocols not being followed. Read More

The Vanderbilt community will come together, continue to make adjustments, embrace debate and discussion, and focus on how best to ensure we take care of one another while fulfilling our scholarly missions as a residential research university, write Chancellor Daniel Diermeier and Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Susan R. Wente in a message to faculty. Read More

Vanderbilt University has secured licensing for new digital tools to support hybrid and online instruction for the 2020-21 academic year. The new tools and platforms will help meet the acute needs of faculty and students and will complement existing campus-wide technologies. Read More