December 15, 2021

As the holiday season approaches, a new COVID-19 variant has come knocking on the door, potentially disrupting plans for many. The omicron variant was discovered at the end of November, and researchers are still studying it to better understand its transmissibility as well as the effect of vaccines on neutralizing the virus. Experts say the omicron variant appears to spread far faster than other COVID variants. They remain unsure if it leads to less severe symptoms than other variants. Despite the rise of the new variant, experts say it’s still possible to celebrate over the holidays. But they stress that it is best to take safety measures to protect everyone’s health while enjoying holiday traditions. In a story published by Healthline, one of the experts quoted on staying safe during holiday gatherings is Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the UC College of Medicine.

January 3, 2022

Jennifer Wall Forrester, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the UC College of Medicine was interviewed by NPR for a story on the impact the latest COVID-19 surge is having on hospitalizations in Ohio.

January 4, 2022

With COVID-19 cases surging in Ohio at the close of 2021, Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the UC College of Medicine was quoted in an article in Newsweek urging people not to attend New Year's Eve parties.

February 9, 2022

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced recently that people should stop using the E25Bio rapid COVID-19 test. The agency warned that the test contains false labeling and instructions. The manufacturer says the E25Bio test uses a “novel technology” that is more accurate than a PCR test “without the need for equipment and at a fraction of the cost and time.” However, according to the FDA, this test hasn’t been “authorized, cleared, or approved” by the FDA for distribution or use in the United States and may include false labeling claiming that the test is authorized by the FDA. In a story published by Healthline, Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases was the first expert source cited, that in an emergency, manufacturers might rush a product to market and don’t have to deal with full FDA approval.

March 18, 2022

With COVID-19 cases declining, some school districts in the Cincinnati region are no longer requiring masks to be worn in class. The Ohio Department of Health announced recently that it would end daily reporting of COVID-19 cases. In a story published by Cincinnati.com, several local infectious disease experts were asked about a variety of practices as society emerges from the pandemic. One of the sources was Jennifer Forrester, MD, and another was Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, both of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the UC College of Medicine.

July 12, 2022

New variants of COVID-19 continue to emerge — and some research suggests they're more contagious than ever. Troublingly, those variants seem to be more resistant to vaccines than past versions of the virus — and they're becoming the predominant strains of COVID in the United States. WVXU interviewed Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the UC College of Medicine to learn more about the BA.4 and BA.5 COVID variants.

May 19, 2022

With the United States recently hitting one million COVID-19 deaths, many are wondering why there have been so many deaths despite having a higher than average vaccination rate. Medical professionals explained the current climate of COVID-19 in the hospitals and area communities. One of the experts interviewed for a story posted by Spectrum News was Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the UC College of Medicine.

May 4, 2021

Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the UC College of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases, was one of the sources cited in an article published by SELF on six things to know about exercise and COVID-19 vaccines.

April 12, 2021

Jennifer Forrester, MD, of the UC College of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases was one of the expert sources cited in an article on Cincinnati.com on how safe or unsafe doctors feel certain activities are as we get into spring and more and more people are vaccinated against COVID-19.

April 20, 2021

Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the UC College of Medicine was one of the sources cited in an article published in The Body about the author's concern about getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Fichtenbaum stressed the safety and efficacy of the vaccines and said they would not interere with treatments for cancer and HIV/AIDS.