Empty dorms on the University of Arizona campus could house health-care workers fighting the coronavirus pandemic, UA President Robert Robbins says.
During an online town hall Thursday evening, Robbins said dorms left empty after the UA all but shut down campus since spring break are open to health staff at the UA’s clinical partner, Banner-University Medical Center. There are up to 9,000 available rooms controlled by the UA, and only about 500 students living on campus after classes transitioned to online for the rest of the semester to slow the spread of COVID-19.
“So that frees up some rooms and some facilities that we could offer Banner either for individuals who need a place to quarantine away from their families, but in many cases, just those workers who had to drive long distances who are on the frontlines,” Robbins said.
“Even before this pandemic started, there was self-reported about 50% of health-care workers were feeling burnout and fatigue symptoms. You can only imagine how that is now. So its for them to be able to have a place to come so they don’t go back to their family and potentially infect their families and to kind of self-isolation when they’re not on the frontlines fighting this terrible virus.”
Students have already received their dorm reassignments, and the UA is working to centralize them in the Coronado and Honors Village dormitories, according to UA’s Housing and Residential Life office.
Students will receive a private room and “private or semi-private” restroom for the rest of the semester, the office said.
Expedited graduation
In a few days, fourth-year medical students will have the opportunity to graduate a few weeks early to possibly help with work shortages in states hit hardest by the pandemic.
“We’re working with our College of Medicine in Phoenix to come up with a plan over the next couple of days to do exactly that. To try and graduate our fourth-year students a few weeks earlier so that they can be available to help out either in the frontlines or the back office,” said Mike Abecassis, dean of the college of medicine in Tucson, and one of the speakers in Thursday’s call.
Students might not be needed immediately, but they are preparing to help ease the strain on health-care workers. Health officials here said this week coronavirus cases in Arizona said the coronavirus might peak in April, slamming hospitals with patients.
Coronavirus research
The university formed a COVID-19 research group that’s made up of 14 colleges, 16 institutes and centers, Banner (UMC) and 127 faculty members. Their research will explore how the disease works. The group also will manufacture testing kits, with the goal of making the UA self-sufficient for students and campus health. Then it is expected to work with the state health officials to supply the kits to Arizona hospitals, Robbins said.
UA researchers produced 1,600 coronavirus test kits last weekend, the UA said.
“We could easily produce thousands of kits in terms of the medium,” Abecassis said. “What is limiting our ability to make thousands of kits other than the medium, is the availability of swabs.”
Abecassis added there’s tens of thousands available but not all may meet testing requirements.
In addition to the kits, the coordination group is investigating ways to use 3-D printing to make protective equipment as well as telehealth resources for medical providers, Abecassis said.
The UA sent 19 proposals last month to the federal government, which is looking to fund projects that can solve problems during the pandemic, said Betsy Cantwell, the UA’s senior vice president for research and innovation.
“We’re looking at everything, from what are the effects of aging and age, both young and old, on COVID-19, what drugs can be repurposed as COVID-19 therapies, to how come COVID-19 has such a critical effect on the elderly,” Cantwell said.
