AAVMC and Member Institutions Respond to COVID-19 Outbreak
Please scroll to the bottom of the page to see examples of pandemic response underway at our member institutions, pertinent news stories, and other resources.
Updated June 10, 2022
News Stories Pertaining to COVID-19 and our Member Institutions
‘Drug Cocktail’ May be Needed as COVID Variants Attack Immune System on Multiple Fronts
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Philadelphia Inquirer
K-State Receives $3.7 Million Grant for Continued Research into COVID-19 Treatments
Yahoo News
You and Your Dog: Variants of Coronavirus May Affect Pets
South Coast Herald
The Conversation
Animals May Hold Key to Understanding Proteins Involved in COVID-19 Infection
Education News Canada
Researchers Aim to Mitigate COVID-19 in Meat and Poultry Processing Facilities
High Plains Journal
Two Vaccine Trials Show Promising Results, but There’s Still a Long Way to Go
The Denver Channel
COVID-19 Could Change How Professional Programs Teach Online
Education Drive
Veterinary Ventilators Return Home VIN
VIN
Why Are So Many Minks Dying Of Covid-19?
Forbes
$1M Grant Eyes Survival of COVID-19 on Surfaces in Food Supply Chain
Vegetable Growers News
Donald Trump, Thank Cats for Remdesivir
New Republic
Veterinary Behaviorist Suggests Preparing Your Animal for a Post-COVID Climate
WCVB-5
LI Company Plans to Begin Tests on COVID-19 Vaccine for Cats
Newsday
Cats Shed More than Dogs. The Coronavirus, Not Fur
New York Times
MU Researchers Identify Mutations in Virus Causing COVID-19
Sound Health
University of Illinois Creates Rapid Saliva Test for COVID-19 Virus
JAVMA News
Don’t Expect COVID-19 to Subside
National Hog Farmer
Remdesivir is no COVID Magic Bullet for Humans but Could be Magic for Moggies
The New Daily
UGA Faculty Will Collaborate on Evaluating COVID-19 Control Methods in Meat Processing
Southeast AgNet
Smartphone Saliva Test for COVID-19 Earns UF Professor Honors in National Contest
Main St. Daily News
Veterinary College Partners with Humane Genomics Inc. on COVID-19 Vaccine Development
WLTZ News
Penn State to Study SARS-CoV-2 Potential to Infect Livestock
Feedstuffs
First Documented Coronavirus Reinfaction Reported in Hong Kong
The New York Times
COVID-19’s Impact on the Animal Kingdom—So Far
National Geographic
Can Dogs Detect the Novel Doronavirus? The Nose Knows. Washington Post
The Coronavirus Is New, but Your Immune System Might Still Recognize It New York Times
Can a Cornell Professor and His Team Save the World? Ithaca Times
Vet Candy Teams up With AVMA Trust to Host “Outbreak” – a Game for Veterinary Students Worldwide Harbinger Times
Growings On: Researchers Turn to Cattle to Battle COVID-19 Daily Citizen-News
COVID-19: Double Trouble for an International Veterinary Student dvm360
Two LSU Doctors Working on Coronavirus Saliva Tests KPEL
Scientists Uncover Biological Signatures of the Worst Covid-19 Cases New York Times
Euthanasia at an Epicenter of the Pandemic VIN News
Texas A&M Researchers Identify First COVID-19 Positive House Cats In Texas 21 CBS
CSU Researchers Develop At-Home Coronavirus Test With Quick Results 4CBS Denver
Behind The Scenes With Dogs Being Trained To Detect COVID-19 NBC Nightly News
Study Identifies Possible Therapeutic Treatment for COVID-19 Medical News
Kansas State University Lab Pivots to Fight COVID-19 Government Technology
Life After COVID: The Optimist’s Guide to a Post-Pandemic Future Apple Podcasts
How Viruses Evolve Smithsonian Magazine
Texas A&M Veterinary Lab Hits Red Tape Trying To Do Human Coronavirus Testing KERA News
Can Dogs be Used to Screen for COVID-19? dvm360
New Study Confirms SARS-CoV-2 Not Transmitted by Mosquitoes Technology Networks
UPenn Vet School Navigating Cytokine Storms USAgnet COVID-19 Puts Brakes on Mississippi Catfish Sales Daily Journal
FedByScience Partners Are Increasing States’ Capacity To Battle COVID-19 Fed By Science
Pandemic Experts Host Virtual Roundtable On COVID-19 Preparedness Yahoo News
Study Examines Human-to-Animal Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 dvm360
What if All Viruses Disappeared? BBC
Going Back in Time for an Antibody to Fight COVID-19 Nature
Texas A&M Scientists Call for Bipartisan Investigation into COVID-19 Response Failures Dallas Voice
People Probably Caught Coronavirus from Minks. That’s a Wake-up Call to Study Infections in Animals, Researchers Say Washington Post
New Project Aims to Track Coronavirus Using Human Waste Medical News
COVID-19 Vaccine Studies Give Us Hope, but a Vaccine May Not Happen This Year Yellowhammer
Group Testing Could Screen Entire US, Research Suggests MedicalXpress
Researchers Focus on COVID-19 Virus in Animals JAVMA News
Ohio State Researchers Developing ‘Breathalyzer’ for COVID-19 Medical Design
Two Irish COVID-19 Research Projects Receive Major Scientific Funding Syncni
The 1918 Flu Pandemic Can Help Mitigate the Spread of COVID-19 Medical News
UF Researchers Study Whether Approved Drugs Can Block COVID-19 News4JAX
Does Fido Have Coronavirus? Tufts Researchers are Testing Hundreds of Animals to Find Out Boston Globe
Researchers Look at Role of Pets in COVID-19 Transmission JAVMA News
Retaining High-Risk Students Amid the Coronavirus Inside Higher Ed
WSU is Testing Animals for COVID-19 to Learn More About how the Virus Moves Between Species The Inlander
Auburn University Virologist Involved in Vaccine Trials Discusses Timeline, Expectations WTVY
Emerging ‘Dis-ease’: US Foreign Assistance Needs to Focus on the Root Causes of Pandemics (opinion) The Hill
Dogs Caught Coronavirus From Their Owners, Genetic Analysis Suggests Scientific American
The Coronavirus Has A Mysterious “Loop” That Lets It Quickly Attack Human Lungs. Here’s How It Works Buzzfeed
K-State Researcher Collaborates on COVID-19 Study Ag News Feed
CSU to Begin COVID-19 Testing for Asymptomatic Health Care Workers, Nursing Home Residents The Denver Channel
Collaborative Research Shows HIV Drug Promising as Possible Coronavirus Treatment ScienceX
HIV Drug Promising as Possible COVID-19 Treatment, According to LSU, ULM Research News Star
Cats Without any Symptoms Can Spread Coronavirus to Other Cats, Study Finds USA Today
This Veterinary Lab is the Linchpin in One State’s Coronavirus Testing Approach Washington Post
Tiny RNA That Should Attack Coronavirus Diminish With Age, Disease Science Daily
Red Tape Hobbles Use of Veterinary Labs for COVID-19 Testing VIN
OneHealth: Dr. Marcy Souza WUOT
UW-Madison Professor Tracks the Origin of Coronavirus Cases Fox47
Dogs are Being Trained to Sniff Out Coronavirus Cases Washington Post
Colorado Scientists Pivot to Join Worldwide Pursuit of Coronavirus Vaccine Denver Post
CSU Veterinarians on Front Lines in the Hunt for COVID-19 Vaccine DVM360
These Are The Treatments And Cures Colorado Researchers Are Developing For Coronavirus CPR News
Can Pets Get Coronavirus? Chief Veterinarian at UC Davis says Dogs, Cats are Likely ‘Dead-end Hosts’ ABC7 News
Guelph Vet College Looks to Test Pets of COVID-19 Patients CBC News
First U.S. Dog Tests Positive for Coronavirus: What you Need to Know to Protect your Pet Chattanooga Times Free Press
Ohio Institutions Among Those Working Hard to Create Vaccine and Treatments for Coronavirus Columbus Dispatch
Coronavirus in Oklahoma: How an Animal Disease Lab Became Critical to COVID-19 Testing The Oklahoman
Texas A&M Pandemic Expert: Coronavirus Will Have 5 Stages. We’re in Stage 2 Houston Chronicle
For Doctors Who Care For Pets, It’s Also a Trying Time Wall Street Journal (paywall)
CBS4 Denver: Colorado State University Researchers Closing In On Coronavirus Vaccine CBS-4 Denver
Coronavirus: Cornell Veterinarians Donate Equipment in COVID-19 Relief Effort Ithaca Journal
Ventilators Shipped from Veterinarians to Hospitals to Combat COVID-19 Shortage ABC News
Veterinarians Donate Vital Supplies to Coronavirus Fight AP/Houston Chronicle
Partnering through a Pandemic: Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center Launches Innovative Telehealth Service Amid COVID-19 The Plaid Horse Magazine
Updated June 7, 2022
Examples of Action Underway at Member Institutions to Address the Pandemic Crisis
Researchers at Ohio State Are Using Environmental Surveillance to Identify Future Pandemic Threats
WSU Students, Faculty on the Frontlines Extending Support Across the State
Penn State Researcher to Explore How Vitamin D Affects COVID-19
WSU COVID-19 Research Tackles the Present and Future Pandemic
Veterinary Experts Offer Advice After Pet Cat Tests Positive for COVID-19 in Pa.
A Push to Prevent the Next Pandemic
Tufts University to Lead $100M Program to Reduce Risk of Zoonotic Viral Spillover, Spread
CSU Secures $3.1 Million from NIH to Advance SolaVAX Coronavirus Vaccine Research
Training the Next Generation of Scientists During a Pandemic: “Now More Important Than Ever”
An Intertwined Approach: CSU Infectious Disease Experts Make Progress in National Pandemic Response
Smartphone-based Saliva Test That Can Detect COVID-19 Earns UF Professor Honors in National Contest
CSU Included Among Top Universities Solving Coronavirus Pandemic
Helping Veterinary Students Understand the Business Side of Practice
CSU Work on COVID-19 in Skilled Nursing Facilities Leads National Research
Helping Veterinary Students Understand the Business Side of Practice
COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate Prevents Severe Clinical Disease in Animals
Robots, Know-how Drive COVID Lab’s Massive Testing Effort
Virginia Tech Team Building Infectious Disease Models, Research to Help Guide Decisions
Advancing the Fight Against a Global Pandemic
$3.86 Million NIH Grant Accelerates Purdue Veterinary Scholar’s Novel Approach in Race to Develop Effective Vaccine to Combat COVID-19
New Microscopes Help Students Learn Safely
Simpler COVID-19 Test Could Provide Results in Hours From Saliva
Advancing the Fight Against a Global Pandemic
ER and Critical Care Function with High Level Despite Massive Caseload Growth
LMU Veterinary Students Recognized by OIE for Research on Animal Welfare During COVID-19
ER and Critical Care Function with High Level Despite Massive Caseload Growth
Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-borne Pathogens to Tackle Infectious Diseases
Teaming up for COVID-19 Challenge
COVID-19 May Exacerbate Ongoing Health Crisis of Antibiotic Resistance
LMU Veterinary Medicine Student Serves with National Guard During COVID-19
Kansas State University Signs Research Agreement for COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate
Washington State University to Begin Human Testing for COVID‑19 Bats and COVID Future Pandemics Depend on Our Food Choices
COVID-19 Detection Project Offers Student Team Chance to Put Science into Action
Seven Penn Vet Researchers Receive COVID-19 Pilot Awards
Researchers Across Tufts Pivot to Fight COVID-19
Why Is There a COVID-19 Gender Gap?
Fast COVID-19 Vaccine Timelines are Unrealistic and Put the Integrity of Scientists at Risk
Diversity and Inclusion on Air: The Pandemic, The Economy & Diversity
New Penn Survey Points to Food Insecurity – Not the ‘Quarantine 15’ – as Real Pandemic Concern
New Podcast Addresses UC Davis Response to PandemicResearch Modelling Predicts COVID-19 Resurgence If Physical Distancing Relaxed
Virginia Tech Researchers Establish a Reverse Genetics System to Facilitate COVID-19 Research
Can Antibody Tests Tell Us Who is Immune to COVID-19?
WSU Researchers Look to Head Off COVID-19’s Deadly Pneumonia
COVID-19 Vaccine Research at U of G Awarded Provincial Funding
Searching for Ways to Defeat COVID-19
Structure of COVID-19 Virus Hints at Key to High Infection Rate
Infectious Disease Expert Offers Road Map for Future COVID-19 Research; Investigates Potential Therapeutic Options at Biosecurity Research Institute
Vets’ Work with Food Animals Vital During Pandemic
Necessity, the Mother of Invention: Veterinarians Print Shields
UMN Researchers Uncover the Potency and Evasiveness of COVID-19 Virus A Road Map to Find Unanswered Questions About COVID-19
Research Roundup: Genetic Sequencing the Novel Coronavirus in Animals to Advance Human Outcomes
Poxviruses Could Yield Protein Pathways for Coronavirus Vaccine
K-State Veterinarian Shares Tips for a Bite-free Quarantine
Minimizing Transmission: Testing Asymptomatic Healthcare Workers to Find Silent COVID-19 Carriers
Antiviral Compounds Against COVID-19 Tested in Secure Labs at CSU
UC Davis Vet Med Researchers Awarded Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative Grant to Investigate Lung Inflammation
CVM Veterinary Students Learn Principles of Surgery at Home
Midwestern University Allocates 100% of CARES Act Funds to Students
LSU School of Veterinary Medicine and ULM Collaborative Research Shows HIV Drug Promising as Possible Coronavirus Treatment
Public Health Students, Faculty, and Staff Volunteer for Local COVID-19 Response Efforts
How Does a Pandemic Impact our Relationship with Food? A New Penn Survey Seeks Insights
Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory to Process Human COVID-19 Tests
CSU Vet Hospital Loans Medical Equipment to UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies
Can Pets Get or Spread COVID-19?
New Online Learning Tools for All Ages from the CVM
Ventilators Loaned from MSU’s Veterinary College Aiding Local Community Hospital
COVID-19 and Pets: What You Should Know
Canada Backs VIDO-InterVac’s COVID-19 Research
SHA and USask’s VIDO-InterVac Partner to Help Ensure Supply of N95 Respirator Masks
UW–Madison, FluGen, Bharat Biotech to Develop CoroFlu, a Coronavirus Vaccine
UC Davis Researchers Race to Develop Coronavirus Solutions
WSU Laboratory Begins Limited Testing for COVID‑19 Virus
PREDICT Receives $2.26M Extension for COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency Response. Early Laboratory Detection of SARS CoV-2, Tracking Animal Source Among Priorities
Midwestern University Announces Tuition Freeze
LSU Vet School, Tulane to Work on Coronavirus Vaccine
Updated December 22, 2020
Congress Passes $900 Billion Corona Relief Package
Biden Expected to Name Cardona Education Secretary
Congressional legislation passed yesterday December 21 and expected to be signed into law soon contains the annual FY 2021 appropriations bills, totaling $1.4 trillion, along with a $900 billion corona virus relief package.
There is about $23 billion in funding designated to assist higher education. Most higher education advocacy groups had requested as much as $120 billion, and have called this number “inadequate.”
There are some significant higher ed policy changes in the relief bill. It simplifies the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) from 108 questions down to 36. This was a long time goal of retiring Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN).
It also changes the eligibility requirements for Pell Grants, the largest college aid program for low income students. The changes will mean that more students are eligible for aid, and more are eligible for the maximum aid award. It also forgives $1.3 billion in capital improvement loans to Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU).
The legislation does NOT, however, extend forbearance of student loan payments beyond the current February 1, 2021 deadline. The AAVMC will continue to work with partner organizations on efforts to have that forbearance period extended due to the ongoing pandemic disruptions.
The FY 2021 appropriations package contains good news on several fronts. NIH was funded at $42.9 billion, an increase of $1.25 billion. AFRI (Agriculture and Food Research Initiative) was funded at $435 million, an increase of $10 million. VMLRP (Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program) was funded at $8.5 million, an increase of $500,000. The Veterinary Services Grant Program (VSGP) was level-funded at $3 million.
The bills passed last night contain an automatic seven-day continuing resolution, which means Congress has seven days to put the final bills together for the President to sign. The House passed them in two parts; the Senate passed them as a single bill.
In other developments…
President-elect Joe Biden is expected to name Connecticut Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona as his pick for Education secretary, adding another Latino to his roster of Cabinet appointees. Cardona has spent his entire career in Connecticut, working as an elementary school teacher, principal, district administrator and assistant superintendent.
For more information contact AAVMC Governmental Affairs Director Kevin Cain at Kcain@aavmc.org or 202-246-7926.
Updated December 4, 2020
Secretary DeVos Extends Student Loan Forbearance Period Through January 31, 2021, in Response to COVID-19 National Emergency
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced today the extension of the federal student loan administrative forbearance period, the pause in interest accrual, and the suspension of collections activity through January 31, 2021.
https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/secretary-devos-extends-student-loan-forbearance-period-through-january-31-2021-response-covid-19-national-emergency?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=
Updated October 6, 2020
What the Newest House Version Pandemic Relief Package Means for Higher Ed
On October 1, the House voted 214-207 to pass a new coronavirus relief package. The bill passed largely along party lines and is not expected to be given a vote in the Senate.
The bill contains several provisions of interest to higher education:
The bill would expand the CARES Act’s suspension of payments on federal student loans to include Federal Family Education Loans, Perkins loans, and loans by the Health and Human Services Department. It also would extend the suspension by one year, through Sept. 30, 2021. No collection fees or penalties could be assessed during the first 30 days after that period.
Interest accrual would be paused on certain federal loans, and paid by the federal government for others, until the later of Sept. 30, 2021, or until the labor market meets recovery thresholds defined in the bill.
Borrowers in income-contingent repayments plans wouldn’t have to recertify their income or family size before Dec. 31, 2021.
The bill would provide $5 billion for the Treasury Department to pay as much as $10,000 of economically distressed borrowers’ monthly payments for privately provided student loans through Feb. 1, 2021. No interest could be capitalized through that date, and involuntary collections would have to cease.
After Feb. 1, 2021, borrowers would receive the outstanding balance of their loans—with a cap of $10,000, less any payments the Treasury Department made under the bill before that date.
It would turn off the requirement that a borrower be employed in public service at the time debt is forgiven under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF), so long as they meet other requirements.
Through Sept. 30, 2021, the Education Department would have to include an option on federal direct consolidation loan applications to allow the borrower to indicate their intent to participate in PSLF. Borrowers could consolidate loans during that period without losing credit for PSLF-qualifying monthly payments before the consolidation.
Finally, the bill would provide $208.1 billion for a State Fiscal Stabilization Fund that would be used for grants to states to support elementary, second, and postsecondary schools and would provide an additional $11.9 billion for higher education, including $7 billion for private nonprofit schools and $3.5 billion for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority Serving Institutions.
On October 1, the House voted 214-207 to pass a new coronavirus relief package. The bill passed largely along party lines and is not expected to be given a vote in the Senate.
The bill contains several provisions of interest to higher education:
The bill would expand the CARES Act’s suspension of payments on federal student loans to include Federal Family Education Loans, Perkins loans, and loans by the Health and Human Services Department. It also would extend the suspension by one year, through Sept. 30, 2021. No collection fees or penalties could be assessed during the first 30 days after that period.
Interest accrual would be paused on certain federal loans, and paid by the federal government for others, until the later of Sept. 30, 2021, or until the labor market meets recovery thresholds defined in the bill.
Borrowers in income-contingent repayments plans wouldn’t have to recertify their income or family size before Dec. 31, 2021.
The bill would provide $5 billion for the Treasury Department to pay as much as $10,000 of economically distressed borrowers’ monthly payments for privately provided student loans through Feb. 1, 2021. No interest could be capitalized through that date, and involuntary collections would have to cease.
After Feb. 1, 2021, borrowers would receive the outstanding balance of their loans—with a cap of $10,000, less any payments the Treasury Department made under the bill before that date.
It would turn off the requirement that a borrower be employed in public service at the time debt is forgiven under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF), so long as they meet other requirements.
Through Sept. 30, 2021, the Education Department would have to include an option on federal direct consolidation loan applications to allow the borrower to indicate their intent to participate in PSLF. Borrowers could consolidate loans during that period without losing credit for PSLF-qualifying monthly payments before the consolidation.
Finally, the bill would provide $208.1 billion for a State Fiscal Stabilization Fund that would be used for grants to states to support elementary, second, and postsecondary schools and would provide an additional $11.9 billion for higher education, including $7 billion for private nonprofit schools and $3.5 billion for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority Serving Institutions.
On October 1, the House voted 214-207 to pass a new coronavirus relief package. The bill passed largely along party lines and is not expected to be given a vote in the Senate.
The bill contains several provisions of interest to higher education:
The bill would expand the CARES Act’s suspension of payments on federal student loans to include Federal Family Education Loans, Perkins loans, and loans by the Health and Human Services Department. It also would extend the suspension by one year, through Sept. 30, 2021. No collection fees or penalties could be assessed during the first 30 days after that period.
Interest accrual would be paused on certain federal loans, and paid by the federal government for others, until the later of Sept. 30, 2021, or until the labor market meets recovery thresholds defined in the bill.
Borrowers in income-contingent repayments plans wouldn’t have to recertify their income or family size before Dec. 31, 2021.
The bill would provide $5 billion for the Treasury Department to pay as much as $10,000 of economically distressed borrowers’ monthly payments for privately provided student loans through Feb. 1, 2021. No interest could be capitalized through that date, and involuntary collections would have to cease.
After Feb. 1, 2021, borrowers would receive the outstanding balance of their loans—with a cap of $10,000, less any payments the Treasury Department made under the bill before that date.
It would turn off the requirement that a borrower be employed in public service at the time debt is forgiven under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF), so long as they meet other requirements.
Through Sept. 30, 2021, the Education Department would have to include an option on federal direct consolidation loan applications to allow the borrower to indicate their intent to participate in PSLF. Borrowers could consolidate loans during that period without losing credit for PSLF-qualifying monthly payments before the consolidation.
Finally, the bill would provide $208.1 billion for a State Fiscal Stabilization Fund that would be used for grants to states to support elementary, second, and postsecondary schools and would provide an additional $11.9 billion for higher education, including $7 billion for private nonprofit schools and $3.5 billion for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority Serving Institutions.
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Updated September 4, 2020
Washington Still Struggling with COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Package
It appears that Democratic leadership and the Administration have reached an agreement to pass a Continuing Resolution (CR). This will effectively put off FY 2021 appropriations until after the November elections. No expiration date for the CR has been announced. At the same time, the two sides have announced that any new pandemic relief package will not be tied to the CR. Republicans in the Senate are now proposing a much smaller relief package of “critical” items which would cost around $500 billion. Democrats in the House and Senate have rejected that number out of hand. It remains to be seen if any package can be agreed upon before the House and Senate adjourn to campaign.
Updated August 7, 2020
Veterinary Medical Laboratories and COVID-19 Testing
AAVMC continues to work with the office of Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-OR) on legislative language that would make it easier to use National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) capacity to do human testing during the pandemic. We are currently reviewing language that could be added to the next Covid-19 relief package. At the same time, we are working with a large coalition of organizations to secure an additional $300 million in funding for the NAHLN. While lab space and personnel in many places are doing human testing, they also must perform their primary mission of surveillance and testing for animal diseases, and the additional funding is critical to that mission. Click here for more information.
Veterinary Medical Laboratories and COVID-19 Testing
The Association of American Medical Colleges recently issued a comprehensive “road map” for helping the nation improve its response to managing the COVID-19 pandemic. Entitled “The Way Forward on COVID-19: A Road Map to Reset the Nation’s Approach to the Pandemic,” the evidence-based plan outlines 11 short- and long-term actions to address critical testing and supply issues, mitigate the spread of the virus, and address the health disparities that have magnified the impact of the pandemic on vulnerable populations. The AAVMC works closely with the AAMC in Washington, D.C.
Updated July 24, 2020
COVID-19 Federal Emergency Funding Update
Senate Republicans were expected to release their Covid-19 aid package this week. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) told reporters that he expected the package to include a series of bills that addressed the impact of the virus on healthcare and the economy. However the Senate and the White House negotiators have been unable to agree on the parameters of the package, which is now expected to be announced on Monday of next week. Meanwhile, the House released text of seven FY 2021 appropriations bills, the first “minibus” for the next fiscal year. The bills include $47 billion in total for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), with $5 billion of that total designated as emergency spending for coronavirus research. The full House is expected to take up this package early next week.
Wellbeing Professionals Poised to Play key Role in Reopening Plans
As AAVMC member institutions prepare to reopen amidst the pandemic, they should remember all of the resources they have at hand as fall semester gets underway. One thing to remember is the important role wellbeing professionals can play in helping leaders make decisions that minimize the effects of organizational stressors wrought by the pandemic. The AAVMC has produced a Wellbeing Advisory that details the important help that can be provided by the Academic Veterinary Wellbeing Professional.
AAVMC Institutions Helping Ramp Up COVID-19 Testing
Many AAVMC member institutions are providing key support in the nation’s effort to ramp up COVID-19 testing capabilities. This article from “Fed by Science” produced by the Universities Alliance for Agricultural Sciences details some of the ways that university based veterinary diagnostic laboratories are stepping up to help battle the global pandemic.
Homeland Security Shares FAQ Document on International Students and Pandemic
The higher education community created a powerful chorus of concern that helped convince the Department of Homeland Security to withdraw a controversial policy that would have required international students on M-1 and F-1 visas to leave the country if the institutions they were enrolled in were delivering programs completely on line. While that policy was reversed, it does not address new international students seeking to enroll under those terms. The Department of Homeland Security has issued an FAQ document that provides more detailed information on the issue.
Updated July 10, 2020
Caregiving During the Pandemic
Many veterinary colleges and schools are preparing to get underway with their academic, clinical and research programs for the 2020 fall semester as the pandemic continues to change just about every aspect of “business as usual.” One of the many new challenges wrought by COVID-19 will be the altered availability or absence of caregivers to provide family support. Uncertainties persist in when and how public schools will reopen this fall. Daycare and eldercare facilities may not be in a position to handle previous enrollment levels, and personal biosecurity precautions will continue to alter how people live their lives. A new AAVMC Wellbeing monograph entitled “Caregiving During the Pandemic” offers some helpful hints and suggestions about how to best cope with returning to work while maintaining family responsibilities.
AAVMC Opposes Recent Administration Action Concerning International Students
The AAVMC is one of many organizations signed on to a Federation of Associations of Schools of the Health Professions letter to the Department of Homeland Security opposing recent action regarding international students and pandemic altered educational programs. DHS recently announced that nonimmigrant F-1 and M-1 visa holders would need to leave the country if their educational programs were moved to on-line status as a result of the pandemic. The policy could potentially affect about one million students and challenge many of the colleges and universities who are attempting to deliver their educational programs while protecting public health. FASHP comprises 18 associations and represents a health professions education community that includes 7,429 programs, institutions, hospitals, and health systems, and more than 1.3 million students, faculty, clinicians, administrators, residents, and researchers. AAVMC CEO Dr. Andrew T. Maccabe is the current FASHP president..
AAVMC Urges HHS to Extend Public Health Emergency (PHE) Declaration
The AAVMC has joined almost 100 other organizations in signing on to a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar requesting that the current national public health emergency (PHE) declaration in effect be extended an additional 90 days. The current PHE will expire on July 25. The existing declaration supports a number of important measures being undertaken to combat the pandemic, ranging from the development of preventive vaccines and therapeutic approaches to the provision of services and support that help citizens cope with the pandemic.
Updated June 26, 2020
Purdue CVM Dean Dr. Willie Reed Co-Chairs Comprehensive “Protect Purdue” Effort
Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine Dean Dr. Willie Reed has Co-Chaired a comprehensive effort at Purdue University to develop a strategic response to the COVID-19 pandemic and develop science-based guidelines for safely reopening the university. Details of the university’s “Protect Purdue” plan can be found here.
Diversity & Inclusion On Air and the COVID-19 Pandemic
A series of “Diversity and Inclusion on Air” programs focused on COVID-19 and ways it is impacting the academic veterinary medical community are available on Soundcloud. Produced and hosted by AAVMC Senior Director for Institutional Research and Diversity Dr. Lisa Greenhill, the acclaimed program features a variety of experts in incisive conversation with Greenhill. Topics include “Anti-Asian Discrimination Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic,” “The Job Hunt and the Pandemic,” “Student Wellbeing and the Pandemic,” and “The Pandemic, the Economy and Diversity.” Listen to the series here.
Capitol Hill and COVID-19
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee heard expert testimony on June 23 at a hearing, “COVID-19: Lessons Learned to Prepare for the Next Pandemic.” There were several recommendations from the witness panel, among them a recommendation for sustained, robust funding in public health. The hearing followed the release of Committee Chair Lamar Alexander’s (R-Tenn) white paper, “Preparing for the Next Pandemic,” outlining five recommendations to address future pandemics, including accelerating research and development and maintaining strong investments in NIH. The HELP committee asked for stakeholder feedback submitted to PandemicPreparedness@help.senate.gov by today, June 26. AAVMC asked our research committee members to consider submitting comments to the Committee.
NAHLN Funding and HEROES Act
The AAVMC signed onto a letter led by the Animal Agriculture Coalition (AAC). The letter requests that the Senate support the $300 million appropriation for the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) contained in the House HEROES Act. This funding is critical as animal health labs at many of our institutions are now being used to do human COVID-19 testing.
Updated June 12, 2020
Passing the Advancing Emergency Preparedness Through One Health Act
The COVID-19 global pandemic has punctuated the need for taking an integrated One Health approach to fostering and protecting human health and wellbeing. Adtalem Global Education recently produced an informational video on the legislation featuring Representatives Kurt Schrader (D-Oregon) and Ted Yoho (R-Florida), who co-chair the Veterinary Medicine Caucus in Congress. Moderated by Adtalem CEO Lisa Wardell and also featuring AAVMC CEO Dr. Andrew T. Maccabe and Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine Dean Dr. Sean Callanan, the show explores the nature and the urgency of passing the legislation. The government has FEMA to handle natural disasters, posits Congressman Schrader; why not have a One Health apparatus to handle public health disasters? View the program here.
Diversity & Inclusion on Air Explores Pandemic’s Economic Impact
The AAVMC’s acclaimed “Diversity & Inclusion on Air” podcast program recently examined how the economic fall-out from the COVID-19 global pandemic is affecting diversity and inclusion. Producer/host and AAVMC Director of Institutional Research and Diversity Dr. Lisa Greenhill invited American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Economics Division Director Dr. Matthew Salois and Associate Director of Analytics Dr. Bridgette Bain to join her for the most recent episode, entitled “The Pandemic, the Economy & Diversity.” The three discuss how the pandemic is affecting the economy and what it means for practitioners, veterinary students and marginalized populations. View the program here.
Updated May 29, 2020
Grief, Loss and Death During COVID-19
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are experiencing grief and loss, and many have died. None of us could have fully predicted the impact of this global situation. How can we identify persistent feelings that seem to have no name? How do we navigate grief and loss and find a way to cope? How do we help our loved ones who are struggling? People can experience grief from a “Living Loss,” not just a response to the death of a loved one. In this AAVMC Wellbeing Advisory, Director for Wellbeing Makenzie Peterson discusses our grief response to the COVID-19 pandemic and provides some helpful insights into managing our own wellbeing as well as helping others. Click here to access the advisory.
COVID-19 Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) has introduced H.R. 6720, the Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act. The bill provides for both the forgiveness of federally-held student loans in addition to the repayment of privately-held education loans by the Secretary of Education for those borrowers deemed as frontline health care workers. For those health care workers with a graduate education, it would only apply to the graduate loans. For those without a graduate education, it would apply to the undergraduate loans. The bill ensures that this forgiveness/payment would be excluded from taxable income. The bill includes someone who is a “doctor, medical resident, medical intern, medical fellow, nurse, home health care worker, mental health professional, or other health care professional who is licensed, registered, or certified under federal or state law to provide health care services and who provides COVID-related health care services.” The AAVMC Governmental Affairs Office is working with Representative Maloney’s office to specifically include DVMs in the bill language (see italics above). There is a possibility that the legislation could be included in the next COVID-19 relief package. Rep. Maloney’s press release can be found here.
Updated May 22, 2020
Navigating Conflict and Judgement During COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic is exerting another insidious effect on people besides the threat of sickness, death and economic hardship: wellbeing. The emotional pressures that arise from fear and experience are real, and they should be acknowledged and dealt with in an intentional manner with sensitivity and understanding. These pressures affect people both in home and work environments. AAVMC Director for Wellbeing Makenzie Peterson has created a “Wellbeing Advisory” that provides some helpful tips about how personnel at AAVMC member institutions can cope and behave in a way that makes the best of a difficult situation. Click here to explore the monograph, part of a series that Peterson has authored.
COVID-19: On the Advocacy Front
Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA) and Rep. David Joyce (R-OH). Co-chairs of the bipartisan Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Caucus, sent a letter to leadership earlier this week. The letter asks for two PSLF-related provisions in the next COVID response bill, both of which the AAVMC supports:
- A provision clarifying that for any individual employed full time in public service before the coronavirus emergency, student loan payments made in accordance with the suspensions from Section 3513 of the CARES Act will still count towards PSLF, even if they lose their job during the “public health emergency.”
- A provision clarifying that for any individual employed full time in public service before the coronavirus emergency, student loan payments made in accordance with the suspensions from Section 3513 of the CARES Act will still count towards PSLF, even if they lose their job during the “public health emergency.” A provision that temporarily suspends the requirement – in Section 455(m)(B)(i) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 – that a borrower must continue to be employed in public service at the time they receive PSLF acceptance, even if they have met all the other requirements to earn loan forgiveness. The suspension of this requirement should apply to borrowers who lost their jobs during the period of the public health emergency. By including this adjustment, public servants who have achieved their 120 months of successful payments and are merely awaiting their loan forgiveness, yet lose their jobs due to coronavirus, would be able to obtain the full benefit they have rightfully earned.
Updated May 19, 2020
Guidelines and Considerations for Re-engaging Veterinary Medical Students in Clinical Rotations During the COVID-19 Pandemic
AAVMC member institutions have worked closely together throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to identify best practices, adapt and successfully deliver their academic programs during the crisis environment.One of the most challenging areas to address has been in the area of providing clinical educational experiences for upper level students conducting clerkships in university teaching hospitals, affiliated clinical sites and externships. A team of five AAVMC member institution representatives was created to analyze the issue and develop a series of recommendations that would assure the safety and wellbeing of students and others, as well as the efficacy of the educational programming. The AAVMC’s “Guidelines and Considerations for Re-engaging Veterinary Medical Students in Clinical Rotations During the COVID-19 Pandemic” is intended to provide informed guidance to member institutions. Individual colleges and schools must act in accordance with university policies, as well as national, state and local regulations developed to contain and mitigate the public health crisis.
Updated May 15, 2020
Wellbeing Experts Focus on Pandemic Impact on Students
The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating in terms of mortality, morbidity and economic impact. But the virus has also exacted another insidious toll: emotional health and wellbeing. AAVMC Senior Director for Institutional Research and Diversity Dr. Lisa Greenhill recently focused an edition of her acclaimed PodCast “Diversity & Inclusion On Air” on “Student Wellbeing in the Midst of the Pandemic.” Guests included AAVMC Director for Wellbeing Makenzie Peterson and Dr. Elizabeth Strand of the University of Tennessee. The experts explored a range of issues and coping strategies for students functioning in a completely changed learning environment and job market. Click here to access the podcast.
Advocacy Update on COVID-19 ActionThe House has passed HR 6800, the Health and Economic Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act
This nearly $3 trillion legislation provides a range of assistance across the board. It includes a provision suspending student loan payments through September of 2021, and also forgives the first $10,000 of private student loan debt, which was not addressed in the first CARES Act. This bill is expected to draw few Republican votes and Senate leadership has already termed it “unserious” and “dead on arrival.”
Veterinary Diagnostic Support for COVID-19
Laboratories within some member institutions are helping out with COVID-19 diagnostics (see Washington Post story below), but some efforts to help are mired in regulatory “red tape.” We are continuing to work with Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-OR) and others to address the difficulties in gaining approval to use animal lab capacity to conduct human COVID-19 testing. Many of our members have labs that are members of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) and are working with their human counterparts to ramp up testing for the virus.
Updated May 8, 2020
Deans Continue Collaboration During Weekly Digital Forum
AAVMC member institution heads have been meeting once a week via Zoom for the past five or six weeks. The weekly calls have been instrumental in helping deans address common issues, collaborate on problem-solving and confer with each other about the many different issues which have arisen from the pandemic emergency. AAVMC CEO Dr. Andrew T. Maccabe says feedback concerning the value of the forum has been very good. Principle topics of discussion include curriculum delivery, the process and timing of returning to normal instructional operations and the financial impact of the event.
Interprofessional Education Collaborative General Information Resources
There is no shortage of information resources about the pandemic emergency, and the AAVMC remains focused on how the pandemic is affecting our member institutions. As a member of the 21-member Interprofessional Education Collaborative, a group of associations of schools in the health professions, we are sharing one centralized resource. IPEC has built and is curating a web page which contains a collection of useful links and information for health educators, including links to various pages maintained by the CDC, the WHO and the NIH. Click here to explore.
Updated April 30, 2020
Veterinary Medical Schools Update Admissions Policies in Response to COVID-19
The AAVMC and its member institutions recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the application and admission process. AAVMC CEO Dr. Andrew T. Maccabe has shared a letter with applicants which summarizes many of the steps the AAVMC has taken to make the process function more smoothly during the pandemic emergency. View letter here.
Updated April 24, 2020
COVID-19 and Federal Action on Student Loans
The federal government has undertaken a number of measures to help the nation deal with the economic implications of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Several important actions have been taken that affect student loans. The Veterinary Debt Initiative has two resources specific to COVID-19 legislation. Please click here here to see a summary document and here for an in-depth video discussion on the impact of COVID-19 legislation for federal student loan borrowers and students.
Updated April 20, 2020
NVSS Cancellation Announcement
The AAVMC has cancelled the 2020 National Veterinary Scholars Symposium (NVSS) originally scheduled for July 31 – August 2 at University of California San Diego. Public health and safety concerns around the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted our ability to proceed with an in-person meeting this summer. The AAVMC is grateful to the incredible work of the planning team at University of California San Diego and Western University of Health Sciences in preparing for the 2020 NVSS. The NVSS serves as the culminating event for students participating in Veterinary Summer Scholars Programs. The current pandemic illustrates the critical importance of scientific research. The AAVMC is committed to students and programs continuing the important work of research during this challenging time. With support from Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, the AAVMC will be offering a virtual Veterinary Summer Scholars Symposium. The virtual Veterinary Summer Scholars Symposium will feature a virtual poster session for student scholars to share their research. Additional information on the virtual Veterinary Summer Scholars Symposium will be available later this spring.
UC-Davis Offers COVID-19 Information Center
The University of California – Davis is operating a comprehensive web-based information center on COVID-19. The school’s One Health Institute includes the PREDICT program, a USAID sponsored global pathogen surveillance project, and the USAID’s “One Health Workforce-Next Generation” consortium, which fosters global health security by establishing One Health university networks in Africa and southeast Asia. The site details a broad range of information for various stakeholders, including interactive maps detailing cases and testing, a weekly post from Dean Michael Lairmore and much more.
Ohio State Offers Covid-19 Response Center
The Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine provides another example of how a number of different COVID-19 pandemic resources and information can be marshalled on a website.
Advocacy Actions
The AAVMC is working closely with other organizations to help shape the federal government response to the pandemic crisis. Support for USDA Funding for Research into COVID-19 Impact on U.S. Food and Farms Supplemental Title VII and Title VIII Funding to Support the Health Care Workforce Support for COVID-19 Relief and Recovery via Agriculture Research, Education, and Extension (Addendum)
Updated April 18, 2020
Effects of COVID-19 on the Federal Research and Development Enterprise
The federal research and development (R&D) enterprise is a large and complex system that includes government facilities and employees as well as federally funded work in industry, academia, and the non-profit sector. The nation’s response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is affecting the federal R&D enterprise, and the federal government and others are trying to address those effects. Click here to read a report developed by the Congressional Research Service on this aspect of the pandemic crisis.
Updated April 8, 2020
Vet Fellows Program Assists with Pandemic Research
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) is funding five additional Vet Fellowships to conduct pandemic and zoonotic research. FFAR partners with the AAVMC on the FFAR Vet Fellows program, which is designed to equip veterinary students with the expertise to address future agricultural challenges. Vet Fellows will not be required to secure matching funds during this year’s program, and the application deadline has been extended to May 6, 2020. Click here to learn more.
The Impact of the CARES Act on Academic Veterinary Medicine
On March 27, the President signed into law H.R. 748, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The bill provides more than $2.2 trillion in emergency federal assistance to individuals, businesses, and states, among others. There are several important ways this legislation will impact AAVMC members. Important provisions include loans to small businesses, charitable contributions, scholarships and other impacts on the health workforce, student educational loans, and emergency funding for colleges and universities. Click here to learn more.
Updated March 26, 2020
AAVMC Cancels 2020 Veterinary Educator Collaborative Scheduled for June at Kansas State
The AAVMC has cancelled the 2020 AAVMC Veterinary Educator Collaborative Symposium originally scheduled for June 21-23 at Kansas State University as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic emergency. “We recognize the tremendous amount of work that our colleagues at Kansas State University have already put into the planning and hosting of the symposium and we are very grateful for everything they have done,” said AAVMC CEO Dr. Andrew T. Maccabe. “But we have made this decision to protect the health and safety of our members. In the event KSU desires to host the event in a future summer, we would welcome that opportunity.” The AAVMC will notify registrants and process refunds.
AAVMC Extends Nomination Deadlines for 2020 Advancement Awards
The AAVMC has extended the nomination deadline for the 2020 series of advancement awards from March 31 to April 30, 2020. The action has been taken in recognition of the fact that many advancement officers and other personnel at AAVMC member institutions have been overwhelmed with efforts to help manage the COVID-19 pandemic emergency at their institutions. The AAVMC wishes to thank bedrock AVAP member Kevin Doerr at Purdue University for making this request on behalf of the group.
Updated March 20, 2020
AAVMC Operations:
The AAVMC continues to operate its full set of programs and services. We are closely monitoring the rapidly changing situation. Policies are being continuously updated as conditions change.
- In compliance with government recommendations, AAVMC personnel are operating from home with full access to necessary tools and resources.
- AAVMC officials are working closely with the AVMA and government agencies like the Centers for Disease Control to help coordinate a profession-wide response to the crisis.
- The VMCAS application cycle has not been interrupted by the pandemic and is proceeding according to established time lines. See further information here.
- AAVMC and AVMA leadership have been working closely with the Council on Education (COE) to ensure that threat mitigation efforts to not affect the integrity of instructional programs.
Member Institutions: AAVMC’s recently established Connect program is enabling member institution heads to share emergency management information and coordinate as they address the challenges associated with the rapidly developing pandemic.
- The number one priority of our schools is to protect the health and safety of students, faculty and staff.
- Many universities have cancelled in-person classes and closed dormitories and dining facilities to slow the person-to-person spread of the virus.
- Non-essential personnel are being encouraged to work from home and nearly all domestic and international travel has been cancelled.
The second priority of our schools is to fulfill their missions of teaching, research and service. Veterinary schools and colleges worldwide are employing different approaches to managing the situation based on university policy; local, state and federal guidance; and variations in the spread of COVID-19.
- Most schools have already shifted to remote learning platforms to allow students to complete their classes online.
- Many clinical rotations are being cancelled and veterinary teaching hospitals are curtailing operations to enable social distancing.
- Schools are working with students who are in clinical rotations and externships on an individual basis to re-assign them or make alternative arrangements as needed.
Interprofessional Education Collaborative General Information Resources
The AAVMC is a member of the Interprofessional Education Collaborative, a 21-member group of associations of schools in the health professions. IPEC has put together a web page which contains an array of resources and information regarding the COVID-19 emergency, including links to various pages maintained by the CDC, the WHO and the NIH. Click here to explore.
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