Leading the charge against COVID-19

student submitting sample to SHIELD worker

Inside the massive SHIELD Illinois testing operation

Feb 24, 2022 9:00 am

WTTW visited the SHIELD Illinois COVID-19 testing site at the Illinois Math and Science Academy in Aurora and one of the testing labs in North Chicago recently to take a look inside the massive operation.

Angela Mitchell on computer in UI Health pharmacy

Wearable sensors catch worsening COVID-19 symptoms early

Mar 1, 2021 11:00 am

UI Health employees that have had COVID-19 are part of a clinical trial of a new remote monitoring system designed to catch worsening symptoms before it is too late.

U of I System receives FDA authorization for covidSHIELD test process

Mar 1, 2021 12:45 pm

The University of Illinois System received emergency use authorization (EUA) today from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for covidSHIELD, its innovative saliva-based COVID-19 test that was used on the U of I campuses to hold the virus in check by utilizing widespread testing with rapid results.

UIC report details failures of public policy responses to pandemic in Chicago

Mar 8, 2022 9:00 am

A new UIC report finds that despite efforts to address racial inequities during the pandemic in Chicago, vulnerable communities’ needs remained unmet.

six feet apart sign in dining hall with worker

Killeen recognizes innovation and work that have kept campuses open

Mar 11, 2021 12:00 pm

University of Illinois System President Tim Killeen on Thursday recognized the thousands of staff, faculty and students whose efforts made the challenging 2020-21 academic year not only possible at the three system universities but a model of success.

Lorraine Brown with arms in air and mask on celebrating vaccination

UIC working to deliver vaccinations to city's most vulnerable

Mar 16, 2021 10:15 am

The University of Illinois Chicago along with Protect Chicago Plus have partnered to provide 1,000 COVID-19 vaccines to residents in the Englewood neighborhood, with plans to expand to other city areas with vulnerable populations.

COVID-19 molecule red and white rendering

UIS hosts webinar on COVID-19 & marginalized populations

Mar 18, 2021 9:00 am

UIS and the Community Health Roundtable will host a free public webinar titled “Implications of COVID-19 for Historically Marginalized Populations and the Aging Population” at Noon Friday, March 16 via Zoom.

Masked student gives thumbs up as he receives the vaccine

Vaccine study now open for student enrollment

Mar 23, 2021 10:30 am

UIUC students may now enroll in a study to help understand the effectiveness of vaccines in reducing the spread of the coronavirus.

Liliane Windsor in coat and scarf outdoors

Helping East St. Louis residents overcome barriers to testing, vaccination

Mar 23, 2022 8:00 am

A project co-led by UIUC that is underway in East St. Louis, Illinois, is investigating strategies for overcoming barriers to COVID-19 testing and vaccination among more than 548 medically and socially vulnerable residents of St. Clair County.

Activation of specific immune cells may be a predictor of severe COVID-19

Mar 23, 2022 8:00 am

Scientists at the UIC have found new evidence that people with severe COVID-19 may have something in common: an early and persistent activation of neutrophils, a type of white blood cells that the immune system uses to fight bacteria.

Novel COVID-19 drug blocks viral replication

Mar 24, 2021 12:00 pm

Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have identified a potent new antiviral compound that can effectively block viral replication in human cells.

U.S. Covid-19 supercomputing group evaluates year-long effort

Mar 24, 2021 5:30 pm

Members of the Covid-19 High-Performance Computing Consortium on Tuesday spoke on the progress of their initiative and advocated for a formal organization that would be in charge of making computing resources available in the event of future pandemics, hurricanes, oil spills, wildfires and other natural disasters.

Researcher in SHIELD lab carrying samples

Rivian donates $500,000 to support SHIELD Illinois testing

Mar 25, 2021 10:30 am

The University of Illinois System received a $500,000 donation from Rivian to support the recently opened SHIELD Illinois COVID-19 testing lab at Illinois State University (ISU), which is located within five miles of the electric automaker’s factory in Normal.

headshots for Ujjal Kumar Mukherjee and Sridhar Seshadri

Study: Rapid bulk-testing for COVID-19 key to reopening universities

Mar 29, 2021 12:00 pm

A new paper co-written by business professors Gies College of Business professors shows that rapid bulk-testing for COVID-19 along with other standard mitigation measures such as mask-wearing and social distancing were the keys to successfully reopening college campuses during the pandemic.

Research funding led to COVID breakthroughs

Apr 7, 2021 8:00 am

Jay Walsh, U of I System interim VP of economic development and innovation, and Peter Schiffer, Frederick W. Beinecke professor of applied physics at Yale University, write about the value of America's government-university research partnership in an op-ed in The Hill.

a phone displaying social media app icons

Social media messaging was effective in mitigating COVID-19, researchers say

Apr 12, 2023 11:30 am

Researchers discovered that employing social media posts as a means of visual nudging to encourage safe behaviors significantly impacts COVID-19 positivity rates. This effect remains evident even after accounting for various organizational characteristics and disease dynamics at multiple levels.

COVID-19 outcomes not consistently explained by race, social vulnerability

Apr 18, 2022 3:15 pm

And according to a paper co-written by a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign political scientist who’s an expert in data-driven social research, the racial health disparities experienced by minorities in the U.S. during the early months of the initial outbreak should be of concern for everyone.

close up of covid test processing in lab

Community colleges in Illinois now have option to provide free covidSHIELD tests to state residents

Apr 19, 2021 1:45 pm

Community colleges across the state now have the ability to provide the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s (UIUC) innovative, saliva-based COVID-19 test at no cost to any state resident who wants one.

COVID-19 mobility restrictions effective for short duration, study finds

Apr 22, 2021 12:45 pm

Attempts at restricting people’s mobility to control the spread of COVID-19 may be effective only for a short period, researchers said. A new study examines people’s mobility for seven months during the pandemic in the United States using publicly available, anonymized mobile phone data.

New reports address COVID-19’s fiscal effects, policy possibilities

Apr 26, 2021 12:45 pm

From revenue shortfalls to meeting increased demand for public services, the challenges facing government entities require atypical policies to deal with these issues in the COVID-19 era and beyond, according to new reports from the Government Finance Research Center at the University of Illinois Chicago.

Portable, point-of-care COVID-19 test discerns alpha variant from earlier strains

Apr 27, 2022 8:30 am

A point-of-care COVID-19 test developed by researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign can now detect and differentiate the alpha variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus from earlier strains in saliva samples.

colorful rendering of antibodies attacking a COVID particle

Machine-learning model can distinguish antibody targets

Apr 27, 2022 8:45 am

A new University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign study shows that it is possible to use the genetic sequences of a person’s antibodies to predict what pathogens those antibodies will target.

Pamela Martinez, Christopher Brook and Rebecca Smith pose in lab

Study tracks COVID-19 infection dynamics in adults

May 2, 2022 1:30 pm

A team led by scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign tracked the rise and fall of SARS-CoV-2 in the saliva and nasal cavities of people newly infected with the virus. The study was the first to follow acute COVID-19 infections over time through repeated sampling and to compare results from different testing methodologies.

Work-refusal safety laws serve employees poorly during pandemic

May 4, 2021 1:45 pm

A new paper from a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign expert in labor law shows that current work-refusal laws are out-of-step with modern workplaces and provided meager benefits to employees who have refused to work when risks involved chemicals, radiation and other microscopic or invisible hazards such as COVID-19.

State invests big in COVID tests for schools

May 12, 2021 2:00 pm

P{ublic health officials announced a $225 million plan to subsidize the use of University of Illinois COVID-19 saliva tests at public middle schools and high schools.

Paper: Sharp decline in women's labor force participation in Illinois due to COVID-19

May 14, 2021 2:45 pm

A new paper co-written by a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researcher who studies labor issues affecting low-wage workers finds that almost 40% of working mothers in the state of Illinois lost jobs or were working fewer hours due to the ripple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

man in shirt and tie working at a desk on computer

UIS to co-host webinar on COVID and returning to work

May 18, 2021 2:30 pm

The University of Illinois Springfield Innovation Hub, UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership and the Community Health Roundtable will host a free public webinar titled “COVID-19 and Returning to Work: Implications for the Workforce, Women and Work Sectors” at Noon Friday, May 21 via Zoom.

Team creates new portable COVID-19 test

May 18, 2021 2:30 pm

A new coronavirus test can get accurate results from a saliva sample in less than 30 minutes, researchers report in the journal Nature Communications. Many of the components of the hand-held device used in this technology can be 3D-printed, and the test can detect as little as one viral particle per 1-microliter drop of fluid.

audience viewing a UIS presentation on screen

UIS and Sangamon County working to document pandemic

May 19, 2022 3:00 pm

The Sangamon County historical society teamed up with the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, the University of Illinois Springfield, and the Illinois State Museum to document the history of the pandemic.

masked and unmasked passengers wait in airport terminal

COVID cases among TSA officers shows effects of end to federal mask mandate

May 19, 2022 3:00 pm

Sheldon Jacobson, professor of computer science at UIUC shares his views on the rising cases of COVID among TSA officers in a Chicago Tribune commentary.

Health experts caution against ‘new normal’ strategies for COVID-19

May 19, 2022 3:45 pm

Jun Ma, of the University of Illinois Chicago, said that together, the COVID-19 pandemic and the chronic disease crisis create what is called a synergistic endemic, or syndemic — overlapping epidemics that interact, increasing the burden of disease and the likelihood of poor outcomes.

red spiky ball rendering of COVID molecule

Survey measures health care delays during pandemic’s beginning

May 20, 2021 8:15 am

At the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, a University of Illinois Chicago researcher conducted a survey asking respondents if they experienced health care delays because of the pandemic. The study also presented a unique opportunity to capture a historic moment at the pandemic’s beginning.

female scientist processing tests in lab

IDPH & DPI announce statewide system to monitor COVID-19 in wastewater

May 25, 2021 8:30 am

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) today announced a statewide system to monitor the virus that causes COVID-19 and its variants in wastewater, providing public health officials with early warnings of a potential outbreak on a county-by-county basis.

Female professor and female grad student pose in front of the Alma Mater on UIUC campus

How pandemic-related changes affect college students' motivation

May 26, 2021 9:30 am

A study by educational researchers at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign found that some biology students’ interest in their studies and motivation actually increased during the pandemic.

SHIELD testing sign in front of building

SHIELD program a model for effective pandemic management, data show

Jun 9, 2022 9:00 am

A new paper in the journal Nature Communications details the innovations in modeling, saliva testing and results reporting of the SHIELD program that helped mitigate the spread of the virus at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the surrounding community.

SHIELD has been deployed in schools and communities across the state through the U of I System's SHIELD Illinois unit, and around the world through the university-related organization Shield T3.

child kneeling on gym floor spitting into tube

IDPH to offer free covidSHIELD tests for public schools for 2022-23 school year

Jun 14, 2022 2:00 pm

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced a renewed agreement with SHIELD Illinois that offers every public school outside of Chicago the opportunity to use the University of Illinois System’s innovative, saliva-based COVID-19 testing platform at no cost for the 2022-23 school year.

masked worker with clipboard talks to Black masked female in coat

SHIELD CU helping raise vaccination rates among people of color

Jun 16, 2021 8:30 am

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's SHIELD CU team is partnering with local organizations to help boost the COVID-19 vaccination rate in Champaign County's community of color.

illustration of COVID graphene detection process

'Wonder material' can be used to detect COVID-19 quickly, accurately

Jun 16, 2021 8:30 am

Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have successfully used graphene — one of the strongest, thinnest known materials — to detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus in laboratory experiments.

Med students administer vaccines to underserved communities

Jun 25, 2021 11:30 am

Medical students in Champaign-Urbana are working to get vaccines to underserved communities. They’re sharing information about the shot, while also advocating for it.

Study examined COVID-19 policies' effects on people with disabilities

Jun 28, 2022 10:45 am

The gym closures, social distancing mandates and other COVID-19 mitigation policies in the U.S. negatively affected the mental health and well-being of some people with disabilities by significantly curtailing their ability to remain active, researchers found.

In a survey of more than 950 people with diverse types of disabilities, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign identified four groups of people – heavily impacted, resilient, adapted and radically changed – who were differently affected by the pandemic.

Female with glasses in ILLINOIS sweatshirt spits into tube

Frequent COVID-19 testing key to efficient, early detection, study finds

Jul 2, 2021 8:00 am

COVID-19 testing works best when administered multiple times per week as part of a routine screening program, such as the SHIELD Illinois saliva-testing protocol, a new study found.

Tara Powell and Jenna Mueller in front of colorful mural

Study examines pandemic’s impact on volunteer health care workers

Jul 15, 2022 10:45 am

Compassion satisfaction – the gratification associated with helping others – protected volunteer health care workers against stress-related symptoms and burnout during the early days of the pandemic, according to a new UIUC study.

Illinois researchers advance COVID-19 point-of-care technologies

Jul 27, 2021 9:15 am

Advances made by researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are set to improve the ability to diagnose COVID-19 and other infectious diseases more quickly and at the point of care.

UIC awarded $6 million to develop potential COVID-19 treatment

Jul 28, 2021 2:30 pm

Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago are developing a potential treatment for COVID-19, thanks to a $6 million technology and therapeutic development award from the U.S. Department of Defense.

Developing antivirals for pandemic-level viruses

Aug 11, 2022 10:00 am

Researchers at UIC are working with the National Institutes of Health and researchers from across the country to establish a center for antiviral drug development for pandemic-level viruses, including Ebola and SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

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