Although the small team of Michigan Medicine research scientists in charge of the COVID-19 clinical trials were just as elated as everyone else when the first Pfizer vaccine became available in mid-December 2020, they couldn’t help feeling a bit apprehensive. After all, it left them with a once-in-a-career professional dilemma. Click through to learn how and why the team decided to unblind their trial participants, allowing them access to a potentially life-saving vaccine option!

Since the first COVID-19 vaccines arrived at Michigan Medicine, roughly 50 percent of adults in Michigan have received at least one dose. But still more will be required to achieve herd immunity and allow the community to get closer to a sense of normalcy. If you have questions about the vaccine, click through to hear from your colleagues — both infection disease experts and those who received the vaccine — and find out why vaccinations are such a vital step to take.

As of this week, Michigan Medicine has invited all patients age 16 and older who live in Michigan and have not already been vaccinated to receive a vaccine. Additionally, all U-M staff, students and faculty who have filled out the BlueQueue questionnaire have been invited to make an appointment. Click through for more on this significant milestone!

To say the Department of Pathology has faced an increased and unprecedented workload over the past year would be an understatement. “It’s been overwhelming,” admitted Christine Kizer, M.T., senior medical technologist in the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory. “But it’s also been incredibly rewarding.” In honor of Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, click through to learn about all that pathology has done to assist Michigan Medicine in the response to COVID-19!

Since COVID-19 vaccines became available in late December, thousands of faculty and staff have taken an important preventative measure in the fight to end the pandemic. They’ve done so for a variety of reasons, ranging from protecting those at the highest risk of severe complications from COVID-19 to making things safer for the next generation. Click through for a quick look at why some colleagues are making every shot count at Michigan Medicine — in their own words!

Everyone knew a COVID-19 vaccine was eventually coming, but when? What type? And exactly how was everyone going to get the shots? Those were the burning questions for the better part of 2020. Despite all those unknowns, a dedicated team of Michigan Medicine experts came together to plan and, eventually, execute a robust vaccination effort. Click through to learn more about these impressive colleagues!

A little more than a year ago, Michigan Medicine began treating its first COVID-19 patient. Since then, thousands of patients have received care from faculty and staff, a large chunk of the workforce shifted to working from home, and others made their top priority COVID-19 testing or vaccinations. In short, just about everything changed. So what has the last 12 months truly been like for colleagues? Headlines caught up with team members from across the organization to find out. Click through to see what they had to say!

One year ago today, the first patient at Michigan Medicine tested positive for COVID-19. Recently, that patient, Paul DeWyse, shared details of his journey and reflected on feeling like a social pariah at the time and how precious life can be. Click through for his remarkable story.

Last summer, predictive models began to indicate that the combination of influenza and a potential COVID-19 winter resurgence would pose a dual threat for exceeding ICU capacity across the state. In a proactive move, leaders from University Hospital and the Frankel Cardiovascular Center assembled a task force and engaged stakeholders in developing strategies to improve clinical care for critically-ill COVID-19 patients throughout Michigan. Click through for details of their important work!