Skip to main content

All Stories

Zoonotic diseases, bats and the connection to COVID-19

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic brings with it a lot of misinformation, myths and other unknowns to tackle, including the origin of the disease. WVU Extension Service Wildlife Specialist Sheldon Owen notes that to understand how bats are related to the COVID-19 outbreak, you must first understand a little bit about zoonotic diseases.

WVU medical, education experts create project to help parents ‘look for the helpers’ during COVID-19 pandemic

A group of medical and education experts at West Virginia University is asking parents to take the advice of Mr. (Fred) Rogers and “look for the helpers” during the COVID-19 pandemic. Leveraging Education To Show Gratitude of Occupations (LETS GO), aims to educate youth about a number of careers essential to combatting the virus, from epidemiologists and health officers to food service workers and custodians.

WVU Extension Service offers food safety tips

Although food recommendations have not changed due to COVID-19, there are a few important items to remember when storing food after a trip to the grocery store. To help us understand more about ways to keep our food safe, West Virginia University Extension Service Families and Health experts Andi Hoover and Hannah Fincham have provided some tips and steps to help us stay safe.

WVU Extension vet clears up coronavirus and cattle confusion

There are several theories about where novel coronavirus (COVID-19) originated and how it spread to humans. West Virginia University Extension Service veterinarian Darin Matlick weighs in on one of those theories – whether or not humans can contract coronavirus from their cattle.

Food insecurity intensifies during COVID-19 pandemic

For individuals living in a food desert, like many in rural Appalachian communities, the COVID-19 pandemic can have an even greater impact on food security, says Lauri Andress, assistant professor in the School of Public Health at West Virginia University.

Nurses need protective equipment, but supplies are dwindling worldwide

Personal protective equipment is a nurse’s “protection and shield” against the novel coronavirus, said Benjamin Klos, an instructor in the West Virginia University School of Nursing and registered nurse with WVU Medicine. Yet as more people seek medical care for COVID-19, nurses around the world are going through PPE faster than usual, diminishing stockpiles.

Personal financial tips to help during COVID-19 crisis

Service workers and those who have been unexpectedly laid off may not have the savings they need in a time like this. Others may be wondering how best to manage their finances in a time of uncertainty. Lauren Weatherford, West Virginia University Extension Service Families and Health Agent in Nicholas and Fayette counties, offers tips and advice to help get people through this unusual time.

Moving your classes online? Here’s what you should know

The COVID-19 pandemic has shuttered classrooms from P-12 schools to the nation’s top universities and forced educators to quickly adapt instruction to the virtual realm. Online learning experts - William Beasley, Ugur Kale and Jiangmei Yuan - offer the following advice for educators who may now be online instructors for the first time. The three faculty members are part of the Instructional Design and Technology Program at the West Virginia University College of Education and Human Services.

The global supply chain is breaking under the COVID-19 pandemic

From medical equipment shortages to panic-buying, the links in supply chains are breaking but will serve as valuable learning lessons for the future, said Ednilson Bernardes, professor and program coordinator of the Global Supply Chain Management program, West Virginia University John Chambers College of Business and Economics.