Peter Fine, president and CEO of one of largest nonprofit healthcare systems in the nation, , once again has been named among the most important influencers in the industry.  

For the eighth time, Fine made the annual by Modern Healthcare, a leading provider of healthcare business news for industry executives. 

Now in its 19th year, the program honors individuals who are deemed by their peers and the senior editors of the magazine to be the most influential individuals in the industry in terms of leadership and impact.

Focus on pandemic in 2020

Fine, who has been CEO and president of Banner Health since 2000, made the No. 92 spot in the 2020 rankings. This year, the program focused attention on individuals who excelled in guiding the industry through the public healthcare crisis.

Frontline workers took the No. 1 sport in the rankings as 鈥渢he true heroes of this pandemic,鈥� writes Ginger Christ, post-acute care and staffing reporter at . 

CDC estimates that more than 2.2 million health care workers have contracted the novel coronavirus and nearly 900 of those workers have died, Christ wrote.

Employees are the real heroes

Like a true leader, Fine refused to take any credit for the honor, saying Banner employees did all the real work during an incredibly tough year.   

鈥淏anner鈥檚 frontline health care workers, support staff and leadership team have gone above and beyond during the pandemic, overcoming extraordinary obstacles to keep our patients鈥� care and safety at the forefront throughout,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ur people are what make Banner Health among the very best in health care.” 

When Covid-19 erupted last year, Banner swiftly established test collection sites, expanded telehealth technology for patient care to all Banner providers, and increased public awareness with the in Arizona.

Leading Banner through substantial growth 

In addition to guiding the organization through Covid-19, Fine has also steered the hospital system through considerable growth over two decades to become one of the nation鈥檚 largest secular nonprofit healthcare organizations.

Today, Banner operates 30 hospitals and other facilities with more than 52,000 employees across six western states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming. 

Over the past few years, Fine has led projects like integrating an academic enterprise in partnership with the , partnering with Aetna on a commercial insurance product, growing its portfolio of ambulatory companies, growing Banner鈥檚 footprint in positive health outcomes, and expanding the geography of Banner鈥檚 Medicaid plan. 

Currently, Banner Health is investing nearly $400 million in expansion projects in the East Valley at Banner Desert in Mesa and Banner Gateway medical centers, including a $243 million expansion project at its hospital in Gilbert. 

Long career in healthcare, public service 

Prior to his appointment at Banner, Fine held a number of administrative positions with healthcare systems. Before arriving at Banner, he was executive vice president and chief operating officer of Milwaukee-based Aurora Health Care, a large integrated system serving all of eastern Wisconsin. Before taking that role, he was president of Aurora鈥檚 West Allis Memorial Hospital near Milwaukee. In addition, he was president and chief executive officer of Grant Hospital and senior vice president of operations at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, both in Chicago, and assistant administrator of Porter Memorial Hospital in Valparaiso, Indiana.

Fine also holds a number of professional and public service posts. He is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and previously served as a member of its Board of Governors. He is a member of the American Hospital Association, Health Management Academy, Greater Phoenix Leadership, and serves on the board of directors for Premier, Inc., Greater Phoenix Leadership, and Banner Health.

Honored for his administrative leadership

Over the years, Fine has received many honors and titles such as Modern Healthcare and Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society鈥檚 CEO IT Achievement Award, Phoenix Business Journal鈥檚 Most Admired CEO Award, Arizona Business Magazine鈥檚 Lifetime Achievement Award and Healthcare Leadership Award, and B鈥檔ai B鈥檙ith International鈥檚 National Healthcare Award.

Top 20 influential healthcare professionals

Here鈥檚 the top 20 honorees of the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare 鈥� 2020:

1. Frontline healthcare workers 
2. Michael Dowling, president and CEO, Northwell Health
3. Marc Harrison, president and CEO, Intermountain Healthcare
4. Samuel Hazen, CEO, HCA Healthcare
5. Beverly Malone, president and CEO, National League for Nursing
6. Susan DeVore, CEO, Premier, Inc. 
7. Gene Woods, president and CEO, Atrium Health
8. Judith Faulkner, founder and CEO, Epic Systems
9. Anthony Fauci, director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
10. Jason Gorevic, CEO, Teladoc Health
11. Stephen Hahn, commissioner, Food and Drug Administration 
12. Tom Inglesby, director, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security
13. Melinda Estes, president and CEO, St. Luke’s Health System
14. Larry Merlo, president and CEO, CVS Health
15. David Wichmann, CEO, UnitedHealth Group
16. Seema Verma, administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid   Services
17. Bonnie Castillo, executive director, National Nurses United
18. Gail Boudreaux, president and CEO, Anthem, Inc.
19. Greg Adams, chair and CEO, Kaiser Permanente
20. Susan Bailey, president, American Medical Association

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In record breaking time, a highly effective vaccine for COVID19 is being administered to frontline workers across the nation this week, highlighting the incredible importance private-public collaborations can play in solving humanity鈥檚 most pressing issues.  

Instead of the years it takes to develop a vaccine, Pfizer and BioNTech did it in less than a year. The companies collaborated with the U.S. government agencies and researchers worldwide in a race to get it done.    

鈥淒efeating this global pandemic would not even be possible without private-public partnerships,鈥� Mark Esser, a vice president at pharma giant , said at the recent Mid-Atlantic Summit of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, which is launching initiatives to respond to the coronavirus globally.

More than 1,000 political, business, military, and community leaders convened virtually for the summit to discuss the connections between global affairs and the region. With cases of COVID-19 reaching record levels in the U.S., policy, business, and global health leaders stated that America鈥檚 diplomacy and development programs are more critical than ever in responding to a global pandemic and protecting the health and safety of all Americans. Private-public partnerships will play an increasingly important role. 

Collaboration led to successful vaccine in record time

When Covid struck earlier this year, pharmaceutical companies began collaborating with government agencies, researchers, NGOs and others in a whirlwind to develop a vaccine and treatments. 

The first doses are now being administered this week to frontline workers and nursing home staff in Arizona and other states.  

鈥淚 tend to be an optimist, but with the success coming off the heels of the Pfizer results and the Moderna results, it does show scientifically and medically that the virus is defeatable. We can boost the immune system in people both the young and elderly to generate neutralizing antibodies that can stop the virus in its tracks,鈥� said Esser, whose company is a top contender to follow in Pfizer鈥檚 success. AstraZeneca in partnership with Oxford University has developed a vaccine that proved 90 percent effective in its Phase 3 clinical trials. 

U.S. companies first to produce successful vaccines 

Pfizer, which developed its vaccine in partnership with German biotechnology company, BioNtech, received authority last week from the Federal Drug Administration for distribution. Test results show the vaccine is 95 percent effective. 

Moderna is expected to receive emergency authorization this week for its vaccine. Doses could start rolling out as soon as the weekend. Moderna鈥檚 vaccine also is highly effective with a 94.1 percent efficacy rate. The FDA posted that indicate the vaccine not only protects individuals from contracting the virus but also may be able to reduce  transmission from person to person. 

Other companies racing to find treatments 

Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca鈥檚 vaccines alone will not be able to meet global demand. Other companies also are working to develop effective vaccines and treatments. Among them: ImmunoPrecise Antibodies Ltd., Roche, Thermo Fisher Scientific, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Tonix Pharmaceuticals, CSL Limited, Sanofi and Merck and Company. 

Operation Warp Speed central to vaccine success 

President Donald Trump last May announced (OWS), a public鈥損rivate partnership to accelerate the development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. The program has spent $12.4 billion so far with a goal to reach 300 million effective vaccine doses by 2021. 

That includes a nearly $2 billion contract with Pfizer and BioNTech if they can deliver 100 million doses. 

Esser predicts widespread distribution to the public at large could come as early as next spring. 

鈥淗opefully by this time next year things will maybe not be back to normal but a sense of normalcy,鈥� he said.

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Arizona, like the nation as a whole, is experiencing an uneven recovery from the initial economic impacts of the pandemic. What that means is that some sectors of the economy have rebounded sharply, while others remain in freefall.

At this critical moment, pro-growth policies can help businesses recover and help get the unemployed back to work, but bad policy risks further decimating businesses and jobs. Arizona鈥檚 Proposition 208 is perhaps the most misguided policy on the ballot鈥攊n any state鈥攖his November.  

Small businesses are a critical source of jobs and a vital part of our economic ecosystem, serving as both suppliers and customers to larger organizations. In Arizona, small businesses employ  of Arizonans in the private sector. In certain sectors, small businesses have an even larger footprint. For example, small firms employ 82 percent of all Arizonans in the construction industry and 62 percent in real estate. They also employ 56 percent of those in food services and accommodation and over 50 percent in professional and business services.  

Some of those , particularly those that rely on customers gathering in-person, have yet to rebound from the pandemic-induced recession. One in five jobs in the accommodation and food services sector that existed in February, for example, are gone today. Moreover, nearly 30,000 professional and business services jobs have disappeared. For Arizona to recover, these small businesses must recover. 

At the same time, we need the small business employers that are doing well to continue growing. Earlier this year, Arizona was  fifth in the U.S. for small business employment growth. It is easy to see why when you consider that sectors like construction increased their employment by nearly 40 percent over the last five years.  

But Arizona鈥檚 pro-business environment, and the ability of these small businesses to recover and continue to grow, would be fundamentally threatened if Proposition 208 is passed.   

Proposition 208 would increase tax rates on small business that pay taxes through the personal income tax by an astonishing 78 percent. Proponents  that this will generate nearly $1 billion a year in new taxes to fund schools. But that money has to come from somewhere, and it is most likely going to mean less business investment and fewer new jobs. One conservative  places the job loss at 124,000. And let鈥檚 not forget, fewer Arizonans working means fewer paying normal income and sales taxes,  the state and local governments an estimated nearly $2.5 billion over the next decade. 

Even these stark estimates may not tell the full story. Over the past decade, Arizona鈥檚 strong economy and quality of life has  more than 2 million Americans who moved so that they could call Arizona home. Many came from states that punished small business owners with high tax rates. If Proposition 208 passes, Arizona will move from being a low-tax state to having one of the top-ten-highest tax rates in the nation, alongside the likes of California and New York. Passing Proposition 208 would be the equivalent of rolling up the proverbial welcome mat and closing the door on small business owners.

Proponents of Proposition 208 claim that these tax increases are necessary to ensure a quality education for Arizona students. But that is not true either. Since 2015, Arizona has invested an additional  in K-12 education. Teachers鈥� salaries have increased by an .  

Since 2000, Arizona has made considerable progress in  the number of students who are at or above proficiency in math and reading. There is more work to be done, but it will take smart targeted investments that help improve our school system and our economy.  

Proposition 208 isn鈥檛 smart or targeted, it will hurt Arizona鈥檚 economy and cost the state jobs when we need new job creation the most. It deserves to be defeated.  

Suzanne P. Clark is the president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Glenn Hamer is president and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry. 

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Employees who are the most likely to contract the coronavirus, from first responders to bank tellers, are being recruited to take a free weekly COVID-19 test at home to help researchers at the University of Arizona study the virus. 

There鈥檚 little involved in participating but much at stake, said Professor Jefferey Burgess, Associate Dean for Research in the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health.

鈥淎ll of these essential employees — health care workers, first responders, corrections officers and other essential workers — work with either patients, the public or closely with each other, and therefore, if they鈥檙e infected, they need to know so they can protect their patients, their co-workers, the public and their families,鈥� said Burgess.

First study to test all workers who deal with public  

The testing is part of the Arizona Healthcare, Emergency Response, and Other Essential Workers Surveillance () project. It is funded with a $7.7 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and is in conjunction with the university鈥檚 statewide .

It is the largest CDC study of its kind with a target of 4,000 participants statewide, Burgess said, and the first to focus on all essential employees, not just first responders and healthcare workers. 

Project seeks to better understand immunity and reinfection

The goal is to better understand immunity and reinfection, Burgess said.

鈥淲e know a lot more than we used to but not answers to some very important questions like, if you get it once, will you get it again? And if you do, will it be the same as, worse or less severe than the first time?鈥� he said. 鈥淲e also want to know how long the duration of immunity lasts from when you get it the first time to when you get it the second time.鈥�

Among the project goals are to monitor how COVID-19 is impacting companies and help employers find the best protocols to reduce the spread. 

Employees who have tested positive or negative wanted

Essential employees who have tested either positive or negative for COVID-19 are encouraged to participate. Test results will be kept private, but any employees who test positive are encouraged to alert their employer and take appropriate precautions. 

Those who are accepted will do free at-home testing with nasal swabs once a week for nine months. They also will be given three antibody tests during that time.  

Call to businesses statewide 

Project officials are calling on businesses to inform employees about the project. Speakers are also available to make presentations to work groups. 

For anyone interested in participating there are three options to contact the project:

• Online at
• Through email AZHeroes@arizona.edu 
• By phone at (520) 848-4026

Employees who work with the public in these professions are needed for the study:

• Health care 
• First responders including corrections officers  
• Food service, agriculture  
• Public and other transportation services  
• Solid waste collection  
• Warehouse and delivery 
• Utilities  
• Government and community-based services 
• Childcare 
• Group homes, day programs and disability programs 
• IT professionals 
• Environmental services, facilities managers
• Educators
• Front-line financial workers like bank tellers
• Hospitality 

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As summer vacation beckons, Arizona鈥檚 hospitality industry is going 鈥渁bove and beyond鈥� to protect travelers from the coronavirus, said the head of the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association (AzLTA). 

AzLTA has launched a new program to certify member hotels, casinos, resorts and attractions that undertake an exhaustive checklist of cleanliness and safety measures, said Kim Sabow, AzLTA president and CEO.

More than 20 locations statewide now are certified through the program –  called – with more to come, Sabow told 91直播. 

鈥淗ealth and safety standards are foundational for us anyways, so we鈥檙e going above and beyond that as an industry that prides itself and builds itself on consumer cleanliness and well being,鈥� she said.  

The AZSAFE+CLEAN certification provides protocols including requiring staff to wear personal protective equipment, frequent sanitizing of public areas and rooms, and posting signs and floor markings in guest and employee areas for social distancing.

Reviving a fractured industry 

While most hotels already are taking extra precautions during the pandemic, this is another tool to restore consumer confidence, Sabow said.

鈥淲e鈥檙e a resilient industry that is facing this head-on, and this new campaign is an initiative to begin to restore that consumer confidence that is so critical in these unprecedented times.鈥�  

AzLTA hotels and resorts who receive the certification can display the AZSAFE+CLEAN certificate on their websites and at their properties. As properties become certified, they are placed on a list on the website at: .

Multi-billion dollar revenues disappear 鈥渙vernight鈥�

Before COVID-19, the Arizona Office of Tourism was logging revenues for the industry. In 2018, 45.5 million visitors spent $24.4 billion in the state. That generated  $3.63 billion in tax revenues, resulting in an annual tax savings of $1,360 for every Arizona household. 

That all changed when the pandemic hit in March at the height of travel season with spring break, spring training and visitors flying in from across the globe. 

鈥淣ormally, our occupancy rates would be in the 80 percent range, but those numbers dropped to single digits virtually overnight,鈥� Sabow said. 鈥淚t was a deep, swift, blunt-force trauma.鈥�

And while hotels were allowed to stay open as essential businesses, few visitors were arriving at their front lobbies, she said.  

鈥淎lthough hotels were never mandated to be closed, we didn’t have the amenities to sell with the room. It鈥檚 kind of difficult to sell a room if you don鈥檛 have dining or a pool or a spa or a gym to enjoy.鈥�  

When Gov. Doug Ducey eased shutdown restrictions to allow pools, fitness centers and limited inside dining to open back up last month, some properties saw occupancy jump to the 30 percent range over Memorial Day weekend, Sabow said. 

鈥淭he easing of that guidance was a nice shot in the arm for this industry that so desperately needed it.鈥�

Arizona鈥檚 certification program is in partnership and modeled after the American Hotel and Lodging Association鈥檚 that builds upon sanitation best practices and recommendations from national hospitality and public health experts.

For more information about Arizona鈥檚 program, go to:. 

More than 20 Arizona locations AzSAFE+CLEAN certified 

Arizona Grand Resort & Spa

Audio Visual Management Solutions 

Castle Hot Springs

DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Phoenix

Four Points by Sheraton at Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport

Hacienda Del Sol Guest Ranch Resort

The Hermosa Inn

Hotel Congress

Hotel Valley Ho

Mountain Shadows Resort Scottsdale

OdySea Aquarium

Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia

Omni Tucson National Resort

Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa

Scottsdale Camelback Resort

Sedona Rouge Hotel and Spa

The Scottsdale Resort at McCormick Ranch

The Phoenician 

W Scottsdale 

We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort

Westgate Painted Mountain Golf Resort

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I am writing to provide you with another COVID19 update. So far, 2.1 million Americans have been infected, and around 120,000 have died, despite the fact that only a minority of our population has been exposed. To put this in perspective, more Americans have died from COVID19 than every war since 1950 combined, and we have the highest death toll in the world.

With my last update dated May 4, I wrote that 鈥渄aily cases and deaths remain steady鈥� and that 鈥淲e seem to be on the verge of a downward trend, but only time will tell.鈥�

On May 15, the Arizona stay at home order was allowed to expire, and though many of us have continued to stay at home, socially distance, and assiduously wear masks, we have witnessed large social gatherings, lack of masks in many public places, and general increase in non-distanced activity.

Many of us in medicine and public health have been worried that this would lead to an increase in caseload after about 1-2 weeks, and indeed, that has come to pass. Compared to our daily caseload in the 300-400 range in early May, we are now seeing about 1500 new cases per day. Arizona has received national and international press because our numbers are so concerning. According to rtlive.com, Arizona currently has the highest rate of COVID19 spread in the country.

Why are these numbers concerning?

First, they indicate that the virus is spreading rapidly. Some may ask whether the increased case counts simply reflect an increase in testing. After all, if we test more, we would expect to find more cases. But if increased testing were the only explanation, the percent of positive tests would also decrease. In Arizona, the percent of positive tests has actually increased, which is an ominous finding. The virus really appears to be on a tear through our state.

Second, our biggest concern must remain the ability to provide optimal medical care to anyone who needs it, especially critical care. This includes not only COVID19 patients, but also anyone who is very sick with a heart attack, stroke, traumatic injury, or other serious condition. Over the past week, we heard that two of our major hospital chains were nearing ICU bed capacity. Per the DHS website, we have about 20% of our ICU beds available, or 350 in total. The hospitals can indeed increase capacity beyond this level and are making plans to do so. We also have other hospitals such as Phoenix St. Luke鈥檚 here in my district on standby as necessary.

I am currently working with a modeling team at a major university to determine whether we will exhaust our resources and if so, at what time. I hope that a better understanding will guide our public policy decisions.

But the risk here is significant. The COVID19 virus spreads in an exponential way, meaning that in the next two weeks, we could see much higher case counts. That could overwhelm our medical system, and we would then see unnecessary death in Arizona. The decisions we make right now affect our experience two weeks from now.

What can we do about it?

Looking at the evidence that has emerged over the last few months, we can learn a few important lessons. We have several public policy options that would avoid another shutdown and taken together, would significantly slow the virus and protect health care capacity.

First, the best available science now strongly suggests that widespread use of masks reduces community spread. This refers to surgical masks or any cloth covering of the mouth and nose (not N95 masks which are designed to protect health care workers). Masks may not protect the wearer, but rather protect everyone around the wearer. Masks are not a perfect solution, but they do make a significant difference, especially when we consider the millions of interactions across society every day. Short-term use of cloth or surgical masks is also very safe and not associated with adverse medical outcomes.

Second, we have learned that spread is far more likely indoors than outdoors. Taking these two points together, if all members of the public wore masks indoors, we would see a significant decrease in transmission. Other countries have had positive experiences with such mask policies.

Third, physical distancing has also been shown to decrease transmission. All of us must take great care to maintain distance in public. Businesses should limit indoor customers. Restaurants should not seat people close together. Hygiene and disinfection procedures should be through and routine. We must continue to avoid crowds and large gatherings.

Fourth, age continues to be the top risk factor for death, and so targeted strategies to protect seniors are crucial. Along with many stakeholders, I am personally working on a package of common-sense initiatives to protect those in facilities such as assisted living, nursing homes, etc. We hope to have these initiatives fully developed soon in case the legislature returns for a special session.

Fifth, some have asked about the possibility of another stay-at-home order. Personally, I hope we do not ever see another shutdown, because the economic effects are devastating, especially to people in certain industries and those with lower income levels. But if the medical system approaches catastrophe, I believe that it should remain an option of last resort.

Finally, many of you have also asked about children鈥檚 safety. The national press has reported on a COVID19-related illness termed Pediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (PMIS) that resembles Kawasaki鈥檚 disease. The CDC has issued a call to physicians to be watchful. This illness still appears to be VERY rare and only based on a case-series. Until more data become available, I believe that most children are still extremely safe with regard to COVID19 risk.

The way forward

In comparison to the last three months, the way forward is more uncertain and we have no easy or ideal societal response. We have learned a lot and prepared much during the lockdown. We had flattened the curve considerably. But unfortunately, Arizona鈥檚 numbers are now rising fast, and our ICU bed availability is somewhat low.

Unlike many of the political debates of our time, this situation does not lend itself to sound bites, slogans and rhetoric. Our discussion should be thoughtful, science-based, empathetic and nuanced rather than cavalier or driven by ideology or fear.

As a public health professional, I ask you to imagine you are in a grocery store and someone鈥檚 beloved grandmother is nearby. For the safety of your neighbors, friends and fellow Americans, please wear a mask so you do not accidentally give them a deadly disease. Please stay at least six feet away from others in all settings, but especially indoors. Let鈥檚 work together to provide protection to our most vulnerable groups.

If you are a senior or in a vulnerable group, please try to stay home and avoid other people as much as possible. Younger people should realize that by spreading the virus, they increase prevalence and that puts others at risk by direct infection and also by consuming hospital capacity.

Thank you again for all of your consideration and your courage through these difficult times. Though it seems as though the social fabric of our country stretches thin, I believe that our national discourse has helped us see and understand ourselves more clearly, make us stronger, and continually make us a more perfect union.

Dr. Amish Shah is a state legislator and an emergency medical physician in Phoenix, Arizona.

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Arizona鈥檚 bioscience and health communities are rushing alongside their counterparts across the globe to find ways to hold off and eradicate the new coronavirus.聽

From a new test that can detect the virus within 15 minutes to high tech robots that can sterilize hospital rooms, their work is contributing to a world stepping up to stop it from spreading.听听

As of Wednesday, the had killed more than 2,006 people in China and three in other countries, according to the World Health Organization. Globally, more than 75,000 people have been confirmed to be infected. The vast majority are in China. So far, only seven cases have been reported in the U.S., including one in Arizona.聽

Pharmaceutical firms and researchers in the U.S., China and other countries are pushing to find ways to prevent more devastation from the outbreak.聽

In Arizona, researchers and health facilities are jumping in:聽

TGen working with FDA to approve test to diagnose virus听听

Flagstaff researchers at TGen believe they can develop a quick, accurate, genomics-based test that could produce results in as little as 15 minutes, and is easily used in a doctor’s office or hospital emergency room.

Development of such tests can take months; even years. TGen scientists are waiting on an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) so they can move their discoveries more quickly from the lab to doctors and their patients.

They are developing a test that not only can detect if a patient has a coronavirus, but also tell which type of coronavirus, which can be as mild as a common cold or the more deadly types like SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and the new virus, which was officially named COVID-19 this month.聽

Currently, the only other available is being developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It received an emergency use authorization from the FDA Feb. 4 to allow more health labs to test samples.聽

One test is not enough, said David Engelthaler, co-director and associate professor of TGen North in Flagstaff, who took to the airwaves last week to talk about the virus. TGen North is the infectious-disease division for the Phoenix-based non-profit Translational Genomics Research Institute that uses genomic sequencing to identify and develop therapies for diseases like cancer.聽

鈥淚f the disease starts to spread and we do see large outbreaks in the U.S. like they鈥檙e seeing in China, it will be important to have a lot more than just that single test so we want to make sure that we鈥檙e ready to be able to respond and make a great as impact as possible,鈥� Engelthaler said.听听

TGen鈥檚 test involves collecting a sample of DNA from a sick patient, such as mucous from the nose, and using sequencing technology to determine if it is COVID-19.

鈥淲e鈥檙e going to be able to develop a similar type of rapid test but we can look throughout the entirety of the genetic material to not only say absolutely it鈥檚 this exact strain and whether it鈥檚 changing,鈥� Engelthaler told KTAR News. 鈥淚t will give information for both doctors and public health officials who are tracking this outbreak.鈥�

ASU researchers developing vaccine聽

In a similar race, three Arizona State University researchers are working to find a vaccine for COVID-19.聽

In her lab at the Biodesign Institute at ASU, Professor Brenda Hogue, a virologist in the School of Life Sciences, specializes in the study of various coronaviruses and understanding virus-host interactions at the cellular level.

Hogue and two other researchers, molecular biologist Qiang Chen and virologist Bert Jacobs, are working to create different vaccines to combat COVID-19. Their different strategies involve changing an existing vaccine and creating a new one.

In a recent Q&A interview with ASU, Hogue said that it can take years for a vaccine to be available.聽

鈥淚t takes a long time and one has to start from initial experiments. Small animal models, if available, are generally used before ultimately testing in primates and then humans. In the case of the vaccine development for the new coronavirus, it will facilitate work that has already been done for SARS and MERS.鈥澛�

Hogue said they are initiating work to understand several of the proteins that are common to coronaviruses that they have already been working on.聽

鈥淲e are interested in what is different about the proteins in the new virus, compared to the other coronaviruses that we work with. We want to understand how the differences impact the functions of the proteins during infection. We鈥檙e initiating this work as we speak and will certainly share results with the scientific community,鈥� she said.聽

Honor Health uses germ-zapping robots to clean patient rooms聽

Hospitals across Arizona like HonorHealth also are well prepared for any outbreaks.聽

HonorHealth started purchasing germ-zapping robots a few years ago with the help of generous community donors. Today, they have 32 of the robots that will come in handy if the virus spreads. They can kill 99.9 percent of germs left in a room.听听聽

Using high-intensity ultraviolet light, the small robots disinfect a patient room in just minutes. Delivered in millisecond pulses, the light is hundreds of times more intense than sunlight. The robot successfully kills germs, including bacteria, viruses, bacterial spores, and antibiotic-resistant superbugs.

“You can imagine how hard it is to wipe down every nook and crevice in a room. Think of the telephone, cords, bed rails and other things. The advantage of the robot is that its germ-zapping light penetrates the entire area,” Stephanie Jackson, MD, HonorHealth senior vice president and chief clinical value officer said in a prepared statement.

The robots were first used in HonorHealth鈥檚 unit for patients with blood cancers at Scottsdale Shea Medical Center. This specialized unit cares for individuals who are among the sickest and most vulnerable of HonorHealth鈥檚 patients, those with leukemia, lymphoma and other blood cancers. Because of their treatment, these patients have significantly compromised immune systems, leaving them vulnerable to infections.

Many of the deaths associated with COVID-19 have been patients who were elderly or聽 already sick or unhealthy.聽

Meanwhile, the best protection is simple, health care professionals said. Wash hands thoroughly with soap, use hand sanitizers with alcohol and avoid touching the face with unclean hands.

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