WASHINGTON (March 3, 2025)--The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic five years ago on March 11, 2020. That declaration resulted in a wave of shut downs and public health restrictions that changed the world,
Five years later, millions have died from COVID-19 worldwide but scientists have made tremendous progress in learning more about the virus and rolling out an arsenal of treatments and preventive tools like vaccines.
Experts from the George Washington University are available to comment on all aspects of the five year anniversary of the pandemic. To arrange an interview with an expert, please contact Kathy Fackelmann, [email protected] or Katelyn Deckelbaum, [email protected].
Public Health, Medicine and Policy
Lynn Goldman, a pediatrician and an epidemiologist, is the Michael and Lori Milken Dean and professor of environmental and occupational health at the GW Milken Institute School of Public Health. She can talk about what we’ve learned and where we need to go in the next five years in order to keep abreast of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.
Emily Smith, associate professor at the GW Milken Institute of Public Health and an expert in the field of maternal and newborn health, is available to provide insight on the importance of vaccines. Smith has done previous research on COVID-19 and pregnancy.
Michael Knight is an assistant professor of medicine at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. He can discuss COVID-19’s spread this year, its impact on communities of color and why it is important to stay up to date on the vaccine.
David Diemert is the clinical director of the GW Vaccine Research Unit and professor of medicine at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. He was also the principal investigator for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine trial at GW.
Maria Ruiz, is an associate professor of medicine and an infectious disease expert at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She can discuss how the COVID guidelines have evolved and the best ways to continue to protect yourself.
Tony Yang, is a professor in health policy at the GW School of Nursing with a joint appointment at the Milken Institute School of Public Health in the Department of Health Policy and Management. He recently wrote a book on vaccine law and policy.
Adriana Glenn is an assistant professor in the GW School of Nursing. She can discuss COVID-19 and the recent uptick in cases.
Elizabeth Choma is a pediatric nurse practitioner and clinical assistant professor at the GW School of Nursing. She can talk about the impact COVID-19 has had on children.
Amir Afkhami, is a professor and the vice chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences in the GW School of Medicine & Health Sciences. He can speak about how the pandemic impacted mental health.
COVID-19 Remembrance, Grief and Loss
Sarah Wagner, professor of anthropology, is a social anthropologist whose research explores loss through the lens of war, memory, prolonged mourning, and uncertain death. Since 2020, she has focused on COVID-19 death and remembrance and leads Rituals in the Making, a five year research project that examines COVID-19 death, mourning and the politics surrounding the pandemic.
Workplace Impact
James Bailey, a professor of leadership development, is an expert on effective leadership, teams, organizational and individual change, employee motivation, competence, satisfaction, and performance, and managerial decision making. With a PhD in Psychology, he can discuss the psychological impacts of the pandemic on adults, children and families. Bailey can also discuss the changes in the workplace and the effect remote work has had on urban downtowns and real estate.
Sharon Hill, a professor of management, is an expert on virtual and remote work. Through her research, she aims to understand the positive and negative implications of different virtual work arrangements (e.g., virtual teams, telecommuting, hybrid work). She can discuss how the pandemic changed work arrangements in organizations, as well as what practices can help sustain success in this key component of the future of work.