COVID-19: Letter from the Director

May 1, 2020

Dear Friends,

I write this week with a hopeful and optimistic outlook for what the month of May will bring to the University of Michigan, our state and the country. While going back to “normal” is not a reasonable expectation, we can look to create a new normal, as suggested by Michigan Medicine CEO Dr. Marschall Runge. 

Two weeks ago Michigan Medicine experts were discussing the leveling off of COVID-19 cases, and now we are on the downward slope of the curve. We have discharged nearly 400 patients and there are less than 100 individuals in our care today. I am very proud to be part of a medical staff that provides such tremendous care and continuously finds solutions in the most difficult of situations.

Video: U-M President Schlissel Pays Tribute to Michigan Medicine Community

As we carefully emerge from our stay-at-home orders, it’s important that we still heed the advice of our U-M School of Public Health experts regarding responsible social distancing behaviors to prevent a second wave of COVID-19. One of our NeuroNetwork for Emerging Therapies faculty members, Dr. Bhramar Mukherjee, spoke with the BBC earlier this week. While leaders chart a safe path back to normalcy, Dr. Mukherjee stressed the importance of testing, tracing and treating, because the cause for concern is not over yet.

Virtual Care, or telehealth, boomed in the last two months when nearly all non-emergent doctor visits were transitioned online to allow for social distancing. Michigan Medicine had more than 20,000 video visits in April and the plan is to continue improving the virtual care experience for patients. I invite you to watch my demonstration of a telehealth visit.

On the research front, I would like to commend NeuroNet faculty member Dr. Matthias Kretzler for his work to understand how COVID-19 is especially dangerous for diabetics because it affects kidney function. In our own laboratory, our work to identify diabetic neuropathy risk factors was highlighted in the May edition of Diabetes, which is produced by the American Diabetes Association.

The 50^th celebration of Earth Day took place last week. It’s quite a unique time to consider how our mistreatment of the planet can be connected to COVID-19, neurodegenerative diseases, and overall human health.

Tomorrow is commencement for the U-M graduating class of 2020. I would like to recognize Sebastian Iniguez (biomolecular science), Vikhyathi Pallerla (movement therapy and movement education neuroscience), and Adriana Termaat-Matthews (biomedical engineering), who have been terrific contributors in our laboratory over the past few years. You can take part in virtual graduation activities on the commencement website.

May is Mental Health Month and U-M has an array of articles and tools designed to help all of us during this very stressful time. Visit our links below for more information about COVID-19 and mental wellness.

Finally, I would like to honor the life of Dr. Randy Whitcomb, who passed away on April 19, after a courageous battle with ALS.  Randy was a valued, caring member of the Ann Arbor community and will be remembered as a great doctor and friend to many of us. He will be greatly missed and we send our condolences to his wife Rita, daughter Katie and son Kevin.

• COVID-19 Resources
• U-M Depression Center Toolkit
• U-M Rogel Cancer Center Stress and Anxiety Management Booklet
• Michigan Medicine Bone and Joint Acute Injury Clinic Open in Brighton
• COVID-19: Behind the Scenes of Testing
• Parental Self-Care, COVID-19 Anxiety and Managing Screen Time
• 12 Things to Know About COVID-19 and Pregnancy
• U-M Inventors Get Assist from Snyder on new ventilator device