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The University of Connecticut (UConn) is one of America’s top 20 public universities, according to U.S. News & World Report. It is home to more than 31,000 students, 1,300 faculty, 230,000 proud alumni, and a handsome husky named Jonathan.

The University has fourteen schools and colleges: Agriculture and Natural Resources, Business, Dental Medicine, Education, Engineering, Fine Arts, Law, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Social Work. Students can choose from eight undergraduate bachelor's degrees with 102 possible majors, as well as seventeen graduate/doctoral degrees and five professional degree programs (MD, JD, etc.).

UConn's main campus in Storrs is admitting the highest-achieving freshmen in University history. Student diversity continues to increase, as does the number of honors students, valedictorians and salutatorians who consistently make UConn their top choice. It's a great time to be a Husky!

University of Connecticut

Dr. David Banach is UConn School of Medicine alum who returns to UConn Health as a member of the clinical faculty. He is an infectious diseases physician who leads UConn Health's Infection Prevention Program and serves as hospital epidemiologist.

Coronavirus

Medicine

Health Care Associated Infections

Infectious Diseases

Infections in Immunocompromised Patients

COVID-19

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Dr. David Banach

bivalent-boosters-are-here-our-expert-explains-what-you-need-to-know

Associate Professor of Medicine Head of Infection Prevention Hospital Epidemiologist

Updated COVID-10 booster shots are rolling out across the United States, and these new bivalent formulations target the omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants that have become the dominant circulating strains as well as the original form of the coronavirus.

 UConn Health's Dr. David Banach, an infectious diseases physician and hospital epidemiologist, spoke with UConn Today about the latest CDC vaccination guidelines and the significance of these updated boosters:

What’s the difference between the monovalent and bivalent vaccines? The monovalent vaccines are the ones that have been available thus far. They contain a small piece of the mRNA component of the virus based on the original SARS-CoV-2 virus, sometimes termed as the “ancestral strain,” and are designed to generate an immune response to that original virus. We’ve seen with the omicron variant — and specifically with the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants, which have appeared most recently — the virus has changed. The bivalent vaccine contains both the portion of the original ancestral virus mRNA as well as a portion of mRNA that is specific for the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants that have been circulating most recently. The hope is, by more specifically targeting the most recent subvariants, the bivalent boosters will reduce the impact of COVID both on individuals who received them as well as the population. Conceptually it’s analogous to what has been done with the influenza vaccine. The technology’s a little different but it’s based on the same idea. It’s targeted against both the original strain and the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of omicron. What becomes of the monovalent vaccine? At this time the vaccination program will be a primary vaccine series with the original monovalent vaccine and booster doses using the bivalent vaccine. Why wouldn’t we just start people with the bivalent vaccine? Data showed the monovalent vaccine upfront provides that high level of protection. The bivalent vaccine has not been evaluated as a primary vaccine candidate, so we don’t have the data to support its use in that context. That’s how it was originally designed, to be a booster.   Dr. Banach is a leading voice on the fight against the COVID-19 virus, and he's available to speak with the media. Click on his icon to arrange an interview today.




Bivalent Boosters are Here: Our Expert Explains What You Need to Know

expert-insight-president-bidens-covid19-rebound-positive

 UConn Health’s Dr. David Banach explains how a fully vaccinated and boosted person could test positive, negative, and positive again for COVID-19 within a 10-day span  If anything, I would say this situation actually reinforces the importance of vaccination. — Dr. David Banach   President Biden is back in isolation, testing positive again for COVID-19 despite testing negative a week after his initial positive test July 21.

It may be a puzzling sequence, but there is an explanation.

“It’s unlikely this is anything other than the original infection resurfacing,” says Dr. David Banach, infectious diseases physician and hospital epidemiologist at UConn Health.  Biden’s physician says the president had been taking the antiviral drug Paxlovid, which is a standard treatment for those with COVID-19 who are considered “high-risk,” including older patients. Biden is 79.

“It’s not unheard of for people to take Paxlovid, clinically improve, be antigen-negative, then ‘rebound’ a few days later as antigen-positive,” Banach says.  Antigens are substances that cause an immune response. Antigen tests are commonly used in at-home testing and can yield results in 15 minutes by detecting antigens specific to COVID-19. Antigen tests differ from PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests, which look for genetic material that indicates a COVID-19 infection.

Due to the nature of his position, the president tests routinely. PCR testing generally is not recommended within 90 days of infection because if frequently remains positive positive for a prolonged period of time, even after patients recover and are no longer contagious, so Biden was given antigen testing instead. All signs point to the Paxlovid suppressing the antigens to undetectable levels, resulting in temporary negative results, followed by the “rebound.”

As of Tuesday Biden’s only symptoms were a “loose cough,” according to a memo from his physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, who reported, “He remains fever-free and in good spirits.”

The White House says the president is fully vaccinated and up-to-date on all his recommended boosters. 

“While this is another example of someone getting infected despite being is fully vaccinated and boosted, it’s important to understand the vaccines protected the president from serious illness from infection,” Banach says. “If anything, I would say this situation actually reinforces the importance of vaccination, especially for older people, those who are immunocompromised, or those with other health problems that could make them more vulnerable to serious illness.”   Looking to know more about this topic - then let us help with your stories and coverage.

Dr. David Banach is an expert on infectious diseases and epidemiology and is a leading expert on COVID-19 in America. To book an interview with Dr. Banach, click on his icon today.


Expert Insight: President Biden’s COVID-19 ‘Rebound Positive’

free-masks-are-coming-heres-what-you-need-to-know

As stores across America prepare to receive "the largest deployment of personal protective equipment in U.S. history," UConn epidemiologist Dr. David Banach is answering the questions about N95 respirators, how they work, and how to use them properly in a new interview with Buzzfeed news: 
  There are several different types and shapes of N95s; some look like duck bills, others like domes, and several have three panels. The main difference between nonsurgical and surgical N95s is that the latter are also fluid resistant to protect doctors and nurses from blood and other bodily fluid sprays, Dr. David Banach, an infectious disease physician and hospital epidemiologist at UConn Health of the University of Connecticut, told BuzzFeed News. ******  N95 respirators are regulated by the US with standards set by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), while KN95s (and KF94s and others) follow international standards, meaning they also should screen out about 95% of germs and particles, but their effectiveness can vary between brands sold in the US. That’s why Banach advises extra caution if you choose to wear these masks. ****** N95 respirators do expire, Banach said, but it’s usually several years after they are made. As long as you store your N95s according to its box instructions, you’ll be fine — unless you’re saving them for the next inevitable pandemic.   Dr. David Banach is an expert on infectious diseases and epidemiology and is a leading expert on COVID-19 in America. To book an interview with Dr. Banach, click on his icon today.



Free masks are coming - here's what you need to know

This fall, masks will be required on our campuses. @UConn Health's Dr. David B. Banach, M.D., M.P.H., explains how to keep those around you healthy and strong by wearing a mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19.  

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Why We Wear Masks, featuring UConn's Dr. David Banach

Why We Wear Masks 

David Banach, M.D., MPH, associate professor of medicine and the head of infection prevention, was nominated for Faculty Spotlight because he developed relationships with the Department of Public Health and the Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America.

Faculty Spotlight Winter 2019: Dr. David Banach

Dr. David Banach is a UConn School of Medicine alum who returns to UConn Health as a member of the clinical faculty. He is an infectious diseases physician who leads UConn Health's Infection Prevention Program and serves as hospital epidemiologist.

Profile: Dr. David Banach

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