Video: COVID-19 Why it Matters: Part 12, Why huge COVID-19 spikes in Wisconsin?

This video series features UW-Green Bay’s Immunologist Brian Merkel on COVID-19 and Why it Matters. This series empowers viewers with knowledge to help them navigate through the pandemic. Merkel has a Ph.D. in Microbiology & Immunology from the Medical College of Virginia. He is an associate professor in UW-Green Bay’s Human Biology & Biology programs and has an appointment at the Medical College of Wisconsin Department of Microbiology and Immunology. He will be responding to a number of questions related to COVID-19 and try to get behind the “why” it’s important to be educated in your decision-making as we navigate the pandemic together.

Video Transcript – COVID-19 Why it Matters, Part 12: Why HUGE COVID-19 spikes in Wisconsin?

Hello, Brian Merkel, Microbiology and Immunology UW-Green Bay and we are here today to talk about why COVID-19 matters to you.

Specifically, we want to address the current spike that we’re having in COVID-19 in Wisconsin. I think one of the best examples of why we should be so concerned about the spikes that we’re currently dealing with in Wisconsin, has to do with the reality that we just opened up a field hospital in Milwaukee.

Now that’s something as an educator at UW-Green Bay, that I used to talk about just in history books with the pandemic problem of 1918. Never in my life would I ever thought for a minute that we would be doing something like that now.

So, here we are. We have this terrible spike in Wisconsin now. In terms of explanations, it has to do with large gatherings and people not following the prescribed safeguards. The challenge is compliance and so we strongly encourage people to realize and there’s empowerment to this because the more each of us does our part to comply with the prescribed safeguards, the better off we’re going to be, and the more likely we’re going to get a good handle on this virus.

We strongly encourage you to wear masks, wash your hands, and keep your distance, and avoid large gatherings and please stay at home when you’re sick.

COVID-19 Why it Matters Video Series:

Introduction with Brian Merkel https://youtu.be/M-yYPSPk30Q

Part 1: What are viruses and where did this one come from https://youtu.be/DYbiIv8ICgs

Part 2: Two main types of viruses https://youtu.be/O-OVk3rx96s Part 3: Why is this virus serious? https://youtu.be/EDFyNN8i5G4

Part 4: Why wash hands/wear mask? https://youtu.be/FlcAvlt876Y

Part 5: I’m young! Why should I care? https://youtu.be/TDrEV_beY1U

Part 6: Can pandemics be stopped before they start? https://youtu.be/lgWnJZNYbFI

Part 7: Pandemic is not local, why wear a mask? https://youtu.be/IG3Sl3q-xH8

Part 8: Why does everyone need a flu shot this year? https://youtu.be/DGpBFj0fJkA

Part 9: What is the science behind a vaccine? https://youtu.be/eQ3FclkYaQo

Part 10: Where can I find accurate information? https://youtu.be/pLMlU5Xnkgo

Part 11: What type of mask should I wear? https://youtu.be/gCFHxQvkVYE

Part 12: Why HUGE COVID-19 spikes in Wisconsin? https://youtu.be/OuqmXvrDApY