What have we learned? Experts reflect on COVID-19, one year later | News | Notre Dame News | University of Notre Dame Skip To Content Skip To Navigation Skip To Search University of Notre Dame Notre Dame News Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Home Contact Search Menu Home › News › What have we learned? Experts reflect on COVID-19, one year later What have we learned? Experts reflect on COVID-19, one year later Published: March 10, 2021 Author: Jessica Sieff COVID-19 In the age of the coronavirus, time has proven to be a difficult construct. The first official sign of a novel coronavirus with the potential to spread quickly, causing severe illness, came in late December 2019, when health officials in China confirmed a suspicious outbreak of pneumonia. Within days, the illness had claimed its first life. By the end of January, the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency of what would come to be known as COVID-19. For many Americans, March is a particularly significant anniversary. It was in March 2020 that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended limiting gatherings. Schools closed. Weddings, concerts and sporting events were canceled and rescheduled — only to be inevitably canceled and rescheduled again and again. As the nation moves into another year and a new phase of the pandemic — grappling with variants and continued vaccination efforts — experts at the University of Notre Dame reflect on what they believe are the biggest scientific takeaways from the past year and weigh in on what the public should keep in mind for the future.   Bringing the deficiencies of our society to the surface: Hsueh-Chia Chang, the Bayer Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering     A collapse of the whole society: Paola Crippa, assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences     Let’s reform how we communicate scientific findings: Walter Scheirer, associate professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering Posted In: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Research Faculty and Staff Home Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Related May 02, 2022 Anna Haskins testifies at National Academies session on intergenerational poverty October 05, 2021 Patricia Clark awarded NIH Pioneer Award, the first in Indiana June 24, 2021 Patricia Clark appointed associate VP for research at Notre Dame For the Media Contact Office of Public Affairs and Communications Notre Dame News 500 Grace Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Pinterest © 2022 University of Notre Dame Search Mobile App News Events Visit Accessibility Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn