Year in Review:
Augusta University's fight against COVID-19

It’s been a year since the first six people were tested for the novel coronavirus at Augusta University, and two were determined to be presumptive positive — considered positive pending verification by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since then, Augusta University and AU Health have led the fight across the state of Georgia against the virus and the disease it causes, COVID-19.

The Augusta University community has come together like never before to respond to this threat to public health. Scientists, medical personnel, faculty, staff and students have developed in-house testing; made hand sanitizer and 3D-printed testing swabs and face masks during shortages; protected the mental health of frontline workers; and developed systems for mass testing across the state and mass vaccination across the Augusta community. We’ve also supported each other and cried together as we lost some of our own to COVID-19.

Augusta University has collaborated with the Augusta National, the state of Georgia, the National Guard and numerous state and private entities to support these efforts. Below is a timeline of AU’s fight against COVID-19.

2020

Innovation

Two people with paint jars
A number of faculty members from Augusta University teamed up with local companies to produce 3D-printed molds and create reusable face masks to help protect the clinical staff at AU Health from COVID-19.
Inside a tent
COVID-19 screening at the ED tent helped keep patients safe.
Workers in PPE standing under a tent
Testing expanded to Columbia County and then across Georgia.
Two workers in PPE testing patients inside cars
Woman processing saliva test
Lab worker
In April, AU began processing nasal swab tests in-house.
Woman in face shield
Faculty developed face shields to protect health care workers.
Man holding bottles
Pharmacy workers began producing much of AU's hand sanitizer supply.
nasal swabs
When testing supplies became scarce, DCG began 3D printing them.

Video: Watch Yolanda Coar’s story as told by The Guardian

soldiers with red flowers
three people holding half gallons of milk
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three women with bags of food
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Woman on red carpet

Community donations for #OurAUHeroes

How you can help

The COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund is designated to support Augusta University and AU Health’s response and associated expenses pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic. Donate and learn more here.

National Headlines

Media Statistics

On topics related to COVID-19, Augusta University’s communications team sent out 111 news releases, which led to 21,127 mentions in local, regional and national news outlets. 

More than 30 of these outlets are top-tier news outlets, including the New York Times, NPR, PBS, MSN, Newsweek, CBS News, CNN and Forbes. This means Augusta University’s name reached 11.5 billion readers or viewers in 2020. 

2021

Looking Back

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Jagwire is your source for news and stories from Augusta University. Daily updates highlight the many ways students, faculty, staff, researchers and clinicians "bring their A games" in classrooms and clinics on four campuses in Augusta and locations across the state of Georgia.