Gibb Shares Home Disinfection Advice in Local Newspapers

Apr 09, 2020

Home disinfection advice from Bryan Gibb, Ph.D., assistant professor of biological and chemical sciences, appeared in several regional newspapers including the Manhattan Times, The Bronx Free Press, and News Break. Gibb shares his thoughts on the likelihood of picking up the virus from surfaces, the best way to disinfect your home, and what to do if someone in your household tests positive.

"It’s unnecessary to disinfect everything you buy from the grocery store, leave packages outside for a day, or conduct excessive cleaning of your home. Most transmissions of pathogens from contaminated surfaces or food are due to touching your face with your hands or eating contaminated food," says Gibb. "The best way to prevent any type of infection from these surfaces is by washing your hands regularly and properly cooking your food. I recommend that everyone wash their hands immediately after returning from the grocery store, when you put your food away, unpack an Amazon box, etc. Proper hand-washing, avoiding touching your face, and reducing exposure by staying at home as much as possible are the best ways to avoid contracting COVID-19."

 

Haar Cautions Byrdie's Readers to Be Skeptical of Medical Medium Diet Claims

Apr 08, 2020

As seen in Byrdie, School of Health Professions nutrition expert Mindy Haar, Ph.D., debunks claims that the Medical Medium Diet helps to detox the liver, noting that these claims are not backed by science. Haar adds that the diet, which relies mainly on fruits and vegetables, may also cause deficiencies of essential nutrients and proteins.

“Protein is essential for maintenance and repair of body tissues,” she says. “While a typical American diet usually includes more protein than needed, this plan puts one in danger of protein deficiency. No other diet component can take over the role of nine essential amino acids, the building blocks of protein that we get solely from food.”

 

Wall Street Journal References NYITCOM Vaccine Research

Apr 05, 2020

The Wall Street Journal mentioned NYITCOM biomedical research, which compared nations’ BCG vaccination policies with their COVID-19 morbidity and mortality rates, in an article on the impact of the coronavirus in Venezuela. The NYITCOM study found that a significant positive correlation between the year when universal BCG vaccination policies were adopted and the country’s mortality rate.

As the article states, “Venezuela seems to have had a universal BCG vaccination policy in the mid-20th century. If the study’s analysis is correct, the nation may be spared the worst of Covid19.”

 

As Seen in Newsday: Harper Comments on Early COVID-19 Transmission

Apr 04, 2020

Brian Harper, M.D., chief medical officer of New York Institute of Technology’s Academic Health Centers, shared his public health expertise in Newsday’s coverage of how drastically life has changed on Long Island since the first COVID-19 case.

The article reflects on the first week of March, when popular restaurants and bars on Long Island were packed, students brushed against each other in school hallways, and there was no outward sign that the virus would spread widely within the United States. Looking back, Harper notes, “My sense is it was here, and it was present, and it was being transmitted. After doing more testing, then you begin to realize how many we had.”

 

Cohn Advises on Grocery Outlet Credit Cards in WalletHub

Apr 02, 2020

School of Management Professor Deborah Y. Cohn, Ph.D., gives her expert opinion in a WalletHub post about the value of co-branded grocery store credit cards. Cohn describes the benefits stores reap from their co-branded credit cards: “increased loyalty, increased volume and dollars spent at the store, and decreased processing costs to the retailer for credit card use.” Grocery stores without a co-branded credit card, she says, are not following best practices.

Asked about stores' use of coupons, a traditional method of marketing groceries, Cohn points out that stores can employ both coupons and a co-branded credit card. “These two money-saving programs for consumers can work in conjunction with each other,” she says.

 

Forbes and Bloomberg Feature NYITCOM Research on TB Vaccine and COVID-19 Impact

Apr 01, 2020

NYITCOM’s Gonzalo Otazu, P.h.D., assistant professor of biomedical sciences, was interviewed by Forbes and Bloomberg, on how the tuberculosis (TB) vaccine, Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), could be a potential weapon in combating the deadly coronavirus. Otazu’s research team found that countries without universal BCG vaccination policies, such as Italy, the Netherlands, and the United States, have been more severely affected compared to countries with universal and long-standing BCG policies.The inoculation is also believed to offer broad-ranging protection against respiratory infections, which present similar symptoms to COVID-19.

“There has been a long history of reports of BCG producing a series of beneficial immune responses. For instance, a study in Guinea-Bissau found that children vaccinated with BCG were observed to have a 50 percent reduction in overall mortality, which was attributed to the vaccine’s effect on reducing respiratory infections and sepsis,” said Otazu.

Similar coverage appeared in Economic Times.

 

Fox 5 New York Features NYITCOM Early Graduation Option to Help Combat COVID-19

Apr 01, 2020

A NYITCOM administrator and two medical students were featured in a Fox 5 New York segment on medical schools that will offer students the opportunity to graduate early and join the healthcare workforce in fighting COVID-19. Jerry Balentine, D.O., dean of NYITCOM and vice president for health sciences and medical affairs, noted that NYITCOM is planning to permit eligible students the option of graduating early in support of Governor Cuomo’s Emergency Orders. This would allow students to enter a local hospital in a position similar to a first-year resident.

Similar coverage, featuring an interview with medical student Karen Dermer, appeared in a social media news story by NowThisNews.

 

Criminal Justice Expert Quoted on COVID-19's Crime Impact

Mar 28, 2020

Andrew Costello, Ph.D., assistant professor of behavioral sciences, was quoted in criminal justice outlet The Marshall Project on the recent decline in crime rates due to COVID-19. Costello, who is also a former NYPD commander, notes that the temporary drop in crime “is similar to what happened after 9/11. There was very little crime after the towers came down. People are shocked, they are staying at home and no one wants to rob each other.”

 

Student Emergency Fund Featured in InnovateLI

Mar 27, 2020

New York Tech’s new Student Emergency Fund has been featured in InnovateLI’s story on ingenuity in the face of COVID-19. As the article notes, the fund supports students who subsist on financial aid and part-time jobs, and whose income is directly threatened by the coronavirus outbreak. Already stepping up are the school’s two American Association of University Professors chapters, which collectively donated $50,000, and the university's annual Big Give marathon fundraiser, which will be held virtually April 1, and is channeling donations made before the event straight into the Student Emergency Fund.

 

Career Expert Shares Advice in Monster.com Story

Mar 26, 2020

Comments from Laurie Hollister, director of career services, have been featured in the Monster.com story, "How to Find a Low-Stress Job." The article notes common sources of work-related stress, including taking on additional responsibilities, working under tight deadlines, number- and data-crunching, and having to meet quotas, among other stressors. Hollister notes that the first step in finding a low-stress job is identifying which responsibilities or requirements trigger an individual's stress.

“Draw up a list to determine what makes you happy about heading to work on Monday morning, and what gives you Sunday night blues,” says Hollister. She also adds that stress triggers may change as you mature through your career.