News and Events

The coronavirus is here to stay, at least for a little while—“here” meaning at the top of our minds, and an increasing number of physical locations too. It’s shutting quite a few things down, from Tokyo Disney to the Louvre Museum to many, many conferences. Given that we are heading into spring break season and planning-trips-for-summer season, you might be wondering when it will be OK to leave your home. That’s hard to say because we cannot predict what will happen with this almost-global-pandemic in the next week, and certainly not in the next few months. It might be fine! It might get worse still. It’s very difficult to say anything definitive. But we’re here to try to help as best we can.

New York Medical College Leadership News: Robert W. Amler, M.D., M.B.A., vice president for government affairs and dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice

From influenza to the coronavirus (COVID-19), televisits are an increasingly valuable tool in the fight against the spread of infection. Sick patients get the care they need from the comfort of home and physicians can treat more patients, helping to mitigate the spread of disease without sacrificing quality of care.

NYMC Faculty News: Samant Virk, M.D., founder and chief executive officer of MediSprout, a BioInc client

The US announced its first coronavirus case on the same day South Korea did. But six weeks later, fewer than 500 Americans have gotten tests, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency's official test count — which had previously been updated daily — was stripped from the CDC site on Sunday, though US Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar told ABC on the same day that the US had tested 3,600 people.

New York Medical College Leadership News: Robert W. Amler, M.D., M.B.A., vice president for government affairs and dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice

The virus is now found on every continent, save frozen Antarctica, and the number of new infections reported around the globe is soaring, even as transmission in China appears to be slowing down dramatically. There is no treatment or vaccine for the virus, which scientists think originated in bats and may have hopped into an intermediary host animal before infecting people.

New York Medical College Leadership Mentions:
Robert W. Amler, M.D., M.B.A., vice president for government affairs and dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice
Sherlita Amler, M.D., M.S., clinical associate professor of pediatrics, adjunct professor of public health and senior fellow for Center for Disaster Medicine

A 39-year-old Manhattan woman has tested positive for COVID-19, more commonly known as the novel coronavirus, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said late Sunday. She is the first confirmed case in the city and in the tri-state area. "The patient, a woman in her late thirties, contracted the virus while traveling abroad in Iran, and is currently isolated in her home," Cuomo said in making the announcement late Sunday. The governor said that the woman is a health care worker, and that her background allowed her to take the appropriate precautions and seek testing. She flew back to New York on Tuesday but did not take mass transit home, Cuomo said Monday.

New York Medical College Leadership News: Robert W. Amler, M.D., M.B.A., vice president for government affairs and dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice

Dr. Robert Amler, Dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice at New York Medical College and former CDC Chief Medical Officer, joined NBC New York to address questions submitted by viewers regarding the novel coronavirus, its disease COVID-19 and how to protect yourself as the virus spreads further around the country.

New York Medical College Leadership News: Robert W. Amler, M.D., M.B.A., vice president for government affairs and dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice

As the novel coronavirus has made its way into New York City, there are many rumors and beliefs surrounding the illness — some of which aren't entirely accurate, others of which are downright false. NBC New York talked with Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, an emergency medicine doctor and the medical director for City MD, about what risks the illness proposes and what people can do to protect themselves.

New York Medical College Leadership News: Robert W. Amler, M.D., M.B.A., vice president for government affairs and dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice

The deep clean on the widely used surfaces comes after a 39-year-old Manhattan woman tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the first confirmed case in the city and in the tri-state area. Since then, another man in Westchester, who works in Manhattan, has tested positive for the virus and is hospitalized in the city. The 50-year-old lawyer became the first apparent instance of community spread in the city.

New York Medical College Leadership News: Robert W. Amler, M.D., M.B.A., vice president for government affairs and dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice

Dr. Robert Amler, Dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice at New York Medical College and former CDC Chief Medical Officer, joined NBC New York to address questions submitted by viewers regarding the novel coronavirus, its disease COVID-19 and how to protect yourself as the virus spreads further around the country.

New York Medical College Leadership News: Robert W. Amler, M.D., M.B.A., vice president for government affairs and dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice

Up to a HUNDRED health workers were exposed to the undiagnosed coronavirus patient As many as 100 healthcare workers may have been exposed to the California woman who went four days untested for coronavirus. The doctors and nurses are from the University of California Davis Medical Center, where the woman is being treated, and from NorthBay VacaValley Hospital.

New York Medical College Leadership News: Robert W. Amler, M.D., M.B.A., vice president for government affairs and dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice

A former chief medical officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tells DailyMail.com that travel throughout China and being able to spread through the air are some ways of how the coronavirus outbreak was able to spread so quickly. The new virus falls under the family of coronaviruses, which can cause symptoms ranging from severe breathing problems to mild respiratory infections such as the common cold.

New York Medical College Leadership News: Robert W. Amler, M.D., M.B.A., vice president for government affairs and dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice

New video animation shows how the coronavirus outbreak has outpaced the SARS, MERS, Ebola and swine flu epidemics. Made by production company Abacaba, and uploaded to YouTube on February 12, the clip compares how quickly each disease spread once cases were reported.

New York Medical College Leadership News: Robert W. Amler, M.D., M.B.A., vice president for government affairs and dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice

Sure, sure, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says you should wash your hands for 20 seconds, using lots of soap and friction. But when that recommendation meets poorly stocked public restrooms, or distracted humans in a hurry, what happens to hand-washing effectiveness? Are some seconds better than none; is a soapless wash better than giving up; does hand lotion make germs sticky? And what if there’s no way to dry off?

New York Medical College Leadership News: Robert W. Amler, M.D., M.B.A., vice president for government affairs and dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice

A leading neurologist and naval officer who created the first-of-its-kind military epilepsy treatment center, Dr. Etienne says when it comes to Traumatic Brain Injury—speedy diagnosis and medical care is key. Mill Etienne, M.D., M.P.H., FAAN, FAES, was completing his final year of medical school at New York Medical College (NYMC) at the time of the September 11 terrorist attacks—prompting him to answer the call to duty. As a neurologist and officer of the U.S. Navy, few have better first-hand understanding of the dangers of brain-related injuries for our troops…

NYMC Faculty News: Mill Etienne, M.D. ’02, M.P.H., FAAN, FAES, assistant dean of student affairs, associate professor of neurology and School of Medicine House Advisory Dean

Face masks can prevent splashes and large-particle droplets but they do not ‘filter or block very small particles in the air that may be transmitted by coughs, sneezes or certain medical procedures,’ according to the US Food and Drug Administration.

New York Medical College Leadership News: Robert W. Amler, M.D., M.B.A., vice president for government affairs and dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice

At first, the coronavirus outbreak spread slower than Ebola, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and swine flu. But, by Day 41 of their respective outbreaks, 243 were ill from Ebola, 182 were sickened by Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), 520 had come down with swine flu, and 3,600 were infected with SARS.

New York Medical College Leadership News: Robert W. Amler, M.D., M.B.A., vice president for government affairs and dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice

When I was 16, I was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). While I had the heavy periods and (much to the concern of my self-conscious teenage self) dark hair around my stomach and nipples, I didn't display any of the other traditional symptoms, though my constant fear of a sudden heavy blood flow and concern over my dark hair in unusual places was enough to send me to the doctor's office. The Mayo Clinic defines PCOS as "a hormonal disorder common among women of reproductive age." It's typically characterized by cysts in the ovaries, high levels of male hormones, and irregular or skipped periods. Camille Clare, MD, MPH, CPE, FACOG, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at New York Medical College, said that the main symptoms are changes in hair growth or acne, menstrual irregularities, problems with ovulation, and infertility. According to Dr. Clare, 80 percent of patients will exhibit obesity, excess hair growth, acne, skin change, and ovarian cysts. But at this point in my diagnosis, I wasn't affected by most of these symptoms, and they didn't affect me for most of my 20s, either.

NYMC Faculty News: Camille A. Clare, M.D., M.P.H. '11, associate dean of diversity and inclusion for the School of Medicine and associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology

There has been a rush to purchase surgical masks to prevent Coronavirus. In short, it is not going to do much and thus not worth the effort. Surgical masks prevent the wearer from spewing out droplets, but are not overly efficient at the reverse. So it would be recommended for someone who may have been exposed, but not for someone who is just trying to prevent illness, especially in places like the US where it is a low risk.

New York Medical College Leadership News: Robert W. Amler, M.D., M.B.A., vice president for government affairs and dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice

When it comes to the new coronavirus going around (aka COVID-19), good hygiene seems to be our best line of defense. Because the virus has only been on our radar for a couple of months, we don’t have a preventive vaccine yet, nor do we have an effective way to treat the respiratory illness the virus causes. And though researchers are getting close to putting potential vaccines to the test, it’ll likely be about a year before they’re ready for us.

New York Medical College: Robert W. Amler, M.D., M.B.A., vice president for government affairs and dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice

After all, planes pose a unique risk for any disease contraction: Long flights result in longer times of potential exposure if someone onboard is sick and shared air makes it more difficult to avoid unwell passengers. As a result, concern over COVID-19 has led to canceled international trips. People are, unsurprisingly, fearful: On Monday, a British Airways flight to Milan was delayed before takeoff when a passenger scared of coronavirus refused to fly. On Wednesday night, the CDC confirmed the first case of the disease not linked to travel.

NYMC Faculty News: Robert W. Amler, M.D., M.B.A., vice president for government affairs and dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice