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Producing the next generation of public health pros; UO Corona Corps gets grant to expand

UO's Corona Corps team members are joined by Senator Ron Wyden (center) and Lane County's Public Health Officer Dr. Patrick Luedtke (far left.)
University of Oregon
UO's Corona Corps team members are joined by Senator Ron Wyden (center) and Lane County's Public Health Officer Dr. Patrick Luedtke (far left.)

The Oregon Health Authority has awarded a million dollars to expand a COVID-19 response and containment program created at the University of Oregon.

The Oregon Health Authority has awarded a million dollars to expand a COVID-19 response and containment program created at the University of Oregon.

It began as Corona Corps, a group of motivated students recruited early in the pandemic and trained to help Lane County Public Health with contact tracing efforts. The initial 16 students have since grown to 200.

Jeff Measelle, a UO psychology professor and Co-Director of the Corona Corps, sees this as a workforce pipeline to help produce the next generation of public health professionals.

UO student members of the Corona Corps work a call center handling COVID-19 contact investigation.
University of Oregon
UO student members of the Corona Corps work a call center handling COVID-19 contact investigation.

“This large and growing group of students will graduate, not just with a strong and diverse educational background,” he said, “but also with real life experiences helping to manage one of the most serious public health challenges that we’ve seen in over a century.”

Measelle said the program now assists with a wide range of COVID-19 challenges—including vaccine hesitancy and case investigation.

Jeff Measelle is UO Professor of Psychology and Co-Director of the Corona Corps. Angela Long, of University Health Services, (not pictured) is also Co-Director of the program.
University of Oregon
Jeff Measelle is UO Professor of Psychology and Co-Director of the Corona Corps. Angela Long, of University Health Services, (not pictured) is also Co-Director of the program.

“We’re calling close contacts, we’re letting them know they’ve been exposed and will need to quarantine,” he explained. “So, as you can imagine, rarely is the response to these calls something like, ‘Oh boy, great. That’s news I really wanted.’ Some people respond with fear, some with sadness, others with anger. And in all instances, our team works hard to validate those feelings.”

With OHA funding, the program is being renamed the Oregon Public Health Corps. Measelle says they hope to make it a permanent resource in the state.

A Corona Corps member works on COVID-19 contact management
University of Oregon
A Corona Corps member works on COVID-19 contact management

The program has served Lane County, the U of O community and the state’s health authority and has addressed a range of challenges associated with COVID-19, including the emotional and practical difficulties associated with isolation and quarantining, and, more recently, vaccine hesitancy.

Partners to the effort include global studies professor Dennis Galvan, dean and vice provost of the Division of Global Engagement; Lori O'Hollaren, assistant vice provost of the division; Josh Snodgrass, a professor in the Department of Anthropology; and Elly Vandegrift, program director for Global Science Education Initiatives.

Tiffany joined the KLCC News team in 2007. She studied journalism at the University of Missouri-Columbia and worked in a variety of media including television, technical writing, photography and daily print news before moving to the Pacific Northwest.