Wits Heroes Confront Covid-19

Among the best in their fields, Wits experts are at the frontlines and behind-the-scenes against COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus

Eminent scientists at Wits University in diverse disciplines, ranging from epidemiology, sociology and emergency medicine to public health, biomedical engineering, governance and others, are the unsung heroes leading the charge against COVID-19. In concert with the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), the Department of Health and the South African Government, an army of heroic scientists at Wits are helping to understand, predict and contain COVID-19, manage the public health and socio-economic impact, and develop treatment and care regimens. The Wits heroes mentioned here represent just a fraction of the university’s community of academic, professional and support staff, who are all working tirelessly and contributing in multiple ways to mitigate this state of disaster

Understanding the enemy

Professor of Epidemiology in the Wits School of Public Health, Cheryl Cohen is a medical doctor and co-head of the Centre for Respiratory Diseases and Meningitis at the NICD. Through her work, she aims to generate evidence to guide policy for the control of respiratory disease. She is at the forefront of COVID-19 case-finding, diagnosis, management and public health response.

Understanding each other