On April 11, Emory University senior leadership recognized the university’s COVID-19 screening program team, acknowledging the 68 employees for their efforts during the past two-and-a-half years of the pandemic.
In addition to words of gratitude, each attendee received a “COVID Warrior” medal as a symbol of their dedication to this program.
Employees from across Emory departments and vocations were part of the screening team. They came from business operations, the office of information technology, procurement, university events, project management, public health, CEPAR, communications, and the Emory laboratory innovative assay development (ELIAD) lab.
The university’s COVID-19 screening program launched in July 2020 when the world was just learning the impacts of coronavirus.
John Roback, director of Emory's Center for Transfusion and Cellular Therapy, and Debby Morey, vice president of Emory business operations, came together to lead this important public health effort. The group’s work was foundational to Emory’s return to campus in summer 2020.
“The success of this program rested on the innovative thinking, remarkable problem solving and sheer dedication from a wonderful group of people coming together during a time of need,” Morey says.
The screening team worked for more than two years — and across six testing sites — to create and navigate in-house testing, student move-in testing, twice-weekly testing and cluster testing. They also launched a screening program for Emory’s health care partners.
The program collected more than 213,570 samples, with 1,891 testing positive for COVID-19. Their work consistently achieved a 95% or higher satisfaction rating.
President Gregory L. Fenves and Christopher L. Augostini, executive vice president of business and administration, recognized the program for what became an impressive in-house testing system that brought a standard of excellence in caring for the university community during this historic time.
Although Fenves was not able to attend in person, he wrote remarks that Morey read on his behalf. “You saved lives and brought a standard of excellence in caring for our university community, prioritizing our health and safety through every phase of the pandemic. I join a grateful university in thanking you for the hard work required to make it possible.”