Welcome to the Pandemic Mitigation Collaborative (PMC)


The mission of the Pandemic Mitigation Collaborative is to reduce the physical and emotional burden of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As New Orleans was one of the hardest-hit cities at the pandemic onset, Dr. Hoerger's Tulane University team sprang into action to reduce the burden of the pandemic in March of 2020. The Pandemic Mitigation Collaborative was born. We are a collaborative organization grounded in trust. We have led projects to reduce COVID transmission, identify and protect the most vulnerable, and understand the physical and mental toll of COVID-19. Along the way, we have become international experts in comprehensive COVID-19 mitigation, community partnership, and mutual support. Please contact us if we can be of help.

As summarized in a leading scientific publication, called Science, SARS-CoV-2 is an airborne respiratory virus. Contrary to early pandemic awareness, the virus spreads predominently through the air, rather than via surfaces. The virus can linger in the air like smoke in poorly ventilated indoor spaces. The virus spreads when one person exhales it and another person inhales it.



A multi-layered approach remains necessary to reduce the burden of COVID-19. The PMC-19 logo shows our version of the "swiss cheese" model. Each layer of mitigation is important but less than 100% effective. By using multiple layers, we can reduce the number of reinfections and their impact on individuals, families, and society. See video.



When testing was publicly funded and widely available, we had reasonable data for accurately monitoring transmission. As testing has fallen off, we have developed wastewater-derived metrics for estimated cases, the proportion of the population infectious, new Long COVID cases, excess deaths, and more.

Annual COVID transmission remains high. Thus, accurate monitoring, testing, isolation, remote activities, masking, air cleaning, boosters, and other mitigation remain important. Droplet-based precautions (handwashing, hand sanitizer, surface cleaning) are ineffective against airborne illness. Accordingly, a prudent public health response would be to improve testing, masking, and air cleaning.



Projects


Oncology guidelines and the "COVI-CAN" pilot study to provide comprehensive COVID-19 pandemic support for people with cancer


JAMA Oncology Editorial - Top 10 Tips for Hospitals


JAMA Oncology Rejoinder - Countering COVID Disinformation


CBS - COVI-CAN Pilot Study to Reduce the Risk of COVID-19 for People with Cancer


FOX - More coverage of the COVI-CAN Pilot Study


JAMA-NO Article - Elite Cancer Centers Require Masks in 2024



Creating safer classrooms using comprehensive COVID mitigation


Teaching health science students safely with universal mitigation


Our Video on Air Cleaning with School Examples


Comprehensive Video on School Pandemic Safety (non-PMC)


Helping communities to wear high-quality, well-fitting masks


N95 Distribution Study


Thread on DIY Fit-testing


Video with Masking Tips




Understanding the impact of the pandemic on high-exposure food service workers


Food Service Worker Pre-Print



Keeping babies safer from COVID-19


HEPA Buggy Pre-Print


Thread on Protecting Newborns from Nosocomial COVID-19



Documenting the psychological impact of the pandemic


Google Trends in Immediate Pandemic Impact


Regional Differences in Shelter-in-Place



Modifying CDC policies to improve protections for people with a history of smoking


Increased Risk Among Tobacco Users



Conducting research studies with comprehensive pandemic precautions


Running the 1st American Cancer Society-sponsored Behavioral Clinical Trial in Louisiana, and with Comprehensive COVID Mitigation

[Picture pre-pandemic]





Consults


Our projects to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic require that we read the newest scientific articles and pre-prints and consult with other leading experts on a daily basis. We are happy to lend our support if helpful for a new or ongoing pandemic project. We have also helped hundreds of specific individuals and organizations responding to pandemic crises. If you are facing a crisis, we are happy to provide informational resources and assistance within our competency or refer you to other experts who can be of more help. Please feel free to reach out by email (mhoerger@tulane.edu) or DM.