COVID-19 Information for Journalists
UCSF and UCSF Health are actively responding to the COVID-19 emergency in the San Francisco Bay Area. Many of our experts are busy and are not able to immediately speak with media. If you want to speak with our experts, please contact [email protected].
Due to health and privacy concerns, we are unable to provide access to patient areas in our clinical settings.
At this time, we are unable to give information about individual cases. All inquiries about the COVID-19 cases in San Francisco should be directed to the San Francisco Department of Public Health.
See the Press Kit on COVID-19 vaccinations
See all COVID-19 news
UCSF Health nurses Stessi Cattrell (left) and Lisa Mogannam on March 7 work to set up one of the Accelerated Care Units at UCSF’s Parnassus Heights location. Photo by Noah Berger
Interviews and Consents
If you would like to cover a story involving UCSF experts, patients, research or clinical programs, please see the team’s beats and contact information as well as guidelines. You can also contact us directly at [email protected].
Interviews at UCSF
If you are interested in arranging phone or on-site interviews (including photo or video shoots) with UCSF faculty or staff, please contact the Public Affairs representative who covers the topic you are interested in.
The Public Affairs team will work with you to obtain necessary clearance for on-site visits. Stories involving UCSF Health patients require advance HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) consent, as required by federal law, as well as clearance for entering patient care areas. We can provide you with background information and recommend additional sources for your stories.
A member of the Public Affairs team must accompany all reporters on campus.
Patient Consent/Condition
UCSF Public Affairs is committed to protecting the privacy of our patients. Under HIPAA (the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), we are required to obtain written authorization from a patient or a patient’s parent/guardian before media interviews are arranged. If written consent is not available, we will not disclose a patient’s medical status. UCSF guidelines for that process are available here.
Entering Patient Care Areas
As a specialty hospital, we care for critically ill patients. In some situations, reporters may be required to present documentation of flu- or other inoculations prior to entering certain clinical areas, or to wear a medical mask. As with other visitors, members of the media with active flu symptoms or other infectious disease will not be allowed into patient areas. Reporters who will be on campus more than two weeks will need to comply with the long-term visitor policy, which requires the same proof of inoculations required of all UCSF staff and contractors, to protect both patients and visitors.
Public Affairs Staff
Each member of the UCSF Public Affairs team oversees a wide array of beats, serving as the first point of contact for reporters seeking experts and faculty and staff seeking public relations advice. For areas outside of these beats, please email or call the News Assistant at [email protected] or 415-502-6397.
Research News Team
Beat Areas
Beats are listed alphabetically. For areas outside of these beats, please email or call the News Assistant at [email protected] or 415-502-6397.
Aging
Clinical: Suzanne Leigh | [email protected], 415-476-2993
AIDS and HIV
Research: Laura Kurtzman | [email protected], 415-476-3163
Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Clinical: Suzanne Leigh | [email protected], 415-476-2993
Research: Robin Marks | [email protected], 628-399-0370
Arthritis
Clinical: Suzanne Leigh | [email protected], 415-476-2993
Autism and Sensory Processing Disorder
Clinical: Suzanne Leigh | [email protected], 415-476-2993
Research: Robin Marks | [email protected], 628-399-0370
Breast Cancer
Clinical: Elizabeth Fernandez | [email protected], 415-514-1592
Research: Robin Marks | [email protected], 628-399-0370
Budget
Clinical: Kristen Bole | [email protected], 415-476-2743
Campus Life
Research: Laura Kurtzman | [email protected], 415-476-3163
Campus Planning, Construction and Facilities
Research: Laura Kurtzman | [email protected], 415-476-3163
Cancer
Clinical: Elizabeth Fernandez | [email protected], 415-514-1592
Research: Robin Marks | [email protected], 628-399-0370
Colon and Rectal Cancer
Clinical: Elizabeth Fernandez | [email protected], 415-514-1592
Community Involvement
Research: Laura Kurtzman | [email protected], 415-476-3163
Dermatology
Clinical: Elizabeth Fernandez | [email protected], 415-514-1592
Diabetes
Clinical: Jess Berthold | [email protected], 628-399-0432
Research: Robin Marks | [email protected], 628-399-0370
UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland: Lorna Fernandes | [email protected], 415-502-6397
Digital Health
Research: Laura Kurtzman | [email protected], 415-476-3163
Diversity
Research: Laura Kurtzman | [email protected], 415-476-3163
Drugs and Alcohol
Clinical: Suzanne Leigh | [email protected], 415-476-2993
Emergency Medicine and Trauma Care
Clinical: Elizabeth Fernandez | [email protected], 415-514-1592
Environmental Sciences
Research: Laura Kurtzman | [email protected], 415-476-3163
Epidemiology
Research: Laura Kurtzman | [email protected], 415-476-3163
Family Medicine
Clinical: Suzanne Leigh | [email protected], 415-476-2993
Gene Editing and CRISPR
Research: Robin Marks | [email protected]
Genetics and Genomics
Research: Robin Marks | [email protected]
Global Health
Research: Laura Kurtzman | [email protected], 415-476-3163
Head, Neck, and Spinal Care
Research: Jess Berthold | [email protected], 628-399-0432
Health Informatics
Research: Laura Kurtzman | [email protected], 415-476-3163
Heart and Vascular
Clinical: Elizabeth Fernandez | [email protected], 415-514-1592
Hospital Medicine
Clinical: Elizabeth Fernandez | [email protected], 415-514-1592
Immunology
Research: Robin Marks | [email protected], 628-399-0370
Infectious Disease
Research: Laura Kurtzman | [email protected], 415-476-3163
Integrative Medicine
Clinical: Jess Berthold | [email protected], 628-399-0432
Leukemia
Clinical: Elizabeth Fernandez | [email protected], 415-514-1592
LGBT
Research: Laura Kurtzman | [email protected], 415-476-3163
Lung and Pulmonary
Clinical: Suzanne Leigh | [email protected], 415-476-2993
Lung Cancer
Clinical: Elizabeth Fernandez | [email protected], 415-514-1592
Marijuana and Cannabis
Clinical: Jess Berthold | [email protected], 628-399-0432
Mental Health
Clinical: Suzanne Leigh | [email protected], 415-476-2993
Multiple Sclerosis
Clinical: Suzanne Leigh | [email protected], 415-476-2993
Neurology
Clinical: Suzanne Leigh | [email protected], 415-476-2993
Research: Robin Marks | [email protected], 628-399-0370
Nutrition
Clinical: Jess Berthold | [email protected], 628-399-0432
Obesity
Clinical: Jess Berthold | [email protected], 628-399-0432
Orthopedics, Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy
Clinical: Lorna Fernandes | [email protected], 415-502-6397
Osteoporosis and Bone Health
Clinical: Elizabeth Fernandez | [email protected], 415-514-1592
Pain
Clinical: Suzanne Leigh | [email protected], 415-476-2993
Research: Robin Marks | [email protected], 628-399-0370
Palliative Care
Clinical: Suzanne Leigh | [email protected], 415-476-2993
Partnerships and Alliances
Research: Laura Kurtzman | [email protected], 415-476-3163
Pediatrics and Children’s Health
Clinical: Jess Berthold | [email protected], 628-399-0432
UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland: Lorna Fernandes | [email protected], 415-502-6397
Prostate Cancer
Clinical: Elizabeth Fernandez | [email protected], 415-514-1592
Psychiatry
Clinical: Suzanne Leigh | [email protected], 415-476-2993
Research: Robin Marks | [email protected], 628-399-0370
Public Health
Research: Laura Kurtzman | [email protected], 415-476-3163
Public Policy and Government
Research: Laura Kurtzman | [email protected], 415-476-3163
Radiology
Clinical: Jess Berthold | [email protected], 628-399-0432
Reproductive Health
Research: Laura Kurtzman | [email protected], 415-476-3163
Skin Cancer
Clinical: Elizabeth Fernandez | [email protected], 415-514-1592
Sleep
Clinical: Suzanne Leigh | [email protected], 415-476-2993
Smoking and Tobacco
Clinical: Elizabeth Fernandez | [email protected], 415-514-1592
Stress-Related Conditions
Clinical: Suzanne Leigh | [email protected], 415-476-2993
Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease
Clinical: Suzanne Leigh | [email protected], 415-476-2993
Student Life
Research: Laura Kurtzman | [email protected], 415-476-3163
Surgery
Clinical: Suzanne Leigh | [email protected], 415-476-2993
Sustainability at UCSF
Research: Laura Kurtzman | [email protected], 415-476-3163
Toxicology
Research: Laura Kurtzman | [email protected], 415-476-3163
Transplants
Clinical: Suzanne Leigh | [email protected], 415-476-2993
UCSF Health
Clinical: Elizabeth Fernandez | [email protected], 415-514-1592
Urology
Clinical: Elizabeth Fernandez | [email protected], 415-514-1592
Vision
Clinical: Jess Berthold | [email protected], 628-399-0432
Women’s Health
Clinical: Elizabeth Fernandez | [email protected]edu, 415-514-1592