COVID-19 RAMP-UP

In the fall of 2020, we started to safely ramp up patient care and clinical research activity, while adhering to social distancing guidelines for reception areas and implementing changes to room flow to support more thorough disinfection. In order to support the over 3,000 patients whose care was deferred due to COVID-19 restrictions, we temporarily extended Medical Dermatology afternoon clinics, and added additional clinics including on Saturdays. Thanks to the tremendous teamwork of faculty, residents, clinic staff, and call center team members, we were able to reduce the waitlist and end these temporary adjustments in March 2021.

Research labs also ramped back up, gradually increasing the percent of staff occupancy each lab could support based upon guidance from the U-M Office of Research. By April 2021, these occupancy restrictions were removed, while social distancing and masks remained.

This year we also celebrated the arrival of COVID-19 vaccinations. While masks and social distancing remain an everyday part of our department’s daily activities, we have fully embraced the privilege of having vaccination available for all our employees.

Throughout COVID-19 pandemic, our department has truly done a remarkable job during an unprecedented crisis, working together to navigate new and unique challenges on a day-to-day basis. At the end of the day, our teamwork helped us come through stronger than before.