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In Pictures
Photo Gallery
Throughout the pandemic, UF Health photographers have been recording the impact this has had on our patients, our health care providers, and the community. These photos tell the stories of struggle, perseverance, healing, and hope. Here are some of the most memorable photos from the last year.
2022 Day of Gratitude: In Pictures Photo Gallery
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A UF College of Medicine student prepares a COVID-19 test kit for collection testing at The Villages® Polo Field in The Villages, FL. — © University of Florida, Photo by Louis Brems
Michael Lauzardo, MD, MSc, an associate professor of infectious diseases and global health, goes over COVID-19 testing, proper PPE use and swabbing instructions with UF College of Medicine students at The Villages® Polo Field. — © University of Florida, Photo by Louis Brems
Residents of The Villages® drive up in golf carts to get tested at the COVID-19 testing site set up by UF Health. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones
Dr. Joseph A. Tyndall, M.D., M.P.H., vice president for strategic and academic affairs at UF Health, answers questions with residents from The Villages® after their COVID-19 test as they leave the drive-thru testing site at The Villages® Polo Field in The Villages, Florida. — © University of Florida, Photo by Louis Brems
Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke at the COVID-19 drive-thru testing site that UF Health set up at the polo fields at The Villages®. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones
UF Health Jacksonville swiftly worked with local and state health and emergency management officials to begin offering COVID-19 testing for residents of the region who were at risk of being disproportionately affected by the coronavirus public health emergency. [April 8, 2020]
At the beginning of the pandemic, when risks were uncertain, the TraumaOne team at UF Health Jacksonville urged area residents to stay home, so health care workers could more safely care for the community.
In response to the pandemic, UF Health established a hospital-based COVID-19 Command Center to serve as a central operations hub to coordinate the health system’s response to the pandemic across its academic health center campus in Gainesville. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones
UF Health Pathology Laboratories set up a high-throughput PCR testing lab at Rocky Point to help shorten the time needed to accurately screen patients for COVID-19. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones
Bioscientist Nawarat Somprasong, Ph.D., lyses samples of COVID-19 in a negative air-sealed room at the Emerging Pathogens Institute. — © University of Florida, Photo by Louis Brems
Dr. Kartik Cherabuddi, M.D., FACP, an expert in infectious diseases, fields a phone call in the UF Health Shands COVID-19 Command Center in the early stages of the pandemic. — © University of Florida, Photo by Louis Brems
Clinical Lab Scientist Raymond LaRue sorts through stat COVID-19 tests in the core lab of UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida. — © UF Health, Photo by Louis Brems
UF Health medical teams ran simulation drills to ensure they could safely intubate COVID-19 patients. While intubating a patient simulator, health care workers used a UV reactive fluid to simulate respiratory droplets and, after intubation, used UV light to show the potential spread of respiratory droplets. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones
Front-line health care providers Kellie Mcleod, R.N., and Stephanie Tussey, R.N., pictured here at the end of a 12-hour shift in the UF Health Shands E.R. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones
Abigail Miller, R.N., celebrates as Girl Scout cookies are dropped off to her unit. A-Turner Moving donated 20,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies to UF Health to be distributed to workers across the hospital system during the COVID-19 outbreak. — © UF Health, Photo by Louis Brems
Nika S. Radhakrishnan, M.D., chief of the division of hospital medicine at UF Health Shands Hospital, dons full PPE to treat patients on a COVID-19 unit. The use of extensive PPE was an adjustment for patients as well as clinical care providers. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones
John H. Hardeman, D.D.S., M.D., a clinical associate professor at the UF College of Dentistry, tours updated clinical spaces after staff made modifications to facilitate patient safety in the COVID-19 era. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones
Dr. Simon Swift and a veterinary technician with the UF Veterinary Hospitals comfort Capone, a 15-year-old dressage horse from Mississippi. Capone came to UF for treatment of a cardiac arrhythmia. He received an echocardiogram, and subsequently, a successful medical procedure to return his heart to normal function. — © University of Florida, Photo by Louis Brems
Elective surgeries and those not deemed critical in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic were halted for a short while before returning to normal in early July. — © UF Health, Photo by Louis Brems
Century Tower on the campus of the University of Florida is awash in blue in honor of National Nurses Week, five months into the COVID-19 pandemic. — © University of Florida, Photo by Louis Brems
UF students, IFAS staff and members of the Gainesville community wear masks and physically distance at a food drive to help those impacted as the statewide shutdown began.
Akash Verma, from Eastside High School, delivered thank you cards that Eastside High School students wrote for UF Health staff. Local Gainesville community members showed their support for health care workers throughout 2020. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones
Throughout 2020 and beyond, PPE has been an important commodity. Many members of the community donated PPE to the hospital system, including Bass Pro Shops, which provided 6,000 masks to UF Health Shands Hospital in support of local health care workers. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones
UF’s Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. D’Andra Mull passes out lunches to a resident assistant during a drive-thru thank you event. RAs played a pivotal role in on-campus residence halls, providing peer guidance and building community on their floors while ensuring residents abided by COVID-19 policies. — © 2020 UF Division of Student Affairs, All Rights Reserved
COVID-19 reshaped many aspects of college life in 2020, including graduations. Christian Archer, M.D., UF College of Medicine Class of 2020, poses for a physically distanced graduation photo with then Interim Dean Joseph A. Tyndall, M.D., M.P.H. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones
Samsun Lampotang, Ph.D., and a group of researchers led the way in designing, building low-cost, open-source ventilators to address urgent needs during the coronavirus pandemic. — © University of Florida, Photo by Louis Brems
Low-cost, open-source ventilators designed by Samsun Lampotang, Ph.D., are shown here in his lab. Lampotang and fellow researchers sprang into action when ventilators ran short in supply during the coronavirus pandemic. All parts can be sourced from local or big-box hardware stores and completed for around $90. — © University of Florida, Photo by Louis Brems
Barry Byrne, M.D., Ph.D., along with researchers in his lab, worked on developing a COVID-19 vaccine that uses a gene therapy technique to stimulate an immune system reaction to fight off the virus. This technique, which relies on a harmless virus known as AAV, has already been used for gene therapy to treat other diseases. Now, Dr. Byrne and his team are trying to find out if AAV will work as a way to prompt the immune system against COVID-19. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones
Researchers with UF’s Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute were eager to return to their labs in pursuit of new treatments for neurological conditions. Research across the university slowed over the spring and summer as COVID-19 infection rates began increasing and stay-at-home orders were issued. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones
Nicole Iovine, M.D., Ph.D., cleans surfaces in her lab after testing samples from a clinical trial of the effects of the drug remdesivir on patients fighting COVID-19. — © University of Florida, Photo by Louis Brems
Leah Reznikov, Ph.D., D.V.M., an assistant professor of physiological sciences at the UF College of Veterinary Medicine, along with postdoc Mariana Sponchiado, Ph.D., and Jackson Liao, M.S., a biological scientist II, have shown in preliminary research that three common antihistamine medications inhibit infection of cells by the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Reznikov’s research is in collaboration with David Ostrov, Ph.D., an associate professor at the UF College of Medicine. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones
Juergen Bulitta, Ph.D., an associate professor in the UF College of Pharmacy, studies COVID-19 with his research team and College of Medicine colleagues at the Research and Academic Center at Lake Nona. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones
July 1, 2020: At 10 a.m., Susan Cary, a longtime museum member, is the first visitor as the Florida Museum of Natural History reopens. The museum had over 60,000 visitors from July 2020 to January 2021. — ©Florida Museum of Natural History, All Rights Reserved, Photo by Jeff Gage
Museum guests visit the Survival of the Slowest exhibit at the Florida Museum of Natural History. Visitors are required to wear masks and physically distance when visiting any of the museum exhibits, including the Butterfly Rainforest. — ©Florida Museum, Photo by Kristen Grace
Museum photographer Kristen Grace logs on to her Zoom nature photography camp from one of the museum’s virtual classrooms studios. — ©Florida Museum of Natural History, All Rights Reserved, Photo by Jeff Gage
As the number of infections spread, students found alternative approaches to continue learning. Some students who were not able to stay at home worked on campus in small pods via remote access applications such as Zoom. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones
UF gave every student a Gator Care Kit for the fall and spring semesters. The kit included a drawstring backpack, two washable Gator masks, a first-aid kit, hand sanitizer, tissues and health information. — © 2020 UF Division of Student Affairs, All Rights Reserved
Students moving in for the start of the 2020 fall semester wore masks and arrived in scheduled time blocks to comply with COVID-19 mitigation efforts.
UF instituted an extensive campaign to help educate faculty, students and staff about the importance of the use of masks to help slow the transmission of COVID-19. #GatorsWearMasks
UF collaborated with Exactech to 3D print nasal swabs to help supply the UF Health Screen, Test & Protect team in support of their efforts to help reopen the university. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones
UF President Kent Fuchs was among the initial group of staff and faculty tested as part of the UF Health Screen, Test & Protect program. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones
University of Florida President Kent Fuchs tours UF Health Screen, Test & Protect operations as well as labs in the UF Emerging Pathogens Institute. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones
UF faculty adapted to wearing masks and teaching with reduced class sizes and physical distancing as the university reopened.
UF chemistry students wore masks and spread out to maintain physical distance while working at their lab stations.
Students gather 6 feet apart for a painting class with GatorNights in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. (Photo by UF Student Affairs Communications) — © 2020 UF Division of Student Affairs, All Rights Reserved
Michael Schaer, D.V.M., an emeritus professor of internal medicine at the UF College of Veterinary Medicine, watches as students and clinical providers work with a patient in the UF Small Animal Hospital. COVID-19 altered the way veterinary clinicians interacted with patient owners as well as with each other. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones
UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences students learn from Natalie Coers, a lecture in global agricultural leadership development, in October 2020 during a hybrid in-person and remote learning class. — © 2020 UF/IFAS Communications, Photo by Tyler Jones
A Horticultural Sciences student works garden plots at UF’s teaching farm in October 2020. — © 2020 UF/IFAS Communications, Photo by Tyler Jones
Fall of 2020 looked a little different in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic as B.S.N. students returned to clinicals in a physically distanced classroom where class sizes have been dramatically decreased to help fight the spread of COVID-19. — © UF Health, Photo by Louis Brems
Bala Rathinasabapathi, Ph.D., (left, blue shirt), a professor with UF/IFAS, instructs horticultural sciences students at the teaching farm. — © 2020 UF/IFAS Communications, Photo by Tyler Jones
Fans wear masks during the Gators’ game against the South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday, October 3, 2020, at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida. — © 2020 University Athletic Association, All Rights Reserved, UAA Communications Photo by Courtney Culbreath
Gators’ Coach Dan Mullen wears a mask on the sidelines during the Gators’ game against the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. — © 2020 University Athletic Association, All Rights Reserved, UAA Communications Photo by Courtney Culbreath
UF Health Jacksonville received a shipment of 20,000 Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines on Dec. 14, 2020. UF Health Jacksonville was one of the “Pfizer Five” — a handful of sites in Florida selected to receive the initial distribution.
A vial of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine warms up before a pharmacist mixes it down for distribution to front-line health care workers at UF Health in Gainesville, Florida. — © University of Florida, Photo by Louis Brems
Paul Sullivan, Pharm.D., pharmacy director for UF Health Leesburg Hospital, prepares one of the ultra-low-temperature freezers to store the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
A member of the pharmacy team draws one of the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in preparation for UF Heath Central Florida’s first vaccination clinic.
Pictured on Dec. 14, 2020, Dr. Leon L. Haley Jr., a board-certified emergency room physician, CEO of UF Health Jacksonville and dean of the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville, is thought to be the first in Florida to be vaccinated.
Several hundred people received a COVID-19 vaccination at the Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church in Gainesville during an event that was a collaboration between UF Health and the state Department of Health in Alachua County. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones
UF Health collaborated with the Florida Department of Health in Alachua County to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to Alachua County residents ages 65 and older at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. UF College of Pharmacy faculty and students prepared vaccine doses to support the vaccination effort. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones
Janet Bennett, R.N., a nurse in the observation unit at UF Health The Villages® Hospital, received the hospital’s inaugural COVID-19 vaccination Dec. 17, 2020 as local media, UF Health Central Florida leaders and staff looked on. The shot was administered by hospital pharmacist Erika Jasper, Pharm.D.
Florida ambassador and consultant Steve Spurrier receives his second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday, February 4, 2021 at UF Health Springhill in Gainesville, Florida. — © 2021 University Athletic Association, All Rights Reserved, UAA Communications Photo by Tim Casey
Cosette Flores, M.S.N., R.N.-B.C., nurse manager of Unit 94 IMC at UF Health Shands Hospital, reaches for a COVID-19 patient’s hand to provide some comfort while giving medications and testing blood sugar levels. — © UF Health, Photo by Louis Brems
Registered nurses Jay Steiner and Jennifer Brooks transfer a COVID-19 patient from Unit 94 to the COVID ICU at UF Health Shands Hospital after the patient’s symptoms worsened. — © UF Health, Photo by Louis Brems
UF Health Shands Hospital Unit 82 nurses Emily Carter (back to camera), and Sarah Graciani comfort a COVID-19 patient in their care. Clinical staff often were the only people COVID-19 patients were allowed to have contact with while hospitalized. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones
UF Health Shands Hospital Unit 82 staff held a Celebration March for Melory Biangdan after her recovery from COVID-19. Melory was told that she would need to be placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. She spent 18 days on ECMO, which helped to facilitate her recovery. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones
After providing lifesaving care to COVID-19 patients, Jill Holker, a front-line ICU nurse from Utah, became a patient herself. The virus caused so much damage to the young, healthy runner’s lungs that she required a double-lung transplant. Jill was brought to UF Health in Gainesville for a chance to save her life. After months in the hospital undergoing postoperative rehab, Jill was finally going home. “There was a handful of people who were fighting for me,” Holker said. “Truly, sincerely fighting for me. And it was staff — people that never knew me.” Jill was one of 12 COVID-19 patients who received new lungs from UF Health’s nationally recognized lung transplant team in recent months. When it seems like all hope is lost, patients come to UF Health from across the country looking for a miracle. — © UF Health, Photo by Louis Brems
Mexican actor and singer Toño Mauri received a double-lung transplant at UF Health after COVID-19 damaged his lungs. Upon his discharge after months in the hospital, he was greeted by the entire staff of Unit 87, including Tiago Machuca, M.D., Ph.D., chief of the division of thoracic surgery and surgical director of the lung transplant program, and Andres Pelaez, M.D., medical director of the lung transplant program and an associate professor of medicine at the UF College of Medicine. — © University of Florida, Photo by Jesse S. Jones