Campus News

'Behind the Blue Special Edition': UK CCO Jay Blanton Discusses UK’s Efforts to Combat COVID-19

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 31, 2020) — The 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new illness that was first identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, with patients reporting cases of fever and acute respiratory illness. Since that time, other countries, including the U.S., have seen cases of the illness.

As a diverse and globally engaged research institution with a world-class academic medical center, the University of Kentucky has been closely monitoring developments related to the COVID-19 outbreak and their potential impacts on the university community. The health and safety of our faculty, staff and students is our highest priority.

On the academic side, UK is one of many universities to move its classes online using channels such as Zoom — a video conferencing platform — as part of an effort to reduce the number of people on campus. It’s all part of a plan to use "social distancing" to minimize exposure to the virus throughout the community, in order to reduce the caseload hospitals may face at any one time. This helps alleviate an overload in the need for beds, personal protective gear, ventilators and other medical equipment and resources.

On this week’s edition of the “Behind the Blue” podcast, Kody Kiser and Carl Nathe, of UK Public Relations and Strategic Communications, talk with UK Chief Communications Officer Jay Blanton about the work being undertaken across campus, UK HealthCare and across the Commonwealth to adapt to these challenging conditions, work to save lives, and continue to be Kentucky’s indispensable institution.

"Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.

For questions or comments about this or any other episode of "Behind the Blue," email BehindTheBlue@uky.edu or tweet your question with #BehindTheBlue.

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As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.