This week: Augusta University celebrates one of the most important documents in U.S. history, medical researchers discover a new at-home measure that can help in the battle against COVID, and Georgia continues to fight the opioid crisis with outreach programs.

Augusta University celebrates the U.S. Constitution

A Constitution Day event will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Sept. 19 in the Dr. Roscoe Williams Ballroom of the Jaguar Student Activities Center on the Summerville Campus. The event serves to commemorate the signing of the U.S. Constitution which took place Sept. 17, 1787 in Philadelphia.

The program will include a public reading of the U.S. Constitution by students, faculty and community members. Brad Warren, dean of University Libraries, will begin the event by recognizing the 60th anniversary of the Federal Depository Library Program at Augusta University — a program that provides the public ready access to federal documents. Additionally, the League of Women Voters will be in attendance to offer voter registration information.  

Investigators find that nasal irrigation reduces COVID-related illness, death

Starting twice-daily flushing of the mucus-lined nasal cavity with a mild saline solution soon after testing positive for COVID-19 can significantly reduce hospitalization and death, investigators at the Medical College of Georgia report.

They say the technique that can be used at home by mixing a half teaspoon each of salt and baking soda in a cup of boiled or distilled water then putting it into a sinus rinse bottle is a safe, effective and inexpensive way to reduce the risk of severe illness and death from coronavirus infection. The discovery could have a vital public health impact.

“One of our thoughts was: If we can rinse out some of the virus within 24 hours of them testing positive, then maybe we can lower the severity of the whole trajectory,” said Dr. Amy Baxter, emergency medicine physician.

Institute of Public and Preventive Health continues to fight opioid crisis

After nearly two decades of rising overdose deaths, the opioid crisis was finally declared a public health emergency in 2017. In the last decade, Dr. Aaron Johnson, director of the Institute of Public and Preventive Health at Augusta University, has been working with physicians and community-based organizations in Georgia to implement programs to help those who may be addicted to opioids.

“I tell a lot of people that Georgia has really been lucky. If you look at overdose rates and other issues around the country, given our size, I feel we’ve been fortunate,” said Johnson.