For a team of epidemiologists at the Oklahoma City-County Health Department, the work of tracing COVID cases and exposures was at first overwhelming for their small team. Then additional staff from the CDC Foundation COVID-19 Corps arrived.

As COVID-19 began spreading in the U.S., hospitals, first responders and public health agencies scrambled to acquire enough PPE to keep their staff and the public safe. But with supplies limited and demand surging, finding it was often next to impossible.

Through rain, snow, sleet, windstorms and even unexpected visits from wildlife, a dedicated trio of COVID-19 Corps healthcare workers are battling the pandemic—and the elements—in their native Alaska to provide COVID testing to the population of Anchorage and beyond.

While a number of existing CDC public health resources were accessible for people with some disabilities, there were others who needed guidance in different accessible formats including braille, American Sign Language, and simplified text or easy-to-read materials.

Meet the Regional Coordinators of the COVID-19 Corps, who guide staff through their work on the pandemic response across the U.S. and set them up for future success in the public-health field.

“We are the bearer of bad news, but if you can show compassion and let them know they're not alone, they really appreciate it,” says contact tracer Michelle Smith. “It’s not necessarily just about treating the symptoms but also the mental health part of it.”

Influencing the behavior of college students is tough under the best of circumstances. Throw a pandemic into the mix, and you’ve got a much more challenging situation. That’s where young CDC Foundation staffers like Gabe Trotz, Jordan Mills and McKenna Deaton come in.

Meet three young associate laboratory microbiologists who have been inspired to join the fight against COVID on behalf of their loved ones and their communities. All now work at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, with support from the CDC Foundation and TikTok.