U of M researchers examine if deer can carry COVID, Lyme disease

of the year so far didn't stop U of M researchers from doing a very involved deer study. They met up at Elm Creek Park Reserve in Maple Grove in order to capture and study deer using a helicopter. That's where we find our John Lauritsen, who has been there much of the morning. John, this is quite a study to see out there. It really is, Sheila, and they began at 8 o'clock this morning and like you said, the process involves firing nets at deer from a helicopter, capturing those deer, and then bringing them back to research. That's a lot of work. What we know from our research is we actually have a great deer collection. So when you think about it, remember that this is a prec步 So what that information applications. That's exciting. So researchers are researchers are collecting nets at deer from a helicopter capturing those deer. And then bringing them back to researchers for a variety of tests. A very involved scienceOnce the deer are blindfolded in restraint. They're taken back to research headquarters at Elm Creek Park Reserve where nasal swabs and blood tests are taken for various diseases part of the C of M studies to find out where deer ago there the park. Researchers hope to recapture them in about 2 years to follow up on their health and to see whether or not they are carriers for certain illnesses like Lyme disease and even COVID. The deer are likely getting SARS-CoV-2 from humans. They carry the same strains that humans do and we might be worried about recombination in the deer that then might spill back into humans because the deer seem to pass the SARS-CoV-2 to humans. So we're going to have to wait and see. We're going to have to wait and see. Thanks so much, John.