In general, you can count on 6 months of meaningful protection starting two weeks after you get your annual flu vaccine. Protection may wane earlier in older adults. Flu activity is just picking up now… it’s still a GREAT time to get your flu shot! Getting vaccinated in advance of flu season’s start ensures that Read more…

Yes. Annual flu vaccines prevent hundreds of thousands of cases of flu and save thousands of lives every year. The answer to the question “how well do they work” isn’t black and white because it changes from year to year, and even sometimes within a season. But even in a year when the flu vaccine Read more…

Did you know that you, dear readers, are public health workers? How? You may ask. Well, every time you share something you have learned here from Those Nerdy Girls (or any other public health organization) with a loved one, a colleague, or a member of your community, *you* are doing the work of public health. Read more…

This is the second in our new series: Nerdy Notes: Science in Story & Verse In these posts, our Nerdy Girl scientists and clinicians will share personal stories, insights, poetry, and more. While these posts may be lighter in terms of numbers and figures, they will still be rooted in our tradition and commitment to Read more…

In this post, we break down everything you need to know about blood tests for Alzheimer’s disease, why they are important, and what information we still need before these tests will be ready for prime time in the U.S. You may have seen news this summer about a highly accurate blood test for Alzheimer’s disease. In Read more…

Q: I have tried to quit smoking five times. How can I quit and stay quit? A: Recovering from nicotine dependence is not about willpower. It is about brain science. Nicotine dependence is a chronic disease that creates long-term changes in your brain. Recovery is possible but may require medical support. Ask your primary care Read more…

Taking an antibiotic when it’s not needed contributes to antimicrobial resistance and can put you and others at risk of more severe infections. TLDR: Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, fungi, parasites or viruses mutate in ways that make common treatments ineffective. More and more antibiotics are losing their effectiveness due to antimicrobial resistance, so it Read more…

Your iron supplement dose depends on how much iron you need and how well you tolerate iron. Taking your iron pill every other day and combining it with vitamin C may help you get the most benefit from your supplement. About 2 in 3 people worldwide don’t get enough iron, including roughly 1 in 7 American adults. People who Read more…

What is Transgender Awareness Week?  Transgender Awareness Week is a time to protect, advocate for, celebrate, uplift, understand, and honor our trans community. Why is this important? There are many reasons to celebrate and grow awareness of issues around the transgender experience. Let’s start with a crucial goal of public health efforts: to investigate and Read more…

No. Dementia is an umbrella term for changes in memory and thinking that impair how a person functions. Several different underlying diseases can cause dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is one of those diseases. Dementia is characterized by gradual changes in one or more areas of cognition over time that impact a person’s ability to function in daily Read more…

Did you know that TNG’s Executive Director Dr. Sara Gorman just published her second book? Here’s a little blurb from her on what the book is about. We’re certainly hearing a lot about trust these days. We’re hearing that trust in government and other societal institutions, like the healthcare system, is dwindling. So what’s going Read more…

Which iron supplement is best? There is no “best” type of iron supplement. Inexpensive supplements are widely available and generally work just as well as more expensive iron formulations. The human body usually does a pretty good job of keeping iron in balance. Despite this, iron deficiency is common, especially in people who menstruate. It’s also Read more…

Welcome, Nerds to our new series: Nerdy Notes: Science in Story & Verse In these posts, our Nerdy Girl scientists and clinicians will share personal stories, insights, poetry, and more. While these posts may be lighter in terms of numbers and figures, they will still be rooted in our tradition and commitment to providing accessible Read more…

In this time of heightened emotions, Those Nerdy Girls would like to reaffirm our commitment to science and truth. We don’t know exactly what the future holds, but there is ample reason to be concerned about widening health disparities, rampant misinformation, disregard for science, and monumental decreases in the public’s trust in health and science. Read more…

Join the fight against misinformation with Those Nerdy Girls and ScienceUpFirst. Learn about levels of scientific evidence, red flags, misleading tactics and tough conversations. Hosted by: Krishana Sankar, PhD: ScienceUpFirst (@scienceupfirst) Chana Davis, PhD: Those Nerdy Girls (@thosenerdygirls) ➡️ 0:00–5:42 – Welcome and Intros ➡️ 5:43– 11:59 – General strategies for polarizing conversations Our tips Read more…

It is the day after Election Day in the United States, and perhaps many of you are feeling what we feel too: uncertainty. For our families, for our friends and neighbors, and for our futures. Amidst this uncertainty, let us recommit to you and the work ahead. We are scientists, researchers, clinicians, leaders, and family Read more…

Q: Why are we hearing so much about Mycoplasma Pneumoniae? A: Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a type of bacteria that can cause respiratory infections, including cold or flu-like symptoms, bronchitis, and walking pneumonia. Since spring of 2024, cases have risen across the USA, particularly in those 2-4 years old. You may have seen news headlines recently or know someone Read more…

Election Day is here! It’s Election Day in the US! Thank you to our wonderful Those Nerdy Girls community for joining us for our series on voting – something near and dear to our hearts. To celebrate this important day, we wanted to share some tips and remind you to VOTE if you haven’t already! Read more…

Q: Any “information hygiene” tips for tomorrow? A: Don’t expect resolution on election night. Fact-check (!!!). Take a purposeful pause prior to sharing information. Background: Tomorrow’s going to be a rough day on the information frontlines. How can we prepare? Knowledge is power, and here’s what the experts* want us to know: 1️⃣ First: Brace Read more…