Dr. Malia Jones in Crossroads of Ideas Lecture Series
Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Bona fide nerdy girl & Dear Pandemic contributor Malia Jones was on a panel about UW-Madison’s rapid scientific response to COVID-19, hosted by the UW-Madison Discovery Building. It will be the first in a series of COVID lectures from the Crossroads of Ideas lecture series. And this is the first time they’ve gone online! Watch Read more…
What’s the bottom line from the International Monetary Fund’s latest estimates?
Uncategorized
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Bracingly, the IMF projects the deepest recession since the Great Depression — and urges countries to stay the course on social distancing to stop virus spread. This quote sums it up well: “There is no trade-off between saving lives and saving livelihoods,” the report states. Read more take-aways here. Link to original FB post
When will social distancing end?
Reopening Socializing
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Q: Will opening up contribute to second wave of disease? A: One of our most trusted scientific sources Marc Lipsitch answers the tough questions. Link to original FB post
Should I avoid eating fresh produce?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: No! According to food scientist Dr. Donald Schaffer, the greater infection risk is “standing next to that person at the apple bin.” More great food safety info in this Consumer Reports article. H/T Claire Grosel and Haylle Reidy Link to original FB post
How do you know if someone is immune to Covid-19?
Biology/Immunity
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: This is a tricky one. Scientists are currently examining blood serum of individuals who have tested positive for Covid-19 to study their immune system response. At the moment, there are more questions than answers. Here are a few highlights about immunity and an article summarizing the challenges around determining how infection with Covid-19 or Read more…
I am pregnant and am worried about my delivery and my mental health. Where can I turn?
Families/Kids Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: You are not alone. More than 20% of new mothers experience a perinatal mood and/or anxiety disorder. Increasing evidence from top journals such as the Lancet are telling us that the effects of COVID-19 isolation policies are influencing our mental health, regardless of whether we had any mental health issues prior to this crisis. Read more…
The numbers of cases and deaths in some parts of the country are looking better than expected. Did we overreact with all the distancing measures and closures?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: So much no. No, no, nopeity nope. It’s very tempting to Monday morning quarterback the decisions that cities and states have made over the past few weeks, and the recommendations from the CDC. The physical distancing measures, the school closures and the near total shut-down of the economy feel extreme, particularly given some glimmers Read more…
What are four key measures to bend the COVID-19 curve downwards?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
“Four key measures, on top of treating the ill and maintaining physical distancing, must be in place not just to slow the rise of Covid-19 cases, but also to bend the curve downward. These are: test widely, isolate the infected, trace the contacts of those infected and quarantine appropriately.” Links: The New York Times Original Read more…
Why is everyone suddenly talking about the positivity rate? Is this positive psychology or something else?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Infection and Spread Testing and Contact Tracing
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: Definitely not positive psychology! The positivity rate is simply the fraction of people who test positive for COVID-19 out of all the people who get tested. It is important because it is a rough indicator of how much of the true extent of COVID-19 infection is being detected and diagnosed. In other words, a Read more…
I miss my family and friends. What is the risk of getting together for a small gathering?
Families/Kids Socializing
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Small gatherings of any size are highly discouraged. A recent publication by the CDC outlines the sequence of infections (contact tracing) among a cluster of Covid-19 infections in Chicago following a funeral and a birthday party. One positive individual attended both events and subsequently infected *15* family and friends, not counting asymptomatic carriers and Read more…
What is a toilet plume? And what does it mean for me?
Infection and Spread
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: A toilet plume occurs when droplets of feces or urine escape during a toilet flush into the air. COVID-19 may spread through fecal-oral transmission, which means you don’t want any part of that toilet plume. One study estimates that a single open flush can emit up to 80,000 droplets into the air. Covering the Read more…
Should I seek out COVID infection to “get it over with?”
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Hard pass. Epidemiologist Greta Bauer explains why intentional infection is a *very* bad idea in this informative NYTimes write-up. Highlights: Even “mild” cases aren’t so mild; intentional infection is NOT an effective shortcut to herd immunity. Link to original FB post
Is COVID-19 really the leading cause of death in the US?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: By some measures, yes it is. When one of your friendly resident Nerdy Girls saw this tweet from Andy Slavitt earlier today: “The daily CV death toll has surpassed everything else,” she wondered, can this possibly be true? Well, it turns out that over the past few weeks, COVID-19 has charged up the list Read more…
I’ve heard a lot of people talking about contact tracing. What is it, why is it so important, and does this work?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: In sum, contact tracing helps us identify people who have been in close contact with a person infected with the virus by 1) Identifying the contacts; 2) Listing the contacts and recommending self-isolation or quarantine; and 3) Following up with contacts to assess for symptoms of illness. This is critical because it helps limit Read more…
What are feasible ways to track the spread of asymptomatic cases in a community?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Sampling sewage (!) and/or a small number of randomly selected individuals Testing wastewater (aka sewage) is a validated monitoring tool for opioid misuse and antibiotic resistance, and new evidence is demonstrating its effectiveness for detecting the coronavirus. Utah and Ohio are examples of states rolling out individual-level random sampling on a small subset of Read more…
What’s the latest on whether kids are as likely as adults to be hospitalized and to fall critically ill from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: The latest news is good news for those worried about kids: The chances of being hospitalized and ending up in intensive care are much lower — by an order of magnitude — for children <18 years old compared to those 18-64. Here’s the core nugget of results from the study as reported by NPR: Read more…
Are racial and ethnic minorities at a higher risk of dying from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Social and Racial Justice
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Unfortunately, from the available data, African Americans and Hispanics are disproportionately represented among COVID-19 deaths in the US. At present, most states are not reporting on the racial and ethnic patterns. There are many pathways through which minorities may have worse outcomes including social, socioeconomic and living circumstances increasing susceptibility to infection, in addition Read more…
What can I do to help with my anxiety? Is it me or is everyone having a hard time right now?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: It is normal to feel anxious in our current reality. The important things: Maintain routine, make sure you sleep, keep up with social relationships, unplug from the news (its OK!), and focus on one small positive thing every day. If you need help now, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK. If you Read more…
What is a “cytokine storm?” Why is it important?
Biology/Immunity
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: The immune system’s overreaction to a virus or bacterium. It’s the actual cause of death in many COVID cases, and therefore is the target of numerous experimental treatments. Links: The New York Times Original FB post
Nadia, a tiger at the Bronx zoo, has coronavirus. Do I need to worry about my pets?
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Probably not. But if you have symptoms, you should isolate away from your beloved furry friends. For a very helpful explainer of COVID concerns in domestic animals, see this NPR piece. Link to original FB post
Bona fide nerdy girl & Dear Pandemic contributor Malia Jones was on a panel about UW-Madison’s rapid scientific response to COVID-19, hosted by the UW-Madison Discovery Building. It will be the first in a series of COVID lectures from the Crossroads of Ideas lecture series. And this is the first time they’ve gone online! Watch Read more…
What’s the bottom line from the International Monetary Fund’s latest estimates?
UncategorizedLindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Bracingly, the IMF projects the deepest recession since the Great Depression — and urges countries to stay the course on social distancing to stop virus spread. This quote sums it up well: “There is no trade-off between saving lives and saving livelihoods,” the report states. Read more take-aways here. Link to original FB post
When will social distancing end?
Reopening Socializing
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Q: Will opening up contribute to second wave of disease? A: One of our most trusted scientific sources Marc Lipsitch answers the tough questions. Link to original FB post
Should I avoid eating fresh produce?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: No! According to food scientist Dr. Donald Schaffer, the greater infection risk is “standing next to that person at the apple bin.” More great food safety info in this Consumer Reports article. H/T Claire Grosel and Haylle Reidy Link to original FB post
How do you know if someone is immune to Covid-19?
Biology/Immunity
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: This is a tricky one. Scientists are currently examining blood serum of individuals who have tested positive for Covid-19 to study their immune system response. At the moment, there are more questions than answers. Here are a few highlights about immunity and an article summarizing the challenges around determining how infection with Covid-19 or Read more…
I am pregnant and am worried about my delivery and my mental health. Where can I turn?
Families/Kids Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: You are not alone. More than 20% of new mothers experience a perinatal mood and/or anxiety disorder. Increasing evidence from top journals such as the Lancet are telling us that the effects of COVID-19 isolation policies are influencing our mental health, regardless of whether we had any mental health issues prior to this crisis. Read more…
The numbers of cases and deaths in some parts of the country are looking better than expected. Did we overreact with all the distancing measures and closures?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: So much no. No, no, nopeity nope. It’s very tempting to Monday morning quarterback the decisions that cities and states have made over the past few weeks, and the recommendations from the CDC. The physical distancing measures, the school closures and the near total shut-down of the economy feel extreme, particularly given some glimmers Read more…
What are four key measures to bend the COVID-19 curve downwards?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
“Four key measures, on top of treating the ill and maintaining physical distancing, must be in place not just to slow the rise of Covid-19 cases, but also to bend the curve downward. These are: test widely, isolate the infected, trace the contacts of those infected and quarantine appropriately.” Links: The New York Times Original Read more…
Why is everyone suddenly talking about the positivity rate? Is this positive psychology or something else?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Infection and Spread Testing and Contact Tracing
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: Definitely not positive psychology! The positivity rate is simply the fraction of people who test positive for COVID-19 out of all the people who get tested. It is important because it is a rough indicator of how much of the true extent of COVID-19 infection is being detected and diagnosed. In other words, a Read more…
I miss my family and friends. What is the risk of getting together for a small gathering?
Families/Kids Socializing
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Small gatherings of any size are highly discouraged. A recent publication by the CDC outlines the sequence of infections (contact tracing) among a cluster of Covid-19 infections in Chicago following a funeral and a birthday party. One positive individual attended both events and subsequently infected *15* family and friends, not counting asymptomatic carriers and Read more…
What is a toilet plume? And what does it mean for me?
Infection and Spread
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: A toilet plume occurs when droplets of feces or urine escape during a toilet flush into the air. COVID-19 may spread through fecal-oral transmission, which means you don’t want any part of that toilet plume. One study estimates that a single open flush can emit up to 80,000 droplets into the air. Covering the Read more…
Should I seek out COVID infection to “get it over with?”
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Hard pass. Epidemiologist Greta Bauer explains why intentional infection is a *very* bad idea in this informative NYTimes write-up. Highlights: Even “mild” cases aren’t so mild; intentional infection is NOT an effective shortcut to herd immunity. Link to original FB post
Is COVID-19 really the leading cause of death in the US?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: By some measures, yes it is. When one of your friendly resident Nerdy Girls saw this tweet from Andy Slavitt earlier today: “The daily CV death toll has surpassed everything else,” she wondered, can this possibly be true? Well, it turns out that over the past few weeks, COVID-19 has charged up the list Read more…
I’ve heard a lot of people talking about contact tracing. What is it, why is it so important, and does this work?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: In sum, contact tracing helps us identify people who have been in close contact with a person infected with the virus by 1) Identifying the contacts; 2) Listing the contacts and recommending self-isolation or quarantine; and 3) Following up with contacts to assess for symptoms of illness. This is critical because it helps limit Read more…
What are feasible ways to track the spread of asymptomatic cases in a community?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Sampling sewage (!) and/or a small number of randomly selected individuals Testing wastewater (aka sewage) is a validated monitoring tool for opioid misuse and antibiotic resistance, and new evidence is demonstrating its effectiveness for detecting the coronavirus. Utah and Ohio are examples of states rolling out individual-level random sampling on a small subset of Read more…
What’s the latest on whether kids are as likely as adults to be hospitalized and to fall critically ill from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: The latest news is good news for those worried about kids: The chances of being hospitalized and ending up in intensive care are much lower — by an order of magnitude — for children <18 years old compared to those 18-64. Here’s the core nugget of results from the study as reported by NPR: Read more…
Are racial and ethnic minorities at a higher risk of dying from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Social and Racial Justice
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Unfortunately, from the available data, African Americans and Hispanics are disproportionately represented among COVID-19 deaths in the US. At present, most states are not reporting on the racial and ethnic patterns. There are many pathways through which minorities may have worse outcomes including social, socioeconomic and living circumstances increasing susceptibility to infection, in addition Read more…
What can I do to help with my anxiety? Is it me or is everyone having a hard time right now?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: It is normal to feel anxious in our current reality. The important things: Maintain routine, make sure you sleep, keep up with social relationships, unplug from the news (its OK!), and focus on one small positive thing every day. If you need help now, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK. If you Read more…
What is a “cytokine storm?” Why is it important?
Biology/Immunity
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: The immune system’s overreaction to a virus or bacterium. It’s the actual cause of death in many COVID cases, and therefore is the target of numerous experimental treatments. Links: The New York Times Original FB post
Nadia, a tiger at the Bronx zoo, has coronavirus. Do I need to worry about my pets?
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Probably not. But if you have symptoms, you should isolate away from your beloved furry friends. For a very helpful explainer of COVID concerns in domestic animals, see this NPR piece. Link to original FB post
A: Bracingly, the IMF projects the deepest recession since the Great Depression — and urges countries to stay the course on social distancing to stop virus spread. This quote sums it up well: “There is no trade-off between saving lives and saving livelihoods,” the report states. Read more take-aways here. Link to original FB post
When will social distancing end?
Reopening SocializingJennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Q: Will opening up contribute to second wave of disease? A: One of our most trusted scientific sources Marc Lipsitch answers the tough questions. Link to original FB post
Should I avoid eating fresh produce?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: No! According to food scientist Dr. Donald Schaffer, the greater infection risk is “standing next to that person at the apple bin.” More great food safety info in this Consumer Reports article. H/T Claire Grosel and Haylle Reidy Link to original FB post
How do you know if someone is immune to Covid-19?
Biology/Immunity
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: This is a tricky one. Scientists are currently examining blood serum of individuals who have tested positive for Covid-19 to study their immune system response. At the moment, there are more questions than answers. Here are a few highlights about immunity and an article summarizing the challenges around determining how infection with Covid-19 or Read more…
I am pregnant and am worried about my delivery and my mental health. Where can I turn?
Families/Kids Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: You are not alone. More than 20% of new mothers experience a perinatal mood and/or anxiety disorder. Increasing evidence from top journals such as the Lancet are telling us that the effects of COVID-19 isolation policies are influencing our mental health, regardless of whether we had any mental health issues prior to this crisis. Read more…
The numbers of cases and deaths in some parts of the country are looking better than expected. Did we overreact with all the distancing measures and closures?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: So much no. No, no, nopeity nope. It’s very tempting to Monday morning quarterback the decisions that cities and states have made over the past few weeks, and the recommendations from the CDC. The physical distancing measures, the school closures and the near total shut-down of the economy feel extreme, particularly given some glimmers Read more…
What are four key measures to bend the COVID-19 curve downwards?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
“Four key measures, on top of treating the ill and maintaining physical distancing, must be in place not just to slow the rise of Covid-19 cases, but also to bend the curve downward. These are: test widely, isolate the infected, trace the contacts of those infected and quarantine appropriately.” Links: The New York Times Original Read more…
Why is everyone suddenly talking about the positivity rate? Is this positive psychology or something else?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Infection and Spread Testing and Contact Tracing
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: Definitely not positive psychology! The positivity rate is simply the fraction of people who test positive for COVID-19 out of all the people who get tested. It is important because it is a rough indicator of how much of the true extent of COVID-19 infection is being detected and diagnosed. In other words, a Read more…
I miss my family and friends. What is the risk of getting together for a small gathering?
Families/Kids Socializing
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Small gatherings of any size are highly discouraged. A recent publication by the CDC outlines the sequence of infections (contact tracing) among a cluster of Covid-19 infections in Chicago following a funeral and a birthday party. One positive individual attended both events and subsequently infected *15* family and friends, not counting asymptomatic carriers and Read more…
What is a toilet plume? And what does it mean for me?
Infection and Spread
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: A toilet plume occurs when droplets of feces or urine escape during a toilet flush into the air. COVID-19 may spread through fecal-oral transmission, which means you don’t want any part of that toilet plume. One study estimates that a single open flush can emit up to 80,000 droplets into the air. Covering the Read more…
Should I seek out COVID infection to “get it over with?”
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Hard pass. Epidemiologist Greta Bauer explains why intentional infection is a *very* bad idea in this informative NYTimes write-up. Highlights: Even “mild” cases aren’t so mild; intentional infection is NOT an effective shortcut to herd immunity. Link to original FB post
Is COVID-19 really the leading cause of death in the US?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: By some measures, yes it is. When one of your friendly resident Nerdy Girls saw this tweet from Andy Slavitt earlier today: “The daily CV death toll has surpassed everything else,” she wondered, can this possibly be true? Well, it turns out that over the past few weeks, COVID-19 has charged up the list Read more…
I’ve heard a lot of people talking about contact tracing. What is it, why is it so important, and does this work?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: In sum, contact tracing helps us identify people who have been in close contact with a person infected with the virus by 1) Identifying the contacts; 2) Listing the contacts and recommending self-isolation or quarantine; and 3) Following up with contacts to assess for symptoms of illness. This is critical because it helps limit Read more…
What are feasible ways to track the spread of asymptomatic cases in a community?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Sampling sewage (!) and/or a small number of randomly selected individuals Testing wastewater (aka sewage) is a validated monitoring tool for opioid misuse and antibiotic resistance, and new evidence is demonstrating its effectiveness for detecting the coronavirus. Utah and Ohio are examples of states rolling out individual-level random sampling on a small subset of Read more…
What’s the latest on whether kids are as likely as adults to be hospitalized and to fall critically ill from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: The latest news is good news for those worried about kids: The chances of being hospitalized and ending up in intensive care are much lower — by an order of magnitude — for children <18 years old compared to those 18-64. Here’s the core nugget of results from the study as reported by NPR: Read more…
Are racial and ethnic minorities at a higher risk of dying from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Social and Racial Justice
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Unfortunately, from the available data, African Americans and Hispanics are disproportionately represented among COVID-19 deaths in the US. At present, most states are not reporting on the racial and ethnic patterns. There are many pathways through which minorities may have worse outcomes including social, socioeconomic and living circumstances increasing susceptibility to infection, in addition Read more…
What can I do to help with my anxiety? Is it me or is everyone having a hard time right now?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: It is normal to feel anxious in our current reality. The important things: Maintain routine, make sure you sleep, keep up with social relationships, unplug from the news (its OK!), and focus on one small positive thing every day. If you need help now, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK. If you Read more…
What is a “cytokine storm?” Why is it important?
Biology/Immunity
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: The immune system’s overreaction to a virus or bacterium. It’s the actual cause of death in many COVID cases, and therefore is the target of numerous experimental treatments. Links: The New York Times Original FB post
Nadia, a tiger at the Bronx zoo, has coronavirus. Do I need to worry about my pets?
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Probably not. But if you have symptoms, you should isolate away from your beloved furry friends. For a very helpful explainer of COVID concerns in domestic animals, see this NPR piece. Link to original FB post
Q: Will opening up contribute to second wave of disease? A: One of our most trusted scientific sources Marc Lipsitch answers the tough questions. Link to original FB post
Should I avoid eating fresh produce?
Infection and Spread Staying SafeLindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: No! According to food scientist Dr. Donald Schaffer, the greater infection risk is “standing next to that person at the apple bin.” More great food safety info in this Consumer Reports article. H/T Claire Grosel and Haylle Reidy Link to original FB post
How do you know if someone is immune to Covid-19?
Biology/Immunity
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: This is a tricky one. Scientists are currently examining blood serum of individuals who have tested positive for Covid-19 to study their immune system response. At the moment, there are more questions than answers. Here are a few highlights about immunity and an article summarizing the challenges around determining how infection with Covid-19 or Read more…
I am pregnant and am worried about my delivery and my mental health. Where can I turn?
Families/Kids Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: You are not alone. More than 20% of new mothers experience a perinatal mood and/or anxiety disorder. Increasing evidence from top journals such as the Lancet are telling us that the effects of COVID-19 isolation policies are influencing our mental health, regardless of whether we had any mental health issues prior to this crisis. Read more…
The numbers of cases and deaths in some parts of the country are looking better than expected. Did we overreact with all the distancing measures and closures?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: So much no. No, no, nopeity nope. It’s very tempting to Monday morning quarterback the decisions that cities and states have made over the past few weeks, and the recommendations from the CDC. The physical distancing measures, the school closures and the near total shut-down of the economy feel extreme, particularly given some glimmers Read more…
What are four key measures to bend the COVID-19 curve downwards?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
“Four key measures, on top of treating the ill and maintaining physical distancing, must be in place not just to slow the rise of Covid-19 cases, but also to bend the curve downward. These are: test widely, isolate the infected, trace the contacts of those infected and quarantine appropriately.” Links: The New York Times Original Read more…
Why is everyone suddenly talking about the positivity rate? Is this positive psychology or something else?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Infection and Spread Testing and Contact Tracing
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: Definitely not positive psychology! The positivity rate is simply the fraction of people who test positive for COVID-19 out of all the people who get tested. It is important because it is a rough indicator of how much of the true extent of COVID-19 infection is being detected and diagnosed. In other words, a Read more…
I miss my family and friends. What is the risk of getting together for a small gathering?
Families/Kids Socializing
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Small gatherings of any size are highly discouraged. A recent publication by the CDC outlines the sequence of infections (contact tracing) among a cluster of Covid-19 infections in Chicago following a funeral and a birthday party. One positive individual attended both events and subsequently infected *15* family and friends, not counting asymptomatic carriers and Read more…
What is a toilet plume? And what does it mean for me?
Infection and Spread
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: A toilet plume occurs when droplets of feces or urine escape during a toilet flush into the air. COVID-19 may spread through fecal-oral transmission, which means you don’t want any part of that toilet plume. One study estimates that a single open flush can emit up to 80,000 droplets into the air. Covering the Read more…
Should I seek out COVID infection to “get it over with?”
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Hard pass. Epidemiologist Greta Bauer explains why intentional infection is a *very* bad idea in this informative NYTimes write-up. Highlights: Even “mild” cases aren’t so mild; intentional infection is NOT an effective shortcut to herd immunity. Link to original FB post
Is COVID-19 really the leading cause of death in the US?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: By some measures, yes it is. When one of your friendly resident Nerdy Girls saw this tweet from Andy Slavitt earlier today: “The daily CV death toll has surpassed everything else,” she wondered, can this possibly be true? Well, it turns out that over the past few weeks, COVID-19 has charged up the list Read more…
I’ve heard a lot of people talking about contact tracing. What is it, why is it so important, and does this work?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: In sum, contact tracing helps us identify people who have been in close contact with a person infected with the virus by 1) Identifying the contacts; 2) Listing the contacts and recommending self-isolation or quarantine; and 3) Following up with contacts to assess for symptoms of illness. This is critical because it helps limit Read more…
What are feasible ways to track the spread of asymptomatic cases in a community?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Sampling sewage (!) and/or a small number of randomly selected individuals Testing wastewater (aka sewage) is a validated monitoring tool for opioid misuse and antibiotic resistance, and new evidence is demonstrating its effectiveness for detecting the coronavirus. Utah and Ohio are examples of states rolling out individual-level random sampling on a small subset of Read more…
What’s the latest on whether kids are as likely as adults to be hospitalized and to fall critically ill from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: The latest news is good news for those worried about kids: The chances of being hospitalized and ending up in intensive care are much lower — by an order of magnitude — for children <18 years old compared to those 18-64. Here’s the core nugget of results from the study as reported by NPR: Read more…
Are racial and ethnic minorities at a higher risk of dying from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Social and Racial Justice
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Unfortunately, from the available data, African Americans and Hispanics are disproportionately represented among COVID-19 deaths in the US. At present, most states are not reporting on the racial and ethnic patterns. There are many pathways through which minorities may have worse outcomes including social, socioeconomic and living circumstances increasing susceptibility to infection, in addition Read more…
What can I do to help with my anxiety? Is it me or is everyone having a hard time right now?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: It is normal to feel anxious in our current reality. The important things: Maintain routine, make sure you sleep, keep up with social relationships, unplug from the news (its OK!), and focus on one small positive thing every day. If you need help now, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK. If you Read more…
What is a “cytokine storm?” Why is it important?
Biology/Immunity
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: The immune system’s overreaction to a virus or bacterium. It’s the actual cause of death in many COVID cases, and therefore is the target of numerous experimental treatments. Links: The New York Times Original FB post
Nadia, a tiger at the Bronx zoo, has coronavirus. Do I need to worry about my pets?
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Probably not. But if you have symptoms, you should isolate away from your beloved furry friends. For a very helpful explainer of COVID concerns in domestic animals, see this NPR piece. Link to original FB post
A: No! According to food scientist Dr. Donald Schaffer, the greater infection risk is “standing next to that person at the apple bin.” More great food safety info in this Consumer Reports article. H/T Claire Grosel and Haylle Reidy Link to original FB post
How do you know if someone is immune to Covid-19?
Biology/ImmunityAshley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: This is a tricky one. Scientists are currently examining blood serum of individuals who have tested positive for Covid-19 to study their immune system response. At the moment, there are more questions than answers. Here are a few highlights about immunity and an article summarizing the challenges around determining how infection with Covid-19 or Read more…
I am pregnant and am worried about my delivery and my mental health. Where can I turn?
Families/Kids Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: You are not alone. More than 20% of new mothers experience a perinatal mood and/or anxiety disorder. Increasing evidence from top journals such as the Lancet are telling us that the effects of COVID-19 isolation policies are influencing our mental health, regardless of whether we had any mental health issues prior to this crisis. Read more…
The numbers of cases and deaths in some parts of the country are looking better than expected. Did we overreact with all the distancing measures and closures?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: So much no. No, no, nopeity nope. It’s very tempting to Monday morning quarterback the decisions that cities and states have made over the past few weeks, and the recommendations from the CDC. The physical distancing measures, the school closures and the near total shut-down of the economy feel extreme, particularly given some glimmers Read more…
What are four key measures to bend the COVID-19 curve downwards?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
“Four key measures, on top of treating the ill and maintaining physical distancing, must be in place not just to slow the rise of Covid-19 cases, but also to bend the curve downward. These are: test widely, isolate the infected, trace the contacts of those infected and quarantine appropriately.” Links: The New York Times Original Read more…
Why is everyone suddenly talking about the positivity rate? Is this positive psychology or something else?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Infection and Spread Testing and Contact Tracing
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: Definitely not positive psychology! The positivity rate is simply the fraction of people who test positive for COVID-19 out of all the people who get tested. It is important because it is a rough indicator of how much of the true extent of COVID-19 infection is being detected and diagnosed. In other words, a Read more…
I miss my family and friends. What is the risk of getting together for a small gathering?
Families/Kids Socializing
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Small gatherings of any size are highly discouraged. A recent publication by the CDC outlines the sequence of infections (contact tracing) among a cluster of Covid-19 infections in Chicago following a funeral and a birthday party. One positive individual attended both events and subsequently infected *15* family and friends, not counting asymptomatic carriers and Read more…
What is a toilet plume? And what does it mean for me?
Infection and Spread
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: A toilet plume occurs when droplets of feces or urine escape during a toilet flush into the air. COVID-19 may spread through fecal-oral transmission, which means you don’t want any part of that toilet plume. One study estimates that a single open flush can emit up to 80,000 droplets into the air. Covering the Read more…
Should I seek out COVID infection to “get it over with?”
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Hard pass. Epidemiologist Greta Bauer explains why intentional infection is a *very* bad idea in this informative NYTimes write-up. Highlights: Even “mild” cases aren’t so mild; intentional infection is NOT an effective shortcut to herd immunity. Link to original FB post
Is COVID-19 really the leading cause of death in the US?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: By some measures, yes it is. When one of your friendly resident Nerdy Girls saw this tweet from Andy Slavitt earlier today: “The daily CV death toll has surpassed everything else,” she wondered, can this possibly be true? Well, it turns out that over the past few weeks, COVID-19 has charged up the list Read more…
I’ve heard a lot of people talking about contact tracing. What is it, why is it so important, and does this work?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: In sum, contact tracing helps us identify people who have been in close contact with a person infected with the virus by 1) Identifying the contacts; 2) Listing the contacts and recommending self-isolation or quarantine; and 3) Following up with contacts to assess for symptoms of illness. This is critical because it helps limit Read more…
What are feasible ways to track the spread of asymptomatic cases in a community?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Sampling sewage (!) and/or a small number of randomly selected individuals Testing wastewater (aka sewage) is a validated monitoring tool for opioid misuse and antibiotic resistance, and new evidence is demonstrating its effectiveness for detecting the coronavirus. Utah and Ohio are examples of states rolling out individual-level random sampling on a small subset of Read more…
What’s the latest on whether kids are as likely as adults to be hospitalized and to fall critically ill from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: The latest news is good news for those worried about kids: The chances of being hospitalized and ending up in intensive care are much lower — by an order of magnitude — for children <18 years old compared to those 18-64. Here’s the core nugget of results from the study as reported by NPR: Read more…
Are racial and ethnic minorities at a higher risk of dying from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Social and Racial Justice
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Unfortunately, from the available data, African Americans and Hispanics are disproportionately represented among COVID-19 deaths in the US. At present, most states are not reporting on the racial and ethnic patterns. There are many pathways through which minorities may have worse outcomes including social, socioeconomic and living circumstances increasing susceptibility to infection, in addition Read more…
What can I do to help with my anxiety? Is it me or is everyone having a hard time right now?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: It is normal to feel anxious in our current reality. The important things: Maintain routine, make sure you sleep, keep up with social relationships, unplug from the news (its OK!), and focus on one small positive thing every day. If you need help now, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK. If you Read more…
What is a “cytokine storm?” Why is it important?
Biology/Immunity
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: The immune system’s overreaction to a virus or bacterium. It’s the actual cause of death in many COVID cases, and therefore is the target of numerous experimental treatments. Links: The New York Times Original FB post
Nadia, a tiger at the Bronx zoo, has coronavirus. Do I need to worry about my pets?
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Probably not. But if you have symptoms, you should isolate away from your beloved furry friends. For a very helpful explainer of COVID concerns in domestic animals, see this NPR piece. Link to original FB post
A: This is a tricky one. Scientists are currently examining blood serum of individuals who have tested positive for Covid-19 to study their immune system response. At the moment, there are more questions than answers. Here are a few highlights about immunity and an article summarizing the challenges around determining how infection with Covid-19 or Read more…
I am pregnant and am worried about my delivery and my mental health. Where can I turn?
Families/Kids Mental HealthAparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: You are not alone. More than 20% of new mothers experience a perinatal mood and/or anxiety disorder. Increasing evidence from top journals such as the Lancet are telling us that the effects of COVID-19 isolation policies are influencing our mental health, regardless of whether we had any mental health issues prior to this crisis. Read more…
The numbers of cases and deaths in some parts of the country are looking better than expected. Did we overreact with all the distancing measures and closures?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: So much no. No, no, nopeity nope. It’s very tempting to Monday morning quarterback the decisions that cities and states have made over the past few weeks, and the recommendations from the CDC. The physical distancing measures, the school closures and the near total shut-down of the economy feel extreme, particularly given some glimmers Read more…
What are four key measures to bend the COVID-19 curve downwards?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
“Four key measures, on top of treating the ill and maintaining physical distancing, must be in place not just to slow the rise of Covid-19 cases, but also to bend the curve downward. These are: test widely, isolate the infected, trace the contacts of those infected and quarantine appropriately.” Links: The New York Times Original Read more…
Why is everyone suddenly talking about the positivity rate? Is this positive psychology or something else?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Infection and Spread Testing and Contact Tracing
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: Definitely not positive psychology! The positivity rate is simply the fraction of people who test positive for COVID-19 out of all the people who get tested. It is important because it is a rough indicator of how much of the true extent of COVID-19 infection is being detected and diagnosed. In other words, a Read more…
I miss my family and friends. What is the risk of getting together for a small gathering?
Families/Kids Socializing
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Small gatherings of any size are highly discouraged. A recent publication by the CDC outlines the sequence of infections (contact tracing) among a cluster of Covid-19 infections in Chicago following a funeral and a birthday party. One positive individual attended both events and subsequently infected *15* family and friends, not counting asymptomatic carriers and Read more…
What is a toilet plume? And what does it mean for me?
Infection and Spread
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: A toilet plume occurs when droplets of feces or urine escape during a toilet flush into the air. COVID-19 may spread through fecal-oral transmission, which means you don’t want any part of that toilet plume. One study estimates that a single open flush can emit up to 80,000 droplets into the air. Covering the Read more…
Should I seek out COVID infection to “get it over with?”
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Hard pass. Epidemiologist Greta Bauer explains why intentional infection is a *very* bad idea in this informative NYTimes write-up. Highlights: Even “mild” cases aren’t so mild; intentional infection is NOT an effective shortcut to herd immunity. Link to original FB post
Is COVID-19 really the leading cause of death in the US?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: By some measures, yes it is. When one of your friendly resident Nerdy Girls saw this tweet from Andy Slavitt earlier today: “The daily CV death toll has surpassed everything else,” she wondered, can this possibly be true? Well, it turns out that over the past few weeks, COVID-19 has charged up the list Read more…
I’ve heard a lot of people talking about contact tracing. What is it, why is it so important, and does this work?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: In sum, contact tracing helps us identify people who have been in close contact with a person infected with the virus by 1) Identifying the contacts; 2) Listing the contacts and recommending self-isolation or quarantine; and 3) Following up with contacts to assess for symptoms of illness. This is critical because it helps limit Read more…
What are feasible ways to track the spread of asymptomatic cases in a community?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Sampling sewage (!) and/or a small number of randomly selected individuals Testing wastewater (aka sewage) is a validated monitoring tool for opioid misuse and antibiotic resistance, and new evidence is demonstrating its effectiveness for detecting the coronavirus. Utah and Ohio are examples of states rolling out individual-level random sampling on a small subset of Read more…
What’s the latest on whether kids are as likely as adults to be hospitalized and to fall critically ill from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: The latest news is good news for those worried about kids: The chances of being hospitalized and ending up in intensive care are much lower — by an order of magnitude — for children <18 years old compared to those 18-64. Here’s the core nugget of results from the study as reported by NPR: Read more…
Are racial and ethnic minorities at a higher risk of dying from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Social and Racial Justice
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Unfortunately, from the available data, African Americans and Hispanics are disproportionately represented among COVID-19 deaths in the US. At present, most states are not reporting on the racial and ethnic patterns. There are many pathways through which minorities may have worse outcomes including social, socioeconomic and living circumstances increasing susceptibility to infection, in addition Read more…
What can I do to help with my anxiety? Is it me or is everyone having a hard time right now?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: It is normal to feel anxious in our current reality. The important things: Maintain routine, make sure you sleep, keep up with social relationships, unplug from the news (its OK!), and focus on one small positive thing every day. If you need help now, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK. If you Read more…
What is a “cytokine storm?” Why is it important?
Biology/Immunity
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: The immune system’s overreaction to a virus or bacterium. It’s the actual cause of death in many COVID cases, and therefore is the target of numerous experimental treatments. Links: The New York Times Original FB post
Nadia, a tiger at the Bronx zoo, has coronavirus. Do I need to worry about my pets?
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Probably not. But if you have symptoms, you should isolate away from your beloved furry friends. For a very helpful explainer of COVID concerns in domestic animals, see this NPR piece. Link to original FB post
A: You are not alone. More than 20% of new mothers experience a perinatal mood and/or anxiety disorder. Increasing evidence from top journals such as the Lancet are telling us that the effects of COVID-19 isolation policies are influencing our mental health, regardless of whether we had any mental health issues prior to this crisis. Read more…
The numbers of cases and deaths in some parts of the country are looking better than expected. Did we overreact with all the distancing measures and closures?
Data and Metrics Infection and SpreadAlison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: So much no. No, no, nopeity nope. It’s very tempting to Monday morning quarterback the decisions that cities and states have made over the past few weeks, and the recommendations from the CDC. The physical distancing measures, the school closures and the near total shut-down of the economy feel extreme, particularly given some glimmers Read more…
What are four key measures to bend the COVID-19 curve downwards?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
“Four key measures, on top of treating the ill and maintaining physical distancing, must be in place not just to slow the rise of Covid-19 cases, but also to bend the curve downward. These are: test widely, isolate the infected, trace the contacts of those infected and quarantine appropriately.” Links: The New York Times Original Read more…
Why is everyone suddenly talking about the positivity rate? Is this positive psychology or something else?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Infection and Spread Testing and Contact Tracing
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: Definitely not positive psychology! The positivity rate is simply the fraction of people who test positive for COVID-19 out of all the people who get tested. It is important because it is a rough indicator of how much of the true extent of COVID-19 infection is being detected and diagnosed. In other words, a Read more…
I miss my family and friends. What is the risk of getting together for a small gathering?
Families/Kids Socializing
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Small gatherings of any size are highly discouraged. A recent publication by the CDC outlines the sequence of infections (contact tracing) among a cluster of Covid-19 infections in Chicago following a funeral and a birthday party. One positive individual attended both events and subsequently infected *15* family and friends, not counting asymptomatic carriers and Read more…
What is a toilet plume? And what does it mean for me?
Infection and Spread
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: A toilet plume occurs when droplets of feces or urine escape during a toilet flush into the air. COVID-19 may spread through fecal-oral transmission, which means you don’t want any part of that toilet plume. One study estimates that a single open flush can emit up to 80,000 droplets into the air. Covering the Read more…
Should I seek out COVID infection to “get it over with?”
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Hard pass. Epidemiologist Greta Bauer explains why intentional infection is a *very* bad idea in this informative NYTimes write-up. Highlights: Even “mild” cases aren’t so mild; intentional infection is NOT an effective shortcut to herd immunity. Link to original FB post
Is COVID-19 really the leading cause of death in the US?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: By some measures, yes it is. When one of your friendly resident Nerdy Girls saw this tweet from Andy Slavitt earlier today: “The daily CV death toll has surpassed everything else,” she wondered, can this possibly be true? Well, it turns out that over the past few weeks, COVID-19 has charged up the list Read more…
I’ve heard a lot of people talking about contact tracing. What is it, why is it so important, and does this work?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: In sum, contact tracing helps us identify people who have been in close contact with a person infected with the virus by 1) Identifying the contacts; 2) Listing the contacts and recommending self-isolation or quarantine; and 3) Following up with contacts to assess for symptoms of illness. This is critical because it helps limit Read more…
What are feasible ways to track the spread of asymptomatic cases in a community?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Sampling sewage (!) and/or a small number of randomly selected individuals Testing wastewater (aka sewage) is a validated monitoring tool for opioid misuse and antibiotic resistance, and new evidence is demonstrating its effectiveness for detecting the coronavirus. Utah and Ohio are examples of states rolling out individual-level random sampling on a small subset of Read more…
What’s the latest on whether kids are as likely as adults to be hospitalized and to fall critically ill from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: The latest news is good news for those worried about kids: The chances of being hospitalized and ending up in intensive care are much lower — by an order of magnitude — for children <18 years old compared to those 18-64. Here’s the core nugget of results from the study as reported by NPR: Read more…
Are racial and ethnic minorities at a higher risk of dying from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Social and Racial Justice
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Unfortunately, from the available data, African Americans and Hispanics are disproportionately represented among COVID-19 deaths in the US. At present, most states are not reporting on the racial and ethnic patterns. There are many pathways through which minorities may have worse outcomes including social, socioeconomic and living circumstances increasing susceptibility to infection, in addition Read more…
What can I do to help with my anxiety? Is it me or is everyone having a hard time right now?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: It is normal to feel anxious in our current reality. The important things: Maintain routine, make sure you sleep, keep up with social relationships, unplug from the news (its OK!), and focus on one small positive thing every day. If you need help now, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK. If you Read more…
What is a “cytokine storm?” Why is it important?
Biology/Immunity
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: The immune system’s overreaction to a virus or bacterium. It’s the actual cause of death in many COVID cases, and therefore is the target of numerous experimental treatments. Links: The New York Times Original FB post
Nadia, a tiger at the Bronx zoo, has coronavirus. Do I need to worry about my pets?
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Probably not. But if you have symptoms, you should isolate away from your beloved furry friends. For a very helpful explainer of COVID concerns in domestic animals, see this NPR piece. Link to original FB post
A: So much no. No, no, nopeity nope. It’s very tempting to Monday morning quarterback the decisions that cities and states have made over the past few weeks, and the recommendations from the CDC. The physical distancing measures, the school closures and the near total shut-down of the economy feel extreme, particularly given some glimmers Read more…
What are four key measures to bend the COVID-19 curve downwards?
Infection and Spread Staying SafeJennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
“Four key measures, on top of treating the ill and maintaining physical distancing, must be in place not just to slow the rise of Covid-19 cases, but also to bend the curve downward. These are: test widely, isolate the infected, trace the contacts of those infected and quarantine appropriately.” Links: The New York Times Original Read more…
Why is everyone suddenly talking about the positivity rate? Is this positive psychology or something else?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Infection and Spread Testing and Contact Tracing
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: Definitely not positive psychology! The positivity rate is simply the fraction of people who test positive for COVID-19 out of all the people who get tested. It is important because it is a rough indicator of how much of the true extent of COVID-19 infection is being detected and diagnosed. In other words, a Read more…
I miss my family and friends. What is the risk of getting together for a small gathering?
Families/Kids Socializing
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Small gatherings of any size are highly discouraged. A recent publication by the CDC outlines the sequence of infections (contact tracing) among a cluster of Covid-19 infections in Chicago following a funeral and a birthday party. One positive individual attended both events and subsequently infected *15* family and friends, not counting asymptomatic carriers and Read more…
What is a toilet plume? And what does it mean for me?
Infection and Spread
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: A toilet plume occurs when droplets of feces or urine escape during a toilet flush into the air. COVID-19 may spread through fecal-oral transmission, which means you don’t want any part of that toilet plume. One study estimates that a single open flush can emit up to 80,000 droplets into the air. Covering the Read more…
Should I seek out COVID infection to “get it over with?”
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Hard pass. Epidemiologist Greta Bauer explains why intentional infection is a *very* bad idea in this informative NYTimes write-up. Highlights: Even “mild” cases aren’t so mild; intentional infection is NOT an effective shortcut to herd immunity. Link to original FB post
Is COVID-19 really the leading cause of death in the US?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: By some measures, yes it is. When one of your friendly resident Nerdy Girls saw this tweet from Andy Slavitt earlier today: “The daily CV death toll has surpassed everything else,” she wondered, can this possibly be true? Well, it turns out that over the past few weeks, COVID-19 has charged up the list Read more…
I’ve heard a lot of people talking about contact tracing. What is it, why is it so important, and does this work?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: In sum, contact tracing helps us identify people who have been in close contact with a person infected with the virus by 1) Identifying the contacts; 2) Listing the contacts and recommending self-isolation or quarantine; and 3) Following up with contacts to assess for symptoms of illness. This is critical because it helps limit Read more…
What are feasible ways to track the spread of asymptomatic cases in a community?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Sampling sewage (!) and/or a small number of randomly selected individuals Testing wastewater (aka sewage) is a validated monitoring tool for opioid misuse and antibiotic resistance, and new evidence is demonstrating its effectiveness for detecting the coronavirus. Utah and Ohio are examples of states rolling out individual-level random sampling on a small subset of Read more…
What’s the latest on whether kids are as likely as adults to be hospitalized and to fall critically ill from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: The latest news is good news for those worried about kids: The chances of being hospitalized and ending up in intensive care are much lower — by an order of magnitude — for children <18 years old compared to those 18-64. Here’s the core nugget of results from the study as reported by NPR: Read more…
Are racial and ethnic minorities at a higher risk of dying from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Social and Racial Justice
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Unfortunately, from the available data, African Americans and Hispanics are disproportionately represented among COVID-19 deaths in the US. At present, most states are not reporting on the racial and ethnic patterns. There are many pathways through which minorities may have worse outcomes including social, socioeconomic and living circumstances increasing susceptibility to infection, in addition Read more…
What can I do to help with my anxiety? Is it me or is everyone having a hard time right now?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: It is normal to feel anxious in our current reality. The important things: Maintain routine, make sure you sleep, keep up with social relationships, unplug from the news (its OK!), and focus on one small positive thing every day. If you need help now, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK. If you Read more…
What is a “cytokine storm?” Why is it important?
Biology/Immunity
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: The immune system’s overreaction to a virus or bacterium. It’s the actual cause of death in many COVID cases, and therefore is the target of numerous experimental treatments. Links: The New York Times Original FB post
Nadia, a tiger at the Bronx zoo, has coronavirus. Do I need to worry about my pets?
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Probably not. But if you have symptoms, you should isolate away from your beloved furry friends. For a very helpful explainer of COVID concerns in domestic animals, see this NPR piece. Link to original FB post
“Four key measures, on top of treating the ill and maintaining physical distancing, must be in place not just to slow the rise of Covid-19 cases, but also to bend the curve downward. These are: test widely, isolate the infected, trace the contacts of those infected and quarantine appropriately.” Links: The New York Times Original Read more…
Why is everyone suddenly talking about the positivity rate? Is this positive psychology or something else?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Infection and Spread Testing and Contact TracingAparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: Definitely not positive psychology! The positivity rate is simply the fraction of people who test positive for COVID-19 out of all the people who get tested. It is important because it is a rough indicator of how much of the true extent of COVID-19 infection is being detected and diagnosed. In other words, a Read more…
I miss my family and friends. What is the risk of getting together for a small gathering?
Families/Kids Socializing
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Small gatherings of any size are highly discouraged. A recent publication by the CDC outlines the sequence of infections (contact tracing) among a cluster of Covid-19 infections in Chicago following a funeral and a birthday party. One positive individual attended both events and subsequently infected *15* family and friends, not counting asymptomatic carriers and Read more…
What is a toilet plume? And what does it mean for me?
Infection and Spread
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: A toilet plume occurs when droplets of feces or urine escape during a toilet flush into the air. COVID-19 may spread through fecal-oral transmission, which means you don’t want any part of that toilet plume. One study estimates that a single open flush can emit up to 80,000 droplets into the air. Covering the Read more…
Should I seek out COVID infection to “get it over with?”
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Hard pass. Epidemiologist Greta Bauer explains why intentional infection is a *very* bad idea in this informative NYTimes write-up. Highlights: Even “mild” cases aren’t so mild; intentional infection is NOT an effective shortcut to herd immunity. Link to original FB post
Is COVID-19 really the leading cause of death in the US?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: By some measures, yes it is. When one of your friendly resident Nerdy Girls saw this tweet from Andy Slavitt earlier today: “The daily CV death toll has surpassed everything else,” she wondered, can this possibly be true? Well, it turns out that over the past few weeks, COVID-19 has charged up the list Read more…
I’ve heard a lot of people talking about contact tracing. What is it, why is it so important, and does this work?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: In sum, contact tracing helps us identify people who have been in close contact with a person infected with the virus by 1) Identifying the contacts; 2) Listing the contacts and recommending self-isolation or quarantine; and 3) Following up with contacts to assess for symptoms of illness. This is critical because it helps limit Read more…
What are feasible ways to track the spread of asymptomatic cases in a community?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Sampling sewage (!) and/or a small number of randomly selected individuals Testing wastewater (aka sewage) is a validated monitoring tool for opioid misuse and antibiotic resistance, and new evidence is demonstrating its effectiveness for detecting the coronavirus. Utah and Ohio are examples of states rolling out individual-level random sampling on a small subset of Read more…
What’s the latest on whether kids are as likely as adults to be hospitalized and to fall critically ill from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: The latest news is good news for those worried about kids: The chances of being hospitalized and ending up in intensive care are much lower — by an order of magnitude — for children <18 years old compared to those 18-64. Here’s the core nugget of results from the study as reported by NPR: Read more…
Are racial and ethnic minorities at a higher risk of dying from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Social and Racial Justice
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Unfortunately, from the available data, African Americans and Hispanics are disproportionately represented among COVID-19 deaths in the US. At present, most states are not reporting on the racial and ethnic patterns. There are many pathways through which minorities may have worse outcomes including social, socioeconomic and living circumstances increasing susceptibility to infection, in addition Read more…
What can I do to help with my anxiety? Is it me or is everyone having a hard time right now?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: It is normal to feel anxious in our current reality. The important things: Maintain routine, make sure you sleep, keep up with social relationships, unplug from the news (its OK!), and focus on one small positive thing every day. If you need help now, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK. If you Read more…
What is a “cytokine storm?” Why is it important?
Biology/Immunity
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: The immune system’s overreaction to a virus or bacterium. It’s the actual cause of death in many COVID cases, and therefore is the target of numerous experimental treatments. Links: The New York Times Original FB post
Nadia, a tiger at the Bronx zoo, has coronavirus. Do I need to worry about my pets?
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Probably not. But if you have symptoms, you should isolate away from your beloved furry friends. For a very helpful explainer of COVID concerns in domestic animals, see this NPR piece. Link to original FB post
A: Definitely not positive psychology! The positivity rate is simply the fraction of people who test positive for COVID-19 out of all the people who get tested. It is important because it is a rough indicator of how much of the true extent of COVID-19 infection is being detected and diagnosed. In other words, a Read more…
I miss my family and friends. What is the risk of getting together for a small gathering?
Families/Kids SocializingAshley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Small gatherings of any size are highly discouraged. A recent publication by the CDC outlines the sequence of infections (contact tracing) among a cluster of Covid-19 infections in Chicago following a funeral and a birthday party. One positive individual attended both events and subsequently infected *15* family and friends, not counting asymptomatic carriers and Read more…
What is a toilet plume? And what does it mean for me?
Infection and Spread
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: A toilet plume occurs when droplets of feces or urine escape during a toilet flush into the air. COVID-19 may spread through fecal-oral transmission, which means you don’t want any part of that toilet plume. One study estimates that a single open flush can emit up to 80,000 droplets into the air. Covering the Read more…
Should I seek out COVID infection to “get it over with?”
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Hard pass. Epidemiologist Greta Bauer explains why intentional infection is a *very* bad idea in this informative NYTimes write-up. Highlights: Even “mild” cases aren’t so mild; intentional infection is NOT an effective shortcut to herd immunity. Link to original FB post
Is COVID-19 really the leading cause of death in the US?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: By some measures, yes it is. When one of your friendly resident Nerdy Girls saw this tweet from Andy Slavitt earlier today: “The daily CV death toll has surpassed everything else,” she wondered, can this possibly be true? Well, it turns out that over the past few weeks, COVID-19 has charged up the list Read more…
I’ve heard a lot of people talking about contact tracing. What is it, why is it so important, and does this work?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: In sum, contact tracing helps us identify people who have been in close contact with a person infected with the virus by 1) Identifying the contacts; 2) Listing the contacts and recommending self-isolation or quarantine; and 3) Following up with contacts to assess for symptoms of illness. This is critical because it helps limit Read more…
What are feasible ways to track the spread of asymptomatic cases in a community?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Sampling sewage (!) and/or a small number of randomly selected individuals Testing wastewater (aka sewage) is a validated monitoring tool for opioid misuse and antibiotic resistance, and new evidence is demonstrating its effectiveness for detecting the coronavirus. Utah and Ohio are examples of states rolling out individual-level random sampling on a small subset of Read more…
What’s the latest on whether kids are as likely as adults to be hospitalized and to fall critically ill from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: The latest news is good news for those worried about kids: The chances of being hospitalized and ending up in intensive care are much lower — by an order of magnitude — for children <18 years old compared to those 18-64. Here’s the core nugget of results from the study as reported by NPR: Read more…
Are racial and ethnic minorities at a higher risk of dying from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Social and Racial Justice
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Unfortunately, from the available data, African Americans and Hispanics are disproportionately represented among COVID-19 deaths in the US. At present, most states are not reporting on the racial and ethnic patterns. There are many pathways through which minorities may have worse outcomes including social, socioeconomic and living circumstances increasing susceptibility to infection, in addition Read more…
What can I do to help with my anxiety? Is it me or is everyone having a hard time right now?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: It is normal to feel anxious in our current reality. The important things: Maintain routine, make sure you sleep, keep up with social relationships, unplug from the news (its OK!), and focus on one small positive thing every day. If you need help now, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK. If you Read more…
What is a “cytokine storm?” Why is it important?
Biology/Immunity
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: The immune system’s overreaction to a virus or bacterium. It’s the actual cause of death in many COVID cases, and therefore is the target of numerous experimental treatments. Links: The New York Times Original FB post
Nadia, a tiger at the Bronx zoo, has coronavirus. Do I need to worry about my pets?
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Probably not. But if you have symptoms, you should isolate away from your beloved furry friends. For a very helpful explainer of COVID concerns in domestic animals, see this NPR piece. Link to original FB post
A: Small gatherings of any size are highly discouraged. A recent publication by the CDC outlines the sequence of infections (contact tracing) among a cluster of Covid-19 infections in Chicago following a funeral and a birthday party. One positive individual attended both events and subsequently infected *15* family and friends, not counting asymptomatic carriers and Read more…
What is a toilet plume? And what does it mean for me?
Infection and SpreadLauren Hale, PhD MA
A: A toilet plume occurs when droplets of feces or urine escape during a toilet flush into the air. COVID-19 may spread through fecal-oral transmission, which means you don’t want any part of that toilet plume. One study estimates that a single open flush can emit up to 80,000 droplets into the air. Covering the Read more…
Should I seek out COVID infection to “get it over with?”
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Hard pass. Epidemiologist Greta Bauer explains why intentional infection is a *very* bad idea in this informative NYTimes write-up. Highlights: Even “mild” cases aren’t so mild; intentional infection is NOT an effective shortcut to herd immunity. Link to original FB post
Is COVID-19 really the leading cause of death in the US?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: By some measures, yes it is. When one of your friendly resident Nerdy Girls saw this tweet from Andy Slavitt earlier today: “The daily CV death toll has surpassed everything else,” she wondered, can this possibly be true? Well, it turns out that over the past few weeks, COVID-19 has charged up the list Read more…
I’ve heard a lot of people talking about contact tracing. What is it, why is it so important, and does this work?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: In sum, contact tracing helps us identify people who have been in close contact with a person infected with the virus by 1) Identifying the contacts; 2) Listing the contacts and recommending self-isolation or quarantine; and 3) Following up with contacts to assess for symptoms of illness. This is critical because it helps limit Read more…
What are feasible ways to track the spread of asymptomatic cases in a community?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Sampling sewage (!) and/or a small number of randomly selected individuals Testing wastewater (aka sewage) is a validated monitoring tool for opioid misuse and antibiotic resistance, and new evidence is demonstrating its effectiveness for detecting the coronavirus. Utah and Ohio are examples of states rolling out individual-level random sampling on a small subset of Read more…
What’s the latest on whether kids are as likely as adults to be hospitalized and to fall critically ill from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: The latest news is good news for those worried about kids: The chances of being hospitalized and ending up in intensive care are much lower — by an order of magnitude — for children <18 years old compared to those 18-64. Here’s the core nugget of results from the study as reported by NPR: Read more…
Are racial and ethnic minorities at a higher risk of dying from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Social and Racial Justice
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Unfortunately, from the available data, African Americans and Hispanics are disproportionately represented among COVID-19 deaths in the US. At present, most states are not reporting on the racial and ethnic patterns. There are many pathways through which minorities may have worse outcomes including social, socioeconomic and living circumstances increasing susceptibility to infection, in addition Read more…
What can I do to help with my anxiety? Is it me or is everyone having a hard time right now?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: It is normal to feel anxious in our current reality. The important things: Maintain routine, make sure you sleep, keep up with social relationships, unplug from the news (its OK!), and focus on one small positive thing every day. If you need help now, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK. If you Read more…
What is a “cytokine storm?” Why is it important?
Biology/Immunity
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: The immune system’s overreaction to a virus or bacterium. It’s the actual cause of death in many COVID cases, and therefore is the target of numerous experimental treatments. Links: The New York Times Original FB post
Nadia, a tiger at the Bronx zoo, has coronavirus. Do I need to worry about my pets?
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Probably not. But if you have symptoms, you should isolate away from your beloved furry friends. For a very helpful explainer of COVID concerns in domestic animals, see this NPR piece. Link to original FB post
A: A toilet plume occurs when droplets of feces or urine escape during a toilet flush into the air. COVID-19 may spread through fecal-oral transmission, which means you don’t want any part of that toilet plume. One study estimates that a single open flush can emit up to 80,000 droplets into the air. Covering the Read more…
Should I seek out COVID infection to “get it over with?”
Infection and SpreadLindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Hard pass. Epidemiologist Greta Bauer explains why intentional infection is a *very* bad idea in this informative NYTimes write-up. Highlights: Even “mild” cases aren’t so mild; intentional infection is NOT an effective shortcut to herd immunity. Link to original FB post
Is COVID-19 really the leading cause of death in the US?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: By some measures, yes it is. When one of your friendly resident Nerdy Girls saw this tweet from Andy Slavitt earlier today: “The daily CV death toll has surpassed everything else,” she wondered, can this possibly be true? Well, it turns out that over the past few weeks, COVID-19 has charged up the list Read more…
I’ve heard a lot of people talking about contact tracing. What is it, why is it so important, and does this work?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: In sum, contact tracing helps us identify people who have been in close contact with a person infected with the virus by 1) Identifying the contacts; 2) Listing the contacts and recommending self-isolation or quarantine; and 3) Following up with contacts to assess for symptoms of illness. This is critical because it helps limit Read more…
What are feasible ways to track the spread of asymptomatic cases in a community?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Sampling sewage (!) and/or a small number of randomly selected individuals Testing wastewater (aka sewage) is a validated monitoring tool for opioid misuse and antibiotic resistance, and new evidence is demonstrating its effectiveness for detecting the coronavirus. Utah and Ohio are examples of states rolling out individual-level random sampling on a small subset of Read more…
What’s the latest on whether kids are as likely as adults to be hospitalized and to fall critically ill from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: The latest news is good news for those worried about kids: The chances of being hospitalized and ending up in intensive care are much lower — by an order of magnitude — for children <18 years old compared to those 18-64. Here’s the core nugget of results from the study as reported by NPR: Read more…
Are racial and ethnic minorities at a higher risk of dying from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Social and Racial Justice
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Unfortunately, from the available data, African Americans and Hispanics are disproportionately represented among COVID-19 deaths in the US. At present, most states are not reporting on the racial and ethnic patterns. There are many pathways through which minorities may have worse outcomes including social, socioeconomic and living circumstances increasing susceptibility to infection, in addition Read more…
What can I do to help with my anxiety? Is it me or is everyone having a hard time right now?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: It is normal to feel anxious in our current reality. The important things: Maintain routine, make sure you sleep, keep up with social relationships, unplug from the news (its OK!), and focus on one small positive thing every day. If you need help now, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK. If you Read more…
What is a “cytokine storm?” Why is it important?
Biology/Immunity
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: The immune system’s overreaction to a virus or bacterium. It’s the actual cause of death in many COVID cases, and therefore is the target of numerous experimental treatments. Links: The New York Times Original FB post
Nadia, a tiger at the Bronx zoo, has coronavirus. Do I need to worry about my pets?
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Probably not. But if you have symptoms, you should isolate away from your beloved furry friends. For a very helpful explainer of COVID concerns in domestic animals, see this NPR piece. Link to original FB post
A: Hard pass. Epidemiologist Greta Bauer explains why intentional infection is a *very* bad idea in this informative NYTimes write-up. Highlights: Even “mild” cases aren’t so mild; intentional infection is NOT an effective shortcut to herd immunity. Link to original FB post
Is COVID-19 really the leading cause of death in the US?
Data and Metrics Infection and SpreadAlison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: By some measures, yes it is. When one of your friendly resident Nerdy Girls saw this tweet from Andy Slavitt earlier today: “The daily CV death toll has surpassed everything else,” she wondered, can this possibly be true? Well, it turns out that over the past few weeks, COVID-19 has charged up the list Read more…
I’ve heard a lot of people talking about contact tracing. What is it, why is it so important, and does this work?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: In sum, contact tracing helps us identify people who have been in close contact with a person infected with the virus by 1) Identifying the contacts; 2) Listing the contacts and recommending self-isolation or quarantine; and 3) Following up with contacts to assess for symptoms of illness. This is critical because it helps limit Read more…
What are feasible ways to track the spread of asymptomatic cases in a community?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Sampling sewage (!) and/or a small number of randomly selected individuals Testing wastewater (aka sewage) is a validated monitoring tool for opioid misuse and antibiotic resistance, and new evidence is demonstrating its effectiveness for detecting the coronavirus. Utah and Ohio are examples of states rolling out individual-level random sampling on a small subset of Read more…
What’s the latest on whether kids are as likely as adults to be hospitalized and to fall critically ill from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: The latest news is good news for those worried about kids: The chances of being hospitalized and ending up in intensive care are much lower — by an order of magnitude — for children <18 years old compared to those 18-64. Here’s the core nugget of results from the study as reported by NPR: Read more…
Are racial and ethnic minorities at a higher risk of dying from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Social and Racial Justice
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Unfortunately, from the available data, African Americans and Hispanics are disproportionately represented among COVID-19 deaths in the US. At present, most states are not reporting on the racial and ethnic patterns. There are many pathways through which minorities may have worse outcomes including social, socioeconomic and living circumstances increasing susceptibility to infection, in addition Read more…
What can I do to help with my anxiety? Is it me or is everyone having a hard time right now?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: It is normal to feel anxious in our current reality. The important things: Maintain routine, make sure you sleep, keep up with social relationships, unplug from the news (its OK!), and focus on one small positive thing every day. If you need help now, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK. If you Read more…
What is a “cytokine storm?” Why is it important?
Biology/Immunity
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: The immune system’s overreaction to a virus or bacterium. It’s the actual cause of death in many COVID cases, and therefore is the target of numerous experimental treatments. Links: The New York Times Original FB post
Nadia, a tiger at the Bronx zoo, has coronavirus. Do I need to worry about my pets?
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Probably not. But if you have symptoms, you should isolate away from your beloved furry friends. For a very helpful explainer of COVID concerns in domestic animals, see this NPR piece. Link to original FB post
A: By some measures, yes it is. When one of your friendly resident Nerdy Girls saw this tweet from Andy Slavitt earlier today: “The daily CV death toll has surpassed everything else,” she wondered, can this possibly be true? Well, it turns out that over the past few weeks, COVID-19 has charged up the list Read more…
I’ve heard a lot of people talking about contact tracing. What is it, why is it so important, and does this work?
Testing and Contact TracingAparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: In sum, contact tracing helps us identify people who have been in close contact with a person infected with the virus by 1) Identifying the contacts; 2) Listing the contacts and recommending self-isolation or quarantine; and 3) Following up with contacts to assess for symptoms of illness. This is critical because it helps limit Read more…
What are feasible ways to track the spread of asymptomatic cases in a community?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Sampling sewage (!) and/or a small number of randomly selected individuals Testing wastewater (aka sewage) is a validated monitoring tool for opioid misuse and antibiotic resistance, and new evidence is demonstrating its effectiveness for detecting the coronavirus. Utah and Ohio are examples of states rolling out individual-level random sampling on a small subset of Read more…
What’s the latest on whether kids are as likely as adults to be hospitalized and to fall critically ill from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: The latest news is good news for those worried about kids: The chances of being hospitalized and ending up in intensive care are much lower — by an order of magnitude — for children <18 years old compared to those 18-64. Here’s the core nugget of results from the study as reported by NPR: Read more…
Are racial and ethnic minorities at a higher risk of dying from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Social and Racial Justice
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Unfortunately, from the available data, African Americans and Hispanics are disproportionately represented among COVID-19 deaths in the US. At present, most states are not reporting on the racial and ethnic patterns. There are many pathways through which minorities may have worse outcomes including social, socioeconomic and living circumstances increasing susceptibility to infection, in addition Read more…
What can I do to help with my anxiety? Is it me or is everyone having a hard time right now?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: It is normal to feel anxious in our current reality. The important things: Maintain routine, make sure you sleep, keep up with social relationships, unplug from the news (its OK!), and focus on one small positive thing every day. If you need help now, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK. If you Read more…
What is a “cytokine storm?” Why is it important?
Biology/Immunity
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: The immune system’s overreaction to a virus or bacterium. It’s the actual cause of death in many COVID cases, and therefore is the target of numerous experimental treatments. Links: The New York Times Original FB post
Nadia, a tiger at the Bronx zoo, has coronavirus. Do I need to worry about my pets?
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Probably not. But if you have symptoms, you should isolate away from your beloved furry friends. For a very helpful explainer of COVID concerns in domestic animals, see this NPR piece. Link to original FB post
A: In sum, contact tracing helps us identify people who have been in close contact with a person infected with the virus by 1) Identifying the contacts; 2) Listing the contacts and recommending self-isolation or quarantine; and 3) Following up with contacts to assess for symptoms of illness. This is critical because it helps limit Read more…
What are feasible ways to track the spread of asymptomatic cases in a community?
Testing and Contact TracingLindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Sampling sewage (!) and/or a small number of randomly selected individuals Testing wastewater (aka sewage) is a validated monitoring tool for opioid misuse and antibiotic resistance, and new evidence is demonstrating its effectiveness for detecting the coronavirus. Utah and Ohio are examples of states rolling out individual-level random sampling on a small subset of Read more…
What’s the latest on whether kids are as likely as adults to be hospitalized and to fall critically ill from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: The latest news is good news for those worried about kids: The chances of being hospitalized and ending up in intensive care are much lower — by an order of magnitude — for children <18 years old compared to those 18-64. Here’s the core nugget of results from the study as reported by NPR: Read more…
Are racial and ethnic minorities at a higher risk of dying from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Social and Racial Justice
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Unfortunately, from the available data, African Americans and Hispanics are disproportionately represented among COVID-19 deaths in the US. At present, most states are not reporting on the racial and ethnic patterns. There are many pathways through which minorities may have worse outcomes including social, socioeconomic and living circumstances increasing susceptibility to infection, in addition Read more…
What can I do to help with my anxiety? Is it me or is everyone having a hard time right now?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: It is normal to feel anxious in our current reality. The important things: Maintain routine, make sure you sleep, keep up with social relationships, unplug from the news (its OK!), and focus on one small positive thing every day. If you need help now, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK. If you Read more…
What is a “cytokine storm?” Why is it important?
Biology/Immunity
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: The immune system’s overreaction to a virus or bacterium. It’s the actual cause of death in many COVID cases, and therefore is the target of numerous experimental treatments. Links: The New York Times Original FB post
Nadia, a tiger at the Bronx zoo, has coronavirus. Do I need to worry about my pets?
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Probably not. But if you have symptoms, you should isolate away from your beloved furry friends. For a very helpful explainer of COVID concerns in domestic animals, see this NPR piece. Link to original FB post
A: Sampling sewage (!) and/or a small number of randomly selected individuals Testing wastewater (aka sewage) is a validated monitoring tool for opioid misuse and antibiotic resistance, and new evidence is demonstrating its effectiveness for detecting the coronavirus. Utah and Ohio are examples of states rolling out individual-level random sampling on a small subset of Read more…
What’s the latest on whether kids are as likely as adults to be hospitalized and to fall critically ill from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Families/KidsAlison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: The latest news is good news for those worried about kids: The chances of being hospitalized and ending up in intensive care are much lower — by an order of magnitude — for children <18 years old compared to those 18-64. Here’s the core nugget of results from the study as reported by NPR: Read more…
Are racial and ethnic minorities at a higher risk of dying from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Social and Racial Justice
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Unfortunately, from the available data, African Americans and Hispanics are disproportionately represented among COVID-19 deaths in the US. At present, most states are not reporting on the racial and ethnic patterns. There are many pathways through which minorities may have worse outcomes including social, socioeconomic and living circumstances increasing susceptibility to infection, in addition Read more…
What can I do to help with my anxiety? Is it me or is everyone having a hard time right now?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: It is normal to feel anxious in our current reality. The important things: Maintain routine, make sure you sleep, keep up with social relationships, unplug from the news (its OK!), and focus on one small positive thing every day. If you need help now, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK. If you Read more…
What is a “cytokine storm?” Why is it important?
Biology/Immunity
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: The immune system’s overreaction to a virus or bacterium. It’s the actual cause of death in many COVID cases, and therefore is the target of numerous experimental treatments. Links: The New York Times Original FB post
Nadia, a tiger at the Bronx zoo, has coronavirus. Do I need to worry about my pets?
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Probably not. But if you have symptoms, you should isolate away from your beloved furry friends. For a very helpful explainer of COVID concerns in domestic animals, see this NPR piece. Link to original FB post
A: The latest news is good news for those worried about kids: The chances of being hospitalized and ending up in intensive care are much lower — by an order of magnitude — for children <18 years old compared to those 18-64. Here’s the core nugget of results from the study as reported by NPR: Read more…
Are racial and ethnic minorities at a higher risk of dying from COVID-19?
Data and Metrics Social and Racial JusticeLauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Unfortunately, from the available data, African Americans and Hispanics are disproportionately represented among COVID-19 deaths in the US. At present, most states are not reporting on the racial and ethnic patterns. There are many pathways through which minorities may have worse outcomes including social, socioeconomic and living circumstances increasing susceptibility to infection, in addition Read more…
What can I do to help with my anxiety? Is it me or is everyone having a hard time right now?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: It is normal to feel anxious in our current reality. The important things: Maintain routine, make sure you sleep, keep up with social relationships, unplug from the news (its OK!), and focus on one small positive thing every day. If you need help now, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK. If you Read more…
What is a “cytokine storm?” Why is it important?
Biology/Immunity
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: The immune system’s overreaction to a virus or bacterium. It’s the actual cause of death in many COVID cases, and therefore is the target of numerous experimental treatments. Links: The New York Times Original FB post
Nadia, a tiger at the Bronx zoo, has coronavirus. Do I need to worry about my pets?
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Probably not. But if you have symptoms, you should isolate away from your beloved furry friends. For a very helpful explainer of COVID concerns in domestic animals, see this NPR piece. Link to original FB post
A: Unfortunately, from the available data, African Americans and Hispanics are disproportionately represented among COVID-19 deaths in the US. At present, most states are not reporting on the racial and ethnic patterns. There are many pathways through which minorities may have worse outcomes including social, socioeconomic and living circumstances increasing susceptibility to infection, in addition Read more…
What can I do to help with my anxiety? Is it me or is everyone having a hard time right now?
Mental HealthAparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: It is normal to feel anxious in our current reality. The important things: Maintain routine, make sure you sleep, keep up with social relationships, unplug from the news (its OK!), and focus on one small positive thing every day. If you need help now, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK. If you Read more…
What is a “cytokine storm?” Why is it important?
Biology/Immunity
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: The immune system’s overreaction to a virus or bacterium. It’s the actual cause of death in many COVID cases, and therefore is the target of numerous experimental treatments. Links: The New York Times Original FB post
Nadia, a tiger at the Bronx zoo, has coronavirus. Do I need to worry about my pets?
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Probably not. But if you have symptoms, you should isolate away from your beloved furry friends. For a very helpful explainer of COVID concerns in domestic animals, see this NPR piece. Link to original FB post
A: It is normal to feel anxious in our current reality. The important things: Maintain routine, make sure you sleep, keep up with social relationships, unplug from the news (its OK!), and focus on one small positive thing every day. If you need help now, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK. If you Read more…
What is a “cytokine storm?” Why is it important?
Biology/ImmunityLindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: The immune system’s overreaction to a virus or bacterium. It’s the actual cause of death in many COVID cases, and therefore is the target of numerous experimental treatments. Links: The New York Times Original FB post
Nadia, a tiger at the Bronx zoo, has coronavirus. Do I need to worry about my pets?
Infection and Spread
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Probably not. But if you have symptoms, you should isolate away from your beloved furry friends. For a very helpful explainer of COVID concerns in domestic animals, see this NPR piece. Link to original FB post
A: The immune system’s overreaction to a virus or bacterium. It’s the actual cause of death in many COVID cases, and therefore is the target of numerous experimental treatments. Links: The New York Times Original FB post
Nadia, a tiger at the Bronx zoo, has coronavirus. Do I need to worry about my pets?
Infection and SpreadLindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Probably not. But if you have symptoms, you should isolate away from your beloved furry friends. For a very helpful explainer of COVID concerns in domestic animals, see this NPR piece. Link to original FB post
A: Probably not. But if you have symptoms, you should isolate away from your beloved furry friends. For a very helpful explainer of COVID concerns in domestic animals, see this NPR piece. Link to original FB post
