¿Las vacunas contra COVID-19 causan la culebrilla?
Posts en Español Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: ¡No! Las vacunas contra el COVID-19 no le han dado la culebrilla a nadie. La culebrilla (llamada “shingles” en inglés) es causada por el virus que causa la varicela, llamado varicela o herpes zóster. Se puede esconder en el cuerpo por mucho tiempo después de tener la varicela y reactivarse más tarde y causa Read more…
Infographics for Parents of Kids Under 12
Families/Kids Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
We hope the guidelines in this terrific infographic offer some help to parents who are trying to navigate keeping their under 12 kids safe while you–like many of us!–await vaccines in that age group! (Be sure to scroll ALL the way down to see complete information.) These graphic were developed by our good friends at Read more…
Can the vaccines make me magnetic?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: No. TL;DR: You are STICKY. Not MAGNETIC. BUT GOOD NEWS: Other superpowers from vaccination are likely, including immunity to a potentially fatal disease. From microchips to 5G reception, this year has been chock full of tall vaccine tales and viral videos. In recent weeks this has taken the form of “magnet challenges” showing refrigerator Read more…
“Prebunking” offers strong immunity to fake news.
Uncertainty and Misinformation
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
If you haven’t had a chance yet, please go check out the online game Bad News, which is not only fun to play but it will help you learn to spot misinformation. In Bad News, you play a media magnate intent on building followers and viral reach at any cost. It turns out, roleplaying in Read more…
¿Por qué hay tantas pruebas para el COVID-19? ¿Cómo sé cuál es mejor para mí?
Posts en Español Testing and Contact Tracing
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: Hay dos tipos de pruebas para el virus que causa COVID-19: diagnóstico y anticuerpo. Se han desarrollado diferentes tipos de pruebas basadas en la ciencia del virus y como nuestro cuerpo responde a él. Las pruebas de diagnóstico le informan si tiene una infección viral activa — es decir, si tiene COVID-19 activo ahora Read more…
What is the risk of teens developing myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccination?
Families/Kids Vaccines
Vijaya Knight, MD PhD (D)ABMLI
A: Rare cases of myocarditis have been reported after mRNA vaccines, particularly in young men. Reported cases have been mild and treatable. 👉🏽TL;DR: Cases of myocarditis have been reported following COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, particularly in younger men. All of these people recovered quickly after treatment. A definitive link between COVID-19 mRNA vaccines and myocarditis is Read more…
¿Pueden las personas con reacciones alérgicas graves recibir la vacuna Pfizer o Moderna?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: Si ha tenido una reacción alérgica a cualquier ingrediente incluido en las vacunas Pfizer o Moderna (lista ingredientes a continuación), entonces no debe recibir ninguna de estas vacunas para COVID-19. Si tiene una reacción alérgica a la primera dosis de estas vacunas, no debe recibir la segunda dosis. Si tiene antecedentes de reacciones alérgicas Read more…
Vaccines do NOT Seed the Spread of New Variants
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
FACT OVER FALSEHOOD: A new occasional series The bad news: Setting the record straight on vaccine misinformation is a daunting job. The better news: Evidence-based strategies are effective in beating back bad info, and we can all help! Today we launch a new occasional series that fights back against vaccine myths using an evidence-based “truth Read more…
How do I navigate summer with unvaccinated kids? HELP!
Families/Kids Staying Safe
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: This is hard. While we seek an easy guide for summer activities with unvaccinated kids, there just isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Sending strength and a few tips to everyone navigating summer plans with unvaccinated kids. This is Dr. Ashley Ritter here today. I regularly participate in complicated decision making with patients and their support Read more…
Meet Nerdy Girl Shero Chiquita Brooks-LaSure!
Women in STEM
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
Health policy wonks across the U.S. are cheering the appointment of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to the top job running the country’s public health insurance programs. Her agency – the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) – is responsible for insuring over 150 million people through the country’s Medicare and Medicaid programs, which together account for Read more…
Why does social distancing work?
Staying Safe
Verdena Jennings, DO
Q: Is this just another rule, or is there science behind it? A: Social distancing works to stop the spread of germs that are airborne after a cough, sneeze, singing, or even speaking. Some argue that the parameters are based on older science models. Newer models suggest that distances longer than 6 ft (2m) are Read more…
Pfizer moves forward testing a little-kid vaccine at lower doses!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Big news! Yesterday Pfizer-BioNTech announced that they have completed a Phase I trial to determine the best dose for their COVID-19 vaccine in younger kids, and they’re moving on to Phase 2/3 trials which will test effectiveness and safety in children ages 6 months to 11 years. The short version: the Phase 2/3 trial green Read more…
¿Cuáles son los patrones mundiales de vacunación contra COVID-19 comparado al de los Estado Unidos?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R. Las tasas de vacunación están aumentando en muchos países pero la mayoría todavía están muy por detrás de países como Israel, el Reino Unido y los EE.UU. El aumento de la cobertura mundial de vacunas es la clave para controlar el COVID-19. ¿Por qué? El virus no conoce fronteras. Si el virus circula sin Read more…
Are hospitalizations for COVID-19 becoming more common in adolescents?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: In a recent study released by the CDC, hospitalization rates for adolescents aged 12-17 were highest in early January 2021, decreased in March, and then increased a little in April. The good news: this is a point in time and looks like rates are going back down. The bad news: even though severe illness Read more…
What’s going on with the “Delta” variant in the U.K.?
COVID Variants Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Cases are rising quickly, possibly due to the variant formerly known as B.1617.2 ➡️ The Delta variant MAY be more transmissible and cause more severe infection, but the jury is still out. ↗️ The steep rise in cases in the U.K. in December and January was fueled by what was then known as the Read more…
Cuando lleguemos al 70% de la población vacunada, la pandemia terminará instantáneamente, ¿verdad?
Posts en Español Reopening
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
R: No necesariamente. Necesitamos hablar un poco sobre la diferencia entre alcanzar el umbral de inmunidad colectiva y el objetivo final: la inmunidad colectiva. La inmunidad colectiva es la meta final de un programa de vacunación, y alcanzar el umbral de la inmunidad colectiva es el primer paso. También, los patrones de vacunación son importantes. Read more…
If masks work, why can I still smell farts when I’m wearing one?
Masks Staying Safe Uncertainty and Misinformation
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL;DR. Masks work to prevent disease spread because they keep out the bigger particles and still let you breathe. Even though mask policies and behaviors are relaxing in many places right now (Summer 2021), we want to remind you of the benefits of mask wearing with this fun question from Summer 2020. If you Read more…
Do the COVID-19 vaccines reduce transmission?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: YES! Evidence continues to mount that the vaccines REDUCE BOTH ASYMPTOMATIC INFECTIONS AND TRANSMISSION. ➡️ While the Nerdy Girls are still dreaming of a world where transmission was explicitly tested in the clinical trials (☎️ call us next time), the data pouring in from around the world strongly suggests that the vaccines are very Read more…
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la aprobación para uso de emergencia y la aprobación total para las vacunas contra COVID-19?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
P. En EE.UU., las vacunas COVID-19 tienen autorización de uso de emergencia pero aún no cuentan con la aprobación completa de la FDA. ¿Eso significa que aún no sabemos si son seguras? R. Se ha demostrado que las tres vacunas en circulación en EE.UU. para proteger contra COVID-19 (Pfizer, Moderna y Johnson & Johnson) son Read more…
WHO announces new names for SARS-CoV-2 variants
Biology/Immunity COVID Variants
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Let’s face it: B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 don’t easily roll off the tongue. While naming variants after the place they were first identified is common in virology, during the pandemic there has been concern about stigmatizing particular countries when using these names in public discussions. The WHO has adopted a new Greek alphabet naming system to Read more…
R: ¡No! Las vacunas contra el COVID-19 no le han dado la culebrilla a nadie. La culebrilla (llamada “shingles” en inglés) es causada por el virus que causa la varicela, llamado varicela o herpes zóster. Se puede esconder en el cuerpo por mucho tiempo después de tener la varicela y reactivarse más tarde y causa Read more…
Infographics for Parents of Kids Under 12
Families/Kids Staying SafeMalia Jones, PhD MPH
We hope the guidelines in this terrific infographic offer some help to parents who are trying to navigate keeping their under 12 kids safe while you–like many of us!–await vaccines in that age group! (Be sure to scroll ALL the way down to see complete information.) These graphic were developed by our good friends at Read more…
Can the vaccines make me magnetic?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: No. TL;DR: You are STICKY. Not MAGNETIC. BUT GOOD NEWS: Other superpowers from vaccination are likely, including immunity to a potentially fatal disease. From microchips to 5G reception, this year has been chock full of tall vaccine tales and viral videos. In recent weeks this has taken the form of “magnet challenges” showing refrigerator Read more…
“Prebunking” offers strong immunity to fake news.
Uncertainty and Misinformation
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
If you haven’t had a chance yet, please go check out the online game Bad News, which is not only fun to play but it will help you learn to spot misinformation. In Bad News, you play a media magnate intent on building followers and viral reach at any cost. It turns out, roleplaying in Read more…
¿Por qué hay tantas pruebas para el COVID-19? ¿Cómo sé cuál es mejor para mí?
Posts en Español Testing and Contact Tracing
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: Hay dos tipos de pruebas para el virus que causa COVID-19: diagnóstico y anticuerpo. Se han desarrollado diferentes tipos de pruebas basadas en la ciencia del virus y como nuestro cuerpo responde a él. Las pruebas de diagnóstico le informan si tiene una infección viral activa — es decir, si tiene COVID-19 activo ahora Read more…
What is the risk of teens developing myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccination?
Families/Kids Vaccines
Vijaya Knight, MD PhD (D)ABMLI
A: Rare cases of myocarditis have been reported after mRNA vaccines, particularly in young men. Reported cases have been mild and treatable. 👉🏽TL;DR: Cases of myocarditis have been reported following COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, particularly in younger men. All of these people recovered quickly after treatment. A definitive link between COVID-19 mRNA vaccines and myocarditis is Read more…
¿Pueden las personas con reacciones alérgicas graves recibir la vacuna Pfizer o Moderna?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: Si ha tenido una reacción alérgica a cualquier ingrediente incluido en las vacunas Pfizer o Moderna (lista ingredientes a continuación), entonces no debe recibir ninguna de estas vacunas para COVID-19. Si tiene una reacción alérgica a la primera dosis de estas vacunas, no debe recibir la segunda dosis. Si tiene antecedentes de reacciones alérgicas Read more…
Vaccines do NOT Seed the Spread of New Variants
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
FACT OVER FALSEHOOD: A new occasional series The bad news: Setting the record straight on vaccine misinformation is a daunting job. The better news: Evidence-based strategies are effective in beating back bad info, and we can all help! Today we launch a new occasional series that fights back against vaccine myths using an evidence-based “truth Read more…
How do I navigate summer with unvaccinated kids? HELP!
Families/Kids Staying Safe
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: This is hard. While we seek an easy guide for summer activities with unvaccinated kids, there just isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Sending strength and a few tips to everyone navigating summer plans with unvaccinated kids. This is Dr. Ashley Ritter here today. I regularly participate in complicated decision making with patients and their support Read more…
Meet Nerdy Girl Shero Chiquita Brooks-LaSure!
Women in STEM
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
Health policy wonks across the U.S. are cheering the appointment of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to the top job running the country’s public health insurance programs. Her agency – the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) – is responsible for insuring over 150 million people through the country’s Medicare and Medicaid programs, which together account for Read more…
Why does social distancing work?
Staying Safe
Verdena Jennings, DO
Q: Is this just another rule, or is there science behind it? A: Social distancing works to stop the spread of germs that are airborne after a cough, sneeze, singing, or even speaking. Some argue that the parameters are based on older science models. Newer models suggest that distances longer than 6 ft (2m) are Read more…
Pfizer moves forward testing a little-kid vaccine at lower doses!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Big news! Yesterday Pfizer-BioNTech announced that they have completed a Phase I trial to determine the best dose for their COVID-19 vaccine in younger kids, and they’re moving on to Phase 2/3 trials which will test effectiveness and safety in children ages 6 months to 11 years. The short version: the Phase 2/3 trial green Read more…
¿Cuáles son los patrones mundiales de vacunación contra COVID-19 comparado al de los Estado Unidos?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R. Las tasas de vacunación están aumentando en muchos países pero la mayoría todavía están muy por detrás de países como Israel, el Reino Unido y los EE.UU. El aumento de la cobertura mundial de vacunas es la clave para controlar el COVID-19. ¿Por qué? El virus no conoce fronteras. Si el virus circula sin Read more…
Are hospitalizations for COVID-19 becoming more common in adolescents?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: In a recent study released by the CDC, hospitalization rates for adolescents aged 12-17 were highest in early January 2021, decreased in March, and then increased a little in April. The good news: this is a point in time and looks like rates are going back down. The bad news: even though severe illness Read more…
What’s going on with the “Delta” variant in the U.K.?
COVID Variants Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Cases are rising quickly, possibly due to the variant formerly known as B.1617.2 ➡️ The Delta variant MAY be more transmissible and cause more severe infection, but the jury is still out. ↗️ The steep rise in cases in the U.K. in December and January was fueled by what was then known as the Read more…
Cuando lleguemos al 70% de la población vacunada, la pandemia terminará instantáneamente, ¿verdad?
Posts en Español Reopening
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
R: No necesariamente. Necesitamos hablar un poco sobre la diferencia entre alcanzar el umbral de inmunidad colectiva y el objetivo final: la inmunidad colectiva. La inmunidad colectiva es la meta final de un programa de vacunación, y alcanzar el umbral de la inmunidad colectiva es el primer paso. También, los patrones de vacunación son importantes. Read more…
If masks work, why can I still smell farts when I’m wearing one?
Masks Staying Safe Uncertainty and Misinformation
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL;DR. Masks work to prevent disease spread because they keep out the bigger particles and still let you breathe. Even though mask policies and behaviors are relaxing in many places right now (Summer 2021), we want to remind you of the benefits of mask wearing with this fun question from Summer 2020. If you Read more…
Do the COVID-19 vaccines reduce transmission?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: YES! Evidence continues to mount that the vaccines REDUCE BOTH ASYMPTOMATIC INFECTIONS AND TRANSMISSION. ➡️ While the Nerdy Girls are still dreaming of a world where transmission was explicitly tested in the clinical trials (☎️ call us next time), the data pouring in from around the world strongly suggests that the vaccines are very Read more…
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la aprobación para uso de emergencia y la aprobación total para las vacunas contra COVID-19?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
P. En EE.UU., las vacunas COVID-19 tienen autorización de uso de emergencia pero aún no cuentan con la aprobación completa de la FDA. ¿Eso significa que aún no sabemos si son seguras? R. Se ha demostrado que las tres vacunas en circulación en EE.UU. para proteger contra COVID-19 (Pfizer, Moderna y Johnson & Johnson) son Read more…
WHO announces new names for SARS-CoV-2 variants
Biology/Immunity COVID Variants
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Let’s face it: B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 don’t easily roll off the tongue. While naming variants after the place they were first identified is common in virology, during the pandemic there has been concern about stigmatizing particular countries when using these names in public discussions. The WHO has adopted a new Greek alphabet naming system to Read more…
We hope the guidelines in this terrific infographic offer some help to parents who are trying to navigate keeping their under 12 kids safe while you–like many of us!–await vaccines in that age group! (Be sure to scroll ALL the way down to see complete information.) These graphic were developed by our good friends at Read more…
Can the vaccines make me magnetic?
Uncertainty and Misinformation VaccinesJennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: No. TL;DR: You are STICKY. Not MAGNETIC. BUT GOOD NEWS: Other superpowers from vaccination are likely, including immunity to a potentially fatal disease. From microchips to 5G reception, this year has been chock full of tall vaccine tales and viral videos. In recent weeks this has taken the form of “magnet challenges” showing refrigerator Read more…
“Prebunking” offers strong immunity to fake news.
Uncertainty and Misinformation
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
If you haven’t had a chance yet, please go check out the online game Bad News, which is not only fun to play but it will help you learn to spot misinformation. In Bad News, you play a media magnate intent on building followers and viral reach at any cost. It turns out, roleplaying in Read more…
¿Por qué hay tantas pruebas para el COVID-19? ¿Cómo sé cuál es mejor para mí?
Posts en Español Testing and Contact Tracing
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: Hay dos tipos de pruebas para el virus que causa COVID-19: diagnóstico y anticuerpo. Se han desarrollado diferentes tipos de pruebas basadas en la ciencia del virus y como nuestro cuerpo responde a él. Las pruebas de diagnóstico le informan si tiene una infección viral activa — es decir, si tiene COVID-19 activo ahora Read more…
What is the risk of teens developing myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccination?
Families/Kids Vaccines
Vijaya Knight, MD PhD (D)ABMLI
A: Rare cases of myocarditis have been reported after mRNA vaccines, particularly in young men. Reported cases have been mild and treatable. 👉🏽TL;DR: Cases of myocarditis have been reported following COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, particularly in younger men. All of these people recovered quickly after treatment. A definitive link between COVID-19 mRNA vaccines and myocarditis is Read more…
¿Pueden las personas con reacciones alérgicas graves recibir la vacuna Pfizer o Moderna?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: Si ha tenido una reacción alérgica a cualquier ingrediente incluido en las vacunas Pfizer o Moderna (lista ingredientes a continuación), entonces no debe recibir ninguna de estas vacunas para COVID-19. Si tiene una reacción alérgica a la primera dosis de estas vacunas, no debe recibir la segunda dosis. Si tiene antecedentes de reacciones alérgicas Read more…
Vaccines do NOT Seed the Spread of New Variants
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
FACT OVER FALSEHOOD: A new occasional series The bad news: Setting the record straight on vaccine misinformation is a daunting job. The better news: Evidence-based strategies are effective in beating back bad info, and we can all help! Today we launch a new occasional series that fights back against vaccine myths using an evidence-based “truth Read more…
How do I navigate summer with unvaccinated kids? HELP!
Families/Kids Staying Safe
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: This is hard. While we seek an easy guide for summer activities with unvaccinated kids, there just isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Sending strength and a few tips to everyone navigating summer plans with unvaccinated kids. This is Dr. Ashley Ritter here today. I regularly participate in complicated decision making with patients and their support Read more…
Meet Nerdy Girl Shero Chiquita Brooks-LaSure!
Women in STEM
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
Health policy wonks across the U.S. are cheering the appointment of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to the top job running the country’s public health insurance programs. Her agency – the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) – is responsible for insuring over 150 million people through the country’s Medicare and Medicaid programs, which together account for Read more…
Why does social distancing work?
Staying Safe
Verdena Jennings, DO
Q: Is this just another rule, or is there science behind it? A: Social distancing works to stop the spread of germs that are airborne after a cough, sneeze, singing, or even speaking. Some argue that the parameters are based on older science models. Newer models suggest that distances longer than 6 ft (2m) are Read more…
Pfizer moves forward testing a little-kid vaccine at lower doses!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Big news! Yesterday Pfizer-BioNTech announced that they have completed a Phase I trial to determine the best dose for their COVID-19 vaccine in younger kids, and they’re moving on to Phase 2/3 trials which will test effectiveness and safety in children ages 6 months to 11 years. The short version: the Phase 2/3 trial green Read more…
¿Cuáles son los patrones mundiales de vacunación contra COVID-19 comparado al de los Estado Unidos?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R. Las tasas de vacunación están aumentando en muchos países pero la mayoría todavía están muy por detrás de países como Israel, el Reino Unido y los EE.UU. El aumento de la cobertura mundial de vacunas es la clave para controlar el COVID-19. ¿Por qué? El virus no conoce fronteras. Si el virus circula sin Read more…
Are hospitalizations for COVID-19 becoming more common in adolescents?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: In a recent study released by the CDC, hospitalization rates for adolescents aged 12-17 were highest in early January 2021, decreased in March, and then increased a little in April. The good news: this is a point in time and looks like rates are going back down. The bad news: even though severe illness Read more…
What’s going on with the “Delta” variant in the U.K.?
COVID Variants Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Cases are rising quickly, possibly due to the variant formerly known as B.1617.2 ➡️ The Delta variant MAY be more transmissible and cause more severe infection, but the jury is still out. ↗️ The steep rise in cases in the U.K. in December and January was fueled by what was then known as the Read more…
Cuando lleguemos al 70% de la población vacunada, la pandemia terminará instantáneamente, ¿verdad?
Posts en Español Reopening
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
R: No necesariamente. Necesitamos hablar un poco sobre la diferencia entre alcanzar el umbral de inmunidad colectiva y el objetivo final: la inmunidad colectiva. La inmunidad colectiva es la meta final de un programa de vacunación, y alcanzar el umbral de la inmunidad colectiva es el primer paso. También, los patrones de vacunación son importantes. Read more…
If masks work, why can I still smell farts when I’m wearing one?
Masks Staying Safe Uncertainty and Misinformation
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL;DR. Masks work to prevent disease spread because they keep out the bigger particles and still let you breathe. Even though mask policies and behaviors are relaxing in many places right now (Summer 2021), we want to remind you of the benefits of mask wearing with this fun question from Summer 2020. If you Read more…
Do the COVID-19 vaccines reduce transmission?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: YES! Evidence continues to mount that the vaccines REDUCE BOTH ASYMPTOMATIC INFECTIONS AND TRANSMISSION. ➡️ While the Nerdy Girls are still dreaming of a world where transmission was explicitly tested in the clinical trials (☎️ call us next time), the data pouring in from around the world strongly suggests that the vaccines are very Read more…
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la aprobación para uso de emergencia y la aprobación total para las vacunas contra COVID-19?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
P. En EE.UU., las vacunas COVID-19 tienen autorización de uso de emergencia pero aún no cuentan con la aprobación completa de la FDA. ¿Eso significa que aún no sabemos si son seguras? R. Se ha demostrado que las tres vacunas en circulación en EE.UU. para proteger contra COVID-19 (Pfizer, Moderna y Johnson & Johnson) son Read more…
WHO announces new names for SARS-CoV-2 variants
Biology/Immunity COVID Variants
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Let’s face it: B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 don’t easily roll off the tongue. While naming variants after the place they were first identified is common in virology, during the pandemic there has been concern about stigmatizing particular countries when using these names in public discussions. The WHO has adopted a new Greek alphabet naming system to Read more…
A: No. TL;DR: You are STICKY. Not MAGNETIC. BUT GOOD NEWS: Other superpowers from vaccination are likely, including immunity to a potentially fatal disease. From microchips to 5G reception, this year has been chock full of tall vaccine tales and viral videos. In recent weeks this has taken the form of “magnet challenges” showing refrigerator Read more…
“Prebunking” offers strong immunity to fake news.
Uncertainty and MisinformationMalia Jones, PhD MPH
If you haven’t had a chance yet, please go check out the online game Bad News, which is not only fun to play but it will help you learn to spot misinformation. In Bad News, you play a media magnate intent on building followers and viral reach at any cost. It turns out, roleplaying in Read more…
¿Por qué hay tantas pruebas para el COVID-19? ¿Cómo sé cuál es mejor para mí?
Posts en Español Testing and Contact Tracing
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: Hay dos tipos de pruebas para el virus que causa COVID-19: diagnóstico y anticuerpo. Se han desarrollado diferentes tipos de pruebas basadas en la ciencia del virus y como nuestro cuerpo responde a él. Las pruebas de diagnóstico le informan si tiene una infección viral activa — es decir, si tiene COVID-19 activo ahora Read more…
What is the risk of teens developing myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccination?
Families/Kids Vaccines
Vijaya Knight, MD PhD (D)ABMLI
A: Rare cases of myocarditis have been reported after mRNA vaccines, particularly in young men. Reported cases have been mild and treatable. 👉🏽TL;DR: Cases of myocarditis have been reported following COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, particularly in younger men. All of these people recovered quickly after treatment. A definitive link between COVID-19 mRNA vaccines and myocarditis is Read more…
¿Pueden las personas con reacciones alérgicas graves recibir la vacuna Pfizer o Moderna?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: Si ha tenido una reacción alérgica a cualquier ingrediente incluido en las vacunas Pfizer o Moderna (lista ingredientes a continuación), entonces no debe recibir ninguna de estas vacunas para COVID-19. Si tiene una reacción alérgica a la primera dosis de estas vacunas, no debe recibir la segunda dosis. Si tiene antecedentes de reacciones alérgicas Read more…
Vaccines do NOT Seed the Spread of New Variants
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
FACT OVER FALSEHOOD: A new occasional series The bad news: Setting the record straight on vaccine misinformation is a daunting job. The better news: Evidence-based strategies are effective in beating back bad info, and we can all help! Today we launch a new occasional series that fights back against vaccine myths using an evidence-based “truth Read more…
How do I navigate summer with unvaccinated kids? HELP!
Families/Kids Staying Safe
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: This is hard. While we seek an easy guide for summer activities with unvaccinated kids, there just isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Sending strength and a few tips to everyone navigating summer plans with unvaccinated kids. This is Dr. Ashley Ritter here today. I regularly participate in complicated decision making with patients and their support Read more…
Meet Nerdy Girl Shero Chiquita Brooks-LaSure!
Women in STEM
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
Health policy wonks across the U.S. are cheering the appointment of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to the top job running the country’s public health insurance programs. Her agency – the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) – is responsible for insuring over 150 million people through the country’s Medicare and Medicaid programs, which together account for Read more…
Why does social distancing work?
Staying Safe
Verdena Jennings, DO
Q: Is this just another rule, or is there science behind it? A: Social distancing works to stop the spread of germs that are airborne after a cough, sneeze, singing, or even speaking. Some argue that the parameters are based on older science models. Newer models suggest that distances longer than 6 ft (2m) are Read more…
Pfizer moves forward testing a little-kid vaccine at lower doses!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Big news! Yesterday Pfizer-BioNTech announced that they have completed a Phase I trial to determine the best dose for their COVID-19 vaccine in younger kids, and they’re moving on to Phase 2/3 trials which will test effectiveness and safety in children ages 6 months to 11 years. The short version: the Phase 2/3 trial green Read more…
¿Cuáles son los patrones mundiales de vacunación contra COVID-19 comparado al de los Estado Unidos?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R. Las tasas de vacunación están aumentando en muchos países pero la mayoría todavía están muy por detrás de países como Israel, el Reino Unido y los EE.UU. El aumento de la cobertura mundial de vacunas es la clave para controlar el COVID-19. ¿Por qué? El virus no conoce fronteras. Si el virus circula sin Read more…
Are hospitalizations for COVID-19 becoming more common in adolescents?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: In a recent study released by the CDC, hospitalization rates for adolescents aged 12-17 were highest in early January 2021, decreased in March, and then increased a little in April. The good news: this is a point in time and looks like rates are going back down. The bad news: even though severe illness Read more…
What’s going on with the “Delta” variant in the U.K.?
COVID Variants Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Cases are rising quickly, possibly due to the variant formerly known as B.1617.2 ➡️ The Delta variant MAY be more transmissible and cause more severe infection, but the jury is still out. ↗️ The steep rise in cases in the U.K. in December and January was fueled by what was then known as the Read more…
Cuando lleguemos al 70% de la población vacunada, la pandemia terminará instantáneamente, ¿verdad?
Posts en Español Reopening
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
R: No necesariamente. Necesitamos hablar un poco sobre la diferencia entre alcanzar el umbral de inmunidad colectiva y el objetivo final: la inmunidad colectiva. La inmunidad colectiva es la meta final de un programa de vacunación, y alcanzar el umbral de la inmunidad colectiva es el primer paso. También, los patrones de vacunación son importantes. Read more…
If masks work, why can I still smell farts when I’m wearing one?
Masks Staying Safe Uncertainty and Misinformation
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL;DR. Masks work to prevent disease spread because they keep out the bigger particles and still let you breathe. Even though mask policies and behaviors are relaxing in many places right now (Summer 2021), we want to remind you of the benefits of mask wearing with this fun question from Summer 2020. If you Read more…
Do the COVID-19 vaccines reduce transmission?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: YES! Evidence continues to mount that the vaccines REDUCE BOTH ASYMPTOMATIC INFECTIONS AND TRANSMISSION. ➡️ While the Nerdy Girls are still dreaming of a world where transmission was explicitly tested in the clinical trials (☎️ call us next time), the data pouring in from around the world strongly suggests that the vaccines are very Read more…
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la aprobación para uso de emergencia y la aprobación total para las vacunas contra COVID-19?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
P. En EE.UU., las vacunas COVID-19 tienen autorización de uso de emergencia pero aún no cuentan con la aprobación completa de la FDA. ¿Eso significa que aún no sabemos si son seguras? R. Se ha demostrado que las tres vacunas en circulación en EE.UU. para proteger contra COVID-19 (Pfizer, Moderna y Johnson & Johnson) son Read more…
WHO announces new names for SARS-CoV-2 variants
Biology/Immunity COVID Variants
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Let’s face it: B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 don’t easily roll off the tongue. While naming variants after the place they were first identified is common in virology, during the pandemic there has been concern about stigmatizing particular countries when using these names in public discussions. The WHO has adopted a new Greek alphabet naming system to Read more…
If you haven’t had a chance yet, please go check out the online game Bad News, which is not only fun to play but it will help you learn to spot misinformation. In Bad News, you play a media magnate intent on building followers and viral reach at any cost. It turns out, roleplaying in Read more…
¿Por qué hay tantas pruebas para el COVID-19? ¿Cómo sé cuál es mejor para mí?
Posts en Español Testing and Contact TracingSandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: Hay dos tipos de pruebas para el virus que causa COVID-19: diagnóstico y anticuerpo. Se han desarrollado diferentes tipos de pruebas basadas en la ciencia del virus y como nuestro cuerpo responde a él. Las pruebas de diagnóstico le informan si tiene una infección viral activa — es decir, si tiene COVID-19 activo ahora Read more…
What is the risk of teens developing myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccination?
Families/Kids Vaccines
Vijaya Knight, MD PhD (D)ABMLI
A: Rare cases of myocarditis have been reported after mRNA vaccines, particularly in young men. Reported cases have been mild and treatable. 👉🏽TL;DR: Cases of myocarditis have been reported following COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, particularly in younger men. All of these people recovered quickly after treatment. A definitive link between COVID-19 mRNA vaccines and myocarditis is Read more…
¿Pueden las personas con reacciones alérgicas graves recibir la vacuna Pfizer o Moderna?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: Si ha tenido una reacción alérgica a cualquier ingrediente incluido en las vacunas Pfizer o Moderna (lista ingredientes a continuación), entonces no debe recibir ninguna de estas vacunas para COVID-19. Si tiene una reacción alérgica a la primera dosis de estas vacunas, no debe recibir la segunda dosis. Si tiene antecedentes de reacciones alérgicas Read more…
Vaccines do NOT Seed the Spread of New Variants
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
FACT OVER FALSEHOOD: A new occasional series The bad news: Setting the record straight on vaccine misinformation is a daunting job. The better news: Evidence-based strategies are effective in beating back bad info, and we can all help! Today we launch a new occasional series that fights back against vaccine myths using an evidence-based “truth Read more…
How do I navigate summer with unvaccinated kids? HELP!
Families/Kids Staying Safe
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: This is hard. While we seek an easy guide for summer activities with unvaccinated kids, there just isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Sending strength and a few tips to everyone navigating summer plans with unvaccinated kids. This is Dr. Ashley Ritter here today. I regularly participate in complicated decision making with patients and their support Read more…
Meet Nerdy Girl Shero Chiquita Brooks-LaSure!
Women in STEM
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
Health policy wonks across the U.S. are cheering the appointment of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to the top job running the country’s public health insurance programs. Her agency – the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) – is responsible for insuring over 150 million people through the country’s Medicare and Medicaid programs, which together account for Read more…
Why does social distancing work?
Staying Safe
Verdena Jennings, DO
Q: Is this just another rule, or is there science behind it? A: Social distancing works to stop the spread of germs that are airborne after a cough, sneeze, singing, or even speaking. Some argue that the parameters are based on older science models. Newer models suggest that distances longer than 6 ft (2m) are Read more…
Pfizer moves forward testing a little-kid vaccine at lower doses!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Big news! Yesterday Pfizer-BioNTech announced that they have completed a Phase I trial to determine the best dose for their COVID-19 vaccine in younger kids, and they’re moving on to Phase 2/3 trials which will test effectiveness and safety in children ages 6 months to 11 years. The short version: the Phase 2/3 trial green Read more…
¿Cuáles son los patrones mundiales de vacunación contra COVID-19 comparado al de los Estado Unidos?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R. Las tasas de vacunación están aumentando en muchos países pero la mayoría todavía están muy por detrás de países como Israel, el Reino Unido y los EE.UU. El aumento de la cobertura mundial de vacunas es la clave para controlar el COVID-19. ¿Por qué? El virus no conoce fronteras. Si el virus circula sin Read more…
Are hospitalizations for COVID-19 becoming more common in adolescents?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: In a recent study released by the CDC, hospitalization rates for adolescents aged 12-17 were highest in early January 2021, decreased in March, and then increased a little in April. The good news: this is a point in time and looks like rates are going back down. The bad news: even though severe illness Read more…
What’s going on with the “Delta” variant in the U.K.?
COVID Variants Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Cases are rising quickly, possibly due to the variant formerly known as B.1617.2 ➡️ The Delta variant MAY be more transmissible and cause more severe infection, but the jury is still out. ↗️ The steep rise in cases in the U.K. in December and January was fueled by what was then known as the Read more…
Cuando lleguemos al 70% de la población vacunada, la pandemia terminará instantáneamente, ¿verdad?
Posts en Español Reopening
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
R: No necesariamente. Necesitamos hablar un poco sobre la diferencia entre alcanzar el umbral de inmunidad colectiva y el objetivo final: la inmunidad colectiva. La inmunidad colectiva es la meta final de un programa de vacunación, y alcanzar el umbral de la inmunidad colectiva es el primer paso. También, los patrones de vacunación son importantes. Read more…
If masks work, why can I still smell farts when I’m wearing one?
Masks Staying Safe Uncertainty and Misinformation
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL;DR. Masks work to prevent disease spread because they keep out the bigger particles and still let you breathe. Even though mask policies and behaviors are relaxing in many places right now (Summer 2021), we want to remind you of the benefits of mask wearing with this fun question from Summer 2020. If you Read more…
Do the COVID-19 vaccines reduce transmission?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: YES! Evidence continues to mount that the vaccines REDUCE BOTH ASYMPTOMATIC INFECTIONS AND TRANSMISSION. ➡️ While the Nerdy Girls are still dreaming of a world where transmission was explicitly tested in the clinical trials (☎️ call us next time), the data pouring in from around the world strongly suggests that the vaccines are very Read more…
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la aprobación para uso de emergencia y la aprobación total para las vacunas contra COVID-19?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
P. En EE.UU., las vacunas COVID-19 tienen autorización de uso de emergencia pero aún no cuentan con la aprobación completa de la FDA. ¿Eso significa que aún no sabemos si son seguras? R. Se ha demostrado que las tres vacunas en circulación en EE.UU. para proteger contra COVID-19 (Pfizer, Moderna y Johnson & Johnson) son Read more…
WHO announces new names for SARS-CoV-2 variants
Biology/Immunity COVID Variants
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Let’s face it: B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 don’t easily roll off the tongue. While naming variants after the place they were first identified is common in virology, during the pandemic there has been concern about stigmatizing particular countries when using these names in public discussions. The WHO has adopted a new Greek alphabet naming system to Read more…
R: Hay dos tipos de pruebas para el virus que causa COVID-19: diagnóstico y anticuerpo. Se han desarrollado diferentes tipos de pruebas basadas en la ciencia del virus y como nuestro cuerpo responde a él. Las pruebas de diagnóstico le informan si tiene una infección viral activa — es decir, si tiene COVID-19 activo ahora Read more…
What is the risk of teens developing myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccination?
Families/Kids VaccinesVijaya Knight, MD PhD (D)ABMLI
A: Rare cases of myocarditis have been reported after mRNA vaccines, particularly in young men. Reported cases have been mild and treatable. 👉🏽TL;DR: Cases of myocarditis have been reported following COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, particularly in younger men. All of these people recovered quickly after treatment. A definitive link between COVID-19 mRNA vaccines and myocarditis is Read more…
¿Pueden las personas con reacciones alérgicas graves recibir la vacuna Pfizer o Moderna?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: Si ha tenido una reacción alérgica a cualquier ingrediente incluido en las vacunas Pfizer o Moderna (lista ingredientes a continuación), entonces no debe recibir ninguna de estas vacunas para COVID-19. Si tiene una reacción alérgica a la primera dosis de estas vacunas, no debe recibir la segunda dosis. Si tiene antecedentes de reacciones alérgicas Read more…
Vaccines do NOT Seed the Spread of New Variants
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
FACT OVER FALSEHOOD: A new occasional series The bad news: Setting the record straight on vaccine misinformation is a daunting job. The better news: Evidence-based strategies are effective in beating back bad info, and we can all help! Today we launch a new occasional series that fights back against vaccine myths using an evidence-based “truth Read more…
How do I navigate summer with unvaccinated kids? HELP!
Families/Kids Staying Safe
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: This is hard. While we seek an easy guide for summer activities with unvaccinated kids, there just isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Sending strength and a few tips to everyone navigating summer plans with unvaccinated kids. This is Dr. Ashley Ritter here today. I regularly participate in complicated decision making with patients and their support Read more…
Meet Nerdy Girl Shero Chiquita Brooks-LaSure!
Women in STEM
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
Health policy wonks across the U.S. are cheering the appointment of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to the top job running the country’s public health insurance programs. Her agency – the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) – is responsible for insuring over 150 million people through the country’s Medicare and Medicaid programs, which together account for Read more…
Why does social distancing work?
Staying Safe
Verdena Jennings, DO
Q: Is this just another rule, or is there science behind it? A: Social distancing works to stop the spread of germs that are airborne after a cough, sneeze, singing, or even speaking. Some argue that the parameters are based on older science models. Newer models suggest that distances longer than 6 ft (2m) are Read more…
Pfizer moves forward testing a little-kid vaccine at lower doses!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Big news! Yesterday Pfizer-BioNTech announced that they have completed a Phase I trial to determine the best dose for their COVID-19 vaccine in younger kids, and they’re moving on to Phase 2/3 trials which will test effectiveness and safety in children ages 6 months to 11 years. The short version: the Phase 2/3 trial green Read more…
¿Cuáles son los patrones mundiales de vacunación contra COVID-19 comparado al de los Estado Unidos?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R. Las tasas de vacunación están aumentando en muchos países pero la mayoría todavía están muy por detrás de países como Israel, el Reino Unido y los EE.UU. El aumento de la cobertura mundial de vacunas es la clave para controlar el COVID-19. ¿Por qué? El virus no conoce fronteras. Si el virus circula sin Read more…
Are hospitalizations for COVID-19 becoming more common in adolescents?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: In a recent study released by the CDC, hospitalization rates for adolescents aged 12-17 were highest in early January 2021, decreased in March, and then increased a little in April. The good news: this is a point in time and looks like rates are going back down. The bad news: even though severe illness Read more…
What’s going on with the “Delta” variant in the U.K.?
COVID Variants Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Cases are rising quickly, possibly due to the variant formerly known as B.1617.2 ➡️ The Delta variant MAY be more transmissible and cause more severe infection, but the jury is still out. ↗️ The steep rise in cases in the U.K. in December and January was fueled by what was then known as the Read more…
Cuando lleguemos al 70% de la población vacunada, la pandemia terminará instantáneamente, ¿verdad?
Posts en Español Reopening
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
R: No necesariamente. Necesitamos hablar un poco sobre la diferencia entre alcanzar el umbral de inmunidad colectiva y el objetivo final: la inmunidad colectiva. La inmunidad colectiva es la meta final de un programa de vacunación, y alcanzar el umbral de la inmunidad colectiva es el primer paso. También, los patrones de vacunación son importantes. Read more…
If masks work, why can I still smell farts when I’m wearing one?
Masks Staying Safe Uncertainty and Misinformation
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL;DR. Masks work to prevent disease spread because they keep out the bigger particles and still let you breathe. Even though mask policies and behaviors are relaxing in many places right now (Summer 2021), we want to remind you of the benefits of mask wearing with this fun question from Summer 2020. If you Read more…
Do the COVID-19 vaccines reduce transmission?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: YES! Evidence continues to mount that the vaccines REDUCE BOTH ASYMPTOMATIC INFECTIONS AND TRANSMISSION. ➡️ While the Nerdy Girls are still dreaming of a world where transmission was explicitly tested in the clinical trials (☎️ call us next time), the data pouring in from around the world strongly suggests that the vaccines are very Read more…
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la aprobación para uso de emergencia y la aprobación total para las vacunas contra COVID-19?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
P. En EE.UU., las vacunas COVID-19 tienen autorización de uso de emergencia pero aún no cuentan con la aprobación completa de la FDA. ¿Eso significa que aún no sabemos si son seguras? R. Se ha demostrado que las tres vacunas en circulación en EE.UU. para proteger contra COVID-19 (Pfizer, Moderna y Johnson & Johnson) son Read more…
WHO announces new names for SARS-CoV-2 variants
Biology/Immunity COVID Variants
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Let’s face it: B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 don’t easily roll off the tongue. While naming variants after the place they were first identified is common in virology, during the pandemic there has been concern about stigmatizing particular countries when using these names in public discussions. The WHO has adopted a new Greek alphabet naming system to Read more…
A: Rare cases of myocarditis have been reported after mRNA vaccines, particularly in young men. Reported cases have been mild and treatable. 👉🏽TL;DR: Cases of myocarditis have been reported following COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, particularly in younger men. All of these people recovered quickly after treatment. A definitive link between COVID-19 mRNA vaccines and myocarditis is Read more…
¿Pueden las personas con reacciones alérgicas graves recibir la vacuna Pfizer o Moderna?
Posts en Español VaccinesSandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: Si ha tenido una reacción alérgica a cualquier ingrediente incluido en las vacunas Pfizer o Moderna (lista ingredientes a continuación), entonces no debe recibir ninguna de estas vacunas para COVID-19. Si tiene una reacción alérgica a la primera dosis de estas vacunas, no debe recibir la segunda dosis. Si tiene antecedentes de reacciones alérgicas Read more…
Vaccines do NOT Seed the Spread of New Variants
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
FACT OVER FALSEHOOD: A new occasional series The bad news: Setting the record straight on vaccine misinformation is a daunting job. The better news: Evidence-based strategies are effective in beating back bad info, and we can all help! Today we launch a new occasional series that fights back against vaccine myths using an evidence-based “truth Read more…
How do I navigate summer with unvaccinated kids? HELP!
Families/Kids Staying Safe
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: This is hard. While we seek an easy guide for summer activities with unvaccinated kids, there just isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Sending strength and a few tips to everyone navigating summer plans with unvaccinated kids. This is Dr. Ashley Ritter here today. I regularly participate in complicated decision making with patients and their support Read more…
Meet Nerdy Girl Shero Chiquita Brooks-LaSure!
Women in STEM
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
Health policy wonks across the U.S. are cheering the appointment of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to the top job running the country’s public health insurance programs. Her agency – the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) – is responsible for insuring over 150 million people through the country’s Medicare and Medicaid programs, which together account for Read more…
Why does social distancing work?
Staying Safe
Verdena Jennings, DO
Q: Is this just another rule, or is there science behind it? A: Social distancing works to stop the spread of germs that are airborne after a cough, sneeze, singing, or even speaking. Some argue that the parameters are based on older science models. Newer models suggest that distances longer than 6 ft (2m) are Read more…
Pfizer moves forward testing a little-kid vaccine at lower doses!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Big news! Yesterday Pfizer-BioNTech announced that they have completed a Phase I trial to determine the best dose for their COVID-19 vaccine in younger kids, and they’re moving on to Phase 2/3 trials which will test effectiveness and safety in children ages 6 months to 11 years. The short version: the Phase 2/3 trial green Read more…
¿Cuáles son los patrones mundiales de vacunación contra COVID-19 comparado al de los Estado Unidos?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R. Las tasas de vacunación están aumentando en muchos países pero la mayoría todavía están muy por detrás de países como Israel, el Reino Unido y los EE.UU. El aumento de la cobertura mundial de vacunas es la clave para controlar el COVID-19. ¿Por qué? El virus no conoce fronteras. Si el virus circula sin Read more…
Are hospitalizations for COVID-19 becoming more common in adolescents?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: In a recent study released by the CDC, hospitalization rates for adolescents aged 12-17 were highest in early January 2021, decreased in March, and then increased a little in April. The good news: this is a point in time and looks like rates are going back down. The bad news: even though severe illness Read more…
What’s going on with the “Delta” variant in the U.K.?
COVID Variants Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Cases are rising quickly, possibly due to the variant formerly known as B.1617.2 ➡️ The Delta variant MAY be more transmissible and cause more severe infection, but the jury is still out. ↗️ The steep rise in cases in the U.K. in December and January was fueled by what was then known as the Read more…
Cuando lleguemos al 70% de la población vacunada, la pandemia terminará instantáneamente, ¿verdad?
Posts en Español Reopening
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
R: No necesariamente. Necesitamos hablar un poco sobre la diferencia entre alcanzar el umbral de inmunidad colectiva y el objetivo final: la inmunidad colectiva. La inmunidad colectiva es la meta final de un programa de vacunación, y alcanzar el umbral de la inmunidad colectiva es el primer paso. También, los patrones de vacunación son importantes. Read more…
If masks work, why can I still smell farts when I’m wearing one?
Masks Staying Safe Uncertainty and Misinformation
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL;DR. Masks work to prevent disease spread because they keep out the bigger particles and still let you breathe. Even though mask policies and behaviors are relaxing in many places right now (Summer 2021), we want to remind you of the benefits of mask wearing with this fun question from Summer 2020. If you Read more…
Do the COVID-19 vaccines reduce transmission?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: YES! Evidence continues to mount that the vaccines REDUCE BOTH ASYMPTOMATIC INFECTIONS AND TRANSMISSION. ➡️ While the Nerdy Girls are still dreaming of a world where transmission was explicitly tested in the clinical trials (☎️ call us next time), the data pouring in from around the world strongly suggests that the vaccines are very Read more…
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la aprobación para uso de emergencia y la aprobación total para las vacunas contra COVID-19?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
P. En EE.UU., las vacunas COVID-19 tienen autorización de uso de emergencia pero aún no cuentan con la aprobación completa de la FDA. ¿Eso significa que aún no sabemos si son seguras? R. Se ha demostrado que las tres vacunas en circulación en EE.UU. para proteger contra COVID-19 (Pfizer, Moderna y Johnson & Johnson) son Read more…
WHO announces new names for SARS-CoV-2 variants
Biology/Immunity COVID Variants
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Let’s face it: B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 don’t easily roll off the tongue. While naming variants after the place they were first identified is common in virology, during the pandemic there has been concern about stigmatizing particular countries when using these names in public discussions. The WHO has adopted a new Greek alphabet naming system to Read more…
R: Si ha tenido una reacción alérgica a cualquier ingrediente incluido en las vacunas Pfizer o Moderna (lista ingredientes a continuación), entonces no debe recibir ninguna de estas vacunas para COVID-19. Si tiene una reacción alérgica a la primera dosis de estas vacunas, no debe recibir la segunda dosis. Si tiene antecedentes de reacciones alérgicas Read more…
Vaccines do NOT Seed the Spread of New Variants
Uncertainty and Misinformation VaccinesLindsey Leininger, PhD MA
FACT OVER FALSEHOOD: A new occasional series The bad news: Setting the record straight on vaccine misinformation is a daunting job. The better news: Evidence-based strategies are effective in beating back bad info, and we can all help! Today we launch a new occasional series that fights back against vaccine myths using an evidence-based “truth Read more…
How do I navigate summer with unvaccinated kids? HELP!
Families/Kids Staying Safe
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: This is hard. While we seek an easy guide for summer activities with unvaccinated kids, there just isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Sending strength and a few tips to everyone navigating summer plans with unvaccinated kids. This is Dr. Ashley Ritter here today. I regularly participate in complicated decision making with patients and their support Read more…
Meet Nerdy Girl Shero Chiquita Brooks-LaSure!
Women in STEM
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
Health policy wonks across the U.S. are cheering the appointment of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to the top job running the country’s public health insurance programs. Her agency – the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) – is responsible for insuring over 150 million people through the country’s Medicare and Medicaid programs, which together account for Read more…
Why does social distancing work?
Staying Safe
Verdena Jennings, DO
Q: Is this just another rule, or is there science behind it? A: Social distancing works to stop the spread of germs that are airborne after a cough, sneeze, singing, or even speaking. Some argue that the parameters are based on older science models. Newer models suggest that distances longer than 6 ft (2m) are Read more…
Pfizer moves forward testing a little-kid vaccine at lower doses!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Big news! Yesterday Pfizer-BioNTech announced that they have completed a Phase I trial to determine the best dose for their COVID-19 vaccine in younger kids, and they’re moving on to Phase 2/3 trials which will test effectiveness and safety in children ages 6 months to 11 years. The short version: the Phase 2/3 trial green Read more…
¿Cuáles son los patrones mundiales de vacunación contra COVID-19 comparado al de los Estado Unidos?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R. Las tasas de vacunación están aumentando en muchos países pero la mayoría todavía están muy por detrás de países como Israel, el Reino Unido y los EE.UU. El aumento de la cobertura mundial de vacunas es la clave para controlar el COVID-19. ¿Por qué? El virus no conoce fronteras. Si el virus circula sin Read more…
Are hospitalizations for COVID-19 becoming more common in adolescents?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: In a recent study released by the CDC, hospitalization rates for adolescents aged 12-17 were highest in early January 2021, decreased in March, and then increased a little in April. The good news: this is a point in time and looks like rates are going back down. The bad news: even though severe illness Read more…
What’s going on with the “Delta” variant in the U.K.?
COVID Variants Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Cases are rising quickly, possibly due to the variant formerly known as B.1617.2 ➡️ The Delta variant MAY be more transmissible and cause more severe infection, but the jury is still out. ↗️ The steep rise in cases in the U.K. in December and January was fueled by what was then known as the Read more…
Cuando lleguemos al 70% de la población vacunada, la pandemia terminará instantáneamente, ¿verdad?
Posts en Español Reopening
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
R: No necesariamente. Necesitamos hablar un poco sobre la diferencia entre alcanzar el umbral de inmunidad colectiva y el objetivo final: la inmunidad colectiva. La inmunidad colectiva es la meta final de un programa de vacunación, y alcanzar el umbral de la inmunidad colectiva es el primer paso. También, los patrones de vacunación son importantes. Read more…
If masks work, why can I still smell farts when I’m wearing one?
Masks Staying Safe Uncertainty and Misinformation
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL;DR. Masks work to prevent disease spread because they keep out the bigger particles and still let you breathe. Even though mask policies and behaviors are relaxing in many places right now (Summer 2021), we want to remind you of the benefits of mask wearing with this fun question from Summer 2020. If you Read more…
Do the COVID-19 vaccines reduce transmission?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: YES! Evidence continues to mount that the vaccines REDUCE BOTH ASYMPTOMATIC INFECTIONS AND TRANSMISSION. ➡️ While the Nerdy Girls are still dreaming of a world where transmission was explicitly tested in the clinical trials (☎️ call us next time), the data pouring in from around the world strongly suggests that the vaccines are very Read more…
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la aprobación para uso de emergencia y la aprobación total para las vacunas contra COVID-19?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
P. En EE.UU., las vacunas COVID-19 tienen autorización de uso de emergencia pero aún no cuentan con la aprobación completa de la FDA. ¿Eso significa que aún no sabemos si son seguras? R. Se ha demostrado que las tres vacunas en circulación en EE.UU. para proteger contra COVID-19 (Pfizer, Moderna y Johnson & Johnson) son Read more…
WHO announces new names for SARS-CoV-2 variants
Biology/Immunity COVID Variants
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Let’s face it: B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 don’t easily roll off the tongue. While naming variants after the place they were first identified is common in virology, during the pandemic there has been concern about stigmatizing particular countries when using these names in public discussions. The WHO has adopted a new Greek alphabet naming system to Read more…
FACT OVER FALSEHOOD: A new occasional series The bad news: Setting the record straight on vaccine misinformation is a daunting job. The better news: Evidence-based strategies are effective in beating back bad info, and we can all help! Today we launch a new occasional series that fights back against vaccine myths using an evidence-based “truth Read more…
How do I navigate summer with unvaccinated kids? HELP!
Families/Kids Staying SafeAshley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: This is hard. While we seek an easy guide for summer activities with unvaccinated kids, there just isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Sending strength and a few tips to everyone navigating summer plans with unvaccinated kids. This is Dr. Ashley Ritter here today. I regularly participate in complicated decision making with patients and their support Read more…
Meet Nerdy Girl Shero Chiquita Brooks-LaSure!
Women in STEM
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
Health policy wonks across the U.S. are cheering the appointment of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to the top job running the country’s public health insurance programs. Her agency – the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) – is responsible for insuring over 150 million people through the country’s Medicare and Medicaid programs, which together account for Read more…
Why does social distancing work?
Staying Safe
Verdena Jennings, DO
Q: Is this just another rule, or is there science behind it? A: Social distancing works to stop the spread of germs that are airborne after a cough, sneeze, singing, or even speaking. Some argue that the parameters are based on older science models. Newer models suggest that distances longer than 6 ft (2m) are Read more…
Pfizer moves forward testing a little-kid vaccine at lower doses!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Big news! Yesterday Pfizer-BioNTech announced that they have completed a Phase I trial to determine the best dose for their COVID-19 vaccine in younger kids, and they’re moving on to Phase 2/3 trials which will test effectiveness and safety in children ages 6 months to 11 years. The short version: the Phase 2/3 trial green Read more…
¿Cuáles son los patrones mundiales de vacunación contra COVID-19 comparado al de los Estado Unidos?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R. Las tasas de vacunación están aumentando en muchos países pero la mayoría todavía están muy por detrás de países como Israel, el Reino Unido y los EE.UU. El aumento de la cobertura mundial de vacunas es la clave para controlar el COVID-19. ¿Por qué? El virus no conoce fronteras. Si el virus circula sin Read more…
Are hospitalizations for COVID-19 becoming more common in adolescents?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: In a recent study released by the CDC, hospitalization rates for adolescents aged 12-17 were highest in early January 2021, decreased in March, and then increased a little in April. The good news: this is a point in time and looks like rates are going back down. The bad news: even though severe illness Read more…
What’s going on with the “Delta” variant in the U.K.?
COVID Variants Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Cases are rising quickly, possibly due to the variant formerly known as B.1617.2 ➡️ The Delta variant MAY be more transmissible and cause more severe infection, but the jury is still out. ↗️ The steep rise in cases in the U.K. in December and January was fueled by what was then known as the Read more…
Cuando lleguemos al 70% de la población vacunada, la pandemia terminará instantáneamente, ¿verdad?
Posts en Español Reopening
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
R: No necesariamente. Necesitamos hablar un poco sobre la diferencia entre alcanzar el umbral de inmunidad colectiva y el objetivo final: la inmunidad colectiva. La inmunidad colectiva es la meta final de un programa de vacunación, y alcanzar el umbral de la inmunidad colectiva es el primer paso. También, los patrones de vacunación son importantes. Read more…
If masks work, why can I still smell farts when I’m wearing one?
Masks Staying Safe Uncertainty and Misinformation
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL;DR. Masks work to prevent disease spread because they keep out the bigger particles and still let you breathe. Even though mask policies and behaviors are relaxing in many places right now (Summer 2021), we want to remind you of the benefits of mask wearing with this fun question from Summer 2020. If you Read more…
Do the COVID-19 vaccines reduce transmission?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: YES! Evidence continues to mount that the vaccines REDUCE BOTH ASYMPTOMATIC INFECTIONS AND TRANSMISSION. ➡️ While the Nerdy Girls are still dreaming of a world where transmission was explicitly tested in the clinical trials (☎️ call us next time), the data pouring in from around the world strongly suggests that the vaccines are very Read more…
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la aprobación para uso de emergencia y la aprobación total para las vacunas contra COVID-19?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
P. En EE.UU., las vacunas COVID-19 tienen autorización de uso de emergencia pero aún no cuentan con la aprobación completa de la FDA. ¿Eso significa que aún no sabemos si son seguras? R. Se ha demostrado que las tres vacunas en circulación en EE.UU. para proteger contra COVID-19 (Pfizer, Moderna y Johnson & Johnson) son Read more…
WHO announces new names for SARS-CoV-2 variants
Biology/Immunity COVID Variants
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Let’s face it: B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 don’t easily roll off the tongue. While naming variants after the place they were first identified is common in virology, during the pandemic there has been concern about stigmatizing particular countries when using these names in public discussions. The WHO has adopted a new Greek alphabet naming system to Read more…
A: This is hard. While we seek an easy guide for summer activities with unvaccinated kids, there just isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Sending strength and a few tips to everyone navigating summer plans with unvaccinated kids. This is Dr. Ashley Ritter here today. I regularly participate in complicated decision making with patients and their support Read more…
Meet Nerdy Girl Shero Chiquita Brooks-LaSure!
Women in STEMLindsey Leininger, PhD MA
Health policy wonks across the U.S. are cheering the appointment of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to the top job running the country’s public health insurance programs. Her agency – the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) – is responsible for insuring over 150 million people through the country’s Medicare and Medicaid programs, which together account for Read more…
Why does social distancing work?
Staying Safe
Verdena Jennings, DO
Q: Is this just another rule, or is there science behind it? A: Social distancing works to stop the spread of germs that are airborne after a cough, sneeze, singing, or even speaking. Some argue that the parameters are based on older science models. Newer models suggest that distances longer than 6 ft (2m) are Read more…
Pfizer moves forward testing a little-kid vaccine at lower doses!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Big news! Yesterday Pfizer-BioNTech announced that they have completed a Phase I trial to determine the best dose for their COVID-19 vaccine in younger kids, and they’re moving on to Phase 2/3 trials which will test effectiveness and safety in children ages 6 months to 11 years. The short version: the Phase 2/3 trial green Read more…
¿Cuáles son los patrones mundiales de vacunación contra COVID-19 comparado al de los Estado Unidos?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R. Las tasas de vacunación están aumentando en muchos países pero la mayoría todavía están muy por detrás de países como Israel, el Reino Unido y los EE.UU. El aumento de la cobertura mundial de vacunas es la clave para controlar el COVID-19. ¿Por qué? El virus no conoce fronteras. Si el virus circula sin Read more…
Are hospitalizations for COVID-19 becoming more common in adolescents?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: In a recent study released by the CDC, hospitalization rates for adolescents aged 12-17 were highest in early January 2021, decreased in March, and then increased a little in April. The good news: this is a point in time and looks like rates are going back down. The bad news: even though severe illness Read more…
What’s going on with the “Delta” variant in the U.K.?
COVID Variants Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Cases are rising quickly, possibly due to the variant formerly known as B.1617.2 ➡️ The Delta variant MAY be more transmissible and cause more severe infection, but the jury is still out. ↗️ The steep rise in cases in the U.K. in December and January was fueled by what was then known as the Read more…
Cuando lleguemos al 70% de la población vacunada, la pandemia terminará instantáneamente, ¿verdad?
Posts en Español Reopening
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
R: No necesariamente. Necesitamos hablar un poco sobre la diferencia entre alcanzar el umbral de inmunidad colectiva y el objetivo final: la inmunidad colectiva. La inmunidad colectiva es la meta final de un programa de vacunación, y alcanzar el umbral de la inmunidad colectiva es el primer paso. También, los patrones de vacunación son importantes. Read more…
If masks work, why can I still smell farts when I’m wearing one?
Masks Staying Safe Uncertainty and Misinformation
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL;DR. Masks work to prevent disease spread because they keep out the bigger particles and still let you breathe. Even though mask policies and behaviors are relaxing in many places right now (Summer 2021), we want to remind you of the benefits of mask wearing with this fun question from Summer 2020. If you Read more…
Do the COVID-19 vaccines reduce transmission?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: YES! Evidence continues to mount that the vaccines REDUCE BOTH ASYMPTOMATIC INFECTIONS AND TRANSMISSION. ➡️ While the Nerdy Girls are still dreaming of a world where transmission was explicitly tested in the clinical trials (☎️ call us next time), the data pouring in from around the world strongly suggests that the vaccines are very Read more…
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la aprobación para uso de emergencia y la aprobación total para las vacunas contra COVID-19?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
P. En EE.UU., las vacunas COVID-19 tienen autorización de uso de emergencia pero aún no cuentan con la aprobación completa de la FDA. ¿Eso significa que aún no sabemos si son seguras? R. Se ha demostrado que las tres vacunas en circulación en EE.UU. para proteger contra COVID-19 (Pfizer, Moderna y Johnson & Johnson) son Read more…
WHO announces new names for SARS-CoV-2 variants
Biology/Immunity COVID Variants
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Let’s face it: B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 don’t easily roll off the tongue. While naming variants after the place they were first identified is common in virology, during the pandemic there has been concern about stigmatizing particular countries when using these names in public discussions. The WHO has adopted a new Greek alphabet naming system to Read more…
Health policy wonks across the U.S. are cheering the appointment of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to the top job running the country’s public health insurance programs. Her agency – the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) – is responsible for insuring over 150 million people through the country’s Medicare and Medicaid programs, which together account for Read more…
Why does social distancing work?
Staying SafeVerdena Jennings, DO
Q: Is this just another rule, or is there science behind it? A: Social distancing works to stop the spread of germs that are airborne after a cough, sneeze, singing, or even speaking. Some argue that the parameters are based on older science models. Newer models suggest that distances longer than 6 ft (2m) are Read more…
Pfizer moves forward testing a little-kid vaccine at lower doses!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Big news! Yesterday Pfizer-BioNTech announced that they have completed a Phase I trial to determine the best dose for their COVID-19 vaccine in younger kids, and they’re moving on to Phase 2/3 trials which will test effectiveness and safety in children ages 6 months to 11 years. The short version: the Phase 2/3 trial green Read more…
¿Cuáles son los patrones mundiales de vacunación contra COVID-19 comparado al de los Estado Unidos?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R. Las tasas de vacunación están aumentando en muchos países pero la mayoría todavía están muy por detrás de países como Israel, el Reino Unido y los EE.UU. El aumento de la cobertura mundial de vacunas es la clave para controlar el COVID-19. ¿Por qué? El virus no conoce fronteras. Si el virus circula sin Read more…
Are hospitalizations for COVID-19 becoming more common in adolescents?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: In a recent study released by the CDC, hospitalization rates for adolescents aged 12-17 were highest in early January 2021, decreased in March, and then increased a little in April. The good news: this is a point in time and looks like rates are going back down. The bad news: even though severe illness Read more…
What’s going on with the “Delta” variant in the U.K.?
COVID Variants Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Cases are rising quickly, possibly due to the variant formerly known as B.1617.2 ➡️ The Delta variant MAY be more transmissible and cause more severe infection, but the jury is still out. ↗️ The steep rise in cases in the U.K. in December and January was fueled by what was then known as the Read more…
Cuando lleguemos al 70% de la población vacunada, la pandemia terminará instantáneamente, ¿verdad?
Posts en Español Reopening
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
R: No necesariamente. Necesitamos hablar un poco sobre la diferencia entre alcanzar el umbral de inmunidad colectiva y el objetivo final: la inmunidad colectiva. La inmunidad colectiva es la meta final de un programa de vacunación, y alcanzar el umbral de la inmunidad colectiva es el primer paso. También, los patrones de vacunación son importantes. Read more…
If masks work, why can I still smell farts when I’m wearing one?
Masks Staying Safe Uncertainty and Misinformation
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL;DR. Masks work to prevent disease spread because they keep out the bigger particles and still let you breathe. Even though mask policies and behaviors are relaxing in many places right now (Summer 2021), we want to remind you of the benefits of mask wearing with this fun question from Summer 2020. If you Read more…
Do the COVID-19 vaccines reduce transmission?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: YES! Evidence continues to mount that the vaccines REDUCE BOTH ASYMPTOMATIC INFECTIONS AND TRANSMISSION. ➡️ While the Nerdy Girls are still dreaming of a world where transmission was explicitly tested in the clinical trials (☎️ call us next time), the data pouring in from around the world strongly suggests that the vaccines are very Read more…
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la aprobación para uso de emergencia y la aprobación total para las vacunas contra COVID-19?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
P. En EE.UU., las vacunas COVID-19 tienen autorización de uso de emergencia pero aún no cuentan con la aprobación completa de la FDA. ¿Eso significa que aún no sabemos si son seguras? R. Se ha demostrado que las tres vacunas en circulación en EE.UU. para proteger contra COVID-19 (Pfizer, Moderna y Johnson & Johnson) son Read more…
WHO announces new names for SARS-CoV-2 variants
Biology/Immunity COVID Variants
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Let’s face it: B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 don’t easily roll off the tongue. While naming variants after the place they were first identified is common in virology, during the pandemic there has been concern about stigmatizing particular countries when using these names in public discussions. The WHO has adopted a new Greek alphabet naming system to Read more…
Q: Is this just another rule, or is there science behind it? A: Social distancing works to stop the spread of germs that are airborne after a cough, sneeze, singing, or even speaking. Some argue that the parameters are based on older science models. Newer models suggest that distances longer than 6 ft (2m) are Read more…
Pfizer moves forward testing a little-kid vaccine at lower doses!
Families/Kids VaccinesMalia Jones, PhD MPH
Big news! Yesterday Pfizer-BioNTech announced that they have completed a Phase I trial to determine the best dose for their COVID-19 vaccine in younger kids, and they’re moving on to Phase 2/3 trials which will test effectiveness and safety in children ages 6 months to 11 years. The short version: the Phase 2/3 trial green Read more…
¿Cuáles son los patrones mundiales de vacunación contra COVID-19 comparado al de los Estado Unidos?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R. Las tasas de vacunación están aumentando en muchos países pero la mayoría todavía están muy por detrás de países como Israel, el Reino Unido y los EE.UU. El aumento de la cobertura mundial de vacunas es la clave para controlar el COVID-19. ¿Por qué? El virus no conoce fronteras. Si el virus circula sin Read more…
Are hospitalizations for COVID-19 becoming more common in adolescents?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: In a recent study released by the CDC, hospitalization rates for adolescents aged 12-17 were highest in early January 2021, decreased in March, and then increased a little in April. The good news: this is a point in time and looks like rates are going back down. The bad news: even though severe illness Read more…
What’s going on with the “Delta” variant in the U.K.?
COVID Variants Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Cases are rising quickly, possibly due to the variant formerly known as B.1617.2 ➡️ The Delta variant MAY be more transmissible and cause more severe infection, but the jury is still out. ↗️ The steep rise in cases in the U.K. in December and January was fueled by what was then known as the Read more…
Cuando lleguemos al 70% de la población vacunada, la pandemia terminará instantáneamente, ¿verdad?
Posts en Español Reopening
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
R: No necesariamente. Necesitamos hablar un poco sobre la diferencia entre alcanzar el umbral de inmunidad colectiva y el objetivo final: la inmunidad colectiva. La inmunidad colectiva es la meta final de un programa de vacunación, y alcanzar el umbral de la inmunidad colectiva es el primer paso. También, los patrones de vacunación son importantes. Read more…
If masks work, why can I still smell farts when I’m wearing one?
Masks Staying Safe Uncertainty and Misinformation
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL;DR. Masks work to prevent disease spread because they keep out the bigger particles and still let you breathe. Even though mask policies and behaviors are relaxing in many places right now (Summer 2021), we want to remind you of the benefits of mask wearing with this fun question from Summer 2020. If you Read more…
Do the COVID-19 vaccines reduce transmission?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: YES! Evidence continues to mount that the vaccines REDUCE BOTH ASYMPTOMATIC INFECTIONS AND TRANSMISSION. ➡️ While the Nerdy Girls are still dreaming of a world where transmission was explicitly tested in the clinical trials (☎️ call us next time), the data pouring in from around the world strongly suggests that the vaccines are very Read more…
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la aprobación para uso de emergencia y la aprobación total para las vacunas contra COVID-19?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
P. En EE.UU., las vacunas COVID-19 tienen autorización de uso de emergencia pero aún no cuentan con la aprobación completa de la FDA. ¿Eso significa que aún no sabemos si son seguras? R. Se ha demostrado que las tres vacunas en circulación en EE.UU. para proteger contra COVID-19 (Pfizer, Moderna y Johnson & Johnson) son Read more…
WHO announces new names for SARS-CoV-2 variants
Biology/Immunity COVID Variants
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Let’s face it: B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 don’t easily roll off the tongue. While naming variants after the place they were first identified is common in virology, during the pandemic there has been concern about stigmatizing particular countries when using these names in public discussions. The WHO has adopted a new Greek alphabet naming system to Read more…
Big news! Yesterday Pfizer-BioNTech announced that they have completed a Phase I trial to determine the best dose for their COVID-19 vaccine in younger kids, and they’re moving on to Phase 2/3 trials which will test effectiveness and safety in children ages 6 months to 11 years. The short version: the Phase 2/3 trial green Read more…
¿Cuáles son los patrones mundiales de vacunación contra COVID-19 comparado al de los Estado Unidos?
Posts en Español VaccinesSandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R. Las tasas de vacunación están aumentando en muchos países pero la mayoría todavía están muy por detrás de países como Israel, el Reino Unido y los EE.UU. El aumento de la cobertura mundial de vacunas es la clave para controlar el COVID-19. ¿Por qué? El virus no conoce fronteras. Si el virus circula sin Read more…
Are hospitalizations for COVID-19 becoming more common in adolescents?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: In a recent study released by the CDC, hospitalization rates for adolescents aged 12-17 were highest in early January 2021, decreased in March, and then increased a little in April. The good news: this is a point in time and looks like rates are going back down. The bad news: even though severe illness Read more…
What’s going on with the “Delta” variant in the U.K.?
COVID Variants Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Cases are rising quickly, possibly due to the variant formerly known as B.1617.2 ➡️ The Delta variant MAY be more transmissible and cause more severe infection, but the jury is still out. ↗️ The steep rise in cases in the U.K. in December and January was fueled by what was then known as the Read more…
Cuando lleguemos al 70% de la población vacunada, la pandemia terminará instantáneamente, ¿verdad?
Posts en Español Reopening
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
R: No necesariamente. Necesitamos hablar un poco sobre la diferencia entre alcanzar el umbral de inmunidad colectiva y el objetivo final: la inmunidad colectiva. La inmunidad colectiva es la meta final de un programa de vacunación, y alcanzar el umbral de la inmunidad colectiva es el primer paso. También, los patrones de vacunación son importantes. Read more…
If masks work, why can I still smell farts when I’m wearing one?
Masks Staying Safe Uncertainty and Misinformation
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL;DR. Masks work to prevent disease spread because they keep out the bigger particles and still let you breathe. Even though mask policies and behaviors are relaxing in many places right now (Summer 2021), we want to remind you of the benefits of mask wearing with this fun question from Summer 2020. If you Read more…
Do the COVID-19 vaccines reduce transmission?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: YES! Evidence continues to mount that the vaccines REDUCE BOTH ASYMPTOMATIC INFECTIONS AND TRANSMISSION. ➡️ While the Nerdy Girls are still dreaming of a world where transmission was explicitly tested in the clinical trials (☎️ call us next time), the data pouring in from around the world strongly suggests that the vaccines are very Read more…
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la aprobación para uso de emergencia y la aprobación total para las vacunas contra COVID-19?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
P. En EE.UU., las vacunas COVID-19 tienen autorización de uso de emergencia pero aún no cuentan con la aprobación completa de la FDA. ¿Eso significa que aún no sabemos si son seguras? R. Se ha demostrado que las tres vacunas en circulación en EE.UU. para proteger contra COVID-19 (Pfizer, Moderna y Johnson & Johnson) son Read more…
WHO announces new names for SARS-CoV-2 variants
Biology/Immunity COVID Variants
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Let’s face it: B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 don’t easily roll off the tongue. While naming variants after the place they were first identified is common in virology, during the pandemic there has been concern about stigmatizing particular countries when using these names in public discussions. The WHO has adopted a new Greek alphabet naming system to Read more…
R. Las tasas de vacunación están aumentando en muchos países pero la mayoría todavía están muy por detrás de países como Israel, el Reino Unido y los EE.UU. El aumento de la cobertura mundial de vacunas es la clave para controlar el COVID-19. ¿Por qué? El virus no conoce fronteras. Si el virus circula sin Read more…
Are hospitalizations for COVID-19 becoming more common in adolescents?
Data and Metrics Families/KidsSarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: In a recent study released by the CDC, hospitalization rates for adolescents aged 12-17 were highest in early January 2021, decreased in March, and then increased a little in April. The good news: this is a point in time and looks like rates are going back down. The bad news: even though severe illness Read more…
What’s going on with the “Delta” variant in the U.K.?
COVID Variants Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Cases are rising quickly, possibly due to the variant formerly known as B.1617.2 ➡️ The Delta variant MAY be more transmissible and cause more severe infection, but the jury is still out. ↗️ The steep rise in cases in the U.K. in December and January was fueled by what was then known as the Read more…
Cuando lleguemos al 70% de la población vacunada, la pandemia terminará instantáneamente, ¿verdad?
Posts en Español Reopening
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
R: No necesariamente. Necesitamos hablar un poco sobre la diferencia entre alcanzar el umbral de inmunidad colectiva y el objetivo final: la inmunidad colectiva. La inmunidad colectiva es la meta final de un programa de vacunación, y alcanzar el umbral de la inmunidad colectiva es el primer paso. También, los patrones de vacunación son importantes. Read more…
If masks work, why can I still smell farts when I’m wearing one?
Masks Staying Safe Uncertainty and Misinformation
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL;DR. Masks work to prevent disease spread because they keep out the bigger particles and still let you breathe. Even though mask policies and behaviors are relaxing in many places right now (Summer 2021), we want to remind you of the benefits of mask wearing with this fun question from Summer 2020. If you Read more…
Do the COVID-19 vaccines reduce transmission?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: YES! Evidence continues to mount that the vaccines REDUCE BOTH ASYMPTOMATIC INFECTIONS AND TRANSMISSION. ➡️ While the Nerdy Girls are still dreaming of a world where transmission was explicitly tested in the clinical trials (☎️ call us next time), the data pouring in from around the world strongly suggests that the vaccines are very Read more…
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la aprobación para uso de emergencia y la aprobación total para las vacunas contra COVID-19?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
P. En EE.UU., las vacunas COVID-19 tienen autorización de uso de emergencia pero aún no cuentan con la aprobación completa de la FDA. ¿Eso significa que aún no sabemos si son seguras? R. Se ha demostrado que las tres vacunas en circulación en EE.UU. para proteger contra COVID-19 (Pfizer, Moderna y Johnson & Johnson) son Read more…
WHO announces new names for SARS-CoV-2 variants
Biology/Immunity COVID Variants
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Let’s face it: B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 don’t easily roll off the tongue. While naming variants after the place they were first identified is common in virology, during the pandemic there has been concern about stigmatizing particular countries when using these names in public discussions. The WHO has adopted a new Greek alphabet naming system to Read more…
A: In a recent study released by the CDC, hospitalization rates for adolescents aged 12-17 were highest in early January 2021, decreased in March, and then increased a little in April. The good news: this is a point in time and looks like rates are going back down. The bad news: even though severe illness Read more…
What’s going on with the “Delta” variant in the U.K.?
COVID Variants Data and Metrics Infection and SpreadJennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Cases are rising quickly, possibly due to the variant formerly known as B.1617.2 ➡️ The Delta variant MAY be more transmissible and cause more severe infection, but the jury is still out. ↗️ The steep rise in cases in the U.K. in December and January was fueled by what was then known as the Read more…
Cuando lleguemos al 70% de la población vacunada, la pandemia terminará instantáneamente, ¿verdad?
Posts en Español Reopening
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
R: No necesariamente. Necesitamos hablar un poco sobre la diferencia entre alcanzar el umbral de inmunidad colectiva y el objetivo final: la inmunidad colectiva. La inmunidad colectiva es la meta final de un programa de vacunación, y alcanzar el umbral de la inmunidad colectiva es el primer paso. También, los patrones de vacunación son importantes. Read more…
If masks work, why can I still smell farts when I’m wearing one?
Masks Staying Safe Uncertainty and Misinformation
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL;DR. Masks work to prevent disease spread because they keep out the bigger particles and still let you breathe. Even though mask policies and behaviors are relaxing in many places right now (Summer 2021), we want to remind you of the benefits of mask wearing with this fun question from Summer 2020. If you Read more…
Do the COVID-19 vaccines reduce transmission?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: YES! Evidence continues to mount that the vaccines REDUCE BOTH ASYMPTOMATIC INFECTIONS AND TRANSMISSION. ➡️ While the Nerdy Girls are still dreaming of a world where transmission was explicitly tested in the clinical trials (☎️ call us next time), the data pouring in from around the world strongly suggests that the vaccines are very Read more…
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la aprobación para uso de emergencia y la aprobación total para las vacunas contra COVID-19?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
P. En EE.UU., las vacunas COVID-19 tienen autorización de uso de emergencia pero aún no cuentan con la aprobación completa de la FDA. ¿Eso significa que aún no sabemos si son seguras? R. Se ha demostrado que las tres vacunas en circulación en EE.UU. para proteger contra COVID-19 (Pfizer, Moderna y Johnson & Johnson) son Read more…
WHO announces new names for SARS-CoV-2 variants
Biology/Immunity COVID Variants
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Let’s face it: B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 don’t easily roll off the tongue. While naming variants after the place they were first identified is common in virology, during the pandemic there has been concern about stigmatizing particular countries when using these names in public discussions. The WHO has adopted a new Greek alphabet naming system to Read more…
A: Cases are rising quickly, possibly due to the variant formerly known as B.1617.2 ➡️ The Delta variant MAY be more transmissible and cause more severe infection, but the jury is still out. ↗️ The steep rise in cases in the U.K. in December and January was fueled by what was then known as the Read more…
Cuando lleguemos al 70% de la población vacunada, la pandemia terminará instantáneamente, ¿verdad?
Posts en Español ReopeningTita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
R: No necesariamente. Necesitamos hablar un poco sobre la diferencia entre alcanzar el umbral de inmunidad colectiva y el objetivo final: la inmunidad colectiva. La inmunidad colectiva es la meta final de un programa de vacunación, y alcanzar el umbral de la inmunidad colectiva es el primer paso. También, los patrones de vacunación son importantes. Read more…
If masks work, why can I still smell farts when I’m wearing one?
Masks Staying Safe Uncertainty and Misinformation
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL;DR. Masks work to prevent disease spread because they keep out the bigger particles and still let you breathe. Even though mask policies and behaviors are relaxing in many places right now (Summer 2021), we want to remind you of the benefits of mask wearing with this fun question from Summer 2020. If you Read more…
Do the COVID-19 vaccines reduce transmission?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: YES! Evidence continues to mount that the vaccines REDUCE BOTH ASYMPTOMATIC INFECTIONS AND TRANSMISSION. ➡️ While the Nerdy Girls are still dreaming of a world where transmission was explicitly tested in the clinical trials (☎️ call us next time), the data pouring in from around the world strongly suggests that the vaccines are very Read more…
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la aprobación para uso de emergencia y la aprobación total para las vacunas contra COVID-19?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
P. En EE.UU., las vacunas COVID-19 tienen autorización de uso de emergencia pero aún no cuentan con la aprobación completa de la FDA. ¿Eso significa que aún no sabemos si son seguras? R. Se ha demostrado que las tres vacunas en circulación en EE.UU. para proteger contra COVID-19 (Pfizer, Moderna y Johnson & Johnson) son Read more…
WHO announces new names for SARS-CoV-2 variants
Biology/Immunity COVID Variants
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Let’s face it: B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 don’t easily roll off the tongue. While naming variants after the place they were first identified is common in virology, during the pandemic there has been concern about stigmatizing particular countries when using these names in public discussions. The WHO has adopted a new Greek alphabet naming system to Read more…
R: No necesariamente. Necesitamos hablar un poco sobre la diferencia entre alcanzar el umbral de inmunidad colectiva y el objetivo final: la inmunidad colectiva. La inmunidad colectiva es la meta final de un programa de vacunación, y alcanzar el umbral de la inmunidad colectiva es el primer paso. También, los patrones de vacunación son importantes. Read more…
If masks work, why can I still smell farts when I’m wearing one?
Masks Staying Safe Uncertainty and MisinformationLauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL;DR. Masks work to prevent disease spread because they keep out the bigger particles and still let you breathe. Even though mask policies and behaviors are relaxing in many places right now (Summer 2021), we want to remind you of the benefits of mask wearing with this fun question from Summer 2020. If you Read more…
Do the COVID-19 vaccines reduce transmission?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: YES! Evidence continues to mount that the vaccines REDUCE BOTH ASYMPTOMATIC INFECTIONS AND TRANSMISSION. ➡️ While the Nerdy Girls are still dreaming of a world where transmission was explicitly tested in the clinical trials (☎️ call us next time), the data pouring in from around the world strongly suggests that the vaccines are very Read more…
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la aprobación para uso de emergencia y la aprobación total para las vacunas contra COVID-19?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
P. En EE.UU., las vacunas COVID-19 tienen autorización de uso de emergencia pero aún no cuentan con la aprobación completa de la FDA. ¿Eso significa que aún no sabemos si son seguras? R. Se ha demostrado que las tres vacunas en circulación en EE.UU. para proteger contra COVID-19 (Pfizer, Moderna y Johnson & Johnson) son Read more…
WHO announces new names for SARS-CoV-2 variants
Biology/Immunity COVID Variants
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Let’s face it: B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 don’t easily roll off the tongue. While naming variants after the place they were first identified is common in virology, during the pandemic there has been concern about stigmatizing particular countries when using these names in public discussions. The WHO has adopted a new Greek alphabet naming system to Read more…
A: TL;DR. Masks work to prevent disease spread because they keep out the bigger particles and still let you breathe. Even though mask policies and behaviors are relaxing in many places right now (Summer 2021), we want to remind you of the benefits of mask wearing with this fun question from Summer 2020. If you Read more…
Do the COVID-19 vaccines reduce transmission?
Infection and Spread VaccinesJennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: YES! Evidence continues to mount that the vaccines REDUCE BOTH ASYMPTOMATIC INFECTIONS AND TRANSMISSION. ➡️ While the Nerdy Girls are still dreaming of a world where transmission was explicitly tested in the clinical trials (☎️ call us next time), the data pouring in from around the world strongly suggests that the vaccines are very Read more…
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la aprobación para uso de emergencia y la aprobación total para las vacunas contra COVID-19?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
P. En EE.UU., las vacunas COVID-19 tienen autorización de uso de emergencia pero aún no cuentan con la aprobación completa de la FDA. ¿Eso significa que aún no sabemos si son seguras? R. Se ha demostrado que las tres vacunas en circulación en EE.UU. para proteger contra COVID-19 (Pfizer, Moderna y Johnson & Johnson) son Read more…
WHO announces new names for SARS-CoV-2 variants
Biology/Immunity COVID Variants
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Let’s face it: B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 don’t easily roll off the tongue. While naming variants after the place they were first identified is common in virology, during the pandemic there has been concern about stigmatizing particular countries when using these names in public discussions. The WHO has adopted a new Greek alphabet naming system to Read more…
A: YES! Evidence continues to mount that the vaccines REDUCE BOTH ASYMPTOMATIC INFECTIONS AND TRANSMISSION. ➡️ While the Nerdy Girls are still dreaming of a world where transmission was explicitly tested in the clinical trials (☎️ call us next time), the data pouring in from around the world strongly suggests that the vaccines are very Read more…
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la aprobación para uso de emergencia y la aprobación total para las vacunas contra COVID-19?
Posts en Español VaccinesSandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
P. En EE.UU., las vacunas COVID-19 tienen autorización de uso de emergencia pero aún no cuentan con la aprobación completa de la FDA. ¿Eso significa que aún no sabemos si son seguras? R. Se ha demostrado que las tres vacunas en circulación en EE.UU. para proteger contra COVID-19 (Pfizer, Moderna y Johnson & Johnson) son Read more…
WHO announces new names for SARS-CoV-2 variants
Biology/Immunity COVID Variants
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Let’s face it: B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 don’t easily roll off the tongue. While naming variants after the place they were first identified is common in virology, during the pandemic there has been concern about stigmatizing particular countries when using these names in public discussions. The WHO has adopted a new Greek alphabet naming system to Read more…
P. En EE.UU., las vacunas COVID-19 tienen autorización de uso de emergencia pero aún no cuentan con la aprobación completa de la FDA. ¿Eso significa que aún no sabemos si son seguras? R. Se ha demostrado que las tres vacunas en circulación en EE.UU. para proteger contra COVID-19 (Pfizer, Moderna y Johnson & Johnson) son Read more…
WHO announces new names for SARS-CoV-2 variants
Biology/Immunity COVID VariantsJennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Let’s face it: B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 don’t easily roll off the tongue. While naming variants after the place they were first identified is common in virology, during the pandemic there has been concern about stigmatizing particular countries when using these names in public discussions. The WHO has adopted a new Greek alphabet naming system to Read more…
Let’s face it: B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 don’t easily roll off the tongue. While naming variants after the place they were first identified is common in virology, during the pandemic there has been concern about stigmatizing particular countries when using these names in public discussions. The WHO has adopted a new Greek alphabet naming system to Read more…
