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How might we use information from studies of Covid-19 outbreaks in nursing homes and summer camps to inform the reopening of schools?

Families/Kids Infection and Spread School Staying Safe

A: Let’s consider nursing homes and summer camps. While these environments are different from schools for a host of reasons, the knowledge gained from these settings does inform the critical decisions being made about educating children in the fall. A recent study of Covid-19 spread in nursing homes led by Dr. Elizabeth White found that Read more…

What do you make of the recent news that 1 in 3 kids in Florida tested positive for COVID-19?

Data and Metrics Data Literacy Infection and Spread

A: Let’s be sure we know what these numbers are telling us, and what they are not. The Florida Sun Sentinel recently reported that “Nearly one-in-three children tested for the new coronavirus in Florida has been positive.” Specifically, that’s 17,000 total positive tests among children. What’s more, 4 Florida children have died of COVID-19. What Read more…

Ugh, what’s the deal with this new study from South Korea about kids transmitting COVID-19?

Families/Kids Infection and Spread Reopening

Does this mean going back to school is more dangerous than we thought? A: As you’ve noticed by now, headlines are often more sensational than the underlying facts. This is a large, solidly conducted study but doesn’t move the needle on what we already know: younger children seem less likely to contract and spread SARS-CoV-2, Read more…

What is the timeline from exposure to viral shedding to symptoms? When do people stop being contagious? When can I get out of quarantine? When is a PCR test accurate?

Infection and Spread Testing and Contact Tracing

For today’s #ThrowbackThursday, we revisit a post from May 4th about the timeline of infection. A: This timeline, which we adapted from several sources, visualizes the incubation period and infectious period (also called contagious period), along with the timeline for seeing symptoms, timing for a reliable PCR test, and the typical timeline to hospitalization and Read more…

Do masks work?

Infection and Spread Masks Staying Safe

A: Signs point to YES! As we’ve been heard to say, “absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.” While our gold standard randomized controlled trials are not very practical for testing the efficacy of masks during a pandemic (how would YOU like to be in that placebo group?!), accumulating evidence from different types of Read more…

I’m still confused about the “Is the virus airborne?” debate. Practical take-aways, please.

Infection and Spread Staying Safe

A: Individuals: Avoid poorly ventilated, crowded indoor spaces to the extent possible. Building owners/tenants: Beef up air filtration, especially in older buildings. Background: A very loud squabble emerged last week around the classification of SARS-CoV-2 in the scientific taxonomy. Nerdy Girl Alison wrote a wonderful post walking through the science discussing what an “airborne” classification Read more…

When should I get tested?

Infection and Spread Testing and Contact Tracing

Introducing Nerdy Guest Ajay Sethi, PhD, MHS. Dr. Sethi is a leading infectious disease epidemiologist at UW-Madison’s School of Medicine and Public Health. (@AjayKSethi on Twitter!) ____________________________________________ Q: When should I get tested? When I’m sick? When I have specific symptoms? When I’m sick and not getting better after several days? When a family member Read more…

What steps should families who want to visit relatives who are older and/or more vulnerable to complications of COVID-19 take to protect their loved ones?

Families/Kids Infection and Spread Staying Safe Travel

A: We all miss our families (yes, us too!) and while navigating how to keep loved ones safe can feel overwhelming, the Nerdy Girls are here to help you make the best decisions possible based on the best information available! Luckily there are some key things (as highlighted in the NPR article below) you can Read more…

Is it true that Covid-19 symptoms can last for months?

Clinical Symptoms Infection and Spread

Introducing Nerdy Guest Michelle L. Frisco, PhD, who joins us to talk about “Covid long haulers”. Dr. Frisco is Associate Professor of Sociology & Demography at Penn State University. She studies population health. A: Yes. Some people who contract Covid-19 seem to deal with consistent or recurring symptoms for a long time. Q: How common Read more…

Will temperature checks actually work? What else can schools and businesses do to quickly scan for potentially infectious people?

Clinical Symptoms Infection and Spread Reopening School

A: There’s reason to be skeptical about temperature checks. COVID-19 is infectious for several days before symptoms appear. Scanning folks as they enter a building for a fever won’t do much to prevent people who are pre-symptomatic from entering and spewing infectious droplets all over the place. Gross. At this point, we need to embrace Read more…

What is the real risk of death from COVID-19? Is it actually worse than the flu?

Biology/Immunity Infection and Spread Uncertainty and Misinformation

A: It’s complicated…. but YES! As a demographer and epidemiologist, mortality rates are in my wheelhouse so to speak, but getting a handle on COVID-19 has challenged us all. First some definitions: Case Fatality Rate (CFR): % of confirmed cases who die. In the U.S., the estimated CFR is currently 4.33% In the U.K., the Read more…