Series on Logical Fallacies – The False Equivalence Fallacy
Uncertainty and Misinformation
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
At Dear Pandemic, we want to dish out science facts AND equip our readers with tools to make sense of data and science themselves. This is the fourth post in an ongoing series by Dr. Kristen Panthagani of You Can Know Things, in which she dissects common logical fallacies that have led people astray during Read more…
Should I get a booster shot if I’ve already had COVID-19?
Biology/Immunity Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
Yes! Even if you have already been infected, getting the recommended booster vaccine is a good idea. There is some evidence that hybrid immunity, or immunity obtained from getting vaccinated and having a COVID-19 infection, can provide good protection against COVID-19. So why should I get a booster if I had COVID? Hybrid immunity can Read more…
SO many reflections on the TWO YEAR anniversary of Dear Pandemic from Those Nerdy Girls.
Uncategorized
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
In a moment of crisis, a team of female scientists built and sustained a public health communication platform while maintaining their day jobs and tending to family and friends during a global pandemic. We have written over 2,000 posts and connected with over 200,000 followers. We have done this all with a volunteer staff for Read more…
Do free-falling COVID cases after a truly horrible winter surge mean we have endured the last wave and are nearing the end of the pandemic?
Data and Metrics
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
We hope so, but not necessarily…. the recent dramatic fall in cases looks A LOT like what we saw last year at this time. Even though falling cases and herd immunity talk make it *feel* like the pandemic is ending, we should remain humble and remember that these predictions have been wrong before. The Nerdy Read more…
What is the new COVID “Test to Treat” initiative in the United States?
Testing and Contact Tracing Treatments
Chana Davis, PhD
A: President Biden announced a “Test to Treat” initiative in his State of the Union address last week. The program aims to reduce hospitalizations from COVID-19 by providing fast, free, broad access to antivirals. To be eligible, you must have confirmed mild-to-moderate COVID-19 and be at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19. TL;DR At Read more…
March 8th is International Women’s Day!
Social and Racial Justice Women in STEM
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
The Nerdy Girls at Dear Pandemic join the United Nations in celebrating International Women’s Day. Here are some ways you can, too: 1.) Donate to a cause that supports women, including organizations that help women run for office (see link below). 2.) Write a letter or make a phone call to a woman that inspires Read more…
What is going on with the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine for 5-11 year old kids?
Families/Kids Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
You may have seen a lot of news about the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for 5–11-year-old kids in the last few days. One new report out of New York suggested that the COVID-19 vaccine for these kids does not provide much protection against getting infected. Another study from the CDC shows that the vaccines continue to Read more…
Series on Logical Fallacies – Sealioning or “I’m just asking questions. . .”
Uncertainty and Misinformation
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
At Dear Pandemic, we want to dish out science facts AND equip our readers with tools to make sense of data and science themselves. This is the third post in an ongoing series by Dr. Kristen Panthagani of You Can Know Things, in which she dissects common logical fallacies and rhetorical strategies that have led Read more…
Did I already have COVID-19? Antibody testing 101.
Testing and Contact Tracing
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Antibody tests, or serology tests, test your blood for evidence of a past encounter with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Importantly, these tests don’t tell you when you were infected, with which variant, or how well protected you are. Antibody tests are not cheap and are usually done in a lab. For most of us, the Read more…
What is brain fog in Long COVID and what can I do about it?
Clinical Symptoms Long COVID
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
TL;DR: Brain fog is a catch all term that could mean confusion, difficulty thinking, trouble concentrating, memory problems, mental fatigue, or straight up feeling mentally “fuzzy.” Brain fog after COVID-19 infection is common and can be mild to debilitating. We don’t yet know how to treat this, but there are some things you can do Read more…
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Joanna Dreifus
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
It’s time to meet the women behind the magic here at Dear Pandemic! Today we’d love to introduce you to Joanna Dreifus, MPH–our Director of Community Engagement. Joanna volunteered to help us out more than a year ago. Her main area of focus is all things YOU! Our readers. She reads all your comments (yes Read more…
Tengo COVID. ¿Cuándo puedo dejar de preocuparme por contagiar a otras personas?
Infection and Spread Posts en Español Staying Safe
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
La respuesta corta es: 10 dĂas despuĂ©s de que te hayas sentido mal o hayas dado positivo, suponiendo que para entonces te sientas mejor. Si no te mejoras, consulta a tu mĂ©dico sobre la posibilidad de terminar el aislamiento. Han habido muchas actualizaciones de estas directrices para los periodos de tiempo de exposiciones e infecciones Read more…
đź’” Disheartening news: A new study shows that COVID-19 raises risk of cardiovascular disease for at least a year after infection.
Data and Metrics Long COVID
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A recent large study of U.S. Veterans found that the risk of having a heart attack, stroke and a long list of other cardiovascular events was higher for those who had COVID-19 the year prior compared to those who didn’t. The risk was highest for those who had been admitted to the hospital or ICU Read more…
¿Cuál es la mejor mascarilla para protegerme de la variante Ómicron?
Masks Posts en Español
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
Una mascarilla de alta filtraciĂłn bien ajustada como las N95, KN95, FFP2 o KF94 son la mejor opciĂłn. ⚠️ Ă“micron puede ser incluso más transmisible que las variantes anteriores, debido a una mayor velocidad de replicaciĂłn en las vĂas respiratorias superiores, lo que implica que personas infectadas expulsan una gran cantidad de virus al respirar Read more…
My kid had COVID-19. When can they return to sports?
Families/Kids Staying Safe
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: It depends on how sick the child was and what symptoms they had. All children and adolescents should have a visit with their primary care clinician (PCP) after COVID-19 infection to see if they are ready to get back to sports, and some kids will need additional tests of their heart to make sure Read more…
Do throat swabs help detect the Omicron variant?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Yes! A combined throat and nose swab (first throat, then nose) is your best bet for detecting Omicron, especially in the first few days. As long as you swab safely, the only downside to this strategy is that you might gag (sorry, this is normal). Say aaaah! TL;DR: COVID tests only work when you Read more…
Q: If 50% of COVID hospitalizations are among the vaccinated, does that mean the vaccines aren’t working?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Vaccines
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
A: No. This metric sounds useful, but it can’t tell us anything about vaccine effectiveness. Since the roll-out of COVID vaccinations, many headlines have reported the percent of COVID hospitalizations and deaths who were vaccinated, trying to convey how well the vaccines are working. ‘Only 1% of COVID hospitalizations are vaccinated people’ sounds encouraging, doesn’t Read more…
I found out I was exposed to COVID-19. How long do I have to quarantine?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
QUARANTINE is not the same as isolation. Quarantine is what we do after we find out that someone we shared air with ended up being positive for COVID-19. You’re feeling fine and haven’t tested positive, but you’re in a waiting period–waiting to see if you’ll get sick. CDC’s guidance for quarantining after you have been Read more…
Megan Madsen, DO
Dr. Megan Madsen is a primary care physician practicing in Philadelphia, PA. She received her medical training from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency in Family Medicine and fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Abington-Jefferson Hospital. Her education as a D.O. allowed her to obtain excellent medical training that focused on treating the Read more…
Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
đź’ĄBreaking News !!đź’Ą ✔️ Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today! Back in December, Pfizer announced that 2, 3 µg doses given 3 weeks apart in kids aged 6 months to <5 years, was *SAFE*, but did not produce as strong Read more…
At Dear Pandemic, we want to dish out science facts AND equip our readers with tools to make sense of data and science themselves. This is the fourth post in an ongoing series by Dr. Kristen Panthagani of You Can Know Things, in which she dissects common logical fallacies that have led people astray during Read more…
Should I get a booster shot if I’ve already had COVID-19?
Biology/Immunity VaccinesSarah Whitley Coles, MD
Yes! Even if you have already been infected, getting the recommended booster vaccine is a good idea. There is some evidence that hybrid immunity, or immunity obtained from getting vaccinated and having a COVID-19 infection, can provide good protection against COVID-19. So why should I get a booster if I had COVID? Hybrid immunity can Read more…
SO many reflections on the TWO YEAR anniversary of Dear Pandemic from Those Nerdy Girls.
Uncategorized
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
In a moment of crisis, a team of female scientists built and sustained a public health communication platform while maintaining their day jobs and tending to family and friends during a global pandemic. We have written over 2,000 posts and connected with over 200,000 followers. We have done this all with a volunteer staff for Read more…
Do free-falling COVID cases after a truly horrible winter surge mean we have endured the last wave and are nearing the end of the pandemic?
Data and Metrics
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
We hope so, but not necessarily…. the recent dramatic fall in cases looks A LOT like what we saw last year at this time. Even though falling cases and herd immunity talk make it *feel* like the pandemic is ending, we should remain humble and remember that these predictions have been wrong before. The Nerdy Read more…
What is the new COVID “Test to Treat” initiative in the United States?
Testing and Contact Tracing Treatments
Chana Davis, PhD
A: President Biden announced a “Test to Treat” initiative in his State of the Union address last week. The program aims to reduce hospitalizations from COVID-19 by providing fast, free, broad access to antivirals. To be eligible, you must have confirmed mild-to-moderate COVID-19 and be at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19. TL;DR At Read more…
March 8th is International Women’s Day!
Social and Racial Justice Women in STEM
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
The Nerdy Girls at Dear Pandemic join the United Nations in celebrating International Women’s Day. Here are some ways you can, too: 1.) Donate to a cause that supports women, including organizations that help women run for office (see link below). 2.) Write a letter or make a phone call to a woman that inspires Read more…
What is going on with the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine for 5-11 year old kids?
Families/Kids Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
You may have seen a lot of news about the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for 5–11-year-old kids in the last few days. One new report out of New York suggested that the COVID-19 vaccine for these kids does not provide much protection against getting infected. Another study from the CDC shows that the vaccines continue to Read more…
Series on Logical Fallacies – Sealioning or “I’m just asking questions. . .”
Uncertainty and Misinformation
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
At Dear Pandemic, we want to dish out science facts AND equip our readers with tools to make sense of data and science themselves. This is the third post in an ongoing series by Dr. Kristen Panthagani of You Can Know Things, in which she dissects common logical fallacies and rhetorical strategies that have led Read more…
Did I already have COVID-19? Antibody testing 101.
Testing and Contact Tracing
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Antibody tests, or serology tests, test your blood for evidence of a past encounter with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Importantly, these tests don’t tell you when you were infected, with which variant, or how well protected you are. Antibody tests are not cheap and are usually done in a lab. For most of us, the Read more…
What is brain fog in Long COVID and what can I do about it?
Clinical Symptoms Long COVID
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
TL;DR: Brain fog is a catch all term that could mean confusion, difficulty thinking, trouble concentrating, memory problems, mental fatigue, or straight up feeling mentally “fuzzy.” Brain fog after COVID-19 infection is common and can be mild to debilitating. We don’t yet know how to treat this, but there are some things you can do Read more…
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Joanna Dreifus
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
It’s time to meet the women behind the magic here at Dear Pandemic! Today we’d love to introduce you to Joanna Dreifus, MPH–our Director of Community Engagement. Joanna volunteered to help us out more than a year ago. Her main area of focus is all things YOU! Our readers. She reads all your comments (yes Read more…
Tengo COVID. ¿Cuándo puedo dejar de preocuparme por contagiar a otras personas?
Infection and Spread Posts en Español Staying Safe
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
La respuesta corta es: 10 dĂas despuĂ©s de que te hayas sentido mal o hayas dado positivo, suponiendo que para entonces te sientas mejor. Si no te mejoras, consulta a tu mĂ©dico sobre la posibilidad de terminar el aislamiento. Han habido muchas actualizaciones de estas directrices para los periodos de tiempo de exposiciones e infecciones Read more…
đź’” Disheartening news: A new study shows that COVID-19 raises risk of cardiovascular disease for at least a year after infection.
Data and Metrics Long COVID
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A recent large study of U.S. Veterans found that the risk of having a heart attack, stroke and a long list of other cardiovascular events was higher for those who had COVID-19 the year prior compared to those who didn’t. The risk was highest for those who had been admitted to the hospital or ICU Read more…
¿Cuál es la mejor mascarilla para protegerme de la variante Ómicron?
Masks Posts en Español
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
Una mascarilla de alta filtraciĂłn bien ajustada como las N95, KN95, FFP2 o KF94 son la mejor opciĂłn. ⚠️ Ă“micron puede ser incluso más transmisible que las variantes anteriores, debido a una mayor velocidad de replicaciĂłn en las vĂas respiratorias superiores, lo que implica que personas infectadas expulsan una gran cantidad de virus al respirar Read more…
My kid had COVID-19. When can they return to sports?
Families/Kids Staying Safe
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: It depends on how sick the child was and what symptoms they had. All children and adolescents should have a visit with their primary care clinician (PCP) after COVID-19 infection to see if they are ready to get back to sports, and some kids will need additional tests of their heart to make sure Read more…
Do throat swabs help detect the Omicron variant?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Yes! A combined throat and nose swab (first throat, then nose) is your best bet for detecting Omicron, especially in the first few days. As long as you swab safely, the only downside to this strategy is that you might gag (sorry, this is normal). Say aaaah! TL;DR: COVID tests only work when you Read more…
Q: If 50% of COVID hospitalizations are among the vaccinated, does that mean the vaccines aren’t working?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Vaccines
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
A: No. This metric sounds useful, but it can’t tell us anything about vaccine effectiveness. Since the roll-out of COVID vaccinations, many headlines have reported the percent of COVID hospitalizations and deaths who were vaccinated, trying to convey how well the vaccines are working. ‘Only 1% of COVID hospitalizations are vaccinated people’ sounds encouraging, doesn’t Read more…
I found out I was exposed to COVID-19. How long do I have to quarantine?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
QUARANTINE is not the same as isolation. Quarantine is what we do after we find out that someone we shared air with ended up being positive for COVID-19. You’re feeling fine and haven’t tested positive, but you’re in a waiting period–waiting to see if you’ll get sick. CDC’s guidance for quarantining after you have been Read more…
Megan Madsen, DO
Dr. Megan Madsen is a primary care physician practicing in Philadelphia, PA. She received her medical training from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency in Family Medicine and fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Abington-Jefferson Hospital. Her education as a D.O. allowed her to obtain excellent medical training that focused on treating the Read more…
Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
đź’ĄBreaking News !!đź’Ą ✔️ Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today! Back in December, Pfizer announced that 2, 3 µg doses given 3 weeks apart in kids aged 6 months to <5 years, was *SAFE*, but did not produce as strong Read more…
Yes! Even if you have already been infected, getting the recommended booster vaccine is a good idea. There is some evidence that hybrid immunity, or immunity obtained from getting vaccinated and having a COVID-19 infection, can provide good protection against COVID-19. So why should I get a booster if I had COVID? Hybrid immunity can Read more…
SO many reflections on the TWO YEAR anniversary of Dear Pandemic from Those Nerdy Girls.
UncategorizedAshley Ritter, APRN, PhD
In a moment of crisis, a team of female scientists built and sustained a public health communication platform while maintaining their day jobs and tending to family and friends during a global pandemic. We have written over 2,000 posts and connected with over 200,000 followers. We have done this all with a volunteer staff for Read more…
Do free-falling COVID cases after a truly horrible winter surge mean we have endured the last wave and are nearing the end of the pandemic?
Data and Metrics
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
We hope so, but not necessarily…. the recent dramatic fall in cases looks A LOT like what we saw last year at this time. Even though falling cases and herd immunity talk make it *feel* like the pandemic is ending, we should remain humble and remember that these predictions have been wrong before. The Nerdy Read more…
What is the new COVID “Test to Treat” initiative in the United States?
Testing and Contact Tracing Treatments
Chana Davis, PhD
A: President Biden announced a “Test to Treat” initiative in his State of the Union address last week. The program aims to reduce hospitalizations from COVID-19 by providing fast, free, broad access to antivirals. To be eligible, you must have confirmed mild-to-moderate COVID-19 and be at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19. TL;DR At Read more…
March 8th is International Women’s Day!
Social and Racial Justice Women in STEM
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
The Nerdy Girls at Dear Pandemic join the United Nations in celebrating International Women’s Day. Here are some ways you can, too: 1.) Donate to a cause that supports women, including organizations that help women run for office (see link below). 2.) Write a letter or make a phone call to a woman that inspires Read more…
What is going on with the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine for 5-11 year old kids?
Families/Kids Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
You may have seen a lot of news about the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for 5–11-year-old kids in the last few days. One new report out of New York suggested that the COVID-19 vaccine for these kids does not provide much protection against getting infected. Another study from the CDC shows that the vaccines continue to Read more…
Series on Logical Fallacies – Sealioning or “I’m just asking questions. . .”
Uncertainty and Misinformation
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
At Dear Pandemic, we want to dish out science facts AND equip our readers with tools to make sense of data and science themselves. This is the third post in an ongoing series by Dr. Kristen Panthagani of You Can Know Things, in which she dissects common logical fallacies and rhetorical strategies that have led Read more…
Did I already have COVID-19? Antibody testing 101.
Testing and Contact Tracing
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Antibody tests, or serology tests, test your blood for evidence of a past encounter with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Importantly, these tests don’t tell you when you were infected, with which variant, or how well protected you are. Antibody tests are not cheap and are usually done in a lab. For most of us, the Read more…
What is brain fog in Long COVID and what can I do about it?
Clinical Symptoms Long COVID
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
TL;DR: Brain fog is a catch all term that could mean confusion, difficulty thinking, trouble concentrating, memory problems, mental fatigue, or straight up feeling mentally “fuzzy.” Brain fog after COVID-19 infection is common and can be mild to debilitating. We don’t yet know how to treat this, but there are some things you can do Read more…
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Joanna Dreifus
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
It’s time to meet the women behind the magic here at Dear Pandemic! Today we’d love to introduce you to Joanna Dreifus, MPH–our Director of Community Engagement. Joanna volunteered to help us out more than a year ago. Her main area of focus is all things YOU! Our readers. She reads all your comments (yes Read more…
Tengo COVID. ¿Cuándo puedo dejar de preocuparme por contagiar a otras personas?
Infection and Spread Posts en Español Staying Safe
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
La respuesta corta es: 10 dĂas despuĂ©s de que te hayas sentido mal o hayas dado positivo, suponiendo que para entonces te sientas mejor. Si no te mejoras, consulta a tu mĂ©dico sobre la posibilidad de terminar el aislamiento. Han habido muchas actualizaciones de estas directrices para los periodos de tiempo de exposiciones e infecciones Read more…
đź’” Disheartening news: A new study shows that COVID-19 raises risk of cardiovascular disease for at least a year after infection.
Data and Metrics Long COVID
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A recent large study of U.S. Veterans found that the risk of having a heart attack, stroke and a long list of other cardiovascular events was higher for those who had COVID-19 the year prior compared to those who didn’t. The risk was highest for those who had been admitted to the hospital or ICU Read more…
¿Cuál es la mejor mascarilla para protegerme de la variante Ómicron?
Masks Posts en Español
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
Una mascarilla de alta filtraciĂłn bien ajustada como las N95, KN95, FFP2 o KF94 son la mejor opciĂłn. ⚠️ Ă“micron puede ser incluso más transmisible que las variantes anteriores, debido a una mayor velocidad de replicaciĂłn en las vĂas respiratorias superiores, lo que implica que personas infectadas expulsan una gran cantidad de virus al respirar Read more…
My kid had COVID-19. When can they return to sports?
Families/Kids Staying Safe
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: It depends on how sick the child was and what symptoms they had. All children and adolescents should have a visit with their primary care clinician (PCP) after COVID-19 infection to see if they are ready to get back to sports, and some kids will need additional tests of their heart to make sure Read more…
Do throat swabs help detect the Omicron variant?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Yes! A combined throat and nose swab (first throat, then nose) is your best bet for detecting Omicron, especially in the first few days. As long as you swab safely, the only downside to this strategy is that you might gag (sorry, this is normal). Say aaaah! TL;DR: COVID tests only work when you Read more…
Q: If 50% of COVID hospitalizations are among the vaccinated, does that mean the vaccines aren’t working?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Vaccines
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
A: No. This metric sounds useful, but it can’t tell us anything about vaccine effectiveness. Since the roll-out of COVID vaccinations, many headlines have reported the percent of COVID hospitalizations and deaths who were vaccinated, trying to convey how well the vaccines are working. ‘Only 1% of COVID hospitalizations are vaccinated people’ sounds encouraging, doesn’t Read more…
I found out I was exposed to COVID-19. How long do I have to quarantine?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
QUARANTINE is not the same as isolation. Quarantine is what we do after we find out that someone we shared air with ended up being positive for COVID-19. You’re feeling fine and haven’t tested positive, but you’re in a waiting period–waiting to see if you’ll get sick. CDC’s guidance for quarantining after you have been Read more…
Megan Madsen, DO
Dr. Megan Madsen is a primary care physician practicing in Philadelphia, PA. She received her medical training from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency in Family Medicine and fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Abington-Jefferson Hospital. Her education as a D.O. allowed her to obtain excellent medical training that focused on treating the Read more…
Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
đź’ĄBreaking News !!đź’Ą ✔️ Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today! Back in December, Pfizer announced that 2, 3 µg doses given 3 weeks apart in kids aged 6 months to <5 years, was *SAFE*, but did not produce as strong Read more…
In a moment of crisis, a team of female scientists built and sustained a public health communication platform while maintaining their day jobs and tending to family and friends during a global pandemic. We have written over 2,000 posts and connected with over 200,000 followers. We have done this all with a volunteer staff for Read more…
Do free-falling COVID cases after a truly horrible winter surge mean we have endured the last wave and are nearing the end of the pandemic?
Data and MetricsKristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
We hope so, but not necessarily…. the recent dramatic fall in cases looks A LOT like what we saw last year at this time. Even though falling cases and herd immunity talk make it *feel* like the pandemic is ending, we should remain humble and remember that these predictions have been wrong before. The Nerdy Read more…
What is the new COVID “Test to Treat” initiative in the United States?
Testing and Contact Tracing Treatments
Chana Davis, PhD
A: President Biden announced a “Test to Treat” initiative in his State of the Union address last week. The program aims to reduce hospitalizations from COVID-19 by providing fast, free, broad access to antivirals. To be eligible, you must have confirmed mild-to-moderate COVID-19 and be at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19. TL;DR At Read more…
March 8th is International Women’s Day!
Social and Racial Justice Women in STEM
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
The Nerdy Girls at Dear Pandemic join the United Nations in celebrating International Women’s Day. Here are some ways you can, too: 1.) Donate to a cause that supports women, including organizations that help women run for office (see link below). 2.) Write a letter or make a phone call to a woman that inspires Read more…
What is going on with the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine for 5-11 year old kids?
Families/Kids Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
You may have seen a lot of news about the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for 5–11-year-old kids in the last few days. One new report out of New York suggested that the COVID-19 vaccine for these kids does not provide much protection against getting infected. Another study from the CDC shows that the vaccines continue to Read more…
Series on Logical Fallacies – Sealioning or “I’m just asking questions. . .”
Uncertainty and Misinformation
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
At Dear Pandemic, we want to dish out science facts AND equip our readers with tools to make sense of data and science themselves. This is the third post in an ongoing series by Dr. Kristen Panthagani of You Can Know Things, in which she dissects common logical fallacies and rhetorical strategies that have led Read more…
Did I already have COVID-19? Antibody testing 101.
Testing and Contact Tracing
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Antibody tests, or serology tests, test your blood for evidence of a past encounter with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Importantly, these tests don’t tell you when you were infected, with which variant, or how well protected you are. Antibody tests are not cheap and are usually done in a lab. For most of us, the Read more…
What is brain fog in Long COVID and what can I do about it?
Clinical Symptoms Long COVID
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
TL;DR: Brain fog is a catch all term that could mean confusion, difficulty thinking, trouble concentrating, memory problems, mental fatigue, or straight up feeling mentally “fuzzy.” Brain fog after COVID-19 infection is common and can be mild to debilitating. We don’t yet know how to treat this, but there are some things you can do Read more…
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Joanna Dreifus
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
It’s time to meet the women behind the magic here at Dear Pandemic! Today we’d love to introduce you to Joanna Dreifus, MPH–our Director of Community Engagement. Joanna volunteered to help us out more than a year ago. Her main area of focus is all things YOU! Our readers. She reads all your comments (yes Read more…
Tengo COVID. ¿Cuándo puedo dejar de preocuparme por contagiar a otras personas?
Infection and Spread Posts en Español Staying Safe
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
La respuesta corta es: 10 dĂas despuĂ©s de que te hayas sentido mal o hayas dado positivo, suponiendo que para entonces te sientas mejor. Si no te mejoras, consulta a tu mĂ©dico sobre la posibilidad de terminar el aislamiento. Han habido muchas actualizaciones de estas directrices para los periodos de tiempo de exposiciones e infecciones Read more…
đź’” Disheartening news: A new study shows that COVID-19 raises risk of cardiovascular disease for at least a year after infection.
Data and Metrics Long COVID
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A recent large study of U.S. Veterans found that the risk of having a heart attack, stroke and a long list of other cardiovascular events was higher for those who had COVID-19 the year prior compared to those who didn’t. The risk was highest for those who had been admitted to the hospital or ICU Read more…
¿Cuál es la mejor mascarilla para protegerme de la variante Ómicron?
Masks Posts en Español
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
Una mascarilla de alta filtraciĂłn bien ajustada como las N95, KN95, FFP2 o KF94 son la mejor opciĂłn. ⚠️ Ă“micron puede ser incluso más transmisible que las variantes anteriores, debido a una mayor velocidad de replicaciĂłn en las vĂas respiratorias superiores, lo que implica que personas infectadas expulsan una gran cantidad de virus al respirar Read more…
My kid had COVID-19. When can they return to sports?
Families/Kids Staying Safe
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: It depends on how sick the child was and what symptoms they had. All children and adolescents should have a visit with their primary care clinician (PCP) after COVID-19 infection to see if they are ready to get back to sports, and some kids will need additional tests of their heart to make sure Read more…
Do throat swabs help detect the Omicron variant?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Yes! A combined throat and nose swab (first throat, then nose) is your best bet for detecting Omicron, especially in the first few days. As long as you swab safely, the only downside to this strategy is that you might gag (sorry, this is normal). Say aaaah! TL;DR: COVID tests only work when you Read more…
Q: If 50% of COVID hospitalizations are among the vaccinated, does that mean the vaccines aren’t working?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Vaccines
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
A: No. This metric sounds useful, but it can’t tell us anything about vaccine effectiveness. Since the roll-out of COVID vaccinations, many headlines have reported the percent of COVID hospitalizations and deaths who were vaccinated, trying to convey how well the vaccines are working. ‘Only 1% of COVID hospitalizations are vaccinated people’ sounds encouraging, doesn’t Read more…
I found out I was exposed to COVID-19. How long do I have to quarantine?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
QUARANTINE is not the same as isolation. Quarantine is what we do after we find out that someone we shared air with ended up being positive for COVID-19. You’re feeling fine and haven’t tested positive, but you’re in a waiting period–waiting to see if you’ll get sick. CDC’s guidance for quarantining after you have been Read more…
Megan Madsen, DO
Dr. Megan Madsen is a primary care physician practicing in Philadelphia, PA. She received her medical training from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency in Family Medicine and fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Abington-Jefferson Hospital. Her education as a D.O. allowed her to obtain excellent medical training that focused on treating the Read more…
Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
đź’ĄBreaking News !!đź’Ą ✔️ Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today! Back in December, Pfizer announced that 2, 3 µg doses given 3 weeks apart in kids aged 6 months to <5 years, was *SAFE*, but did not produce as strong Read more…
We hope so, but not necessarily…. the recent dramatic fall in cases looks A LOT like what we saw last year at this time. Even though falling cases and herd immunity talk make it *feel* like the pandemic is ending, we should remain humble and remember that these predictions have been wrong before. The Nerdy Read more…
What is the new COVID “Test to Treat” initiative in the United States?
Testing and Contact Tracing TreatmentsChana Davis, PhD
A: President Biden announced a “Test to Treat” initiative in his State of the Union address last week. The program aims to reduce hospitalizations from COVID-19 by providing fast, free, broad access to antivirals. To be eligible, you must have confirmed mild-to-moderate COVID-19 and be at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19. TL;DR At Read more…
March 8th is International Women’s Day!
Social and Racial Justice Women in STEM
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
The Nerdy Girls at Dear Pandemic join the United Nations in celebrating International Women’s Day. Here are some ways you can, too: 1.) Donate to a cause that supports women, including organizations that help women run for office (see link below). 2.) Write a letter or make a phone call to a woman that inspires Read more…
What is going on with the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine for 5-11 year old kids?
Families/Kids Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
You may have seen a lot of news about the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for 5–11-year-old kids in the last few days. One new report out of New York suggested that the COVID-19 vaccine for these kids does not provide much protection against getting infected. Another study from the CDC shows that the vaccines continue to Read more…
Series on Logical Fallacies – Sealioning or “I’m just asking questions. . .”
Uncertainty and Misinformation
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
At Dear Pandemic, we want to dish out science facts AND equip our readers with tools to make sense of data and science themselves. This is the third post in an ongoing series by Dr. Kristen Panthagani of You Can Know Things, in which she dissects common logical fallacies and rhetorical strategies that have led Read more…
Did I already have COVID-19? Antibody testing 101.
Testing and Contact Tracing
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Antibody tests, or serology tests, test your blood for evidence of a past encounter with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Importantly, these tests don’t tell you when you were infected, with which variant, or how well protected you are. Antibody tests are not cheap and are usually done in a lab. For most of us, the Read more…
What is brain fog in Long COVID and what can I do about it?
Clinical Symptoms Long COVID
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
TL;DR: Brain fog is a catch all term that could mean confusion, difficulty thinking, trouble concentrating, memory problems, mental fatigue, or straight up feeling mentally “fuzzy.” Brain fog after COVID-19 infection is common and can be mild to debilitating. We don’t yet know how to treat this, but there are some things you can do Read more…
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Joanna Dreifus
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
It’s time to meet the women behind the magic here at Dear Pandemic! Today we’d love to introduce you to Joanna Dreifus, MPH–our Director of Community Engagement. Joanna volunteered to help us out more than a year ago. Her main area of focus is all things YOU! Our readers. She reads all your comments (yes Read more…
Tengo COVID. ¿Cuándo puedo dejar de preocuparme por contagiar a otras personas?
Infection and Spread Posts en Español Staying Safe
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
La respuesta corta es: 10 dĂas despuĂ©s de que te hayas sentido mal o hayas dado positivo, suponiendo que para entonces te sientas mejor. Si no te mejoras, consulta a tu mĂ©dico sobre la posibilidad de terminar el aislamiento. Han habido muchas actualizaciones de estas directrices para los periodos de tiempo de exposiciones e infecciones Read more…
đź’” Disheartening news: A new study shows that COVID-19 raises risk of cardiovascular disease for at least a year after infection.
Data and Metrics Long COVID
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A recent large study of U.S. Veterans found that the risk of having a heart attack, stroke and a long list of other cardiovascular events was higher for those who had COVID-19 the year prior compared to those who didn’t. The risk was highest for those who had been admitted to the hospital or ICU Read more…
¿Cuál es la mejor mascarilla para protegerme de la variante Ómicron?
Masks Posts en Español
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
Una mascarilla de alta filtraciĂłn bien ajustada como las N95, KN95, FFP2 o KF94 son la mejor opciĂłn. ⚠️ Ă“micron puede ser incluso más transmisible que las variantes anteriores, debido a una mayor velocidad de replicaciĂłn en las vĂas respiratorias superiores, lo que implica que personas infectadas expulsan una gran cantidad de virus al respirar Read more…
My kid had COVID-19. When can they return to sports?
Families/Kids Staying Safe
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: It depends on how sick the child was and what symptoms they had. All children and adolescents should have a visit with their primary care clinician (PCP) after COVID-19 infection to see if they are ready to get back to sports, and some kids will need additional tests of their heart to make sure Read more…
Do throat swabs help detect the Omicron variant?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Yes! A combined throat and nose swab (first throat, then nose) is your best bet for detecting Omicron, especially in the first few days. As long as you swab safely, the only downside to this strategy is that you might gag (sorry, this is normal). Say aaaah! TL;DR: COVID tests only work when you Read more…
Q: If 50% of COVID hospitalizations are among the vaccinated, does that mean the vaccines aren’t working?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Vaccines
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
A: No. This metric sounds useful, but it can’t tell us anything about vaccine effectiveness. Since the roll-out of COVID vaccinations, many headlines have reported the percent of COVID hospitalizations and deaths who were vaccinated, trying to convey how well the vaccines are working. ‘Only 1% of COVID hospitalizations are vaccinated people’ sounds encouraging, doesn’t Read more…
I found out I was exposed to COVID-19. How long do I have to quarantine?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
QUARANTINE is not the same as isolation. Quarantine is what we do after we find out that someone we shared air with ended up being positive for COVID-19. You’re feeling fine and haven’t tested positive, but you’re in a waiting period–waiting to see if you’ll get sick. CDC’s guidance for quarantining after you have been Read more…
Megan Madsen, DO
Dr. Megan Madsen is a primary care physician practicing in Philadelphia, PA. She received her medical training from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency in Family Medicine and fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Abington-Jefferson Hospital. Her education as a D.O. allowed her to obtain excellent medical training that focused on treating the Read more…
Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
đź’ĄBreaking News !!đź’Ą ✔️ Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today! Back in December, Pfizer announced that 2, 3 µg doses given 3 weeks apart in kids aged 6 months to <5 years, was *SAFE*, but did not produce as strong Read more…
A: President Biden announced a “Test to Treat” initiative in his State of the Union address last week. The program aims to reduce hospitalizations from COVID-19 by providing fast, free, broad access to antivirals. To be eligible, you must have confirmed mild-to-moderate COVID-19 and be at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19. TL;DR At Read more…
March 8th is International Women’s Day!
Social and Racial Justice Women in STEMLauren Hale, PhD MA
The Nerdy Girls at Dear Pandemic join the United Nations in celebrating International Women’s Day. Here are some ways you can, too: 1.) Donate to a cause that supports women, including organizations that help women run for office (see link below). 2.) Write a letter or make a phone call to a woman that inspires Read more…
What is going on with the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine for 5-11 year old kids?
Families/Kids Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
You may have seen a lot of news about the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for 5–11-year-old kids in the last few days. One new report out of New York suggested that the COVID-19 vaccine for these kids does not provide much protection against getting infected. Another study from the CDC shows that the vaccines continue to Read more…
Series on Logical Fallacies – Sealioning or “I’m just asking questions. . .”
Uncertainty and Misinformation
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
At Dear Pandemic, we want to dish out science facts AND equip our readers with tools to make sense of data and science themselves. This is the third post in an ongoing series by Dr. Kristen Panthagani of You Can Know Things, in which she dissects common logical fallacies and rhetorical strategies that have led Read more…
Did I already have COVID-19? Antibody testing 101.
Testing and Contact Tracing
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Antibody tests, or serology tests, test your blood for evidence of a past encounter with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Importantly, these tests don’t tell you when you were infected, with which variant, or how well protected you are. Antibody tests are not cheap and are usually done in a lab. For most of us, the Read more…
What is brain fog in Long COVID and what can I do about it?
Clinical Symptoms Long COVID
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
TL;DR: Brain fog is a catch all term that could mean confusion, difficulty thinking, trouble concentrating, memory problems, mental fatigue, or straight up feeling mentally “fuzzy.” Brain fog after COVID-19 infection is common and can be mild to debilitating. We don’t yet know how to treat this, but there are some things you can do Read more…
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Joanna Dreifus
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
It’s time to meet the women behind the magic here at Dear Pandemic! Today we’d love to introduce you to Joanna Dreifus, MPH–our Director of Community Engagement. Joanna volunteered to help us out more than a year ago. Her main area of focus is all things YOU! Our readers. She reads all your comments (yes Read more…
Tengo COVID. ¿Cuándo puedo dejar de preocuparme por contagiar a otras personas?
Infection and Spread Posts en Español Staying Safe
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
La respuesta corta es: 10 dĂas despuĂ©s de que te hayas sentido mal o hayas dado positivo, suponiendo que para entonces te sientas mejor. Si no te mejoras, consulta a tu mĂ©dico sobre la posibilidad de terminar el aislamiento. Han habido muchas actualizaciones de estas directrices para los periodos de tiempo de exposiciones e infecciones Read more…
đź’” Disheartening news: A new study shows that COVID-19 raises risk of cardiovascular disease for at least a year after infection.
Data and Metrics Long COVID
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A recent large study of U.S. Veterans found that the risk of having a heart attack, stroke and a long list of other cardiovascular events was higher for those who had COVID-19 the year prior compared to those who didn’t. The risk was highest for those who had been admitted to the hospital or ICU Read more…
¿Cuál es la mejor mascarilla para protegerme de la variante Ómicron?
Masks Posts en Español
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
Una mascarilla de alta filtraciĂłn bien ajustada como las N95, KN95, FFP2 o KF94 son la mejor opciĂłn. ⚠️ Ă“micron puede ser incluso más transmisible que las variantes anteriores, debido a una mayor velocidad de replicaciĂłn en las vĂas respiratorias superiores, lo que implica que personas infectadas expulsan una gran cantidad de virus al respirar Read more…
My kid had COVID-19. When can they return to sports?
Families/Kids Staying Safe
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: It depends on how sick the child was and what symptoms they had. All children and adolescents should have a visit with their primary care clinician (PCP) after COVID-19 infection to see if they are ready to get back to sports, and some kids will need additional tests of their heart to make sure Read more…
Do throat swabs help detect the Omicron variant?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Yes! A combined throat and nose swab (first throat, then nose) is your best bet for detecting Omicron, especially in the first few days. As long as you swab safely, the only downside to this strategy is that you might gag (sorry, this is normal). Say aaaah! TL;DR: COVID tests only work when you Read more…
Q: If 50% of COVID hospitalizations are among the vaccinated, does that mean the vaccines aren’t working?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Vaccines
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
A: No. This metric sounds useful, but it can’t tell us anything about vaccine effectiveness. Since the roll-out of COVID vaccinations, many headlines have reported the percent of COVID hospitalizations and deaths who were vaccinated, trying to convey how well the vaccines are working. ‘Only 1% of COVID hospitalizations are vaccinated people’ sounds encouraging, doesn’t Read more…
I found out I was exposed to COVID-19. How long do I have to quarantine?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
QUARANTINE is not the same as isolation. Quarantine is what we do after we find out that someone we shared air with ended up being positive for COVID-19. You’re feeling fine and haven’t tested positive, but you’re in a waiting period–waiting to see if you’ll get sick. CDC’s guidance for quarantining after you have been Read more…
Megan Madsen, DO
Dr. Megan Madsen is a primary care physician practicing in Philadelphia, PA. She received her medical training from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency in Family Medicine and fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Abington-Jefferson Hospital. Her education as a D.O. allowed her to obtain excellent medical training that focused on treating the Read more…
Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
đź’ĄBreaking News !!đź’Ą ✔️ Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today! Back in December, Pfizer announced that 2, 3 µg doses given 3 weeks apart in kids aged 6 months to <5 years, was *SAFE*, but did not produce as strong Read more…
The Nerdy Girls at Dear Pandemic join the United Nations in celebrating International Women’s Day. Here are some ways you can, too: 1.) Donate to a cause that supports women, including organizations that help women run for office (see link below). 2.) Write a letter or make a phone call to a woman that inspires Read more…
What is going on with the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine for 5-11 year old kids?
Families/Kids VaccinesSarah Whitley Coles, MD
You may have seen a lot of news about the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for 5–11-year-old kids in the last few days. One new report out of New York suggested that the COVID-19 vaccine for these kids does not provide much protection against getting infected. Another study from the CDC shows that the vaccines continue to Read more…
Series on Logical Fallacies – Sealioning or “I’m just asking questions. . .”
Uncertainty and Misinformation
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
At Dear Pandemic, we want to dish out science facts AND equip our readers with tools to make sense of data and science themselves. This is the third post in an ongoing series by Dr. Kristen Panthagani of You Can Know Things, in which she dissects common logical fallacies and rhetorical strategies that have led Read more…
Did I already have COVID-19? Antibody testing 101.
Testing and Contact Tracing
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Antibody tests, or serology tests, test your blood for evidence of a past encounter with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Importantly, these tests don’t tell you when you were infected, with which variant, or how well protected you are. Antibody tests are not cheap and are usually done in a lab. For most of us, the Read more…
What is brain fog in Long COVID and what can I do about it?
Clinical Symptoms Long COVID
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
TL;DR: Brain fog is a catch all term that could mean confusion, difficulty thinking, trouble concentrating, memory problems, mental fatigue, or straight up feeling mentally “fuzzy.” Brain fog after COVID-19 infection is common and can be mild to debilitating. We don’t yet know how to treat this, but there are some things you can do Read more…
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Joanna Dreifus
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
It’s time to meet the women behind the magic here at Dear Pandemic! Today we’d love to introduce you to Joanna Dreifus, MPH–our Director of Community Engagement. Joanna volunteered to help us out more than a year ago. Her main area of focus is all things YOU! Our readers. She reads all your comments (yes Read more…
Tengo COVID. ¿Cuándo puedo dejar de preocuparme por contagiar a otras personas?
Infection and Spread Posts en Español Staying Safe
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
La respuesta corta es: 10 dĂas despuĂ©s de que te hayas sentido mal o hayas dado positivo, suponiendo que para entonces te sientas mejor. Si no te mejoras, consulta a tu mĂ©dico sobre la posibilidad de terminar el aislamiento. Han habido muchas actualizaciones de estas directrices para los periodos de tiempo de exposiciones e infecciones Read more…
đź’” Disheartening news: A new study shows that COVID-19 raises risk of cardiovascular disease for at least a year after infection.
Data and Metrics Long COVID
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A recent large study of U.S. Veterans found that the risk of having a heart attack, stroke and a long list of other cardiovascular events was higher for those who had COVID-19 the year prior compared to those who didn’t. The risk was highest for those who had been admitted to the hospital or ICU Read more…
¿Cuál es la mejor mascarilla para protegerme de la variante Ómicron?
Masks Posts en Español
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
Una mascarilla de alta filtraciĂłn bien ajustada como las N95, KN95, FFP2 o KF94 son la mejor opciĂłn. ⚠️ Ă“micron puede ser incluso más transmisible que las variantes anteriores, debido a una mayor velocidad de replicaciĂłn en las vĂas respiratorias superiores, lo que implica que personas infectadas expulsan una gran cantidad de virus al respirar Read more…
My kid had COVID-19. When can they return to sports?
Families/Kids Staying Safe
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: It depends on how sick the child was and what symptoms they had. All children and adolescents should have a visit with their primary care clinician (PCP) after COVID-19 infection to see if they are ready to get back to sports, and some kids will need additional tests of their heart to make sure Read more…
Do throat swabs help detect the Omicron variant?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Yes! A combined throat and nose swab (first throat, then nose) is your best bet for detecting Omicron, especially in the first few days. As long as you swab safely, the only downside to this strategy is that you might gag (sorry, this is normal). Say aaaah! TL;DR: COVID tests only work when you Read more…
Q: If 50% of COVID hospitalizations are among the vaccinated, does that mean the vaccines aren’t working?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Vaccines
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
A: No. This metric sounds useful, but it can’t tell us anything about vaccine effectiveness. Since the roll-out of COVID vaccinations, many headlines have reported the percent of COVID hospitalizations and deaths who were vaccinated, trying to convey how well the vaccines are working. ‘Only 1% of COVID hospitalizations are vaccinated people’ sounds encouraging, doesn’t Read more…
I found out I was exposed to COVID-19. How long do I have to quarantine?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
QUARANTINE is not the same as isolation. Quarantine is what we do after we find out that someone we shared air with ended up being positive for COVID-19. You’re feeling fine and haven’t tested positive, but you’re in a waiting period–waiting to see if you’ll get sick. CDC’s guidance for quarantining after you have been Read more…
Megan Madsen, DO
Dr. Megan Madsen is a primary care physician practicing in Philadelphia, PA. She received her medical training from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency in Family Medicine and fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Abington-Jefferson Hospital. Her education as a D.O. allowed her to obtain excellent medical training that focused on treating the Read more…
Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
đź’ĄBreaking News !!đź’Ą ✔️ Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today! Back in December, Pfizer announced that 2, 3 µg doses given 3 weeks apart in kids aged 6 months to <5 years, was *SAFE*, but did not produce as strong Read more…
You may have seen a lot of news about the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for 5–11-year-old kids in the last few days. One new report out of New York suggested that the COVID-19 vaccine for these kids does not provide much protection against getting infected. Another study from the CDC shows that the vaccines continue to Read more…
Series on Logical Fallacies – Sealioning or “I’m just asking questions. . .”
Uncertainty and MisinformationKristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
At Dear Pandemic, we want to dish out science facts AND equip our readers with tools to make sense of data and science themselves. This is the third post in an ongoing series by Dr. Kristen Panthagani of You Can Know Things, in which she dissects common logical fallacies and rhetorical strategies that have led Read more…
Did I already have COVID-19? Antibody testing 101.
Testing and Contact Tracing
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Antibody tests, or serology tests, test your blood for evidence of a past encounter with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Importantly, these tests don’t tell you when you were infected, with which variant, or how well protected you are. Antibody tests are not cheap and are usually done in a lab. For most of us, the Read more…
What is brain fog in Long COVID and what can I do about it?
Clinical Symptoms Long COVID
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
TL;DR: Brain fog is a catch all term that could mean confusion, difficulty thinking, trouble concentrating, memory problems, mental fatigue, or straight up feeling mentally “fuzzy.” Brain fog after COVID-19 infection is common and can be mild to debilitating. We don’t yet know how to treat this, but there are some things you can do Read more…
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Joanna Dreifus
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
It’s time to meet the women behind the magic here at Dear Pandemic! Today we’d love to introduce you to Joanna Dreifus, MPH–our Director of Community Engagement. Joanna volunteered to help us out more than a year ago. Her main area of focus is all things YOU! Our readers. She reads all your comments (yes Read more…
Tengo COVID. ¿Cuándo puedo dejar de preocuparme por contagiar a otras personas?
Infection and Spread Posts en Español Staying Safe
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
La respuesta corta es: 10 dĂas despuĂ©s de que te hayas sentido mal o hayas dado positivo, suponiendo que para entonces te sientas mejor. Si no te mejoras, consulta a tu mĂ©dico sobre la posibilidad de terminar el aislamiento. Han habido muchas actualizaciones de estas directrices para los periodos de tiempo de exposiciones e infecciones Read more…
đź’” Disheartening news: A new study shows that COVID-19 raises risk of cardiovascular disease for at least a year after infection.
Data and Metrics Long COVID
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A recent large study of U.S. Veterans found that the risk of having a heart attack, stroke and a long list of other cardiovascular events was higher for those who had COVID-19 the year prior compared to those who didn’t. The risk was highest for those who had been admitted to the hospital or ICU Read more…
¿Cuál es la mejor mascarilla para protegerme de la variante Ómicron?
Masks Posts en Español
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
Una mascarilla de alta filtraciĂłn bien ajustada como las N95, KN95, FFP2 o KF94 son la mejor opciĂłn. ⚠️ Ă“micron puede ser incluso más transmisible que las variantes anteriores, debido a una mayor velocidad de replicaciĂłn en las vĂas respiratorias superiores, lo que implica que personas infectadas expulsan una gran cantidad de virus al respirar Read more…
My kid had COVID-19. When can they return to sports?
Families/Kids Staying Safe
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: It depends on how sick the child was and what symptoms they had. All children and adolescents should have a visit with their primary care clinician (PCP) after COVID-19 infection to see if they are ready to get back to sports, and some kids will need additional tests of their heart to make sure Read more…
Do throat swabs help detect the Omicron variant?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Yes! A combined throat and nose swab (first throat, then nose) is your best bet for detecting Omicron, especially in the first few days. As long as you swab safely, the only downside to this strategy is that you might gag (sorry, this is normal). Say aaaah! TL;DR: COVID tests only work when you Read more…
Q: If 50% of COVID hospitalizations are among the vaccinated, does that mean the vaccines aren’t working?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Vaccines
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
A: No. This metric sounds useful, but it can’t tell us anything about vaccine effectiveness. Since the roll-out of COVID vaccinations, many headlines have reported the percent of COVID hospitalizations and deaths who were vaccinated, trying to convey how well the vaccines are working. ‘Only 1% of COVID hospitalizations are vaccinated people’ sounds encouraging, doesn’t Read more…
I found out I was exposed to COVID-19. How long do I have to quarantine?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
QUARANTINE is not the same as isolation. Quarantine is what we do after we find out that someone we shared air with ended up being positive for COVID-19. You’re feeling fine and haven’t tested positive, but you’re in a waiting period–waiting to see if you’ll get sick. CDC’s guidance for quarantining after you have been Read more…
Megan Madsen, DO
Dr. Megan Madsen is a primary care physician practicing in Philadelphia, PA. She received her medical training from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency in Family Medicine and fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Abington-Jefferson Hospital. Her education as a D.O. allowed her to obtain excellent medical training that focused on treating the Read more…
Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
đź’ĄBreaking News !!đź’Ą ✔️ Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today! Back in December, Pfizer announced that 2, 3 µg doses given 3 weeks apart in kids aged 6 months to <5 years, was *SAFE*, but did not produce as strong Read more…
At Dear Pandemic, we want to dish out science facts AND equip our readers with tools to make sense of data and science themselves. This is the third post in an ongoing series by Dr. Kristen Panthagani of You Can Know Things, in which she dissects common logical fallacies and rhetorical strategies that have led Read more…
Did I already have COVID-19? Antibody testing 101.
Testing and Contact TracingChana Davis, PhD
A: Antibody tests, or serology tests, test your blood for evidence of a past encounter with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Importantly, these tests don’t tell you when you were infected, with which variant, or how well protected you are. Antibody tests are not cheap and are usually done in a lab. For most of us, the Read more…
What is brain fog in Long COVID and what can I do about it?
Clinical Symptoms Long COVID
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
TL;DR: Brain fog is a catch all term that could mean confusion, difficulty thinking, trouble concentrating, memory problems, mental fatigue, or straight up feeling mentally “fuzzy.” Brain fog after COVID-19 infection is common and can be mild to debilitating. We don’t yet know how to treat this, but there are some things you can do Read more…
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Joanna Dreifus
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
It’s time to meet the women behind the magic here at Dear Pandemic! Today we’d love to introduce you to Joanna Dreifus, MPH–our Director of Community Engagement. Joanna volunteered to help us out more than a year ago. Her main area of focus is all things YOU! Our readers. She reads all your comments (yes Read more…
Tengo COVID. ¿Cuándo puedo dejar de preocuparme por contagiar a otras personas?
Infection and Spread Posts en Español Staying Safe
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
La respuesta corta es: 10 dĂas despuĂ©s de que te hayas sentido mal o hayas dado positivo, suponiendo que para entonces te sientas mejor. Si no te mejoras, consulta a tu mĂ©dico sobre la posibilidad de terminar el aislamiento. Han habido muchas actualizaciones de estas directrices para los periodos de tiempo de exposiciones e infecciones Read more…
đź’” Disheartening news: A new study shows that COVID-19 raises risk of cardiovascular disease for at least a year after infection.
Data and Metrics Long COVID
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A recent large study of U.S. Veterans found that the risk of having a heart attack, stroke and a long list of other cardiovascular events was higher for those who had COVID-19 the year prior compared to those who didn’t. The risk was highest for those who had been admitted to the hospital or ICU Read more…
¿Cuál es la mejor mascarilla para protegerme de la variante Ómicron?
Masks Posts en Español
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
Una mascarilla de alta filtraciĂłn bien ajustada como las N95, KN95, FFP2 o KF94 son la mejor opciĂłn. ⚠️ Ă“micron puede ser incluso más transmisible que las variantes anteriores, debido a una mayor velocidad de replicaciĂłn en las vĂas respiratorias superiores, lo que implica que personas infectadas expulsan una gran cantidad de virus al respirar Read more…
My kid had COVID-19. When can they return to sports?
Families/Kids Staying Safe
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: It depends on how sick the child was and what symptoms they had. All children and adolescents should have a visit with their primary care clinician (PCP) after COVID-19 infection to see if they are ready to get back to sports, and some kids will need additional tests of their heart to make sure Read more…
Do throat swabs help detect the Omicron variant?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Yes! A combined throat and nose swab (first throat, then nose) is your best bet for detecting Omicron, especially in the first few days. As long as you swab safely, the only downside to this strategy is that you might gag (sorry, this is normal). Say aaaah! TL;DR: COVID tests only work when you Read more…
Q: If 50% of COVID hospitalizations are among the vaccinated, does that mean the vaccines aren’t working?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Vaccines
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
A: No. This metric sounds useful, but it can’t tell us anything about vaccine effectiveness. Since the roll-out of COVID vaccinations, many headlines have reported the percent of COVID hospitalizations and deaths who were vaccinated, trying to convey how well the vaccines are working. ‘Only 1% of COVID hospitalizations are vaccinated people’ sounds encouraging, doesn’t Read more…
I found out I was exposed to COVID-19. How long do I have to quarantine?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
QUARANTINE is not the same as isolation. Quarantine is what we do after we find out that someone we shared air with ended up being positive for COVID-19. You’re feeling fine and haven’t tested positive, but you’re in a waiting period–waiting to see if you’ll get sick. CDC’s guidance for quarantining after you have been Read more…
Megan Madsen, DO
Dr. Megan Madsen is a primary care physician practicing in Philadelphia, PA. She received her medical training from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency in Family Medicine and fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Abington-Jefferson Hospital. Her education as a D.O. allowed her to obtain excellent medical training that focused on treating the Read more…
Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
đź’ĄBreaking News !!đź’Ą ✔️ Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today! Back in December, Pfizer announced that 2, 3 µg doses given 3 weeks apart in kids aged 6 months to <5 years, was *SAFE*, but did not produce as strong Read more…
A: Antibody tests, or serology tests, test your blood for evidence of a past encounter with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Importantly, these tests don’t tell you when you were infected, with which variant, or how well protected you are. Antibody tests are not cheap and are usually done in a lab. For most of us, the Read more…
What is brain fog in Long COVID and what can I do about it?
Clinical Symptoms Long COVIDSarah Whitley Coles, MD
TL;DR: Brain fog is a catch all term that could mean confusion, difficulty thinking, trouble concentrating, memory problems, mental fatigue, or straight up feeling mentally “fuzzy.” Brain fog after COVID-19 infection is common and can be mild to debilitating. We don’t yet know how to treat this, but there are some things you can do Read more…
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Joanna Dreifus
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
It’s time to meet the women behind the magic here at Dear Pandemic! Today we’d love to introduce you to Joanna Dreifus, MPH–our Director of Community Engagement. Joanna volunteered to help us out more than a year ago. Her main area of focus is all things YOU! Our readers. She reads all your comments (yes Read more…
Tengo COVID. ¿Cuándo puedo dejar de preocuparme por contagiar a otras personas?
Infection and Spread Posts en Español Staying Safe
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
La respuesta corta es: 10 dĂas despuĂ©s de que te hayas sentido mal o hayas dado positivo, suponiendo que para entonces te sientas mejor. Si no te mejoras, consulta a tu mĂ©dico sobre la posibilidad de terminar el aislamiento. Han habido muchas actualizaciones de estas directrices para los periodos de tiempo de exposiciones e infecciones Read more…
đź’” Disheartening news: A new study shows that COVID-19 raises risk of cardiovascular disease for at least a year after infection.
Data and Metrics Long COVID
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A recent large study of U.S. Veterans found that the risk of having a heart attack, stroke and a long list of other cardiovascular events was higher for those who had COVID-19 the year prior compared to those who didn’t. The risk was highest for those who had been admitted to the hospital or ICU Read more…
¿Cuál es la mejor mascarilla para protegerme de la variante Ómicron?
Masks Posts en Español
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
Una mascarilla de alta filtraciĂłn bien ajustada como las N95, KN95, FFP2 o KF94 son la mejor opciĂłn. ⚠️ Ă“micron puede ser incluso más transmisible que las variantes anteriores, debido a una mayor velocidad de replicaciĂłn en las vĂas respiratorias superiores, lo que implica que personas infectadas expulsan una gran cantidad de virus al respirar Read more…
My kid had COVID-19. When can they return to sports?
Families/Kids Staying Safe
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: It depends on how sick the child was and what symptoms they had. All children and adolescents should have a visit with their primary care clinician (PCP) after COVID-19 infection to see if they are ready to get back to sports, and some kids will need additional tests of their heart to make sure Read more…
Do throat swabs help detect the Omicron variant?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Yes! A combined throat and nose swab (first throat, then nose) is your best bet for detecting Omicron, especially in the first few days. As long as you swab safely, the only downside to this strategy is that you might gag (sorry, this is normal). Say aaaah! TL;DR: COVID tests only work when you Read more…
Q: If 50% of COVID hospitalizations are among the vaccinated, does that mean the vaccines aren’t working?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Vaccines
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
A: No. This metric sounds useful, but it can’t tell us anything about vaccine effectiveness. Since the roll-out of COVID vaccinations, many headlines have reported the percent of COVID hospitalizations and deaths who were vaccinated, trying to convey how well the vaccines are working. ‘Only 1% of COVID hospitalizations are vaccinated people’ sounds encouraging, doesn’t Read more…
I found out I was exposed to COVID-19. How long do I have to quarantine?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
QUARANTINE is not the same as isolation. Quarantine is what we do after we find out that someone we shared air with ended up being positive for COVID-19. You’re feeling fine and haven’t tested positive, but you’re in a waiting period–waiting to see if you’ll get sick. CDC’s guidance for quarantining after you have been Read more…
Megan Madsen, DO
Dr. Megan Madsen is a primary care physician practicing in Philadelphia, PA. She received her medical training from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency in Family Medicine and fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Abington-Jefferson Hospital. Her education as a D.O. allowed her to obtain excellent medical training that focused on treating the Read more…
Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
đź’ĄBreaking News !!đź’Ą ✔️ Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today! Back in December, Pfizer announced that 2, 3 µg doses given 3 weeks apart in kids aged 6 months to <5 years, was *SAFE*, but did not produce as strong Read more…
TL;DR: Brain fog is a catch all term that could mean confusion, difficulty thinking, trouble concentrating, memory problems, mental fatigue, or straight up feeling mentally “fuzzy.” Brain fog after COVID-19 infection is common and can be mild to debilitating. We don’t yet know how to treat this, but there are some things you can do Read more…
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Joanna Dreifus
UncategorizedMalia Jones, PhD MPH
It’s time to meet the women behind the magic here at Dear Pandemic! Today we’d love to introduce you to Joanna Dreifus, MPH–our Director of Community Engagement. Joanna volunteered to help us out more than a year ago. Her main area of focus is all things YOU! Our readers. She reads all your comments (yes Read more…
Tengo COVID. ¿Cuándo puedo dejar de preocuparme por contagiar a otras personas?
Infection and Spread Posts en Español Staying Safe
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
La respuesta corta es: 10 dĂas despuĂ©s de que te hayas sentido mal o hayas dado positivo, suponiendo que para entonces te sientas mejor. Si no te mejoras, consulta a tu mĂ©dico sobre la posibilidad de terminar el aislamiento. Han habido muchas actualizaciones de estas directrices para los periodos de tiempo de exposiciones e infecciones Read more…
đź’” Disheartening news: A new study shows that COVID-19 raises risk of cardiovascular disease for at least a year after infection.
Data and Metrics Long COVID
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A recent large study of U.S. Veterans found that the risk of having a heart attack, stroke and a long list of other cardiovascular events was higher for those who had COVID-19 the year prior compared to those who didn’t. The risk was highest for those who had been admitted to the hospital or ICU Read more…
¿Cuál es la mejor mascarilla para protegerme de la variante Ómicron?
Masks Posts en Español
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
Una mascarilla de alta filtraciĂłn bien ajustada como las N95, KN95, FFP2 o KF94 son la mejor opciĂłn. ⚠️ Ă“micron puede ser incluso más transmisible que las variantes anteriores, debido a una mayor velocidad de replicaciĂłn en las vĂas respiratorias superiores, lo que implica que personas infectadas expulsan una gran cantidad de virus al respirar Read more…
My kid had COVID-19. When can they return to sports?
Families/Kids Staying Safe
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: It depends on how sick the child was and what symptoms they had. All children and adolescents should have a visit with their primary care clinician (PCP) after COVID-19 infection to see if they are ready to get back to sports, and some kids will need additional tests of their heart to make sure Read more…
Do throat swabs help detect the Omicron variant?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Yes! A combined throat and nose swab (first throat, then nose) is your best bet for detecting Omicron, especially in the first few days. As long as you swab safely, the only downside to this strategy is that you might gag (sorry, this is normal). Say aaaah! TL;DR: COVID tests only work when you Read more…
Q: If 50% of COVID hospitalizations are among the vaccinated, does that mean the vaccines aren’t working?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Vaccines
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
A: No. This metric sounds useful, but it can’t tell us anything about vaccine effectiveness. Since the roll-out of COVID vaccinations, many headlines have reported the percent of COVID hospitalizations and deaths who were vaccinated, trying to convey how well the vaccines are working. ‘Only 1% of COVID hospitalizations are vaccinated people’ sounds encouraging, doesn’t Read more…
I found out I was exposed to COVID-19. How long do I have to quarantine?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
QUARANTINE is not the same as isolation. Quarantine is what we do after we find out that someone we shared air with ended up being positive for COVID-19. You’re feeling fine and haven’t tested positive, but you’re in a waiting period–waiting to see if you’ll get sick. CDC’s guidance for quarantining after you have been Read more…
Megan Madsen, DO
Dr. Megan Madsen is a primary care physician practicing in Philadelphia, PA. She received her medical training from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency in Family Medicine and fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Abington-Jefferson Hospital. Her education as a D.O. allowed her to obtain excellent medical training that focused on treating the Read more…
Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
đź’ĄBreaking News !!đź’Ą ✔️ Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today! Back in December, Pfizer announced that 2, 3 µg doses given 3 weeks apart in kids aged 6 months to <5 years, was *SAFE*, but did not produce as strong Read more…
It’s time to meet the women behind the magic here at Dear Pandemic! Today we’d love to introduce you to Joanna Dreifus, MPH–our Director of Community Engagement. Joanna volunteered to help us out more than a year ago. Her main area of focus is all things YOU! Our readers. She reads all your comments (yes Read more…
Tengo COVID. ¿Cuándo puedo dejar de preocuparme por contagiar a otras personas?
Infection and Spread Posts en Español Staying SafeTita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
La respuesta corta es: 10 dĂas despuĂ©s de que te hayas sentido mal o hayas dado positivo, suponiendo que para entonces te sientas mejor. Si no te mejoras, consulta a tu mĂ©dico sobre la posibilidad de terminar el aislamiento. Han habido muchas actualizaciones de estas directrices para los periodos de tiempo de exposiciones e infecciones Read more…
đź’” Disheartening news: A new study shows that COVID-19 raises risk of cardiovascular disease for at least a year after infection.
Data and Metrics Long COVID
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A recent large study of U.S. Veterans found that the risk of having a heart attack, stroke and a long list of other cardiovascular events was higher for those who had COVID-19 the year prior compared to those who didn’t. The risk was highest for those who had been admitted to the hospital or ICU Read more…
¿Cuál es la mejor mascarilla para protegerme de la variante Ómicron?
Masks Posts en Español
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
Una mascarilla de alta filtraciĂłn bien ajustada como las N95, KN95, FFP2 o KF94 son la mejor opciĂłn. ⚠️ Ă“micron puede ser incluso más transmisible que las variantes anteriores, debido a una mayor velocidad de replicaciĂłn en las vĂas respiratorias superiores, lo que implica que personas infectadas expulsan una gran cantidad de virus al respirar Read more…
My kid had COVID-19. When can they return to sports?
Families/Kids Staying Safe
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: It depends on how sick the child was and what symptoms they had. All children and adolescents should have a visit with their primary care clinician (PCP) after COVID-19 infection to see if they are ready to get back to sports, and some kids will need additional tests of their heart to make sure Read more…
Do throat swabs help detect the Omicron variant?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Yes! A combined throat and nose swab (first throat, then nose) is your best bet for detecting Omicron, especially in the first few days. As long as you swab safely, the only downside to this strategy is that you might gag (sorry, this is normal). Say aaaah! TL;DR: COVID tests only work when you Read more…
Q: If 50% of COVID hospitalizations are among the vaccinated, does that mean the vaccines aren’t working?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Vaccines
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
A: No. This metric sounds useful, but it can’t tell us anything about vaccine effectiveness. Since the roll-out of COVID vaccinations, many headlines have reported the percent of COVID hospitalizations and deaths who were vaccinated, trying to convey how well the vaccines are working. ‘Only 1% of COVID hospitalizations are vaccinated people’ sounds encouraging, doesn’t Read more…
I found out I was exposed to COVID-19. How long do I have to quarantine?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
QUARANTINE is not the same as isolation. Quarantine is what we do after we find out that someone we shared air with ended up being positive for COVID-19. You’re feeling fine and haven’t tested positive, but you’re in a waiting period–waiting to see if you’ll get sick. CDC’s guidance for quarantining after you have been Read more…
Megan Madsen, DO
Dr. Megan Madsen is a primary care physician practicing in Philadelphia, PA. She received her medical training from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency in Family Medicine and fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Abington-Jefferson Hospital. Her education as a D.O. allowed her to obtain excellent medical training that focused on treating the Read more…
Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
đź’ĄBreaking News !!đź’Ą ✔️ Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today! Back in December, Pfizer announced that 2, 3 µg doses given 3 weeks apart in kids aged 6 months to <5 years, was *SAFE*, but did not produce as strong Read more…
La respuesta corta es: 10 dĂas despuĂ©s de que te hayas sentido mal o hayas dado positivo, suponiendo que para entonces te sientas mejor. Si no te mejoras, consulta a tu mĂ©dico sobre la posibilidad de terminar el aislamiento. Han habido muchas actualizaciones de estas directrices para los periodos de tiempo de exposiciones e infecciones Read more…
đź’” Disheartening news: A new study shows that COVID-19 raises risk of cardiovascular disease for at least a year after infection.
Data and Metrics Long COVIDJennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A recent large study of U.S. Veterans found that the risk of having a heart attack, stroke and a long list of other cardiovascular events was higher for those who had COVID-19 the year prior compared to those who didn’t. The risk was highest for those who had been admitted to the hospital or ICU Read more…
¿Cuál es la mejor mascarilla para protegerme de la variante Ómicron?
Masks Posts en Español
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
Una mascarilla de alta filtraciĂłn bien ajustada como las N95, KN95, FFP2 o KF94 son la mejor opciĂłn. ⚠️ Ă“micron puede ser incluso más transmisible que las variantes anteriores, debido a una mayor velocidad de replicaciĂłn en las vĂas respiratorias superiores, lo que implica que personas infectadas expulsan una gran cantidad de virus al respirar Read more…
My kid had COVID-19. When can they return to sports?
Families/Kids Staying Safe
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: It depends on how sick the child was and what symptoms they had. All children and adolescents should have a visit with their primary care clinician (PCP) after COVID-19 infection to see if they are ready to get back to sports, and some kids will need additional tests of their heart to make sure Read more…
Do throat swabs help detect the Omicron variant?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Yes! A combined throat and nose swab (first throat, then nose) is your best bet for detecting Omicron, especially in the first few days. As long as you swab safely, the only downside to this strategy is that you might gag (sorry, this is normal). Say aaaah! TL;DR: COVID tests only work when you Read more…
Q: If 50% of COVID hospitalizations are among the vaccinated, does that mean the vaccines aren’t working?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Vaccines
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
A: No. This metric sounds useful, but it can’t tell us anything about vaccine effectiveness. Since the roll-out of COVID vaccinations, many headlines have reported the percent of COVID hospitalizations and deaths who were vaccinated, trying to convey how well the vaccines are working. ‘Only 1% of COVID hospitalizations are vaccinated people’ sounds encouraging, doesn’t Read more…
I found out I was exposed to COVID-19. How long do I have to quarantine?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
QUARANTINE is not the same as isolation. Quarantine is what we do after we find out that someone we shared air with ended up being positive for COVID-19. You’re feeling fine and haven’t tested positive, but you’re in a waiting period–waiting to see if you’ll get sick. CDC’s guidance for quarantining after you have been Read more…
Megan Madsen, DO
Dr. Megan Madsen is a primary care physician practicing in Philadelphia, PA. She received her medical training from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency in Family Medicine and fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Abington-Jefferson Hospital. Her education as a D.O. allowed her to obtain excellent medical training that focused on treating the Read more…
Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
đź’ĄBreaking News !!đź’Ą ✔️ Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today! Back in December, Pfizer announced that 2, 3 µg doses given 3 weeks apart in kids aged 6 months to <5 years, was *SAFE*, but did not produce as strong Read more…
A recent large study of U.S. Veterans found that the risk of having a heart attack, stroke and a long list of other cardiovascular events was higher for those who had COVID-19 the year prior compared to those who didn’t. The risk was highest for those who had been admitted to the hospital or ICU Read more…
¿Cuál es la mejor mascarilla para protegerme de la variante Ómicron?
Masks Posts en EspañolTita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
Una mascarilla de alta filtraciĂłn bien ajustada como las N95, KN95, FFP2 o KF94 son la mejor opciĂłn. ⚠️ Ă“micron puede ser incluso más transmisible que las variantes anteriores, debido a una mayor velocidad de replicaciĂłn en las vĂas respiratorias superiores, lo que implica que personas infectadas expulsan una gran cantidad de virus al respirar Read more…
My kid had COVID-19. When can they return to sports?
Families/Kids Staying Safe
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: It depends on how sick the child was and what symptoms they had. All children and adolescents should have a visit with their primary care clinician (PCP) after COVID-19 infection to see if they are ready to get back to sports, and some kids will need additional tests of their heart to make sure Read more…
Do throat swabs help detect the Omicron variant?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Yes! A combined throat and nose swab (first throat, then nose) is your best bet for detecting Omicron, especially in the first few days. As long as you swab safely, the only downside to this strategy is that you might gag (sorry, this is normal). Say aaaah! TL;DR: COVID tests only work when you Read more…
Q: If 50% of COVID hospitalizations are among the vaccinated, does that mean the vaccines aren’t working?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Vaccines
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
A: No. This metric sounds useful, but it can’t tell us anything about vaccine effectiveness. Since the roll-out of COVID vaccinations, many headlines have reported the percent of COVID hospitalizations and deaths who were vaccinated, trying to convey how well the vaccines are working. ‘Only 1% of COVID hospitalizations are vaccinated people’ sounds encouraging, doesn’t Read more…
I found out I was exposed to COVID-19. How long do I have to quarantine?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
QUARANTINE is not the same as isolation. Quarantine is what we do after we find out that someone we shared air with ended up being positive for COVID-19. You’re feeling fine and haven’t tested positive, but you’re in a waiting period–waiting to see if you’ll get sick. CDC’s guidance for quarantining after you have been Read more…
Megan Madsen, DO
Dr. Megan Madsen is a primary care physician practicing in Philadelphia, PA. She received her medical training from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency in Family Medicine and fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Abington-Jefferson Hospital. Her education as a D.O. allowed her to obtain excellent medical training that focused on treating the Read more…
Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
đź’ĄBreaking News !!đź’Ą ✔️ Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today! Back in December, Pfizer announced that 2, 3 µg doses given 3 weeks apart in kids aged 6 months to <5 years, was *SAFE*, but did not produce as strong Read more…
Una mascarilla de alta filtraciĂłn bien ajustada como las N95, KN95, FFP2 o KF94 son la mejor opciĂłn. ⚠️ Ă“micron puede ser incluso más transmisible que las variantes anteriores, debido a una mayor velocidad de replicaciĂłn en las vĂas respiratorias superiores, lo que implica que personas infectadas expulsan una gran cantidad de virus al respirar Read more…
My kid had COVID-19. When can they return to sports?
Families/Kids Staying SafeSarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: It depends on how sick the child was and what symptoms they had. All children and adolescents should have a visit with their primary care clinician (PCP) after COVID-19 infection to see if they are ready to get back to sports, and some kids will need additional tests of their heart to make sure Read more…
Do throat swabs help detect the Omicron variant?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Yes! A combined throat and nose swab (first throat, then nose) is your best bet for detecting Omicron, especially in the first few days. As long as you swab safely, the only downside to this strategy is that you might gag (sorry, this is normal). Say aaaah! TL;DR: COVID tests only work when you Read more…
Q: If 50% of COVID hospitalizations are among the vaccinated, does that mean the vaccines aren’t working?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Vaccines
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
A: No. This metric sounds useful, but it can’t tell us anything about vaccine effectiveness. Since the roll-out of COVID vaccinations, many headlines have reported the percent of COVID hospitalizations and deaths who were vaccinated, trying to convey how well the vaccines are working. ‘Only 1% of COVID hospitalizations are vaccinated people’ sounds encouraging, doesn’t Read more…
I found out I was exposed to COVID-19. How long do I have to quarantine?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
QUARANTINE is not the same as isolation. Quarantine is what we do after we find out that someone we shared air with ended up being positive for COVID-19. You’re feeling fine and haven’t tested positive, but you’re in a waiting period–waiting to see if you’ll get sick. CDC’s guidance for quarantining after you have been Read more…
Megan Madsen, DO
Dr. Megan Madsen is a primary care physician practicing in Philadelphia, PA. She received her medical training from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency in Family Medicine and fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Abington-Jefferson Hospital. Her education as a D.O. allowed her to obtain excellent medical training that focused on treating the Read more…
Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
đź’ĄBreaking News !!đź’Ą ✔️ Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today! Back in December, Pfizer announced that 2, 3 µg doses given 3 weeks apart in kids aged 6 months to <5 years, was *SAFE*, but did not produce as strong Read more…
A: It depends on how sick the child was and what symptoms they had. All children and adolescents should have a visit with their primary care clinician (PCP) after COVID-19 infection to see if they are ready to get back to sports, and some kids will need additional tests of their heart to make sure Read more…
Do throat swabs help detect the Omicron variant?
Testing and Contact TracingChana Davis, PhD
A: Yes! A combined throat and nose swab (first throat, then nose) is your best bet for detecting Omicron, especially in the first few days. As long as you swab safely, the only downside to this strategy is that you might gag (sorry, this is normal). Say aaaah! TL;DR: COVID tests only work when you Read more…
Q: If 50% of COVID hospitalizations are among the vaccinated, does that mean the vaccines aren’t working?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Vaccines
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
A: No. This metric sounds useful, but it can’t tell us anything about vaccine effectiveness. Since the roll-out of COVID vaccinations, many headlines have reported the percent of COVID hospitalizations and deaths who were vaccinated, trying to convey how well the vaccines are working. ‘Only 1% of COVID hospitalizations are vaccinated people’ sounds encouraging, doesn’t Read more…
I found out I was exposed to COVID-19. How long do I have to quarantine?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
QUARANTINE is not the same as isolation. Quarantine is what we do after we find out that someone we shared air with ended up being positive for COVID-19. You’re feeling fine and haven’t tested positive, but you’re in a waiting period–waiting to see if you’ll get sick. CDC’s guidance for quarantining after you have been Read more…
Megan Madsen, DO
Dr. Megan Madsen is a primary care physician practicing in Philadelphia, PA. She received her medical training from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency in Family Medicine and fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Abington-Jefferson Hospital. Her education as a D.O. allowed her to obtain excellent medical training that focused on treating the Read more…
Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
đź’ĄBreaking News !!đź’Ą ✔️ Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today! Back in December, Pfizer announced that 2, 3 µg doses given 3 weeks apart in kids aged 6 months to <5 years, was *SAFE*, but did not produce as strong Read more…
A: Yes! A combined throat and nose swab (first throat, then nose) is your best bet for detecting Omicron, especially in the first few days. As long as you swab safely, the only downside to this strategy is that you might gag (sorry, this is normal). Say aaaah! TL;DR: COVID tests only work when you Read more…
Q: If 50% of COVID hospitalizations are among the vaccinated, does that mean the vaccines aren’t working?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy VaccinesKristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
A: No. This metric sounds useful, but it can’t tell us anything about vaccine effectiveness. Since the roll-out of COVID vaccinations, many headlines have reported the percent of COVID hospitalizations and deaths who were vaccinated, trying to convey how well the vaccines are working. ‘Only 1% of COVID hospitalizations are vaccinated people’ sounds encouraging, doesn’t Read more…
I found out I was exposed to COVID-19. How long do I have to quarantine?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
QUARANTINE is not the same as isolation. Quarantine is what we do after we find out that someone we shared air with ended up being positive for COVID-19. You’re feeling fine and haven’t tested positive, but you’re in a waiting period–waiting to see if you’ll get sick. CDC’s guidance for quarantining after you have been Read more…
Megan Madsen, DO
Dr. Megan Madsen is a primary care physician practicing in Philadelphia, PA. She received her medical training from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency in Family Medicine and fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Abington-Jefferson Hospital. Her education as a D.O. allowed her to obtain excellent medical training that focused on treating the Read more…
Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
đź’ĄBreaking News !!đź’Ą ✔️ Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today! Back in December, Pfizer announced that 2, 3 µg doses given 3 weeks apart in kids aged 6 months to <5 years, was *SAFE*, but did not produce as strong Read more…
A: No. This metric sounds useful, but it can’t tell us anything about vaccine effectiveness. Since the roll-out of COVID vaccinations, many headlines have reported the percent of COVID hospitalizations and deaths who were vaccinated, trying to convey how well the vaccines are working. ‘Only 1% of COVID hospitalizations are vaccinated people’ sounds encouraging, doesn’t Read more…
I found out I was exposed to COVID-19. How long do I have to quarantine?
Infection and Spread Staying SafeMalia Jones, PhD MPH
QUARANTINE is not the same as isolation. Quarantine is what we do after we find out that someone we shared air with ended up being positive for COVID-19. You’re feeling fine and haven’t tested positive, but you’re in a waiting period–waiting to see if you’ll get sick. CDC’s guidance for quarantining after you have been Read more…
Megan Madsen, DO
Dr. Megan Madsen is a primary care physician practicing in Philadelphia, PA. She received her medical training from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency in Family Medicine and fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Abington-Jefferson Hospital. Her education as a D.O. allowed her to obtain excellent medical training that focused on treating the Read more…
Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
đź’ĄBreaking News !!đź’Ą ✔️ Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today! Back in December, Pfizer announced that 2, 3 µg doses given 3 weeks apart in kids aged 6 months to <5 years, was *SAFE*, but did not produce as strong Read more…
QUARANTINE is not the same as isolation. Quarantine is what we do after we find out that someone we shared air with ended up being positive for COVID-19. You’re feeling fine and haven’t tested positive, but you’re in a waiting period–waiting to see if you’ll get sick. CDC’s guidance for quarantining after you have been Read more…
Megan Madsen, DO
Dr. Megan Madsen is a primary care physician practicing in Philadelphia, PA. She received her medical training from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency in Family Medicine and fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Abington-Jefferson Hospital. Her education as a D.O. allowed her to obtain excellent medical training that focused on treating the Read more…
Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today!
Families/Kids VaccinesAmanda Simanek, PhD MPH
đź’ĄBreaking News !!đź’Ą ✔️ Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today! Back in December, Pfizer announced that 2, 3 µg doses given 3 weeks apart in kids aged 6 months to <5 years, was *SAFE*, but did not produce as strong Read more…
đź’ĄBreaking News !!đź’Ą ✔️ Pfizer initiated a request for FDA emergency use authorization of their vaccine in kids aged 6 months to <5 years today! Back in December, Pfizer announced that 2, 3 µg doses given 3 weeks apart in kids aged 6 months to <5 years, was *SAFE*, but did not produce as strong Read more…
