¡Las Nerdy Girls dan la bienvenida al Escuadrón de Salud Reproductiva!
Posts en Español Reproductive Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
Las Nerdy Girls siguen comprometidas a brindarle respuestas prácticas, fácticas y sensatas a todas sus preguntas sobre salud y hoy nos complace presentar al Escuadrón de Salud Reproductiva. Este equipo de científicas y proveedoras de atención médica tiene la experiencia para responder sus preguntas, incluso a aquellas que le dé pena hacer o le parezcan Read more…
How well do COVID-19 rapid antigen tests work? Is a single antigen test enough?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Chana Davis, PhD
COVID-19 rapid antigen tests detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus very well when used at the right time – when viral levels are high. Repeat (serial) testing is a powerful way to catch more SARS-CoV-2 infections and reduce false negatives. In a recent study, COVID-19 rapid antigen tests detected the virus roughly 80% of the time when Read more…
Let’s talk about drinking.
Health & Wellness Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
Q: I am still drinking a lot. It all started during 2020. How can I stop drinking? A: Recognize that there is a problem. Get social, get help, and find what works for you. TL; DR. You aren’t alone. Alcohol related deaths are up and so are drinking rates. To get help, start with recognizing Read more…
What are my options if I don’t want to be pregnant right now?
Reproductive Health
If now is not a good time for you to be pregnant, it’s important to 1️⃣ know your options and 2️⃣ make a plan (and a backup plan). You can think of your options in three basic categories, which we’ll call Plans A, B, and C. Plan A: Use Birth Control or Practice Abstinence. Abstaining Read more…
If I got the smallpox vaccine as a kid, am I protected against monkeypox?
Infectious Diseases Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
Short answer: Probably to some degree, but just how much is up in the air. Because the virus that causes monkeypox is similar to the smallpox virus, smallpox vaccines are effective at preventing people from getting monkeypox. Prior studies using the Dryvax vaccine (the first-generation smallpox vaccine that was used during smallpox eradication), showed that Read more…
How can we make public indoor spaces safer with on-going risks from COVID?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Answer: Ventilation (add outdoor air to dilute virus in inside air) Filtration (capture and remove virus from inside air) Thanks to Whitney Robinson, PhD and Kathleen Harper, MSPH for making this convenient one-pager with tips on improving indoor air quality to minimize spread of COVID-19 (and other viruses) in public and shared spaces. Full document Read more…
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH is a public health expert and author based in New York. She has written extensively about psychology, misinformation, science denial, and behavioral science, among other topics. Her work has appeared or been reviewed in TIME, The New Yorker, Science, Scientific American, Psychology Today, The Atlantic, New York Magazine, Daily Kos, and Read more…
Guest Author Nicole Loew, PhD, RN
Nicole is the co-host of the Woman Centered Health Podcast and recently completed a Quality Improvement fellowship at the Iowa City VA Medical Center. She has her PhD in nursing from the University of Iowa and her research interests include understanding how women’s contexts impact their perspectives of sexual health and their sexual behavior. In Read more…
Dear Pandemic Live Q&A 08-12-22
Families/Kids Infection and Spread Infectious Diseases School Treatments Vaccines Videos
Those Nerdy Girls answer your questions about Monkeypox, masking at school, bivalent boosters, COVID-19 rebound, and more. Hosted by: – Malia Jones, PhD, MPH: Dear Pandemic Co-Founder & former EIC – Chana Davis, PhD: Dear Pandemic Contributing Writer & Founder, Fueled by Science ➡️ Welcome and Intros (0:00-0:46) ➡️ Monkeypox – How worried should I Read more…
¿Qué debo hacer si me da COVID en vacaciones 🌴?
Posts en Español Travel
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
La variante BA.5 puede evadir la inmunidad existente mejor que las variantes originales de Omicron. Ahora más que nunca se están escuchando sobre más infecciones de COVID-19, especialmente entre las personas que viajan. Viajar y ver a familiares y amigos es algo para apreciar. Sin embargo, viajar durante la pandemia de coronavirus es complicado y Read more…
Those Nerdy Girls Welcome the Reproductive Health Squad
Reproductive Health
Those Nerdy Girls remain committed to providing you with practical, factual, no-nonsense answers to all your everyday health questions, and today, we’re excited to introduce the Reproductive Health Squad. This team of women scientists and health care providers has the expertise to answer your real, embarrassing or even scary questions about all aspects of sexual Read more…
What is confirmation bias? What is motivated reasoning? How do they impact the spread of misinformation?
Data Literacy Uncertainty and Misinformation
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: Confirmation bias happens when we accept information that confirms our pre-existing ideas or beliefs, but ignore or question information that does not. Motivated reasoning happens when we only seek out information that confirms what we already think is true. Both ways of distorted thinking can lead us to share information without critically assessing it Read more…
Let’s talk about school start times.
Families/Kids Health & Wellness School
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
An interview with Nerdy Guest Dr. Terra Ziporyn Snider Q: Tell us a little about yourself and how you became interested in school start times. A: As both a mother of 3 and a medical historian and writer (former associate editor at JAMA and co-author of The New Harvard Guide to Women’s Health), I’ve been Read more…
Happy National Immunization Awareness Month!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
Vaccines are one of the greatest public health achievements of all time and August is the month to celebrate! Vaccines do more than just protecting us from diseases (although that is pretty freaking great!). They also support a functional economy, keep kids in school and adults at work, reduce poverty, prevent disease outbreaks, improve health Read more…
I suspect that my kids may have been exposed to COVID-19 at summer camp. What can I do to protect my family and my community from the risk of infection?
Families/Kids Staying Safe Testing and Contact Tracing
Thanks to guest author Dr. Katie Schenk (who recently picked up her kids at camp) for offering to write this post. It’s a great American summer tradition: sleepaway camp! Campfires, singing, sports, smores, and now… COVID-19? Despite best intentions and precautions, the BA.5 surge has already contributed to many COVID-19 outbreaks at summer camp. Camps Read more…
Where do new variants come from?
COVID Variants
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5… while we’re all getting lost in an alphanumeric soup, it’s important to understand why we continue to see new variants. Some have speculated vaccines are to blame, arguing that vaccination itself drives the development of variants. Is this true? Vaccinations do not produce new variants. Thankfully, no. Variants are not Read more…
What is brain fog anyways?
Long COVID Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
TL; DR: Brain fog is a general term used to describe many issues including poor attention, memory, and planning abilities. This can happen after an infection or injury. We are learning more about what causes it, but there do seem to be changes in the immune system and the way the cells work as a Read more…
What is Parechovirus?
Infectious Diseases
Megan Madsen, DO
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
What is going on with Paxlovid rebound?
Testing and Contact Tracing Treatments
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Some people who use Paxlovid to treat COVID-19 experience a “rebound”, which is like a bad sequel that debuts 2-14 days after recovery. Once again, you’re testing positive with rapid antigen tests and /or feeling crummy. You’re also potentially contagious. While a COVID-19 rebound can be really frustrating, Paxlovid is still highly effective at Read more…
Vaccination rates are on the decline. We need to do better.
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
TL;DR: Vaccination rates are dropping and millions of kids missed vaccines during the pandemic. We need to get kids caught up now. Vaccines are incredibly important to prevent serious childhood illness and save lives. Vaccines are among the most important public health interventions of all time. We have vaccines to prevent more than 20 life- Read more…
Las Nerdy Girls siguen comprometidas a brindarle respuestas prácticas, fácticas y sensatas a todas sus preguntas sobre salud y hoy nos complace presentar al Escuadrón de Salud Reproductiva. Este equipo de científicas y proveedoras de atención médica tiene la experiencia para responder sus preguntas, incluso a aquellas que le dé pena hacer o le parezcan Read more…
How well do COVID-19 rapid antigen tests work? Is a single antigen test enough?
Testing and Contact TracingChana Davis, PhD
COVID-19 rapid antigen tests detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus very well when used at the right time – when viral levels are high. Repeat (serial) testing is a powerful way to catch more SARS-CoV-2 infections and reduce false negatives. In a recent study, COVID-19 rapid antigen tests detected the virus roughly 80% of the time when Read more…
Let’s talk about drinking.
Health & Wellness Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
Q: I am still drinking a lot. It all started during 2020. How can I stop drinking? A: Recognize that there is a problem. Get social, get help, and find what works for you. TL; DR. You aren’t alone. Alcohol related deaths are up and so are drinking rates. To get help, start with recognizing Read more…
What are my options if I don’t want to be pregnant right now?
Reproductive Health
If now is not a good time for you to be pregnant, it’s important to 1️⃣ know your options and 2️⃣ make a plan (and a backup plan). You can think of your options in three basic categories, which we’ll call Plans A, B, and C. Plan A: Use Birth Control or Practice Abstinence. Abstaining Read more…
If I got the smallpox vaccine as a kid, am I protected against monkeypox?
Infectious Diseases Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
Short answer: Probably to some degree, but just how much is up in the air. Because the virus that causes monkeypox is similar to the smallpox virus, smallpox vaccines are effective at preventing people from getting monkeypox. Prior studies using the Dryvax vaccine (the first-generation smallpox vaccine that was used during smallpox eradication), showed that Read more…
How can we make public indoor spaces safer with on-going risks from COVID?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Answer: Ventilation (add outdoor air to dilute virus in inside air) Filtration (capture and remove virus from inside air) Thanks to Whitney Robinson, PhD and Kathleen Harper, MSPH for making this convenient one-pager with tips on improving indoor air quality to minimize spread of COVID-19 (and other viruses) in public and shared spaces. Full document Read more…
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH is a public health expert and author based in New York. She has written extensively about psychology, misinformation, science denial, and behavioral science, among other topics. Her work has appeared or been reviewed in TIME, The New Yorker, Science, Scientific American, Psychology Today, The Atlantic, New York Magazine, Daily Kos, and Read more…
Guest Author Nicole Loew, PhD, RN
Nicole is the co-host of the Woman Centered Health Podcast and recently completed a Quality Improvement fellowship at the Iowa City VA Medical Center. She has her PhD in nursing from the University of Iowa and her research interests include understanding how women’s contexts impact their perspectives of sexual health and their sexual behavior. In Read more…
Dear Pandemic Live Q&A 08-12-22
Families/Kids Infection and Spread Infectious Diseases School Treatments Vaccines Videos
Those Nerdy Girls answer your questions about Monkeypox, masking at school, bivalent boosters, COVID-19 rebound, and more. Hosted by: – Malia Jones, PhD, MPH: Dear Pandemic Co-Founder & former EIC – Chana Davis, PhD: Dear Pandemic Contributing Writer & Founder, Fueled by Science ➡️ Welcome and Intros (0:00-0:46) ➡️ Monkeypox – How worried should I Read more…
¿Qué debo hacer si me da COVID en vacaciones 🌴?
Posts en Español Travel
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
La variante BA.5 puede evadir la inmunidad existente mejor que las variantes originales de Omicron. Ahora más que nunca se están escuchando sobre más infecciones de COVID-19, especialmente entre las personas que viajan. Viajar y ver a familiares y amigos es algo para apreciar. Sin embargo, viajar durante la pandemia de coronavirus es complicado y Read more…
Those Nerdy Girls Welcome the Reproductive Health Squad
Reproductive Health
Those Nerdy Girls remain committed to providing you with practical, factual, no-nonsense answers to all your everyday health questions, and today, we’re excited to introduce the Reproductive Health Squad. This team of women scientists and health care providers has the expertise to answer your real, embarrassing or even scary questions about all aspects of sexual Read more…
What is confirmation bias? What is motivated reasoning? How do they impact the spread of misinformation?
Data Literacy Uncertainty and Misinformation
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: Confirmation bias happens when we accept information that confirms our pre-existing ideas or beliefs, but ignore or question information that does not. Motivated reasoning happens when we only seek out information that confirms what we already think is true. Both ways of distorted thinking can lead us to share information without critically assessing it Read more…
Let’s talk about school start times.
Families/Kids Health & Wellness School
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
An interview with Nerdy Guest Dr. Terra Ziporyn Snider Q: Tell us a little about yourself and how you became interested in school start times. A: As both a mother of 3 and a medical historian and writer (former associate editor at JAMA and co-author of The New Harvard Guide to Women’s Health), I’ve been Read more…
Happy National Immunization Awareness Month!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
Vaccines are one of the greatest public health achievements of all time and August is the month to celebrate! Vaccines do more than just protecting us from diseases (although that is pretty freaking great!). They also support a functional economy, keep kids in school and adults at work, reduce poverty, prevent disease outbreaks, improve health Read more…
I suspect that my kids may have been exposed to COVID-19 at summer camp. What can I do to protect my family and my community from the risk of infection?
Families/Kids Staying Safe Testing and Contact Tracing
Thanks to guest author Dr. Katie Schenk (who recently picked up her kids at camp) for offering to write this post. It’s a great American summer tradition: sleepaway camp! Campfires, singing, sports, smores, and now… COVID-19? Despite best intentions and precautions, the BA.5 surge has already contributed to many COVID-19 outbreaks at summer camp. Camps Read more…
Where do new variants come from?
COVID Variants
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5… while we’re all getting lost in an alphanumeric soup, it’s important to understand why we continue to see new variants. Some have speculated vaccines are to blame, arguing that vaccination itself drives the development of variants. Is this true? Vaccinations do not produce new variants. Thankfully, no. Variants are not Read more…
What is brain fog anyways?
Long COVID Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
TL; DR: Brain fog is a general term used to describe many issues including poor attention, memory, and planning abilities. This can happen after an infection or injury. We are learning more about what causes it, but there do seem to be changes in the immune system and the way the cells work as a Read more…
What is Parechovirus?
Infectious Diseases
Megan Madsen, DO
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
What is going on with Paxlovid rebound?
Testing and Contact Tracing Treatments
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Some people who use Paxlovid to treat COVID-19 experience a “rebound”, which is like a bad sequel that debuts 2-14 days after recovery. Once again, you’re testing positive with rapid antigen tests and /or feeling crummy. You’re also potentially contagious. While a COVID-19 rebound can be really frustrating, Paxlovid is still highly effective at Read more…
Vaccination rates are on the decline. We need to do better.
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
TL;DR: Vaccination rates are dropping and millions of kids missed vaccines during the pandemic. We need to get kids caught up now. Vaccines are incredibly important to prevent serious childhood illness and save lives. Vaccines are among the most important public health interventions of all time. We have vaccines to prevent more than 20 life- Read more…
COVID-19 rapid antigen tests detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus very well when used at the right time – when viral levels are high. Repeat (serial) testing is a powerful way to catch more SARS-CoV-2 infections and reduce false negatives. In a recent study, COVID-19 rapid antigen tests detected the virus roughly 80% of the time when Read more…
Let’s talk about drinking.
Health & Wellness Mental HealthAparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
Q: I am still drinking a lot. It all started during 2020. How can I stop drinking? A: Recognize that there is a problem. Get social, get help, and find what works for you. TL; DR. You aren’t alone. Alcohol related deaths are up and so are drinking rates. To get help, start with recognizing Read more…
What are my options if I don’t want to be pregnant right now?
Reproductive Health
If now is not a good time for you to be pregnant, it’s important to 1️⃣ know your options and 2️⃣ make a plan (and a backup plan). You can think of your options in three basic categories, which we’ll call Plans A, B, and C. Plan A: Use Birth Control or Practice Abstinence. Abstaining Read more…
If I got the smallpox vaccine as a kid, am I protected against monkeypox?
Infectious Diseases Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
Short answer: Probably to some degree, but just how much is up in the air. Because the virus that causes monkeypox is similar to the smallpox virus, smallpox vaccines are effective at preventing people from getting monkeypox. Prior studies using the Dryvax vaccine (the first-generation smallpox vaccine that was used during smallpox eradication), showed that Read more…
How can we make public indoor spaces safer with on-going risks from COVID?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Answer: Ventilation (add outdoor air to dilute virus in inside air) Filtration (capture and remove virus from inside air) Thanks to Whitney Robinson, PhD and Kathleen Harper, MSPH for making this convenient one-pager with tips on improving indoor air quality to minimize spread of COVID-19 (and other viruses) in public and shared spaces. Full document Read more…
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH is a public health expert and author based in New York. She has written extensively about psychology, misinformation, science denial, and behavioral science, among other topics. Her work has appeared or been reviewed in TIME, The New Yorker, Science, Scientific American, Psychology Today, The Atlantic, New York Magazine, Daily Kos, and Read more…
Guest Author Nicole Loew, PhD, RN
Nicole is the co-host of the Woman Centered Health Podcast and recently completed a Quality Improvement fellowship at the Iowa City VA Medical Center. She has her PhD in nursing from the University of Iowa and her research interests include understanding how women’s contexts impact their perspectives of sexual health and their sexual behavior. In Read more…
Dear Pandemic Live Q&A 08-12-22
Families/Kids Infection and Spread Infectious Diseases School Treatments Vaccines Videos
Those Nerdy Girls answer your questions about Monkeypox, masking at school, bivalent boosters, COVID-19 rebound, and more. Hosted by: – Malia Jones, PhD, MPH: Dear Pandemic Co-Founder & former EIC – Chana Davis, PhD: Dear Pandemic Contributing Writer & Founder, Fueled by Science ➡️ Welcome and Intros (0:00-0:46) ➡️ Monkeypox – How worried should I Read more…
¿Qué debo hacer si me da COVID en vacaciones 🌴?
Posts en Español Travel
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
La variante BA.5 puede evadir la inmunidad existente mejor que las variantes originales de Omicron. Ahora más que nunca se están escuchando sobre más infecciones de COVID-19, especialmente entre las personas que viajan. Viajar y ver a familiares y amigos es algo para apreciar. Sin embargo, viajar durante la pandemia de coronavirus es complicado y Read more…
Those Nerdy Girls Welcome the Reproductive Health Squad
Reproductive Health
Those Nerdy Girls remain committed to providing you with practical, factual, no-nonsense answers to all your everyday health questions, and today, we’re excited to introduce the Reproductive Health Squad. This team of women scientists and health care providers has the expertise to answer your real, embarrassing or even scary questions about all aspects of sexual Read more…
What is confirmation bias? What is motivated reasoning? How do they impact the spread of misinformation?
Data Literacy Uncertainty and Misinformation
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: Confirmation bias happens when we accept information that confirms our pre-existing ideas or beliefs, but ignore or question information that does not. Motivated reasoning happens when we only seek out information that confirms what we already think is true. Both ways of distorted thinking can lead us to share information without critically assessing it Read more…
Let’s talk about school start times.
Families/Kids Health & Wellness School
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
An interview with Nerdy Guest Dr. Terra Ziporyn Snider Q: Tell us a little about yourself and how you became interested in school start times. A: As both a mother of 3 and a medical historian and writer (former associate editor at JAMA and co-author of The New Harvard Guide to Women’s Health), I’ve been Read more…
Happy National Immunization Awareness Month!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
Vaccines are one of the greatest public health achievements of all time and August is the month to celebrate! Vaccines do more than just protecting us from diseases (although that is pretty freaking great!). They also support a functional economy, keep kids in school and adults at work, reduce poverty, prevent disease outbreaks, improve health Read more…
I suspect that my kids may have been exposed to COVID-19 at summer camp. What can I do to protect my family and my community from the risk of infection?
Families/Kids Staying Safe Testing and Contact Tracing
Thanks to guest author Dr. Katie Schenk (who recently picked up her kids at camp) for offering to write this post. It’s a great American summer tradition: sleepaway camp! Campfires, singing, sports, smores, and now… COVID-19? Despite best intentions and precautions, the BA.5 surge has already contributed to many COVID-19 outbreaks at summer camp. Camps Read more…
Where do new variants come from?
COVID Variants
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5… while we’re all getting lost in an alphanumeric soup, it’s important to understand why we continue to see new variants. Some have speculated vaccines are to blame, arguing that vaccination itself drives the development of variants. Is this true? Vaccinations do not produce new variants. Thankfully, no. Variants are not Read more…
What is brain fog anyways?
Long COVID Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
TL; DR: Brain fog is a general term used to describe many issues including poor attention, memory, and planning abilities. This can happen after an infection or injury. We are learning more about what causes it, but there do seem to be changes in the immune system and the way the cells work as a Read more…
What is Parechovirus?
Infectious Diseases
Megan Madsen, DO
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
What is going on with Paxlovid rebound?
Testing and Contact Tracing Treatments
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Some people who use Paxlovid to treat COVID-19 experience a “rebound”, which is like a bad sequel that debuts 2-14 days after recovery. Once again, you’re testing positive with rapid antigen tests and /or feeling crummy. You’re also potentially contagious. While a COVID-19 rebound can be really frustrating, Paxlovid is still highly effective at Read more…
Vaccination rates are on the decline. We need to do better.
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
TL;DR: Vaccination rates are dropping and millions of kids missed vaccines during the pandemic. We need to get kids caught up now. Vaccines are incredibly important to prevent serious childhood illness and save lives. Vaccines are among the most important public health interventions of all time. We have vaccines to prevent more than 20 life- Read more…
Q: I am still drinking a lot. It all started during 2020. How can I stop drinking? A: Recognize that there is a problem. Get social, get help, and find what works for you. TL; DR. You aren’t alone. Alcohol related deaths are up and so are drinking rates. To get help, start with recognizing Read more…
What are my options if I don’t want to be pregnant right now?
Reproductive Health
If now is not a good time for you to be pregnant, it’s important to 1️⃣ know your options and 2️⃣ make a plan (and a backup plan). You can think of your options in three basic categories, which we’ll call Plans A, B, and C. Plan A: Use Birth Control or Practice Abstinence. Abstaining Read more…
If I got the smallpox vaccine as a kid, am I protected against monkeypox?
Infectious Diseases VaccinesSarah Whitley Coles, MD
Short answer: Probably to some degree, but just how much is up in the air. Because the virus that causes monkeypox is similar to the smallpox virus, smallpox vaccines are effective at preventing people from getting monkeypox. Prior studies using the Dryvax vaccine (the first-generation smallpox vaccine that was used during smallpox eradication), showed that Read more…
How can we make public indoor spaces safer with on-going risks from COVID?
Infection and Spread Staying Safe
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Answer: Ventilation (add outdoor air to dilute virus in inside air) Filtration (capture and remove virus from inside air) Thanks to Whitney Robinson, PhD and Kathleen Harper, MSPH for making this convenient one-pager with tips on improving indoor air quality to minimize spread of COVID-19 (and other viruses) in public and shared spaces. Full document Read more…
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH is a public health expert and author based in New York. She has written extensively about psychology, misinformation, science denial, and behavioral science, among other topics. Her work has appeared or been reviewed in TIME, The New Yorker, Science, Scientific American, Psychology Today, The Atlantic, New York Magazine, Daily Kos, and Read more…
Guest Author Nicole Loew, PhD, RN
Nicole is the co-host of the Woman Centered Health Podcast and recently completed a Quality Improvement fellowship at the Iowa City VA Medical Center. She has her PhD in nursing from the University of Iowa and her research interests include understanding how women’s contexts impact their perspectives of sexual health and their sexual behavior. In Read more…
Dear Pandemic Live Q&A 08-12-22
Families/Kids Infection and Spread Infectious Diseases School Treatments Vaccines Videos
Those Nerdy Girls answer your questions about Monkeypox, masking at school, bivalent boosters, COVID-19 rebound, and more. Hosted by: – Malia Jones, PhD, MPH: Dear Pandemic Co-Founder & former EIC – Chana Davis, PhD: Dear Pandemic Contributing Writer & Founder, Fueled by Science ➡️ Welcome and Intros (0:00-0:46) ➡️ Monkeypox – How worried should I Read more…
¿Qué debo hacer si me da COVID en vacaciones 🌴?
Posts en Español Travel
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
La variante BA.5 puede evadir la inmunidad existente mejor que las variantes originales de Omicron. Ahora más que nunca se están escuchando sobre más infecciones de COVID-19, especialmente entre las personas que viajan. Viajar y ver a familiares y amigos es algo para apreciar. Sin embargo, viajar durante la pandemia de coronavirus es complicado y Read more…
Those Nerdy Girls Welcome the Reproductive Health Squad
Reproductive Health
Those Nerdy Girls remain committed to providing you with practical, factual, no-nonsense answers to all your everyday health questions, and today, we’re excited to introduce the Reproductive Health Squad. This team of women scientists and health care providers has the expertise to answer your real, embarrassing or even scary questions about all aspects of sexual Read more…
What is confirmation bias? What is motivated reasoning? How do they impact the spread of misinformation?
Data Literacy Uncertainty and Misinformation
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: Confirmation bias happens when we accept information that confirms our pre-existing ideas or beliefs, but ignore or question information that does not. Motivated reasoning happens when we only seek out information that confirms what we already think is true. Both ways of distorted thinking can lead us to share information without critically assessing it Read more…
Let’s talk about school start times.
Families/Kids Health & Wellness School
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
An interview with Nerdy Guest Dr. Terra Ziporyn Snider Q: Tell us a little about yourself and how you became interested in school start times. A: As both a mother of 3 and a medical historian and writer (former associate editor at JAMA and co-author of The New Harvard Guide to Women’s Health), I’ve been Read more…
Happy National Immunization Awareness Month!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
Vaccines are one of the greatest public health achievements of all time and August is the month to celebrate! Vaccines do more than just protecting us from diseases (although that is pretty freaking great!). They also support a functional economy, keep kids in school and adults at work, reduce poverty, prevent disease outbreaks, improve health Read more…
I suspect that my kids may have been exposed to COVID-19 at summer camp. What can I do to protect my family and my community from the risk of infection?
Families/Kids Staying Safe Testing and Contact Tracing
Thanks to guest author Dr. Katie Schenk (who recently picked up her kids at camp) for offering to write this post. It’s a great American summer tradition: sleepaway camp! Campfires, singing, sports, smores, and now… COVID-19? Despite best intentions and precautions, the BA.5 surge has already contributed to many COVID-19 outbreaks at summer camp. Camps Read more…
Where do new variants come from?
COVID Variants
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5… while we’re all getting lost in an alphanumeric soup, it’s important to understand why we continue to see new variants. Some have speculated vaccines are to blame, arguing that vaccination itself drives the development of variants. Is this true? Vaccinations do not produce new variants. Thankfully, no. Variants are not Read more…
What is brain fog anyways?
Long COVID Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
TL; DR: Brain fog is a general term used to describe many issues including poor attention, memory, and planning abilities. This can happen after an infection or injury. We are learning more about what causes it, but there do seem to be changes in the immune system and the way the cells work as a Read more…
What is Parechovirus?
Infectious Diseases
Megan Madsen, DO
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
What is going on with Paxlovid rebound?
Testing and Contact Tracing Treatments
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Some people who use Paxlovid to treat COVID-19 experience a “rebound”, which is like a bad sequel that debuts 2-14 days after recovery. Once again, you’re testing positive with rapid antigen tests and /or feeling crummy. You’re also potentially contagious. While a COVID-19 rebound can be really frustrating, Paxlovid is still highly effective at Read more…
Vaccination rates are on the decline. We need to do better.
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
TL;DR: Vaccination rates are dropping and millions of kids missed vaccines during the pandemic. We need to get kids caught up now. Vaccines are incredibly important to prevent serious childhood illness and save lives. Vaccines are among the most important public health interventions of all time. We have vaccines to prevent more than 20 life- Read more…
Short answer: Probably to some degree, but just how much is up in the air. Because the virus that causes monkeypox is similar to the smallpox virus, smallpox vaccines are effective at preventing people from getting monkeypox. Prior studies using the Dryvax vaccine (the first-generation smallpox vaccine that was used during smallpox eradication), showed that Read more…
How can we make public indoor spaces safer with on-going risks from COVID?
Infection and Spread Staying SafeJennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
Answer: Ventilation (add outdoor air to dilute virus in inside air) Filtration (capture and remove virus from inside air) Thanks to Whitney Robinson, PhD and Kathleen Harper, MSPH for making this convenient one-pager with tips on improving indoor air quality to minimize spread of COVID-19 (and other viruses) in public and shared spaces. Full document Read more…
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH is a public health expert and author based in New York. She has written extensively about psychology, misinformation, science denial, and behavioral science, among other topics. Her work has appeared or been reviewed in TIME, The New Yorker, Science, Scientific American, Psychology Today, The Atlantic, New York Magazine, Daily Kos, and Read more…
Guest Author Nicole Loew, PhD, RN
Nicole is the co-host of the Woman Centered Health Podcast and recently completed a Quality Improvement fellowship at the Iowa City VA Medical Center. She has her PhD in nursing from the University of Iowa and her research interests include understanding how women’s contexts impact their perspectives of sexual health and their sexual behavior. In Read more…
Dear Pandemic Live Q&A 08-12-22
Families/Kids Infection and Spread Infectious Diseases School Treatments Vaccines Videos
Those Nerdy Girls answer your questions about Monkeypox, masking at school, bivalent boosters, COVID-19 rebound, and more. Hosted by: – Malia Jones, PhD, MPH: Dear Pandemic Co-Founder & former EIC – Chana Davis, PhD: Dear Pandemic Contributing Writer & Founder, Fueled by Science ➡️ Welcome and Intros (0:00-0:46) ➡️ Monkeypox – How worried should I Read more…
¿Qué debo hacer si me da COVID en vacaciones 🌴?
Posts en Español Travel
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
La variante BA.5 puede evadir la inmunidad existente mejor que las variantes originales de Omicron. Ahora más que nunca se están escuchando sobre más infecciones de COVID-19, especialmente entre las personas que viajan. Viajar y ver a familiares y amigos es algo para apreciar. Sin embargo, viajar durante la pandemia de coronavirus es complicado y Read more…
Those Nerdy Girls Welcome the Reproductive Health Squad
Reproductive Health
Those Nerdy Girls remain committed to providing you with practical, factual, no-nonsense answers to all your everyday health questions, and today, we’re excited to introduce the Reproductive Health Squad. This team of women scientists and health care providers has the expertise to answer your real, embarrassing or even scary questions about all aspects of sexual Read more…
What is confirmation bias? What is motivated reasoning? How do they impact the spread of misinformation?
Data Literacy Uncertainty and Misinformation
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: Confirmation bias happens when we accept information that confirms our pre-existing ideas or beliefs, but ignore or question information that does not. Motivated reasoning happens when we only seek out information that confirms what we already think is true. Both ways of distorted thinking can lead us to share information without critically assessing it Read more…
Let’s talk about school start times.
Families/Kids Health & Wellness School
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
An interview with Nerdy Guest Dr. Terra Ziporyn Snider Q: Tell us a little about yourself and how you became interested in school start times. A: As both a mother of 3 and a medical historian and writer (former associate editor at JAMA and co-author of The New Harvard Guide to Women’s Health), I’ve been Read more…
Happy National Immunization Awareness Month!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
Vaccines are one of the greatest public health achievements of all time and August is the month to celebrate! Vaccines do more than just protecting us from diseases (although that is pretty freaking great!). They also support a functional economy, keep kids in school and adults at work, reduce poverty, prevent disease outbreaks, improve health Read more…
I suspect that my kids may have been exposed to COVID-19 at summer camp. What can I do to protect my family and my community from the risk of infection?
Families/Kids Staying Safe Testing and Contact Tracing
Thanks to guest author Dr. Katie Schenk (who recently picked up her kids at camp) for offering to write this post. It’s a great American summer tradition: sleepaway camp! Campfires, singing, sports, smores, and now… COVID-19? Despite best intentions and precautions, the BA.5 surge has already contributed to many COVID-19 outbreaks at summer camp. Camps Read more…
Where do new variants come from?
COVID Variants
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5… while we’re all getting lost in an alphanumeric soup, it’s important to understand why we continue to see new variants. Some have speculated vaccines are to blame, arguing that vaccination itself drives the development of variants. Is this true? Vaccinations do not produce new variants. Thankfully, no. Variants are not Read more…
What is brain fog anyways?
Long COVID Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
TL; DR: Brain fog is a general term used to describe many issues including poor attention, memory, and planning abilities. This can happen after an infection or injury. We are learning more about what causes it, but there do seem to be changes in the immune system and the way the cells work as a Read more…
What is Parechovirus?
Infectious Diseases
Megan Madsen, DO
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
What is going on with Paxlovid rebound?
Testing and Contact Tracing Treatments
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Some people who use Paxlovid to treat COVID-19 experience a “rebound”, which is like a bad sequel that debuts 2-14 days after recovery. Once again, you’re testing positive with rapid antigen tests and /or feeling crummy. You’re also potentially contagious. While a COVID-19 rebound can be really frustrating, Paxlovid is still highly effective at Read more…
Vaccination rates are on the decline. We need to do better.
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
TL;DR: Vaccination rates are dropping and millions of kids missed vaccines during the pandemic. We need to get kids caught up now. Vaccines are incredibly important to prevent serious childhood illness and save lives. Vaccines are among the most important public health interventions of all time. We have vaccines to prevent more than 20 life- Read more…
Answer: Ventilation (add outdoor air to dilute virus in inside air) Filtration (capture and remove virus from inside air) Thanks to Whitney Robinson, PhD and Kathleen Harper, MSPH for making this convenient one-pager with tips on improving indoor air quality to minimize spread of COVID-19 (and other viruses) in public and shared spaces. Full document Read more…
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH is a public health expert and author based in New York. She has written extensively about psychology, misinformation, science denial, and behavioral science, among other topics. Her work has appeared or been reviewed in TIME, The New Yorker, Science, Scientific American, Psychology Today, The Atlantic, New York Magazine, Daily Kos, and Read more…
Guest Author Nicole Loew, PhD, RN
Nicole is the co-host of the Woman Centered Health Podcast and recently completed a Quality Improvement fellowship at the Iowa City VA Medical Center. She has her PhD in nursing from the University of Iowa and her research interests include understanding how women’s contexts impact their perspectives of sexual health and their sexual behavior. In Read more…
Dear Pandemic Live Q&A 08-12-22
Families/Kids Infection and Spread Infectious Diseases School Treatments Vaccines Videos
Those Nerdy Girls answer your questions about Monkeypox, masking at school, bivalent boosters, COVID-19 rebound, and more. Hosted by: – Malia Jones, PhD, MPH: Dear Pandemic Co-Founder & former EIC – Chana Davis, PhD: Dear Pandemic Contributing Writer & Founder, Fueled by Science ➡️ Welcome and Intros (0:00-0:46) ➡️ Monkeypox – How worried should I Read more…
¿Qué debo hacer si me da COVID en vacaciones 🌴?
Posts en Español TravelTita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
La variante BA.5 puede evadir la inmunidad existente mejor que las variantes originales de Omicron. Ahora más que nunca se están escuchando sobre más infecciones de COVID-19, especialmente entre las personas que viajan. Viajar y ver a familiares y amigos es algo para apreciar. Sin embargo, viajar durante la pandemia de coronavirus es complicado y Read more…
Those Nerdy Girls Welcome the Reproductive Health Squad
Reproductive Health
Those Nerdy Girls remain committed to providing you with practical, factual, no-nonsense answers to all your everyday health questions, and today, we’re excited to introduce the Reproductive Health Squad. This team of women scientists and health care providers has the expertise to answer your real, embarrassing or even scary questions about all aspects of sexual Read more…
What is confirmation bias? What is motivated reasoning? How do they impact the spread of misinformation?
Data Literacy Uncertainty and Misinformation
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: Confirmation bias happens when we accept information that confirms our pre-existing ideas or beliefs, but ignore or question information that does not. Motivated reasoning happens when we only seek out information that confirms what we already think is true. Both ways of distorted thinking can lead us to share information without critically assessing it Read more…
Let’s talk about school start times.
Families/Kids Health & Wellness School
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
An interview with Nerdy Guest Dr. Terra Ziporyn Snider Q: Tell us a little about yourself and how you became interested in school start times. A: As both a mother of 3 and a medical historian and writer (former associate editor at JAMA and co-author of The New Harvard Guide to Women’s Health), I’ve been Read more…
Happy National Immunization Awareness Month!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
Vaccines are one of the greatest public health achievements of all time and August is the month to celebrate! Vaccines do more than just protecting us from diseases (although that is pretty freaking great!). They also support a functional economy, keep kids in school and adults at work, reduce poverty, prevent disease outbreaks, improve health Read more…
I suspect that my kids may have been exposed to COVID-19 at summer camp. What can I do to protect my family and my community from the risk of infection?
Families/Kids Staying Safe Testing and Contact Tracing
Thanks to guest author Dr. Katie Schenk (who recently picked up her kids at camp) for offering to write this post. It’s a great American summer tradition: sleepaway camp! Campfires, singing, sports, smores, and now… COVID-19? Despite best intentions and precautions, the BA.5 surge has already contributed to many COVID-19 outbreaks at summer camp. Camps Read more…
Where do new variants come from?
COVID Variants
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5… while we’re all getting lost in an alphanumeric soup, it’s important to understand why we continue to see new variants. Some have speculated vaccines are to blame, arguing that vaccination itself drives the development of variants. Is this true? Vaccinations do not produce new variants. Thankfully, no. Variants are not Read more…
What is brain fog anyways?
Long COVID Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
TL; DR: Brain fog is a general term used to describe many issues including poor attention, memory, and planning abilities. This can happen after an infection or injury. We are learning more about what causes it, but there do seem to be changes in the immune system and the way the cells work as a Read more…
What is Parechovirus?
Infectious Diseases
Megan Madsen, DO
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
What is going on with Paxlovid rebound?
Testing and Contact Tracing Treatments
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Some people who use Paxlovid to treat COVID-19 experience a “rebound”, which is like a bad sequel that debuts 2-14 days after recovery. Once again, you’re testing positive with rapid antigen tests and /or feeling crummy. You’re also potentially contagious. While a COVID-19 rebound can be really frustrating, Paxlovid is still highly effective at Read more…
Vaccination rates are on the decline. We need to do better.
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
TL;DR: Vaccination rates are dropping and millions of kids missed vaccines during the pandemic. We need to get kids caught up now. Vaccines are incredibly important to prevent serious childhood illness and save lives. Vaccines are among the most important public health interventions of all time. We have vaccines to prevent more than 20 life- Read more…
La variante BA.5 puede evadir la inmunidad existente mejor que las variantes originales de Omicron. Ahora más que nunca se están escuchando sobre más infecciones de COVID-19, especialmente entre las personas que viajan. Viajar y ver a familiares y amigos es algo para apreciar. Sin embargo, viajar durante la pandemia de coronavirus es complicado y Read more…
Those Nerdy Girls Welcome the Reproductive Health Squad
Reproductive HealthThose Nerdy Girls remain committed to providing you with practical, factual, no-nonsense answers to all your everyday health questions, and today, we’re excited to introduce the Reproductive Health Squad. This team of women scientists and health care providers has the expertise to answer your real, embarrassing or even scary questions about all aspects of sexual Read more…
What is confirmation bias? What is motivated reasoning? How do they impact the spread of misinformation?
Data Literacy Uncertainty and MisinformationAmanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: Confirmation bias happens when we accept information that confirms our pre-existing ideas or beliefs, but ignore or question information that does not. Motivated reasoning happens when we only seek out information that confirms what we already think is true. Both ways of distorted thinking can lead us to share information without critically assessing it Read more…
Let’s talk about school start times.
Families/Kids Health & Wellness School
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
An interview with Nerdy Guest Dr. Terra Ziporyn Snider Q: Tell us a little about yourself and how you became interested in school start times. A: As both a mother of 3 and a medical historian and writer (former associate editor at JAMA and co-author of The New Harvard Guide to Women’s Health), I’ve been Read more…
Happy National Immunization Awareness Month!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
Vaccines are one of the greatest public health achievements of all time and August is the month to celebrate! Vaccines do more than just protecting us from diseases (although that is pretty freaking great!). They also support a functional economy, keep kids in school and adults at work, reduce poverty, prevent disease outbreaks, improve health Read more…
I suspect that my kids may have been exposed to COVID-19 at summer camp. What can I do to protect my family and my community from the risk of infection?
Families/Kids Staying Safe Testing and Contact Tracing
Thanks to guest author Dr. Katie Schenk (who recently picked up her kids at camp) for offering to write this post. It’s a great American summer tradition: sleepaway camp! Campfires, singing, sports, smores, and now… COVID-19? Despite best intentions and precautions, the BA.5 surge has already contributed to many COVID-19 outbreaks at summer camp. Camps Read more…
Where do new variants come from?
COVID Variants
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5… while we’re all getting lost in an alphanumeric soup, it’s important to understand why we continue to see new variants. Some have speculated vaccines are to blame, arguing that vaccination itself drives the development of variants. Is this true? Vaccinations do not produce new variants. Thankfully, no. Variants are not Read more…
What is brain fog anyways?
Long COVID Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
TL; DR: Brain fog is a general term used to describe many issues including poor attention, memory, and planning abilities. This can happen after an infection or injury. We are learning more about what causes it, but there do seem to be changes in the immune system and the way the cells work as a Read more…
What is Parechovirus?
Infectious Diseases
Megan Madsen, DO
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
What is going on with Paxlovid rebound?
Testing and Contact Tracing Treatments
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Some people who use Paxlovid to treat COVID-19 experience a “rebound”, which is like a bad sequel that debuts 2-14 days after recovery. Once again, you’re testing positive with rapid antigen tests and /or feeling crummy. You’re also potentially contagious. While a COVID-19 rebound can be really frustrating, Paxlovid is still highly effective at Read more…
Vaccination rates are on the decline. We need to do better.
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
TL;DR: Vaccination rates are dropping and millions of kids missed vaccines during the pandemic. We need to get kids caught up now. Vaccines are incredibly important to prevent serious childhood illness and save lives. Vaccines are among the most important public health interventions of all time. We have vaccines to prevent more than 20 life- Read more…
A: Confirmation bias happens when we accept information that confirms our pre-existing ideas or beliefs, but ignore or question information that does not. Motivated reasoning happens when we only seek out information that confirms what we already think is true. Both ways of distorted thinking can lead us to share information without critically assessing it Read more…
Let’s talk about school start times.
Families/Kids Health & Wellness SchoolLauren Hale, PhD MA
An interview with Nerdy Guest Dr. Terra Ziporyn Snider Q: Tell us a little about yourself and how you became interested in school start times. A: As both a mother of 3 and a medical historian and writer (former associate editor at JAMA and co-author of The New Harvard Guide to Women’s Health), I’ve been Read more…
Happy National Immunization Awareness Month!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
Vaccines are one of the greatest public health achievements of all time and August is the month to celebrate! Vaccines do more than just protecting us from diseases (although that is pretty freaking great!). They also support a functional economy, keep kids in school and adults at work, reduce poverty, prevent disease outbreaks, improve health Read more…
I suspect that my kids may have been exposed to COVID-19 at summer camp. What can I do to protect my family and my community from the risk of infection?
Families/Kids Staying Safe Testing and Contact Tracing
Thanks to guest author Dr. Katie Schenk (who recently picked up her kids at camp) for offering to write this post. It’s a great American summer tradition: sleepaway camp! Campfires, singing, sports, smores, and now… COVID-19? Despite best intentions and precautions, the BA.5 surge has already contributed to many COVID-19 outbreaks at summer camp. Camps Read more…
Where do new variants come from?
COVID Variants
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5… while we’re all getting lost in an alphanumeric soup, it’s important to understand why we continue to see new variants. Some have speculated vaccines are to blame, arguing that vaccination itself drives the development of variants. Is this true? Vaccinations do not produce new variants. Thankfully, no. Variants are not Read more…
What is brain fog anyways?
Long COVID Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
TL; DR: Brain fog is a general term used to describe many issues including poor attention, memory, and planning abilities. This can happen after an infection or injury. We are learning more about what causes it, but there do seem to be changes in the immune system and the way the cells work as a Read more…
What is Parechovirus?
Infectious Diseases
Megan Madsen, DO
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
What is going on with Paxlovid rebound?
Testing and Contact Tracing Treatments
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Some people who use Paxlovid to treat COVID-19 experience a “rebound”, which is like a bad sequel that debuts 2-14 days after recovery. Once again, you’re testing positive with rapid antigen tests and /or feeling crummy. You’re also potentially contagious. While a COVID-19 rebound can be really frustrating, Paxlovid is still highly effective at Read more…
Vaccination rates are on the decline. We need to do better.
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
TL;DR: Vaccination rates are dropping and millions of kids missed vaccines during the pandemic. We need to get kids caught up now. Vaccines are incredibly important to prevent serious childhood illness and save lives. Vaccines are among the most important public health interventions of all time. We have vaccines to prevent more than 20 life- Read more…
An interview with Nerdy Guest Dr. Terra Ziporyn Snider Q: Tell us a little about yourself and how you became interested in school start times. A: As both a mother of 3 and a medical historian and writer (former associate editor at JAMA and co-author of The New Harvard Guide to Women’s Health), I’ve been Read more…
Happy National Immunization Awareness Month!
Families/Kids VaccinesSarah Whitley Coles, MD
Vaccines are one of the greatest public health achievements of all time and August is the month to celebrate! Vaccines do more than just protecting us from diseases (although that is pretty freaking great!). They also support a functional economy, keep kids in school and adults at work, reduce poverty, prevent disease outbreaks, improve health Read more…
I suspect that my kids may have been exposed to COVID-19 at summer camp. What can I do to protect my family and my community from the risk of infection?
Families/Kids Staying Safe Testing and Contact Tracing
Thanks to guest author Dr. Katie Schenk (who recently picked up her kids at camp) for offering to write this post. It’s a great American summer tradition: sleepaway camp! Campfires, singing, sports, smores, and now… COVID-19? Despite best intentions and precautions, the BA.5 surge has already contributed to many COVID-19 outbreaks at summer camp. Camps Read more…
Where do new variants come from?
COVID Variants
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5… while we’re all getting lost in an alphanumeric soup, it’s important to understand why we continue to see new variants. Some have speculated vaccines are to blame, arguing that vaccination itself drives the development of variants. Is this true? Vaccinations do not produce new variants. Thankfully, no. Variants are not Read more…
What is brain fog anyways?
Long COVID Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
TL; DR: Brain fog is a general term used to describe many issues including poor attention, memory, and planning abilities. This can happen after an infection or injury. We are learning more about what causes it, but there do seem to be changes in the immune system and the way the cells work as a Read more…
What is Parechovirus?
Infectious Diseases
Megan Madsen, DO
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
What is going on with Paxlovid rebound?
Testing and Contact Tracing Treatments
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Some people who use Paxlovid to treat COVID-19 experience a “rebound”, which is like a bad sequel that debuts 2-14 days after recovery. Once again, you’re testing positive with rapid antigen tests and /or feeling crummy. You’re also potentially contagious. While a COVID-19 rebound can be really frustrating, Paxlovid is still highly effective at Read more…
Vaccination rates are on the decline. We need to do better.
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
TL;DR: Vaccination rates are dropping and millions of kids missed vaccines during the pandemic. We need to get kids caught up now. Vaccines are incredibly important to prevent serious childhood illness and save lives. Vaccines are among the most important public health interventions of all time. We have vaccines to prevent more than 20 life- Read more…
Vaccines are one of the greatest public health achievements of all time and August is the month to celebrate! Vaccines do more than just protecting us from diseases (although that is pretty freaking great!). They also support a functional economy, keep kids in school and adults at work, reduce poverty, prevent disease outbreaks, improve health Read more…
I suspect that my kids may have been exposed to COVID-19 at summer camp. What can I do to protect my family and my community from the risk of infection?
Families/Kids Staying Safe Testing and Contact TracingThanks to guest author Dr. Katie Schenk (who recently picked up her kids at camp) for offering to write this post. It’s a great American summer tradition: sleepaway camp! Campfires, singing, sports, smores, and now… COVID-19? Despite best intentions and precautions, the BA.5 surge has already contributed to many COVID-19 outbreaks at summer camp. Camps Read more…
Where do new variants come from?
COVID VariantsKristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5… while we’re all getting lost in an alphanumeric soup, it’s important to understand why we continue to see new variants. Some have speculated vaccines are to blame, arguing that vaccination itself drives the development of variants. Is this true? Vaccinations do not produce new variants. Thankfully, no. Variants are not Read more…
What is brain fog anyways?
Long COVID Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
TL; DR: Brain fog is a general term used to describe many issues including poor attention, memory, and planning abilities. This can happen after an infection or injury. We are learning more about what causes it, but there do seem to be changes in the immune system and the way the cells work as a Read more…
What is Parechovirus?
Infectious Diseases
Megan Madsen, DO
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
What is going on with Paxlovid rebound?
Testing and Contact Tracing Treatments
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Some people who use Paxlovid to treat COVID-19 experience a “rebound”, which is like a bad sequel that debuts 2-14 days after recovery. Once again, you’re testing positive with rapid antigen tests and /or feeling crummy. You’re also potentially contagious. While a COVID-19 rebound can be really frustrating, Paxlovid is still highly effective at Read more…
Vaccination rates are on the decline. We need to do better.
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
TL;DR: Vaccination rates are dropping and millions of kids missed vaccines during the pandemic. We need to get kids caught up now. Vaccines are incredibly important to prevent serious childhood illness and save lives. Vaccines are among the most important public health interventions of all time. We have vaccines to prevent more than 20 life- Read more…
BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5… while we’re all getting lost in an alphanumeric soup, it’s important to understand why we continue to see new variants. Some have speculated vaccines are to blame, arguing that vaccination itself drives the development of variants. Is this true? Vaccinations do not produce new variants. Thankfully, no. Variants are not Read more…
What is brain fog anyways?
Long COVID Mental HealthAparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
TL; DR: Brain fog is a general term used to describe many issues including poor attention, memory, and planning abilities. This can happen after an infection or injury. We are learning more about what causes it, but there do seem to be changes in the immune system and the way the cells work as a Read more…
What is Parechovirus?
Infectious Diseases
Megan Madsen, DO
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
What is going on with Paxlovid rebound?
Testing and Contact Tracing Treatments
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Some people who use Paxlovid to treat COVID-19 experience a “rebound”, which is like a bad sequel that debuts 2-14 days after recovery. Once again, you’re testing positive with rapid antigen tests and /or feeling crummy. You’re also potentially contagious. While a COVID-19 rebound can be really frustrating, Paxlovid is still highly effective at Read more…
Vaccination rates are on the decline. We need to do better.
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
TL;DR: Vaccination rates are dropping and millions of kids missed vaccines during the pandemic. We need to get kids caught up now. Vaccines are incredibly important to prevent serious childhood illness and save lives. Vaccines are among the most important public health interventions of all time. We have vaccines to prevent more than 20 life- Read more…
TL; DR: Brain fog is a general term used to describe many issues including poor attention, memory, and planning abilities. This can happen after an infection or injury. We are learning more about what causes it, but there do seem to be changes in the immune system and the way the cells work as a Read more…
What is Parechovirus?
Infectious DiseasesMegan Madsen, DO
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
What is going on with Paxlovid rebound?
Testing and Contact Tracing Treatments
Chana Davis, PhD
A: Some people who use Paxlovid to treat COVID-19 experience a “rebound”, which is like a bad sequel that debuts 2-14 days after recovery. Once again, you’re testing positive with rapid antigen tests and /or feeling crummy. You’re also potentially contagious. While a COVID-19 rebound can be really frustrating, Paxlovid is still highly effective at Read more…
Vaccination rates are on the decline. We need to do better.
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
TL;DR: Vaccination rates are dropping and millions of kids missed vaccines during the pandemic. We need to get kids caught up now. Vaccines are incredibly important to prevent serious childhood illness and save lives. Vaccines are among the most important public health interventions of all time. We have vaccines to prevent more than 20 life- Read more…
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
What is going on with Paxlovid rebound?
Testing and Contact Tracing TreatmentsChana Davis, PhD
A: Some people who use Paxlovid to treat COVID-19 experience a “rebound”, which is like a bad sequel that debuts 2-14 days after recovery. Once again, you’re testing positive with rapid antigen tests and /or feeling crummy. You’re also potentially contagious. While a COVID-19 rebound can be really frustrating, Paxlovid is still highly effective at Read more…
Vaccination rates are on the decline. We need to do better.
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
TL;DR: Vaccination rates are dropping and millions of kids missed vaccines during the pandemic. We need to get kids caught up now. Vaccines are incredibly important to prevent serious childhood illness and save lives. Vaccines are among the most important public health interventions of all time. We have vaccines to prevent more than 20 life- Read more…
A: Some people who use Paxlovid to treat COVID-19 experience a “rebound”, which is like a bad sequel that debuts 2-14 days after recovery. Once again, you’re testing positive with rapid antigen tests and /or feeling crummy. You’re also potentially contagious. While a COVID-19 rebound can be really frustrating, Paxlovid is still highly effective at Read more…
Vaccination rates are on the decline. We need to do better.
VaccinesSarah Whitley Coles, MD
TL;DR: Vaccination rates are dropping and millions of kids missed vaccines during the pandemic. We need to get kids caught up now. Vaccines are incredibly important to prevent serious childhood illness and save lives. Vaccines are among the most important public health interventions of all time. We have vaccines to prevent more than 20 life- Read more…
TL;DR: Vaccination rates are dropping and millions of kids missed vaccines during the pandemic. We need to get kids caught up now. Vaccines are incredibly important to prevent serious childhood illness and save lives. Vaccines are among the most important public health interventions of all time. We have vaccines to prevent more than 20 life- Read more…
