¿Puede comentar sobre el uso del jarabe de saúco y COVID?
Posts en Español Treatments Uncertainty and MisinformationTita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
P: Estamos en la temporada de cuando le doy jarabe de saúco a mi familia como prevención de la influenza, pero he leído que pueda agravar algunos síntomas del COVID. R: No se han realizado estudios científicos sobre el uso de jarabe de saúco para prevenir o tratar COVID-19. De la misma manera, no ha Read more…
December 24, 2020
Why do we need two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine? Can we use one dose and vaccinate more people?
Vaccines
Michelle Kinder, PhD
A: A two dose schedule was proven to work and authorized for both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. One dose provides sub-optimal immunity and has not been studied in clinical trials designed to test their efficacy. Giving one dose of these vaccines to the most vulnerable populations would leave them without full immune protection. Read more…
December 23, 2020
Cute kids to Dr. Fauci: “When will we get vaccinated?”
Vaccines
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Dr. Fauci to cute kids: “Hang in there – coupla’ more months and we’ll be in good shape!” We Nerdy Girls are big #faucifangirls. We’re also moms. So, when Dr. Fauci spoke to kids (and Elmo!) recently about COVID vaccines, we listened up! Here’s the TL;DR on kids and COVID vaccine trials: ➡️ Safety Read more…
December 22, 2020
Why I got the vaccine – Dr. Sarah Coles
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
Hello everyone! Dr. Sarah Coles here, one of your Nerdy Girls. I’m very proud to announce that this weekend I was able to get my first dose of the Covid19 vaccine! It was a powerful experience for me, and I wanted to take a moment to share with you why I got the vaccine. As Read more…
December 21, 2020
How can I help encourage my colleagues in healthcare settings to get the Covid-19 vaccination?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Personal beliefs and experiences inform varying levels of acceptance of the Covid-19 vaccine now becoming available to essential workers in healthcare settings. Listen to the reasons for concern, respond with compassion and facts, and make it easy to take actionable steps forward. REALLY LISTEN. Not all vaccine hesitancy stems from the same concerns. Creating Read more…
December 21, 2020
Does someone who has been vaccinated still need to wear a mask and take other precautions?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Yes. We don’t yet know whether the vaccines prevent someone from being infectious. The existing COVID-19 vaccine trials focused on a specific endpoint – symptomatic COVID-19 disease. We know that both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were close to 95% efficacious in preventing disease (YAY!!). But wouldn’t we expect the vaccine to also stop Read more…
December 20, 2020
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Dr. Lindsey Leininger
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we’re introducing Dr. Lindsey Leininger, who is a Clinical Professor of Business Administration at Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business, and the “Nerd-in-Chief” at Dear Pandemic. In the Before Times, Dr. Leininger described herself as a health policy researcher. Now, she identifies as an Read more…
December 19, 2020
Why are COVID-19 numbers lower on the weekends?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Testing and Contact Tracing
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL, DR: The weekly pattern of fewer COVID-19 cases and deaths on the weekends is primarily due to differences in testing timing and reporting delays, but some of the pattern may be due to increased weekend socializing. Based on publicly available data, there is a widely observed ‘weekend effect’ with fewer COVID-19 cases and Read more…
December 18, 2020
How safe would a contactless cookie exchange be this holiday season?
Staying Safe
A: We LOVE this idea. A cookie exchange CAN be done safely, and in fact, it’s just the kind of creativity we need to spread joy in this year’s unique holiday season. We know that many of our holiday traditions are too risky this year. From loud, boisterous meals to crowding our loved ones around Read more…
December 18, 2020
Prevención global contra el Covid-19
Posts en Español Staying Safe
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
Este corto animado de la escuela de Medicina de Standford por Maya Adam, ilustra cómo el coronavirus – el virus que causa la enfermedad respiratoria COVID-19 – se transmite a través de las personas y cómo la transmisión se puede prevenir. Cuerpo sano, mente sana. ~ Las “Nerdy Girls” Enlace a la publicación original de Read more…
December 18, 2020
Is the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutating and should I be concerned?
Biology/Immunity
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Yes, many variants of SARS-CoV-2 exist which is normal virus behavior. The changes noted to date warrant continued study, though should not cause alarm. Scientists study virus mutations to: 1) understand the family tree of virus strains 2) examine changes that could alter transmission and/or disease severity 3) examine changes that could alter the Read more…
December 16, 2020
How can I help someone who is struggling with mental wellness?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: Focus on the basics, discuss mental wellness openly, and offer support where needed. 1-Focus on supporting the basics. We can all support our mental health by focusing on the basic pillars of wellness. 💤 Encourage 7-8 hours of sleep a day 🥕 Promote 3 meals a day with a few healthy snacks 🚰 Remind Read more…
December 16, 2020
What’s up with the new CDC guidelines for shorter quarantine periods?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: The guidelines represent a “most bang for your buck” approach to preventing transmission of COVID-19 at the population level–but quarantining for 14 days is still the recommended and safest approach. While our scientific understanding of how long it takes to develop COVID-19 symptoms after being exposed (science term: incubation period) still says up to Read more…
December 16, 2020
¿Cuándo recibiré mi primera dosis de la vacuna contra el COVID-19? ¿Me darán prioridad si el suministro de vacunas es limitado?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: El suministro de vacunas será limitado al principio para grupos de alta prioridad. El resto recibirán la vacuna empezando en la primavera en EE.UU. y extendiéndose hasta el verano. La Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos de los EE.UU. (FDA) emitió la Autorización de uso de emergencia para la vacuna de ARNm de Pfizer-BioNTech el Read more…
December 14, 2020
Vaccination against Covid19 is starting! How will the vaccine be monitored for safety?
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: Healthcare workers and people in long-term care facilities are starting to get the Covid19 vaccine this week. As vaccine supplies improve, more folks will start to get vaccinated in the coming weeks and months. While safety data from the clinical trials is very good, safety monitoring is ongoing and appropriately a priority. Several existing Read more…
December 14, 2020
¿Se puede transmitir la infección por SARS-CoV-2 a los bebés a través de la leche materna?
Families/Kids Infection and Spread Posts en Español
Daisey Velazquez, Spanish Translation
R: No existe evidencia de que la infección por SARS-CoV-2 se pueda transmitir a los bebés a través de la leche materna con nuevos hallazgos que sugieren que la leche materna en las madres que han tenido COVID-19 contiene anticuerpos específicos de SARS-CoV-2. En un estudio reciente en leche materna de 15 mujeres que se Read more…
December 14, 2020
What can I do to “improve ventilation” in my house or my office? What does that even mean?
Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: We recently talked to environmental strategist and air quality expert Dr. Tim McAuley, founder and CEO of CHANGE Environmental, LLC. Dr. McAuley told us that the best thing we can do to protect ourselves is to create cleaner indoor air *in general*. Ventilation–exchanging indoor air for outdoor air–is just one part of cleaner indoor Read more…
December 13, 2020
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Dr. Malia Jones
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we are introducing co-founder and Editor-in-Chief at Dear Pandemic, Dr. Malia Jones. It all started early in the morning on Thursday, March 5th, when Dr. Jones sat down at her computer and wrote a lengthy message to her friends and family about the pandemic. Read more…
December 12, 2020
It has been a BIG day in vaccine news!
Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Today, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the first COVID-19 vaccine! The ACIP met to review and make recommendations on the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which was given emergency use authorization by the FDA last night. You can read all the information presented at the ACIP meeting (see the link at the bottom). Read more…
December 12, 2020
The numbers on the COVID dashboards just keep going up and up.😬 📈 When will cases, deaths, and hospitalizations peak and start heading back down? 📉
Data and Metrics
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: Buckle up and hunker down: We have a couple more months to get through before we see steep and sustained drops in the numbers. Most experts say we won’t turn the corner until February at the earliest. Several records were broken this week in the US: Number of new cases per day (232,105 on Read more…
P: Estamos en la temporada de cuando le doy jarabe de saúco a mi familia como prevención de la influenza, pero he leído que pueda agravar algunos síntomas del COVID. R: No se han realizado estudios científicos sobre el uso de jarabe de saúco para prevenir o tratar COVID-19. De la misma manera, no ha Read more…
Why do we need two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine? Can we use one dose and vaccinate more people?
VaccinesMichelle Kinder, PhD
A: A two dose schedule was proven to work and authorized for both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. One dose provides sub-optimal immunity and has not been studied in clinical trials designed to test their efficacy. Giving one dose of these vaccines to the most vulnerable populations would leave them without full immune protection. Read more…
December 23, 2020
Cute kids to Dr. Fauci: “When will we get vaccinated?”
Vaccines
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Dr. Fauci to cute kids: “Hang in there – coupla’ more months and we’ll be in good shape!” We Nerdy Girls are big #faucifangirls. We’re also moms. So, when Dr. Fauci spoke to kids (and Elmo!) recently about COVID vaccines, we listened up! Here’s the TL;DR on kids and COVID vaccine trials: ➡️ Safety Read more…
December 22, 2020
Why I got the vaccine – Dr. Sarah Coles
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
Hello everyone! Dr. Sarah Coles here, one of your Nerdy Girls. I’m very proud to announce that this weekend I was able to get my first dose of the Covid19 vaccine! It was a powerful experience for me, and I wanted to take a moment to share with you why I got the vaccine. As Read more…
December 21, 2020
How can I help encourage my colleagues in healthcare settings to get the Covid-19 vaccination?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Personal beliefs and experiences inform varying levels of acceptance of the Covid-19 vaccine now becoming available to essential workers in healthcare settings. Listen to the reasons for concern, respond with compassion and facts, and make it easy to take actionable steps forward. REALLY LISTEN. Not all vaccine hesitancy stems from the same concerns. Creating Read more…
December 21, 2020
Does someone who has been vaccinated still need to wear a mask and take other precautions?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Yes. We don’t yet know whether the vaccines prevent someone from being infectious. The existing COVID-19 vaccine trials focused on a specific endpoint – symptomatic COVID-19 disease. We know that both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were close to 95% efficacious in preventing disease (YAY!!). But wouldn’t we expect the vaccine to also stop Read more…
December 20, 2020
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Dr. Lindsey Leininger
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we’re introducing Dr. Lindsey Leininger, who is a Clinical Professor of Business Administration at Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business, and the “Nerd-in-Chief” at Dear Pandemic. In the Before Times, Dr. Leininger described herself as a health policy researcher. Now, she identifies as an Read more…
December 19, 2020
Why are COVID-19 numbers lower on the weekends?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Testing and Contact Tracing
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL, DR: The weekly pattern of fewer COVID-19 cases and deaths on the weekends is primarily due to differences in testing timing and reporting delays, but some of the pattern may be due to increased weekend socializing. Based on publicly available data, there is a widely observed ‘weekend effect’ with fewer COVID-19 cases and Read more…
December 18, 2020
How safe would a contactless cookie exchange be this holiday season?
Staying Safe
A: We LOVE this idea. A cookie exchange CAN be done safely, and in fact, it’s just the kind of creativity we need to spread joy in this year’s unique holiday season. We know that many of our holiday traditions are too risky this year. From loud, boisterous meals to crowding our loved ones around Read more…
December 18, 2020
Prevención global contra el Covid-19
Posts en Español Staying Safe
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
Este corto animado de la escuela de Medicina de Standford por Maya Adam, ilustra cómo el coronavirus – el virus que causa la enfermedad respiratoria COVID-19 – se transmite a través de las personas y cómo la transmisión se puede prevenir. Cuerpo sano, mente sana. ~ Las “Nerdy Girls” Enlace a la publicación original de Read more…
December 18, 2020
Is the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutating and should I be concerned?
Biology/Immunity
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Yes, many variants of SARS-CoV-2 exist which is normal virus behavior. The changes noted to date warrant continued study, though should not cause alarm. Scientists study virus mutations to: 1) understand the family tree of virus strains 2) examine changes that could alter transmission and/or disease severity 3) examine changes that could alter the Read more…
December 16, 2020
How can I help someone who is struggling with mental wellness?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: Focus on the basics, discuss mental wellness openly, and offer support where needed. 1-Focus on supporting the basics. We can all support our mental health by focusing on the basic pillars of wellness. 💤 Encourage 7-8 hours of sleep a day 🥕 Promote 3 meals a day with a few healthy snacks 🚰 Remind Read more…
December 16, 2020
What’s up with the new CDC guidelines for shorter quarantine periods?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: The guidelines represent a “most bang for your buck” approach to preventing transmission of COVID-19 at the population level–but quarantining for 14 days is still the recommended and safest approach. While our scientific understanding of how long it takes to develop COVID-19 symptoms after being exposed (science term: incubation period) still says up to Read more…
December 16, 2020
¿Cuándo recibiré mi primera dosis de la vacuna contra el COVID-19? ¿Me darán prioridad si el suministro de vacunas es limitado?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: El suministro de vacunas será limitado al principio para grupos de alta prioridad. El resto recibirán la vacuna empezando en la primavera en EE.UU. y extendiéndose hasta el verano. La Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos de los EE.UU. (FDA) emitió la Autorización de uso de emergencia para la vacuna de ARNm de Pfizer-BioNTech el Read more…
December 14, 2020
Vaccination against Covid19 is starting! How will the vaccine be monitored for safety?
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: Healthcare workers and people in long-term care facilities are starting to get the Covid19 vaccine this week. As vaccine supplies improve, more folks will start to get vaccinated in the coming weeks and months. While safety data from the clinical trials is very good, safety monitoring is ongoing and appropriately a priority. Several existing Read more…
December 14, 2020
¿Se puede transmitir la infección por SARS-CoV-2 a los bebés a través de la leche materna?
Families/Kids Infection and Spread Posts en Español
Daisey Velazquez, Spanish Translation
R: No existe evidencia de que la infección por SARS-CoV-2 se pueda transmitir a los bebés a través de la leche materna con nuevos hallazgos que sugieren que la leche materna en las madres que han tenido COVID-19 contiene anticuerpos específicos de SARS-CoV-2. En un estudio reciente en leche materna de 15 mujeres que se Read more…
December 14, 2020
What can I do to “improve ventilation” in my house or my office? What does that even mean?
Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: We recently talked to environmental strategist and air quality expert Dr. Tim McAuley, founder and CEO of CHANGE Environmental, LLC. Dr. McAuley told us that the best thing we can do to protect ourselves is to create cleaner indoor air *in general*. Ventilation–exchanging indoor air for outdoor air–is just one part of cleaner indoor Read more…
December 13, 2020
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Dr. Malia Jones
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we are introducing co-founder and Editor-in-Chief at Dear Pandemic, Dr. Malia Jones. It all started early in the morning on Thursday, March 5th, when Dr. Jones sat down at her computer and wrote a lengthy message to her friends and family about the pandemic. Read more…
December 12, 2020
It has been a BIG day in vaccine news!
Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Today, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the first COVID-19 vaccine! The ACIP met to review and make recommendations on the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which was given emergency use authorization by the FDA last night. You can read all the information presented at the ACIP meeting (see the link at the bottom). Read more…
December 12, 2020
The numbers on the COVID dashboards just keep going up and up.😬 📈 When will cases, deaths, and hospitalizations peak and start heading back down? 📉
Data and Metrics
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: Buckle up and hunker down: We have a couple more months to get through before we see steep and sustained drops in the numbers. Most experts say we won’t turn the corner until February at the earliest. Several records were broken this week in the US: Number of new cases per day (232,105 on Read more…
A: A two dose schedule was proven to work and authorized for both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. One dose provides sub-optimal immunity and has not been studied in clinical trials designed to test their efficacy. Giving one dose of these vaccines to the most vulnerable populations would leave them without full immune protection. Read more…
Cute kids to Dr. Fauci: “When will we get vaccinated?”
VaccinesLindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Dr. Fauci to cute kids: “Hang in there – coupla’ more months and we’ll be in good shape!” We Nerdy Girls are big #faucifangirls. We’re also moms. So, when Dr. Fauci spoke to kids (and Elmo!) recently about COVID vaccines, we listened up! Here’s the TL;DR on kids and COVID vaccine trials: ➡️ Safety Read more…
December 22, 2020
Why I got the vaccine – Dr. Sarah Coles
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
Hello everyone! Dr. Sarah Coles here, one of your Nerdy Girls. I’m very proud to announce that this weekend I was able to get my first dose of the Covid19 vaccine! It was a powerful experience for me, and I wanted to take a moment to share with you why I got the vaccine. As Read more…
December 21, 2020
How can I help encourage my colleagues in healthcare settings to get the Covid-19 vaccination?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Personal beliefs and experiences inform varying levels of acceptance of the Covid-19 vaccine now becoming available to essential workers in healthcare settings. Listen to the reasons for concern, respond with compassion and facts, and make it easy to take actionable steps forward. REALLY LISTEN. Not all vaccine hesitancy stems from the same concerns. Creating Read more…
December 21, 2020
Does someone who has been vaccinated still need to wear a mask and take other precautions?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Yes. We don’t yet know whether the vaccines prevent someone from being infectious. The existing COVID-19 vaccine trials focused on a specific endpoint – symptomatic COVID-19 disease. We know that both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were close to 95% efficacious in preventing disease (YAY!!). But wouldn’t we expect the vaccine to also stop Read more…
December 20, 2020
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Dr. Lindsey Leininger
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we’re introducing Dr. Lindsey Leininger, who is a Clinical Professor of Business Administration at Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business, and the “Nerd-in-Chief” at Dear Pandemic. In the Before Times, Dr. Leininger described herself as a health policy researcher. Now, she identifies as an Read more…
December 19, 2020
Why are COVID-19 numbers lower on the weekends?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Testing and Contact Tracing
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL, DR: The weekly pattern of fewer COVID-19 cases and deaths on the weekends is primarily due to differences in testing timing and reporting delays, but some of the pattern may be due to increased weekend socializing. Based on publicly available data, there is a widely observed ‘weekend effect’ with fewer COVID-19 cases and Read more…
December 18, 2020
How safe would a contactless cookie exchange be this holiday season?
Staying Safe
A: We LOVE this idea. A cookie exchange CAN be done safely, and in fact, it’s just the kind of creativity we need to spread joy in this year’s unique holiday season. We know that many of our holiday traditions are too risky this year. From loud, boisterous meals to crowding our loved ones around Read more…
December 18, 2020
Prevención global contra el Covid-19
Posts en Español Staying Safe
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
Este corto animado de la escuela de Medicina de Standford por Maya Adam, ilustra cómo el coronavirus – el virus que causa la enfermedad respiratoria COVID-19 – se transmite a través de las personas y cómo la transmisión se puede prevenir. Cuerpo sano, mente sana. ~ Las “Nerdy Girls” Enlace a la publicación original de Read more…
December 18, 2020
Is the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutating and should I be concerned?
Biology/Immunity
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Yes, many variants of SARS-CoV-2 exist which is normal virus behavior. The changes noted to date warrant continued study, though should not cause alarm. Scientists study virus mutations to: 1) understand the family tree of virus strains 2) examine changes that could alter transmission and/or disease severity 3) examine changes that could alter the Read more…
December 16, 2020
How can I help someone who is struggling with mental wellness?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: Focus on the basics, discuss mental wellness openly, and offer support where needed. 1-Focus on supporting the basics. We can all support our mental health by focusing on the basic pillars of wellness. 💤 Encourage 7-8 hours of sleep a day 🥕 Promote 3 meals a day with a few healthy snacks 🚰 Remind Read more…
December 16, 2020
What’s up with the new CDC guidelines for shorter quarantine periods?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: The guidelines represent a “most bang for your buck” approach to preventing transmission of COVID-19 at the population level–but quarantining for 14 days is still the recommended and safest approach. While our scientific understanding of how long it takes to develop COVID-19 symptoms after being exposed (science term: incubation period) still says up to Read more…
December 16, 2020
¿Cuándo recibiré mi primera dosis de la vacuna contra el COVID-19? ¿Me darán prioridad si el suministro de vacunas es limitado?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: El suministro de vacunas será limitado al principio para grupos de alta prioridad. El resto recibirán la vacuna empezando en la primavera en EE.UU. y extendiéndose hasta el verano. La Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos de los EE.UU. (FDA) emitió la Autorización de uso de emergencia para la vacuna de ARNm de Pfizer-BioNTech el Read more…
December 14, 2020
Vaccination against Covid19 is starting! How will the vaccine be monitored for safety?
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: Healthcare workers and people in long-term care facilities are starting to get the Covid19 vaccine this week. As vaccine supplies improve, more folks will start to get vaccinated in the coming weeks and months. While safety data from the clinical trials is very good, safety monitoring is ongoing and appropriately a priority. Several existing Read more…
December 14, 2020
¿Se puede transmitir la infección por SARS-CoV-2 a los bebés a través de la leche materna?
Families/Kids Infection and Spread Posts en Español
Daisey Velazquez, Spanish Translation
R: No existe evidencia de que la infección por SARS-CoV-2 se pueda transmitir a los bebés a través de la leche materna con nuevos hallazgos que sugieren que la leche materna en las madres que han tenido COVID-19 contiene anticuerpos específicos de SARS-CoV-2. En un estudio reciente en leche materna de 15 mujeres que se Read more…
December 14, 2020
What can I do to “improve ventilation” in my house or my office? What does that even mean?
Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: We recently talked to environmental strategist and air quality expert Dr. Tim McAuley, founder and CEO of CHANGE Environmental, LLC. Dr. McAuley told us that the best thing we can do to protect ourselves is to create cleaner indoor air *in general*. Ventilation–exchanging indoor air for outdoor air–is just one part of cleaner indoor Read more…
December 13, 2020
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Dr. Malia Jones
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we are introducing co-founder and Editor-in-Chief at Dear Pandemic, Dr. Malia Jones. It all started early in the morning on Thursday, March 5th, when Dr. Jones sat down at her computer and wrote a lengthy message to her friends and family about the pandemic. Read more…
December 12, 2020
It has been a BIG day in vaccine news!
Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Today, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the first COVID-19 vaccine! The ACIP met to review and make recommendations on the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which was given emergency use authorization by the FDA last night. You can read all the information presented at the ACIP meeting (see the link at the bottom). Read more…
December 12, 2020
The numbers on the COVID dashboards just keep going up and up.😬 📈 When will cases, deaths, and hospitalizations peak and start heading back down? 📉
Data and Metrics
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: Buckle up and hunker down: We have a couple more months to get through before we see steep and sustained drops in the numbers. Most experts say we won’t turn the corner until February at the earliest. Several records were broken this week in the US: Number of new cases per day (232,105 on Read more…
A: Dr. Fauci to cute kids: “Hang in there – coupla’ more months and we’ll be in good shape!” We Nerdy Girls are big #faucifangirls. We’re also moms. So, when Dr. Fauci spoke to kids (and Elmo!) recently about COVID vaccines, we listened up! Here’s the TL;DR on kids and COVID vaccine trials: ➡️ Safety Read more…
Why I got the vaccine – Dr. Sarah Coles
VaccinesSarah Whitley Coles, MD
Hello everyone! Dr. Sarah Coles here, one of your Nerdy Girls. I’m very proud to announce that this weekend I was able to get my first dose of the Covid19 vaccine! It was a powerful experience for me, and I wanted to take a moment to share with you why I got the vaccine. As Read more…
December 21, 2020
How can I help encourage my colleagues in healthcare settings to get the Covid-19 vaccination?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Personal beliefs and experiences inform varying levels of acceptance of the Covid-19 vaccine now becoming available to essential workers in healthcare settings. Listen to the reasons for concern, respond with compassion and facts, and make it easy to take actionable steps forward. REALLY LISTEN. Not all vaccine hesitancy stems from the same concerns. Creating Read more…
December 21, 2020
Does someone who has been vaccinated still need to wear a mask and take other precautions?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Yes. We don’t yet know whether the vaccines prevent someone from being infectious. The existing COVID-19 vaccine trials focused on a specific endpoint – symptomatic COVID-19 disease. We know that both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were close to 95% efficacious in preventing disease (YAY!!). But wouldn’t we expect the vaccine to also stop Read more…
December 20, 2020
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Dr. Lindsey Leininger
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we’re introducing Dr. Lindsey Leininger, who is a Clinical Professor of Business Administration at Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business, and the “Nerd-in-Chief” at Dear Pandemic. In the Before Times, Dr. Leininger described herself as a health policy researcher. Now, she identifies as an Read more…
December 19, 2020
Why are COVID-19 numbers lower on the weekends?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Testing and Contact Tracing
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL, DR: The weekly pattern of fewer COVID-19 cases and deaths on the weekends is primarily due to differences in testing timing and reporting delays, but some of the pattern may be due to increased weekend socializing. Based on publicly available data, there is a widely observed ‘weekend effect’ with fewer COVID-19 cases and Read more…
December 18, 2020
How safe would a contactless cookie exchange be this holiday season?
Staying Safe
A: We LOVE this idea. A cookie exchange CAN be done safely, and in fact, it’s just the kind of creativity we need to spread joy in this year’s unique holiday season. We know that many of our holiday traditions are too risky this year. From loud, boisterous meals to crowding our loved ones around Read more…
December 18, 2020
Prevención global contra el Covid-19
Posts en Español Staying Safe
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
Este corto animado de la escuela de Medicina de Standford por Maya Adam, ilustra cómo el coronavirus – el virus que causa la enfermedad respiratoria COVID-19 – se transmite a través de las personas y cómo la transmisión se puede prevenir. Cuerpo sano, mente sana. ~ Las “Nerdy Girls” Enlace a la publicación original de Read more…
December 18, 2020
Is the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutating and should I be concerned?
Biology/Immunity
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Yes, many variants of SARS-CoV-2 exist which is normal virus behavior. The changes noted to date warrant continued study, though should not cause alarm. Scientists study virus mutations to: 1) understand the family tree of virus strains 2) examine changes that could alter transmission and/or disease severity 3) examine changes that could alter the Read more…
December 16, 2020
How can I help someone who is struggling with mental wellness?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: Focus on the basics, discuss mental wellness openly, and offer support where needed. 1-Focus on supporting the basics. We can all support our mental health by focusing on the basic pillars of wellness. 💤 Encourage 7-8 hours of sleep a day 🥕 Promote 3 meals a day with a few healthy snacks 🚰 Remind Read more…
December 16, 2020
What’s up with the new CDC guidelines for shorter quarantine periods?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: The guidelines represent a “most bang for your buck” approach to preventing transmission of COVID-19 at the population level–but quarantining for 14 days is still the recommended and safest approach. While our scientific understanding of how long it takes to develop COVID-19 symptoms after being exposed (science term: incubation period) still says up to Read more…
December 16, 2020
¿Cuándo recibiré mi primera dosis de la vacuna contra el COVID-19? ¿Me darán prioridad si el suministro de vacunas es limitado?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: El suministro de vacunas será limitado al principio para grupos de alta prioridad. El resto recibirán la vacuna empezando en la primavera en EE.UU. y extendiéndose hasta el verano. La Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos de los EE.UU. (FDA) emitió la Autorización de uso de emergencia para la vacuna de ARNm de Pfizer-BioNTech el Read more…
December 14, 2020
Vaccination against Covid19 is starting! How will the vaccine be monitored for safety?
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: Healthcare workers and people in long-term care facilities are starting to get the Covid19 vaccine this week. As vaccine supplies improve, more folks will start to get vaccinated in the coming weeks and months. While safety data from the clinical trials is very good, safety monitoring is ongoing and appropriately a priority. Several existing Read more…
December 14, 2020
¿Se puede transmitir la infección por SARS-CoV-2 a los bebés a través de la leche materna?
Families/Kids Infection and Spread Posts en Español
Daisey Velazquez, Spanish Translation
R: No existe evidencia de que la infección por SARS-CoV-2 se pueda transmitir a los bebés a través de la leche materna con nuevos hallazgos que sugieren que la leche materna en las madres que han tenido COVID-19 contiene anticuerpos específicos de SARS-CoV-2. En un estudio reciente en leche materna de 15 mujeres que se Read more…
December 14, 2020
What can I do to “improve ventilation” in my house or my office? What does that even mean?
Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: We recently talked to environmental strategist and air quality expert Dr. Tim McAuley, founder and CEO of CHANGE Environmental, LLC. Dr. McAuley told us that the best thing we can do to protect ourselves is to create cleaner indoor air *in general*. Ventilation–exchanging indoor air for outdoor air–is just one part of cleaner indoor Read more…
December 13, 2020
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Dr. Malia Jones
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we are introducing co-founder and Editor-in-Chief at Dear Pandemic, Dr. Malia Jones. It all started early in the morning on Thursday, March 5th, when Dr. Jones sat down at her computer and wrote a lengthy message to her friends and family about the pandemic. Read more…
December 12, 2020
It has been a BIG day in vaccine news!
Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Today, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the first COVID-19 vaccine! The ACIP met to review and make recommendations on the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which was given emergency use authorization by the FDA last night. You can read all the information presented at the ACIP meeting (see the link at the bottom). Read more…
December 12, 2020
The numbers on the COVID dashboards just keep going up and up.😬 📈 When will cases, deaths, and hospitalizations peak and start heading back down? 📉
Data and Metrics
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: Buckle up and hunker down: We have a couple more months to get through before we see steep and sustained drops in the numbers. Most experts say we won’t turn the corner until February at the earliest. Several records were broken this week in the US: Number of new cases per day (232,105 on Read more…
Hello everyone! Dr. Sarah Coles here, one of your Nerdy Girls. I’m very proud to announce that this weekend I was able to get my first dose of the Covid19 vaccine! It was a powerful experience for me, and I wanted to take a moment to share with you why I got the vaccine. As Read more…
How can I help encourage my colleagues in healthcare settings to get the Covid-19 vaccination?
Uncertainty and Misinformation VaccinesAshley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Personal beliefs and experiences inform varying levels of acceptance of the Covid-19 vaccine now becoming available to essential workers in healthcare settings. Listen to the reasons for concern, respond with compassion and facts, and make it easy to take actionable steps forward. REALLY LISTEN. Not all vaccine hesitancy stems from the same concerns. Creating Read more…
December 21, 2020
Does someone who has been vaccinated still need to wear a mask and take other precautions?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Yes. We don’t yet know whether the vaccines prevent someone from being infectious. The existing COVID-19 vaccine trials focused on a specific endpoint – symptomatic COVID-19 disease. We know that both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were close to 95% efficacious in preventing disease (YAY!!). But wouldn’t we expect the vaccine to also stop Read more…
December 20, 2020
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Dr. Lindsey Leininger
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we’re introducing Dr. Lindsey Leininger, who is a Clinical Professor of Business Administration at Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business, and the “Nerd-in-Chief” at Dear Pandemic. In the Before Times, Dr. Leininger described herself as a health policy researcher. Now, she identifies as an Read more…
December 19, 2020
Why are COVID-19 numbers lower on the weekends?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Testing and Contact Tracing
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL, DR: The weekly pattern of fewer COVID-19 cases and deaths on the weekends is primarily due to differences in testing timing and reporting delays, but some of the pattern may be due to increased weekend socializing. Based on publicly available data, there is a widely observed ‘weekend effect’ with fewer COVID-19 cases and Read more…
December 18, 2020
How safe would a contactless cookie exchange be this holiday season?
Staying Safe
A: We LOVE this idea. A cookie exchange CAN be done safely, and in fact, it’s just the kind of creativity we need to spread joy in this year’s unique holiday season. We know that many of our holiday traditions are too risky this year. From loud, boisterous meals to crowding our loved ones around Read more…
December 18, 2020
Prevención global contra el Covid-19
Posts en Español Staying Safe
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
Este corto animado de la escuela de Medicina de Standford por Maya Adam, ilustra cómo el coronavirus – el virus que causa la enfermedad respiratoria COVID-19 – se transmite a través de las personas y cómo la transmisión se puede prevenir. Cuerpo sano, mente sana. ~ Las “Nerdy Girls” Enlace a la publicación original de Read more…
December 18, 2020
Is the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutating and should I be concerned?
Biology/Immunity
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Yes, many variants of SARS-CoV-2 exist which is normal virus behavior. The changes noted to date warrant continued study, though should not cause alarm. Scientists study virus mutations to: 1) understand the family tree of virus strains 2) examine changes that could alter transmission and/or disease severity 3) examine changes that could alter the Read more…
December 16, 2020
How can I help someone who is struggling with mental wellness?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: Focus on the basics, discuss mental wellness openly, and offer support where needed. 1-Focus on supporting the basics. We can all support our mental health by focusing on the basic pillars of wellness. 💤 Encourage 7-8 hours of sleep a day 🥕 Promote 3 meals a day with a few healthy snacks 🚰 Remind Read more…
December 16, 2020
What’s up with the new CDC guidelines for shorter quarantine periods?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: The guidelines represent a “most bang for your buck” approach to preventing transmission of COVID-19 at the population level–but quarantining for 14 days is still the recommended and safest approach. While our scientific understanding of how long it takes to develop COVID-19 symptoms after being exposed (science term: incubation period) still says up to Read more…
December 16, 2020
¿Cuándo recibiré mi primera dosis de la vacuna contra el COVID-19? ¿Me darán prioridad si el suministro de vacunas es limitado?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: El suministro de vacunas será limitado al principio para grupos de alta prioridad. El resto recibirán la vacuna empezando en la primavera en EE.UU. y extendiéndose hasta el verano. La Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos de los EE.UU. (FDA) emitió la Autorización de uso de emergencia para la vacuna de ARNm de Pfizer-BioNTech el Read more…
December 14, 2020
Vaccination against Covid19 is starting! How will the vaccine be monitored for safety?
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: Healthcare workers and people in long-term care facilities are starting to get the Covid19 vaccine this week. As vaccine supplies improve, more folks will start to get vaccinated in the coming weeks and months. While safety data from the clinical trials is very good, safety monitoring is ongoing and appropriately a priority. Several existing Read more…
December 14, 2020
¿Se puede transmitir la infección por SARS-CoV-2 a los bebés a través de la leche materna?
Families/Kids Infection and Spread Posts en Español
Daisey Velazquez, Spanish Translation
R: No existe evidencia de que la infección por SARS-CoV-2 se pueda transmitir a los bebés a través de la leche materna con nuevos hallazgos que sugieren que la leche materna en las madres que han tenido COVID-19 contiene anticuerpos específicos de SARS-CoV-2. En un estudio reciente en leche materna de 15 mujeres que se Read more…
December 14, 2020
What can I do to “improve ventilation” in my house or my office? What does that even mean?
Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: We recently talked to environmental strategist and air quality expert Dr. Tim McAuley, founder and CEO of CHANGE Environmental, LLC. Dr. McAuley told us that the best thing we can do to protect ourselves is to create cleaner indoor air *in general*. Ventilation–exchanging indoor air for outdoor air–is just one part of cleaner indoor Read more…
December 13, 2020
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Dr. Malia Jones
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we are introducing co-founder and Editor-in-Chief at Dear Pandemic, Dr. Malia Jones. It all started early in the morning on Thursday, March 5th, when Dr. Jones sat down at her computer and wrote a lengthy message to her friends and family about the pandemic. Read more…
December 12, 2020
It has been a BIG day in vaccine news!
Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Today, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the first COVID-19 vaccine! The ACIP met to review and make recommendations on the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which was given emergency use authorization by the FDA last night. You can read all the information presented at the ACIP meeting (see the link at the bottom). Read more…
December 12, 2020
The numbers on the COVID dashboards just keep going up and up.😬 📈 When will cases, deaths, and hospitalizations peak and start heading back down? 📉
Data and Metrics
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: Buckle up and hunker down: We have a couple more months to get through before we see steep and sustained drops in the numbers. Most experts say we won’t turn the corner until February at the earliest. Several records were broken this week in the US: Number of new cases per day (232,105 on Read more…
A: Personal beliefs and experiences inform varying levels of acceptance of the Covid-19 vaccine now becoming available to essential workers in healthcare settings. Listen to the reasons for concern, respond with compassion and facts, and make it easy to take actionable steps forward. REALLY LISTEN. Not all vaccine hesitancy stems from the same concerns. Creating Read more…
Does someone who has been vaccinated still need to wear a mask and take other precautions?
Infection and Spread VaccinesJennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Yes. We don’t yet know whether the vaccines prevent someone from being infectious. The existing COVID-19 vaccine trials focused on a specific endpoint – symptomatic COVID-19 disease. We know that both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were close to 95% efficacious in preventing disease (YAY!!). But wouldn’t we expect the vaccine to also stop Read more…
December 20, 2020
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Dr. Lindsey Leininger
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we’re introducing Dr. Lindsey Leininger, who is a Clinical Professor of Business Administration at Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business, and the “Nerd-in-Chief” at Dear Pandemic. In the Before Times, Dr. Leininger described herself as a health policy researcher. Now, she identifies as an Read more…
December 19, 2020
Why are COVID-19 numbers lower on the weekends?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Testing and Contact Tracing
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL, DR: The weekly pattern of fewer COVID-19 cases and deaths on the weekends is primarily due to differences in testing timing and reporting delays, but some of the pattern may be due to increased weekend socializing. Based on publicly available data, there is a widely observed ‘weekend effect’ with fewer COVID-19 cases and Read more…
December 18, 2020
How safe would a contactless cookie exchange be this holiday season?
Staying Safe
A: We LOVE this idea. A cookie exchange CAN be done safely, and in fact, it’s just the kind of creativity we need to spread joy in this year’s unique holiday season. We know that many of our holiday traditions are too risky this year. From loud, boisterous meals to crowding our loved ones around Read more…
December 18, 2020
Prevención global contra el Covid-19
Posts en Español Staying Safe
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
Este corto animado de la escuela de Medicina de Standford por Maya Adam, ilustra cómo el coronavirus – el virus que causa la enfermedad respiratoria COVID-19 – se transmite a través de las personas y cómo la transmisión se puede prevenir. Cuerpo sano, mente sana. ~ Las “Nerdy Girls” Enlace a la publicación original de Read more…
December 18, 2020
Is the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutating and should I be concerned?
Biology/Immunity
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Yes, many variants of SARS-CoV-2 exist which is normal virus behavior. The changes noted to date warrant continued study, though should not cause alarm. Scientists study virus mutations to: 1) understand the family tree of virus strains 2) examine changes that could alter transmission and/or disease severity 3) examine changes that could alter the Read more…
December 16, 2020
How can I help someone who is struggling with mental wellness?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: Focus on the basics, discuss mental wellness openly, and offer support where needed. 1-Focus on supporting the basics. We can all support our mental health by focusing on the basic pillars of wellness. 💤 Encourage 7-8 hours of sleep a day 🥕 Promote 3 meals a day with a few healthy snacks 🚰 Remind Read more…
December 16, 2020
What’s up with the new CDC guidelines for shorter quarantine periods?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: The guidelines represent a “most bang for your buck” approach to preventing transmission of COVID-19 at the population level–but quarantining for 14 days is still the recommended and safest approach. While our scientific understanding of how long it takes to develop COVID-19 symptoms after being exposed (science term: incubation period) still says up to Read more…
December 16, 2020
¿Cuándo recibiré mi primera dosis de la vacuna contra el COVID-19? ¿Me darán prioridad si el suministro de vacunas es limitado?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: El suministro de vacunas será limitado al principio para grupos de alta prioridad. El resto recibirán la vacuna empezando en la primavera en EE.UU. y extendiéndose hasta el verano. La Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos de los EE.UU. (FDA) emitió la Autorización de uso de emergencia para la vacuna de ARNm de Pfizer-BioNTech el Read more…
December 14, 2020
Vaccination against Covid19 is starting! How will the vaccine be monitored for safety?
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: Healthcare workers and people in long-term care facilities are starting to get the Covid19 vaccine this week. As vaccine supplies improve, more folks will start to get vaccinated in the coming weeks and months. While safety data from the clinical trials is very good, safety monitoring is ongoing and appropriately a priority. Several existing Read more…
December 14, 2020
¿Se puede transmitir la infección por SARS-CoV-2 a los bebés a través de la leche materna?
Families/Kids Infection and Spread Posts en Español
Daisey Velazquez, Spanish Translation
R: No existe evidencia de que la infección por SARS-CoV-2 se pueda transmitir a los bebés a través de la leche materna con nuevos hallazgos que sugieren que la leche materna en las madres que han tenido COVID-19 contiene anticuerpos específicos de SARS-CoV-2. En un estudio reciente en leche materna de 15 mujeres que se Read more…
December 14, 2020
What can I do to “improve ventilation” in my house or my office? What does that even mean?
Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: We recently talked to environmental strategist and air quality expert Dr. Tim McAuley, founder and CEO of CHANGE Environmental, LLC. Dr. McAuley told us that the best thing we can do to protect ourselves is to create cleaner indoor air *in general*. Ventilation–exchanging indoor air for outdoor air–is just one part of cleaner indoor Read more…
December 13, 2020
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Dr. Malia Jones
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we are introducing co-founder and Editor-in-Chief at Dear Pandemic, Dr. Malia Jones. It all started early in the morning on Thursday, March 5th, when Dr. Jones sat down at her computer and wrote a lengthy message to her friends and family about the pandemic. Read more…
December 12, 2020
It has been a BIG day in vaccine news!
Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Today, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the first COVID-19 vaccine! The ACIP met to review and make recommendations on the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which was given emergency use authorization by the FDA last night. You can read all the information presented at the ACIP meeting (see the link at the bottom). Read more…
December 12, 2020
The numbers on the COVID dashboards just keep going up and up.😬 📈 When will cases, deaths, and hospitalizations peak and start heading back down? 📉
Data and Metrics
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: Buckle up and hunker down: We have a couple more months to get through before we see steep and sustained drops in the numbers. Most experts say we won’t turn the corner until February at the earliest. Several records were broken this week in the US: Number of new cases per day (232,105 on Read more…
A: Yes. We don’t yet know whether the vaccines prevent someone from being infectious. The existing COVID-19 vaccine trials focused on a specific endpoint – symptomatic COVID-19 disease. We know that both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were close to 95% efficacious in preventing disease (YAY!!). But wouldn’t we expect the vaccine to also stop Read more…
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Dr. Lindsey Leininger
UncategorizedMalia Jones, PhD MPH
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we’re introducing Dr. Lindsey Leininger, who is a Clinical Professor of Business Administration at Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business, and the “Nerd-in-Chief” at Dear Pandemic. In the Before Times, Dr. Leininger described herself as a health policy researcher. Now, she identifies as an Read more…
December 19, 2020
Why are COVID-19 numbers lower on the weekends?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Testing and Contact Tracing
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL, DR: The weekly pattern of fewer COVID-19 cases and deaths on the weekends is primarily due to differences in testing timing and reporting delays, but some of the pattern may be due to increased weekend socializing. Based on publicly available data, there is a widely observed ‘weekend effect’ with fewer COVID-19 cases and Read more…
December 18, 2020
How safe would a contactless cookie exchange be this holiday season?
Staying Safe
A: We LOVE this idea. A cookie exchange CAN be done safely, and in fact, it’s just the kind of creativity we need to spread joy in this year’s unique holiday season. We know that many of our holiday traditions are too risky this year. From loud, boisterous meals to crowding our loved ones around Read more…
December 18, 2020
Prevención global contra el Covid-19
Posts en Español Staying Safe
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
Este corto animado de la escuela de Medicina de Standford por Maya Adam, ilustra cómo el coronavirus – el virus que causa la enfermedad respiratoria COVID-19 – se transmite a través de las personas y cómo la transmisión se puede prevenir. Cuerpo sano, mente sana. ~ Las “Nerdy Girls” Enlace a la publicación original de Read more…
December 18, 2020
Is the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutating and should I be concerned?
Biology/Immunity
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Yes, many variants of SARS-CoV-2 exist which is normal virus behavior. The changes noted to date warrant continued study, though should not cause alarm. Scientists study virus mutations to: 1) understand the family tree of virus strains 2) examine changes that could alter transmission and/or disease severity 3) examine changes that could alter the Read more…
December 16, 2020
How can I help someone who is struggling with mental wellness?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: Focus on the basics, discuss mental wellness openly, and offer support where needed. 1-Focus on supporting the basics. We can all support our mental health by focusing on the basic pillars of wellness. 💤 Encourage 7-8 hours of sleep a day 🥕 Promote 3 meals a day with a few healthy snacks 🚰 Remind Read more…
December 16, 2020
What’s up with the new CDC guidelines for shorter quarantine periods?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: The guidelines represent a “most bang for your buck” approach to preventing transmission of COVID-19 at the population level–but quarantining for 14 days is still the recommended and safest approach. While our scientific understanding of how long it takes to develop COVID-19 symptoms after being exposed (science term: incubation period) still says up to Read more…
December 16, 2020
¿Cuándo recibiré mi primera dosis de la vacuna contra el COVID-19? ¿Me darán prioridad si el suministro de vacunas es limitado?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: El suministro de vacunas será limitado al principio para grupos de alta prioridad. El resto recibirán la vacuna empezando en la primavera en EE.UU. y extendiéndose hasta el verano. La Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos de los EE.UU. (FDA) emitió la Autorización de uso de emergencia para la vacuna de ARNm de Pfizer-BioNTech el Read more…
December 14, 2020
Vaccination against Covid19 is starting! How will the vaccine be monitored for safety?
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: Healthcare workers and people in long-term care facilities are starting to get the Covid19 vaccine this week. As vaccine supplies improve, more folks will start to get vaccinated in the coming weeks and months. While safety data from the clinical trials is very good, safety monitoring is ongoing and appropriately a priority. Several existing Read more…
December 14, 2020
¿Se puede transmitir la infección por SARS-CoV-2 a los bebés a través de la leche materna?
Families/Kids Infection and Spread Posts en Español
Daisey Velazquez, Spanish Translation
R: No existe evidencia de que la infección por SARS-CoV-2 se pueda transmitir a los bebés a través de la leche materna con nuevos hallazgos que sugieren que la leche materna en las madres que han tenido COVID-19 contiene anticuerpos específicos de SARS-CoV-2. En un estudio reciente en leche materna de 15 mujeres que se Read more…
December 14, 2020
What can I do to “improve ventilation” in my house or my office? What does that even mean?
Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: We recently talked to environmental strategist and air quality expert Dr. Tim McAuley, founder and CEO of CHANGE Environmental, LLC. Dr. McAuley told us that the best thing we can do to protect ourselves is to create cleaner indoor air *in general*. Ventilation–exchanging indoor air for outdoor air–is just one part of cleaner indoor Read more…
December 13, 2020
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Dr. Malia Jones
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we are introducing co-founder and Editor-in-Chief at Dear Pandemic, Dr. Malia Jones. It all started early in the morning on Thursday, March 5th, when Dr. Jones sat down at her computer and wrote a lengthy message to her friends and family about the pandemic. Read more…
December 12, 2020
It has been a BIG day in vaccine news!
Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Today, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the first COVID-19 vaccine! The ACIP met to review and make recommendations on the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which was given emergency use authorization by the FDA last night. You can read all the information presented at the ACIP meeting (see the link at the bottom). Read more…
December 12, 2020
The numbers on the COVID dashboards just keep going up and up.😬 📈 When will cases, deaths, and hospitalizations peak and start heading back down? 📉
Data and Metrics
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: Buckle up and hunker down: We have a couple more months to get through before we see steep and sustained drops in the numbers. Most experts say we won’t turn the corner until February at the earliest. Several records were broken this week in the US: Number of new cases per day (232,105 on Read more…
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we’re introducing Dr. Lindsey Leininger, who is a Clinical Professor of Business Administration at Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business, and the “Nerd-in-Chief” at Dear Pandemic. In the Before Times, Dr. Leininger described herself as a health policy researcher. Now, she identifies as an Read more…
Why are COVID-19 numbers lower on the weekends?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy Testing and Contact TracingLauren Hale, PhD MA
A: TL, DR: The weekly pattern of fewer COVID-19 cases and deaths on the weekends is primarily due to differences in testing timing and reporting delays, but some of the pattern may be due to increased weekend socializing. Based on publicly available data, there is a widely observed ‘weekend effect’ with fewer COVID-19 cases and Read more…
December 18, 2020
How safe would a contactless cookie exchange be this holiday season?
Staying Safe
A: We LOVE this idea. A cookie exchange CAN be done safely, and in fact, it’s just the kind of creativity we need to spread joy in this year’s unique holiday season. We know that many of our holiday traditions are too risky this year. From loud, boisterous meals to crowding our loved ones around Read more…
December 18, 2020
Prevención global contra el Covid-19
Posts en Español Staying Safe
Tita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
Este corto animado de la escuela de Medicina de Standford por Maya Adam, ilustra cómo el coronavirus – el virus que causa la enfermedad respiratoria COVID-19 – se transmite a través de las personas y cómo la transmisión se puede prevenir. Cuerpo sano, mente sana. ~ Las “Nerdy Girls” Enlace a la publicación original de Read more…
December 18, 2020
Is the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutating and should I be concerned?
Biology/Immunity
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Yes, many variants of SARS-CoV-2 exist which is normal virus behavior. The changes noted to date warrant continued study, though should not cause alarm. Scientists study virus mutations to: 1) understand the family tree of virus strains 2) examine changes that could alter transmission and/or disease severity 3) examine changes that could alter the Read more…
December 16, 2020
How can I help someone who is struggling with mental wellness?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: Focus on the basics, discuss mental wellness openly, and offer support where needed. 1-Focus on supporting the basics. We can all support our mental health by focusing on the basic pillars of wellness. 💤 Encourage 7-8 hours of sleep a day 🥕 Promote 3 meals a day with a few healthy snacks 🚰 Remind Read more…
December 16, 2020
What’s up with the new CDC guidelines for shorter quarantine periods?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: The guidelines represent a “most bang for your buck” approach to preventing transmission of COVID-19 at the population level–but quarantining for 14 days is still the recommended and safest approach. While our scientific understanding of how long it takes to develop COVID-19 symptoms after being exposed (science term: incubation period) still says up to Read more…
December 16, 2020
¿Cuándo recibiré mi primera dosis de la vacuna contra el COVID-19? ¿Me darán prioridad si el suministro de vacunas es limitado?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: El suministro de vacunas será limitado al principio para grupos de alta prioridad. El resto recibirán la vacuna empezando en la primavera en EE.UU. y extendiéndose hasta el verano. La Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos de los EE.UU. (FDA) emitió la Autorización de uso de emergencia para la vacuna de ARNm de Pfizer-BioNTech el Read more…
December 14, 2020
Vaccination against Covid19 is starting! How will the vaccine be monitored for safety?
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: Healthcare workers and people in long-term care facilities are starting to get the Covid19 vaccine this week. As vaccine supplies improve, more folks will start to get vaccinated in the coming weeks and months. While safety data from the clinical trials is very good, safety monitoring is ongoing and appropriately a priority. Several existing Read more…
December 14, 2020
¿Se puede transmitir la infección por SARS-CoV-2 a los bebés a través de la leche materna?
Families/Kids Infection and Spread Posts en Español
Daisey Velazquez, Spanish Translation
R: No existe evidencia de que la infección por SARS-CoV-2 se pueda transmitir a los bebés a través de la leche materna con nuevos hallazgos que sugieren que la leche materna en las madres que han tenido COVID-19 contiene anticuerpos específicos de SARS-CoV-2. En un estudio reciente en leche materna de 15 mujeres que se Read more…
December 14, 2020
What can I do to “improve ventilation” in my house or my office? What does that even mean?
Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: We recently talked to environmental strategist and air quality expert Dr. Tim McAuley, founder and CEO of CHANGE Environmental, LLC. Dr. McAuley told us that the best thing we can do to protect ourselves is to create cleaner indoor air *in general*. Ventilation–exchanging indoor air for outdoor air–is just one part of cleaner indoor Read more…
December 13, 2020
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Dr. Malia Jones
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we are introducing co-founder and Editor-in-Chief at Dear Pandemic, Dr. Malia Jones. It all started early in the morning on Thursday, March 5th, when Dr. Jones sat down at her computer and wrote a lengthy message to her friends and family about the pandemic. Read more…
December 12, 2020
It has been a BIG day in vaccine news!
Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Today, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the first COVID-19 vaccine! The ACIP met to review and make recommendations on the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which was given emergency use authorization by the FDA last night. You can read all the information presented at the ACIP meeting (see the link at the bottom). Read more…
December 12, 2020
The numbers on the COVID dashboards just keep going up and up.😬 📈 When will cases, deaths, and hospitalizations peak and start heading back down? 📉
Data and Metrics
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: Buckle up and hunker down: We have a couple more months to get through before we see steep and sustained drops in the numbers. Most experts say we won’t turn the corner until February at the earliest. Several records were broken this week in the US: Number of new cases per day (232,105 on Read more…
A: TL, DR: The weekly pattern of fewer COVID-19 cases and deaths on the weekends is primarily due to differences in testing timing and reporting delays, but some of the pattern may be due to increased weekend socializing. Based on publicly available data, there is a widely observed ‘weekend effect’ with fewer COVID-19 cases and Read more…
How safe would a contactless cookie exchange be this holiday season?
Staying SafeA: We LOVE this idea. A cookie exchange CAN be done safely, and in fact, it’s just the kind of creativity we need to spread joy in this year’s unique holiday season. We know that many of our holiday traditions are too risky this year. From loud, boisterous meals to crowding our loved ones around Read more…
Prevención global contra el Covid-19
Posts en Español Staying SafeTita Smyth Escobedo, PM-IT
Este corto animado de la escuela de Medicina de Standford por Maya Adam, ilustra cómo el coronavirus – el virus que causa la enfermedad respiratoria COVID-19 – se transmite a través de las personas y cómo la transmisión se puede prevenir. Cuerpo sano, mente sana. ~ Las “Nerdy Girls” Enlace a la publicación original de Read more…
December 18, 2020
Is the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutating and should I be concerned?
Biology/Immunity
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Yes, many variants of SARS-CoV-2 exist which is normal virus behavior. The changes noted to date warrant continued study, though should not cause alarm. Scientists study virus mutations to: 1) understand the family tree of virus strains 2) examine changes that could alter transmission and/or disease severity 3) examine changes that could alter the Read more…
December 16, 2020
How can I help someone who is struggling with mental wellness?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: Focus on the basics, discuss mental wellness openly, and offer support where needed. 1-Focus on supporting the basics. We can all support our mental health by focusing on the basic pillars of wellness. 💤 Encourage 7-8 hours of sleep a day 🥕 Promote 3 meals a day with a few healthy snacks 🚰 Remind Read more…
December 16, 2020
What’s up with the new CDC guidelines for shorter quarantine periods?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: The guidelines represent a “most bang for your buck” approach to preventing transmission of COVID-19 at the population level–but quarantining for 14 days is still the recommended and safest approach. While our scientific understanding of how long it takes to develop COVID-19 symptoms after being exposed (science term: incubation period) still says up to Read more…
December 16, 2020
¿Cuándo recibiré mi primera dosis de la vacuna contra el COVID-19? ¿Me darán prioridad si el suministro de vacunas es limitado?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: El suministro de vacunas será limitado al principio para grupos de alta prioridad. El resto recibirán la vacuna empezando en la primavera en EE.UU. y extendiéndose hasta el verano. La Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos de los EE.UU. (FDA) emitió la Autorización de uso de emergencia para la vacuna de ARNm de Pfizer-BioNTech el Read more…
December 14, 2020
Vaccination against Covid19 is starting! How will the vaccine be monitored for safety?
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: Healthcare workers and people in long-term care facilities are starting to get the Covid19 vaccine this week. As vaccine supplies improve, more folks will start to get vaccinated in the coming weeks and months. While safety data from the clinical trials is very good, safety monitoring is ongoing and appropriately a priority. Several existing Read more…
December 14, 2020
¿Se puede transmitir la infección por SARS-CoV-2 a los bebés a través de la leche materna?
Families/Kids Infection and Spread Posts en Español
Daisey Velazquez, Spanish Translation
R: No existe evidencia de que la infección por SARS-CoV-2 se pueda transmitir a los bebés a través de la leche materna con nuevos hallazgos que sugieren que la leche materna en las madres que han tenido COVID-19 contiene anticuerpos específicos de SARS-CoV-2. En un estudio reciente en leche materna de 15 mujeres que se Read more…
December 14, 2020
What can I do to “improve ventilation” in my house or my office? What does that even mean?
Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: We recently talked to environmental strategist and air quality expert Dr. Tim McAuley, founder and CEO of CHANGE Environmental, LLC. Dr. McAuley told us that the best thing we can do to protect ourselves is to create cleaner indoor air *in general*. Ventilation–exchanging indoor air for outdoor air–is just one part of cleaner indoor Read more…
December 13, 2020
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Dr. Malia Jones
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we are introducing co-founder and Editor-in-Chief at Dear Pandemic, Dr. Malia Jones. It all started early in the morning on Thursday, March 5th, when Dr. Jones sat down at her computer and wrote a lengthy message to her friends and family about the pandemic. Read more…
December 12, 2020
It has been a BIG day in vaccine news!
Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Today, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the first COVID-19 vaccine! The ACIP met to review and make recommendations on the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which was given emergency use authorization by the FDA last night. You can read all the information presented at the ACIP meeting (see the link at the bottom). Read more…
December 12, 2020
The numbers on the COVID dashboards just keep going up and up.😬 📈 When will cases, deaths, and hospitalizations peak and start heading back down? 📉
Data and Metrics
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: Buckle up and hunker down: We have a couple more months to get through before we see steep and sustained drops in the numbers. Most experts say we won’t turn the corner until February at the earliest. Several records were broken this week in the US: Number of new cases per day (232,105 on Read more…
Este corto animado de la escuela de Medicina de Standford por Maya Adam, ilustra cómo el coronavirus – el virus que causa la enfermedad respiratoria COVID-19 – se transmite a través de las personas y cómo la transmisión se puede prevenir. Cuerpo sano, mente sana. ~ Las “Nerdy Girls” Enlace a la publicación original de Read more…
Is the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutating and should I be concerned?
Biology/ImmunityAshley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: Yes, many variants of SARS-CoV-2 exist which is normal virus behavior. The changes noted to date warrant continued study, though should not cause alarm. Scientists study virus mutations to: 1) understand the family tree of virus strains 2) examine changes that could alter transmission and/or disease severity 3) examine changes that could alter the Read more…
December 16, 2020
How can I help someone who is struggling with mental wellness?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: Focus on the basics, discuss mental wellness openly, and offer support where needed. 1-Focus on supporting the basics. We can all support our mental health by focusing on the basic pillars of wellness. 💤 Encourage 7-8 hours of sleep a day 🥕 Promote 3 meals a day with a few healthy snacks 🚰 Remind Read more…
December 16, 2020
What’s up with the new CDC guidelines for shorter quarantine periods?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: The guidelines represent a “most bang for your buck” approach to preventing transmission of COVID-19 at the population level–but quarantining for 14 days is still the recommended and safest approach. While our scientific understanding of how long it takes to develop COVID-19 symptoms after being exposed (science term: incubation period) still says up to Read more…
December 16, 2020
¿Cuándo recibiré mi primera dosis de la vacuna contra el COVID-19? ¿Me darán prioridad si el suministro de vacunas es limitado?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: El suministro de vacunas será limitado al principio para grupos de alta prioridad. El resto recibirán la vacuna empezando en la primavera en EE.UU. y extendiéndose hasta el verano. La Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos de los EE.UU. (FDA) emitió la Autorización de uso de emergencia para la vacuna de ARNm de Pfizer-BioNTech el Read more…
December 14, 2020
Vaccination against Covid19 is starting! How will the vaccine be monitored for safety?
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: Healthcare workers and people in long-term care facilities are starting to get the Covid19 vaccine this week. As vaccine supplies improve, more folks will start to get vaccinated in the coming weeks and months. While safety data from the clinical trials is very good, safety monitoring is ongoing and appropriately a priority. Several existing Read more…
December 14, 2020
¿Se puede transmitir la infección por SARS-CoV-2 a los bebés a través de la leche materna?
Families/Kids Infection and Spread Posts en Español
Daisey Velazquez, Spanish Translation
R: No existe evidencia de que la infección por SARS-CoV-2 se pueda transmitir a los bebés a través de la leche materna con nuevos hallazgos que sugieren que la leche materna en las madres que han tenido COVID-19 contiene anticuerpos específicos de SARS-CoV-2. En un estudio reciente en leche materna de 15 mujeres que se Read more…
December 14, 2020
What can I do to “improve ventilation” in my house or my office? What does that even mean?
Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: We recently talked to environmental strategist and air quality expert Dr. Tim McAuley, founder and CEO of CHANGE Environmental, LLC. Dr. McAuley told us that the best thing we can do to protect ourselves is to create cleaner indoor air *in general*. Ventilation–exchanging indoor air for outdoor air–is just one part of cleaner indoor Read more…
December 13, 2020
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Dr. Malia Jones
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we are introducing co-founder and Editor-in-Chief at Dear Pandemic, Dr. Malia Jones. It all started early in the morning on Thursday, March 5th, when Dr. Jones sat down at her computer and wrote a lengthy message to her friends and family about the pandemic. Read more…
December 12, 2020
It has been a BIG day in vaccine news!
Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Today, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the first COVID-19 vaccine! The ACIP met to review and make recommendations on the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which was given emergency use authorization by the FDA last night. You can read all the information presented at the ACIP meeting (see the link at the bottom). Read more…
December 12, 2020
The numbers on the COVID dashboards just keep going up and up.😬 📈 When will cases, deaths, and hospitalizations peak and start heading back down? 📉
Data and Metrics
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: Buckle up and hunker down: We have a couple more months to get through before we see steep and sustained drops in the numbers. Most experts say we won’t turn the corner until February at the earliest. Several records were broken this week in the US: Number of new cases per day (232,105 on Read more…
A: Yes, many variants of SARS-CoV-2 exist which is normal virus behavior. The changes noted to date warrant continued study, though should not cause alarm. Scientists study virus mutations to: 1) understand the family tree of virus strains 2) examine changes that could alter transmission and/or disease severity 3) examine changes that could alter the Read more…
How can I help someone who is struggling with mental wellness?
Mental HealthAparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
A: Focus on the basics, discuss mental wellness openly, and offer support where needed. 1-Focus on supporting the basics. We can all support our mental health by focusing on the basic pillars of wellness. 💤 Encourage 7-8 hours of sleep a day 🥕 Promote 3 meals a day with a few healthy snacks 🚰 Remind Read more…
December 16, 2020
What’s up with the new CDC guidelines for shorter quarantine periods?
Testing and Contact Tracing
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: The guidelines represent a “most bang for your buck” approach to preventing transmission of COVID-19 at the population level–but quarantining for 14 days is still the recommended and safest approach. While our scientific understanding of how long it takes to develop COVID-19 symptoms after being exposed (science term: incubation period) still says up to Read more…
December 16, 2020
¿Cuándo recibiré mi primera dosis de la vacuna contra el COVID-19? ¿Me darán prioridad si el suministro de vacunas es limitado?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: El suministro de vacunas será limitado al principio para grupos de alta prioridad. El resto recibirán la vacuna empezando en la primavera en EE.UU. y extendiéndose hasta el verano. La Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos de los EE.UU. (FDA) emitió la Autorización de uso de emergencia para la vacuna de ARNm de Pfizer-BioNTech el Read more…
December 14, 2020
Vaccination against Covid19 is starting! How will the vaccine be monitored for safety?
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: Healthcare workers and people in long-term care facilities are starting to get the Covid19 vaccine this week. As vaccine supplies improve, more folks will start to get vaccinated in the coming weeks and months. While safety data from the clinical trials is very good, safety monitoring is ongoing and appropriately a priority. Several existing Read more…
December 14, 2020
¿Se puede transmitir la infección por SARS-CoV-2 a los bebés a través de la leche materna?
Families/Kids Infection and Spread Posts en Español
Daisey Velazquez, Spanish Translation
R: No existe evidencia de que la infección por SARS-CoV-2 se pueda transmitir a los bebés a través de la leche materna con nuevos hallazgos que sugieren que la leche materna en las madres que han tenido COVID-19 contiene anticuerpos específicos de SARS-CoV-2. En un estudio reciente en leche materna de 15 mujeres que se Read more…
December 14, 2020
What can I do to “improve ventilation” in my house or my office? What does that even mean?
Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: We recently talked to environmental strategist and air quality expert Dr. Tim McAuley, founder and CEO of CHANGE Environmental, LLC. Dr. McAuley told us that the best thing we can do to protect ourselves is to create cleaner indoor air *in general*. Ventilation–exchanging indoor air for outdoor air–is just one part of cleaner indoor Read more…
December 13, 2020
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Dr. Malia Jones
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we are introducing co-founder and Editor-in-Chief at Dear Pandemic, Dr. Malia Jones. It all started early in the morning on Thursday, March 5th, when Dr. Jones sat down at her computer and wrote a lengthy message to her friends and family about the pandemic. Read more…
December 12, 2020
It has been a BIG day in vaccine news!
Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Today, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the first COVID-19 vaccine! The ACIP met to review and make recommendations on the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which was given emergency use authorization by the FDA last night. You can read all the information presented at the ACIP meeting (see the link at the bottom). Read more…
December 12, 2020
The numbers on the COVID dashboards just keep going up and up.😬 📈 When will cases, deaths, and hospitalizations peak and start heading back down? 📉
Data and Metrics
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: Buckle up and hunker down: We have a couple more months to get through before we see steep and sustained drops in the numbers. Most experts say we won’t turn the corner until February at the earliest. Several records were broken this week in the US: Number of new cases per day (232,105 on Read more…
A: Focus on the basics, discuss mental wellness openly, and offer support where needed. 1-Focus on supporting the basics. We can all support our mental health by focusing on the basic pillars of wellness. 💤 Encourage 7-8 hours of sleep a day 🥕 Promote 3 meals a day with a few healthy snacks 🚰 Remind Read more…
What’s up with the new CDC guidelines for shorter quarantine periods?
Testing and Contact TracingAmanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: The guidelines represent a “most bang for your buck” approach to preventing transmission of COVID-19 at the population level–but quarantining for 14 days is still the recommended and safest approach. While our scientific understanding of how long it takes to develop COVID-19 symptoms after being exposed (science term: incubation period) still says up to Read more…
December 16, 2020
¿Cuándo recibiré mi primera dosis de la vacuna contra el COVID-19? ¿Me darán prioridad si el suministro de vacunas es limitado?
Posts en Español Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: El suministro de vacunas será limitado al principio para grupos de alta prioridad. El resto recibirán la vacuna empezando en la primavera en EE.UU. y extendiéndose hasta el verano. La Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos de los EE.UU. (FDA) emitió la Autorización de uso de emergencia para la vacuna de ARNm de Pfizer-BioNTech el Read more…
December 14, 2020
Vaccination against Covid19 is starting! How will the vaccine be monitored for safety?
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: Healthcare workers and people in long-term care facilities are starting to get the Covid19 vaccine this week. As vaccine supplies improve, more folks will start to get vaccinated in the coming weeks and months. While safety data from the clinical trials is very good, safety monitoring is ongoing and appropriately a priority. Several existing Read more…
December 14, 2020
¿Se puede transmitir la infección por SARS-CoV-2 a los bebés a través de la leche materna?
Families/Kids Infection and Spread Posts en Español
Daisey Velazquez, Spanish Translation
R: No existe evidencia de que la infección por SARS-CoV-2 se pueda transmitir a los bebés a través de la leche materna con nuevos hallazgos que sugieren que la leche materna en las madres que han tenido COVID-19 contiene anticuerpos específicos de SARS-CoV-2. En un estudio reciente en leche materna de 15 mujeres que se Read more…
December 14, 2020
What can I do to “improve ventilation” in my house or my office? What does that even mean?
Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: We recently talked to environmental strategist and air quality expert Dr. Tim McAuley, founder and CEO of CHANGE Environmental, LLC. Dr. McAuley told us that the best thing we can do to protect ourselves is to create cleaner indoor air *in general*. Ventilation–exchanging indoor air for outdoor air–is just one part of cleaner indoor Read more…
December 13, 2020
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Dr. Malia Jones
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we are introducing co-founder and Editor-in-Chief at Dear Pandemic, Dr. Malia Jones. It all started early in the morning on Thursday, March 5th, when Dr. Jones sat down at her computer and wrote a lengthy message to her friends and family about the pandemic. Read more…
December 12, 2020
It has been a BIG day in vaccine news!
Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Today, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the first COVID-19 vaccine! The ACIP met to review and make recommendations on the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which was given emergency use authorization by the FDA last night. You can read all the information presented at the ACIP meeting (see the link at the bottom). Read more…
December 12, 2020
The numbers on the COVID dashboards just keep going up and up.😬 📈 When will cases, deaths, and hospitalizations peak and start heading back down? 📉
Data and Metrics
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: Buckle up and hunker down: We have a couple more months to get through before we see steep and sustained drops in the numbers. Most experts say we won’t turn the corner until February at the earliest. Several records were broken this week in the US: Number of new cases per day (232,105 on Read more…
A: The guidelines represent a “most bang for your buck” approach to preventing transmission of COVID-19 at the population level–but quarantining for 14 days is still the recommended and safest approach. While our scientific understanding of how long it takes to develop COVID-19 symptoms after being exposed (science term: incubation period) still says up to Read more…
¿Cuándo recibiré mi primera dosis de la vacuna contra el COVID-19? ¿Me darán prioridad si el suministro de vacunas es limitado?
Posts en Español VaccinesSandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
R: El suministro de vacunas será limitado al principio para grupos de alta prioridad. El resto recibirán la vacuna empezando en la primavera en EE.UU. y extendiéndose hasta el verano. La Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos de los EE.UU. (FDA) emitió la Autorización de uso de emergencia para la vacuna de ARNm de Pfizer-BioNTech el Read more…
December 14, 2020
Vaccination against Covid19 is starting! How will the vaccine be monitored for safety?
Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: Healthcare workers and people in long-term care facilities are starting to get the Covid19 vaccine this week. As vaccine supplies improve, more folks will start to get vaccinated in the coming weeks and months. While safety data from the clinical trials is very good, safety monitoring is ongoing and appropriately a priority. Several existing Read more…
December 14, 2020
¿Se puede transmitir la infección por SARS-CoV-2 a los bebés a través de la leche materna?
Families/Kids Infection and Spread Posts en Español
Daisey Velazquez, Spanish Translation
R: No existe evidencia de que la infección por SARS-CoV-2 se pueda transmitir a los bebés a través de la leche materna con nuevos hallazgos que sugieren que la leche materna en las madres que han tenido COVID-19 contiene anticuerpos específicos de SARS-CoV-2. En un estudio reciente en leche materna de 15 mujeres que se Read more…
December 14, 2020
What can I do to “improve ventilation” in my house or my office? What does that even mean?
Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: We recently talked to environmental strategist and air quality expert Dr. Tim McAuley, founder and CEO of CHANGE Environmental, LLC. Dr. McAuley told us that the best thing we can do to protect ourselves is to create cleaner indoor air *in general*. Ventilation–exchanging indoor air for outdoor air–is just one part of cleaner indoor Read more…
December 13, 2020
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Dr. Malia Jones
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we are introducing co-founder and Editor-in-Chief at Dear Pandemic, Dr. Malia Jones. It all started early in the morning on Thursday, March 5th, when Dr. Jones sat down at her computer and wrote a lengthy message to her friends and family about the pandemic. Read more…
December 12, 2020
It has been a BIG day in vaccine news!
Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Today, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the first COVID-19 vaccine! The ACIP met to review and make recommendations on the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which was given emergency use authorization by the FDA last night. You can read all the information presented at the ACIP meeting (see the link at the bottom). Read more…
December 12, 2020
The numbers on the COVID dashboards just keep going up and up.😬 📈 When will cases, deaths, and hospitalizations peak and start heading back down? 📉
Data and Metrics
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: Buckle up and hunker down: We have a couple more months to get through before we see steep and sustained drops in the numbers. Most experts say we won’t turn the corner until February at the earliest. Several records were broken this week in the US: Number of new cases per day (232,105 on Read more…
R: El suministro de vacunas será limitado al principio para grupos de alta prioridad. El resto recibirán la vacuna empezando en la primavera en EE.UU. y extendiéndose hasta el verano. La Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos de los EE.UU. (FDA) emitió la Autorización de uso de emergencia para la vacuna de ARNm de Pfizer-BioNTech el Read more…
Vaccination against Covid19 is starting! How will the vaccine be monitored for safety?
VaccinesSarah Whitley Coles, MD
A: Healthcare workers and people in long-term care facilities are starting to get the Covid19 vaccine this week. As vaccine supplies improve, more folks will start to get vaccinated in the coming weeks and months. While safety data from the clinical trials is very good, safety monitoring is ongoing and appropriately a priority. Several existing Read more…
December 14, 2020
¿Se puede transmitir la infección por SARS-CoV-2 a los bebés a través de la leche materna?
Families/Kids Infection and Spread Posts en Español
Daisey Velazquez, Spanish Translation
R: No existe evidencia de que la infección por SARS-CoV-2 se pueda transmitir a los bebés a través de la leche materna con nuevos hallazgos que sugieren que la leche materna en las madres que han tenido COVID-19 contiene anticuerpos específicos de SARS-CoV-2. En un estudio reciente en leche materna de 15 mujeres que se Read more…
December 14, 2020
What can I do to “improve ventilation” in my house or my office? What does that even mean?
Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: We recently talked to environmental strategist and air quality expert Dr. Tim McAuley, founder and CEO of CHANGE Environmental, LLC. Dr. McAuley told us that the best thing we can do to protect ourselves is to create cleaner indoor air *in general*. Ventilation–exchanging indoor air for outdoor air–is just one part of cleaner indoor Read more…
December 13, 2020
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Dr. Malia Jones
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we are introducing co-founder and Editor-in-Chief at Dear Pandemic, Dr. Malia Jones. It all started early in the morning on Thursday, March 5th, when Dr. Jones sat down at her computer and wrote a lengthy message to her friends and family about the pandemic. Read more…
December 12, 2020
It has been a BIG day in vaccine news!
Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Today, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the first COVID-19 vaccine! The ACIP met to review and make recommendations on the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which was given emergency use authorization by the FDA last night. You can read all the information presented at the ACIP meeting (see the link at the bottom). Read more…
December 12, 2020
The numbers on the COVID dashboards just keep going up and up.😬 📈 When will cases, deaths, and hospitalizations peak and start heading back down? 📉
Data and Metrics
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: Buckle up and hunker down: We have a couple more months to get through before we see steep and sustained drops in the numbers. Most experts say we won’t turn the corner until February at the earliest. Several records were broken this week in the US: Number of new cases per day (232,105 on Read more…
A: Healthcare workers and people in long-term care facilities are starting to get the Covid19 vaccine this week. As vaccine supplies improve, more folks will start to get vaccinated in the coming weeks and months. While safety data from the clinical trials is very good, safety monitoring is ongoing and appropriately a priority. Several existing Read more…
¿Se puede transmitir la infección por SARS-CoV-2 a los bebés a través de la leche materna?
Families/Kids Infection and Spread Posts en EspañolDaisey Velazquez, Spanish Translation
R: No existe evidencia de que la infección por SARS-CoV-2 se pueda transmitir a los bebés a través de la leche materna con nuevos hallazgos que sugieren que la leche materna en las madres que han tenido COVID-19 contiene anticuerpos específicos de SARS-CoV-2. En un estudio reciente en leche materna de 15 mujeres que se Read more…
December 14, 2020
What can I do to “improve ventilation” in my house or my office? What does that even mean?
Staying Safe
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: We recently talked to environmental strategist and air quality expert Dr. Tim McAuley, founder and CEO of CHANGE Environmental, LLC. Dr. McAuley told us that the best thing we can do to protect ourselves is to create cleaner indoor air *in general*. Ventilation–exchanging indoor air for outdoor air–is just one part of cleaner indoor Read more…
December 13, 2020
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Dr. Malia Jones
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we are introducing co-founder and Editor-in-Chief at Dear Pandemic, Dr. Malia Jones. It all started early in the morning on Thursday, March 5th, when Dr. Jones sat down at her computer and wrote a lengthy message to her friends and family about the pandemic. Read more…
December 12, 2020
It has been a BIG day in vaccine news!
Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Today, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the first COVID-19 vaccine! The ACIP met to review and make recommendations on the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which was given emergency use authorization by the FDA last night. You can read all the information presented at the ACIP meeting (see the link at the bottom). Read more…
December 12, 2020
The numbers on the COVID dashboards just keep going up and up.😬 📈 When will cases, deaths, and hospitalizations peak and start heading back down? 📉
Data and Metrics
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: Buckle up and hunker down: We have a couple more months to get through before we see steep and sustained drops in the numbers. Most experts say we won’t turn the corner until February at the earliest. Several records were broken this week in the US: Number of new cases per day (232,105 on Read more…
R: No existe evidencia de que la infección por SARS-CoV-2 se pueda transmitir a los bebés a través de la leche materna con nuevos hallazgos que sugieren que la leche materna en las madres que han tenido COVID-19 contiene anticuerpos específicos de SARS-CoV-2. En un estudio reciente en leche materna de 15 mujeres que se Read more…
What can I do to “improve ventilation” in my house or my office? What does that even mean?
Staying SafeMalia Jones, PhD MPH
A: We recently talked to environmental strategist and air quality expert Dr. Tim McAuley, founder and CEO of CHANGE Environmental, LLC. Dr. McAuley told us that the best thing we can do to protect ourselves is to create cleaner indoor air *in general*. Ventilation–exchanging indoor air for outdoor air–is just one part of cleaner indoor Read more…
December 13, 2020
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Dr. Malia Jones
Uncategorized
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we are introducing co-founder and Editor-in-Chief at Dear Pandemic, Dr. Malia Jones. It all started early in the morning on Thursday, March 5th, when Dr. Jones sat down at her computer and wrote a lengthy message to her friends and family about the pandemic. Read more…
December 12, 2020
It has been a BIG day in vaccine news!
Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Today, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the first COVID-19 vaccine! The ACIP met to review and make recommendations on the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which was given emergency use authorization by the FDA last night. You can read all the information presented at the ACIP meeting (see the link at the bottom). Read more…
December 12, 2020
The numbers on the COVID dashboards just keep going up and up.😬 📈 When will cases, deaths, and hospitalizations peak and start heading back down? 📉
Data and Metrics
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: Buckle up and hunker down: We have a couple more months to get through before we see steep and sustained drops in the numbers. Most experts say we won’t turn the corner until February at the earliest. Several records were broken this week in the US: Number of new cases per day (232,105 on Read more…
A: We recently talked to environmental strategist and air quality expert Dr. Tim McAuley, founder and CEO of CHANGE Environmental, LLC. Dr. McAuley told us that the best thing we can do to protect ourselves is to create cleaner indoor air *in general*. Ventilation–exchanging indoor air for outdoor air–is just one part of cleaner indoor Read more…
Meet Those Nerdy Girls – Dr. Malia Jones
UncategorizedMalia Jones, PhD MPH
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we are introducing co-founder and Editor-in-Chief at Dear Pandemic, Dr. Malia Jones. It all started early in the morning on Thursday, March 5th, when Dr. Jones sat down at her computer and wrote a lengthy message to her friends and family about the pandemic. Read more…
December 12, 2020
It has been a BIG day in vaccine news!
Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Today, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the first COVID-19 vaccine! The ACIP met to review and make recommendations on the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which was given emergency use authorization by the FDA last night. You can read all the information presented at the ACIP meeting (see the link at the bottom). Read more…
December 12, 2020
The numbers on the COVID dashboards just keep going up and up.😬 📈 When will cases, deaths, and hospitalizations peak and start heading back down? 📉
Data and Metrics
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: Buckle up and hunker down: We have a couple more months to get through before we see steep and sustained drops in the numbers. Most experts say we won’t turn the corner until February at the earliest. Several records were broken this week in the US: Number of new cases per day (232,105 on Read more…
In this week’s edition of our “Meet those nerdy girls” series, we are introducing co-founder and Editor-in-Chief at Dear Pandemic, Dr. Malia Jones. It all started early in the morning on Thursday, March 5th, when Dr. Jones sat down at her computer and wrote a lengthy message to her friends and family about the pandemic. Read more…
It has been a BIG day in vaccine news!
VaccinesMalia Jones, PhD MPH
Today, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the first COVID-19 vaccine! The ACIP met to review and make recommendations on the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which was given emergency use authorization by the FDA last night. You can read all the information presented at the ACIP meeting (see the link at the bottom). Read more…
December 12, 2020
The numbers on the COVID dashboards just keep going up and up.😬 📈 When will cases, deaths, and hospitalizations peak and start heading back down? 📉
Data and Metrics
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: Buckle up and hunker down: We have a couple more months to get through before we see steep and sustained drops in the numbers. Most experts say we won’t turn the corner until February at the earliest. Several records were broken this week in the US: Number of new cases per day (232,105 on Read more…
Today, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the first COVID-19 vaccine! The ACIP met to review and make recommendations on the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which was given emergency use authorization by the FDA last night. You can read all the information presented at the ACIP meeting (see the link at the bottom). Read more…
The numbers on the COVID dashboards just keep going up and up.😬 📈 When will cases, deaths, and hospitalizations peak and start heading back down? 📉
Data and MetricsAlison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: Buckle up and hunker down: We have a couple more months to get through before we see steep and sustained drops in the numbers. Most experts say we won’t turn the corner until February at the earliest. Several records were broken this week in the US: Number of new cases per day (232,105 on Read more…
A: Buckle up and hunker down: We have a couple more months to get through before we see steep and sustained drops in the numbers. Most experts say we won’t turn the corner until February at the earliest. Several records were broken this week in the US: Number of new cases per day (232,105 on Read more…