Posts from Those Nerdy Girls

All the posts from our Those Nerdy Girls Facebook page dating back to May 1st, 2020, are currently archived here and can be searched for by category, key words, etc. Be sure to check back often as additional posts are being added each day.

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I love going for long walks with my dog. But, I heard that my dog can give me COVID-19! Is this true?

Infection and Spread Mental Health Staying Safe

A: Possible, but not likely (and remember, SARS-CoV-2 is the virus, COVID-19 is the disease in humans). So put on your mask, grab your hand sanitizer, and … keep walking your dog! Here’s the longer version. Over the past week, several news outlets have claimed that people who walk dogs are more likely to have Read more…

As winter approaches and many of us are facing unprecedented levels of COVID-19 in our communities, how can we stay safe AND stay sane over the next few months?

Mental Health Socializing Staying Safe

A: The reality is that despite cooling temperatures outside we all need to be thinking about how to reduce the time we spend indoors with those not in our household. The good news is this won’t last forever and we know what steps to take. Indeed, re-upping the strategies we know work to stop the Read more…

Jo-Mom’s Pumpkin Pie

Uncertainty and Misinformation

On Saturday’s live Q&A, Malia said she would share her mom’s “pumpkin” pie recipe–which has a secret ingredient. Well, here it is! The secret is that there’s no pumpkin at all–the recipe uses fresh butternut squash instead. You’ll never know it’s not a pumpkin pie except that it’s the best-tasting pumpkin pie you’ve ever made. Read more…

How CAN we celebrate Thanksgiving safely?

Staying Safe

Q: Okay, okay! You convinced us. “Normal” Thanksgiving is off this year. But how CAN we celebrate safely? A: Focus on the spirit of the holiday. Stay outdoors. Keep it small. Don’t travel. Get creative. Keep your distance. Yes, unfortunately, the usual Thanksgiving traditions are *a very bad idea* this year for the vast majority Read more…

Massachusetts has just instituted 9:30pm curfews. What is the rationale for this restriction?

Infection and Spread Socializing

Q: Massachusetts has just instituted 9:30pm curfews. What is the rationale for this restriction? Does closing restaurants and bars early really help curb the spread of COVID-19? A: There is a strong basis for targeting the hospitality industry for COVID-related restrictions. But if curfews are applied in isolation, they are unlikely to do much good. Read more…

I live in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. It’s looking like our Thanksgiving dinner is going to be just 15 people. What are the chances that someone at the dinner has COVID-19?

Data and Metrics Families/Kids Staying Safe Travel

A: As of today, 58%. Maybe rethink your plans? We know many folks in the wonderful Dear Pandemic community are “running the numbers” on their holiday dinners to assess risk and adjust accordingly. To assist your calculations, a team at Georgia Tech led by Dr. Joshua Weitz has developed the COVID-19 Event Risk Assessment Planning Read more…

Dear Pandemic COVID Q&A

Families/Kids Infection and Spread Staying Safe Vaccines Videos

Drs. Malia Jones and Lindsey Leininger tackle your thorny COVID questions in this week’s Facebook Live event! Submit your questions in advance at www.dearpandemic.org. Today we tackle: ➡️ Happy Saturday greetings (0:00 – 1:59) ➡️ Pfizer vaccine news – yay hope! (2:00 – 6:50) ➡️ What settings seed viral spread? (6:54 – 15:59) ➡️ Pandemic Read more…

Is it true that some people already have antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 from previous exposure to seasonal coronaviruses?

Biology/Immunity

A: Maybe; there *is* evidence of antibodies to seasonal coronaviruses reacting to some parts of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. BUT so far there is no solid evidence that these antibodies protect from COVID-19 infection or disease. What does it mean to have “cross-reactive” antibodies? There are four “common” or seasonal human coronaviruses which are one cause Read more…