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.
A: Yes, since it began spreading, the virus has picked up several mutations, but not necessarily more than expected, and as Ed Yong explains in this article, these changes to the virus are not necessarily cause for alarm. Key Points: -When viruses infect a host, they make new copies and while duplicating their genes, mutations Read more…
A: With only 3 weeks until November 3rd, it’s such an important time to check and double check the rules and deadlines. First, check out our September post for tips and tricks on completing and sending in your mail-in ballot. Next, CHECK THOSE DEADLINES! If you already requested your mail-in ballot, but haven’t received it, Read more…
Q: Jennifer from Texas asks: Are there really false-positives from COVID tests? If so, how is it possible for a test to pick up something that is not there? A: Yep, they exist. High-profile false-positive COVID tests are making the news again after Michael Burton of the New Orleans Saints erroneously tested positive the day Read more…
A: Thank you for drawing attention to this important topic. By now, you’ve probably heard that racial and ethnic minorities are disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Unfortunately, Native American populations are not an exception. ** Native Americans are more than 5 times as likely to be hospitalized than non-Hispanic white Americans. This is a larger COVID-19 Read more…
A: We *wish* it were this easy, but sadly it’s not. While this approach sounds appealing on the surface, the deeper you dig the more the argument collapses in on itself. Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up: • The death and hospitalization toll even in under 65s would be Read more…
A: “Come Home and Stay Home” or “Don’t Come Home” are your best options. Coming home just for the Thanksgiving holiday and then returning to campus is *not* a good plan. Thanks to Ellen for voicing a common concern. Back in August, the big question for college kids was how they could return to campus Read more…
Your daily dose of laughter can help decrease stress, relax your body, and increase endorphins (happy chemicals!). We hope you enjoy this little dose of Sunday laughter. If it helps, why not schedule some time for laughter every day (a favorite show, podcast, cartoons, laughs with friends, or even laughter yoga)? Share your favorite daily Read more…
A: Today we focus on the importance of sleep health as an evidence-based strategy for improving your immune system during the COVID-19 pandemic. ** Long-term sleep deficiency is associated with a range of co-morbidities (type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dementia) that put you at higher susceptibility and more severe outcomes of COVID-19. You can reduce Read more…
Dr. Simanek and Dr. Jones tackle follower questions in this not-quite-live Q&A session. We’re taking questions from Wisconsites about voting (:45), safety of hair salons (4:06), holding COVID safe funerals and other gatherings (10:32), close contacts vs. not close contacts (15:45), celebrating homecoming and other outdoor fall gatherings and events (25:01), and disease transmission patterns Read more…
A: Testing individuals for COVID-19, while a necessary component of our public health strategy, doesn’t 100% prevent those who are infected with SARS-CoV-2 from transmitting the infection to others BEFORE they test positive. The type of testing strategy used by the White House was to screen individuals for COVID-19 using a rapid antigen-based test (i.e., Read more…
A: NOPE. No face shield by itself. As we’ve previously covered, use of face shields by themselves is not recommended. A previous experimental study evaluated how well face shields protected the wearer, showing that smaller inbound particles can easily flow around the shield. Now in a new pre-print (not yet peer-reviewed) by scientists from the Read more…
A: People who work in healthcare are at risk for getting COVID-19 on the job and are also under tremendous stress from the demands of dealing with the pandemic. In the US, over 173,000 healthcare workers have contracted COVID-19 and at least 742 have died. Our doctors, nurses, technicians, therapists, and support staff face increasing Read more…
A: Not quite. The drugs that Donald Trump received after contracting COVID-19 are either still in clinical trials or available in limited quantities for people with serious infections. Trump received a level of treatment that is not available to the general public yet. While scientists have developed lots of new knowledge to better manage infections, Read more…
Q: It’s finally fall, and my kids are back in school. Can we start seeing friends and doing sports & lessons? A: There are ways to make socializing safer and SMARTer if you remember that reducing your risk of contracting COVID-19 adds up—it is NOT all-or-nothing. You and your family can use a “risk budget” Read more…
Q: Ekay from San Jose asks if it is safe to give or receive hugs? A: Hugs bring many psychological benefits AND can be done with relatively low risk. As you might guess, pandemic precautions still apply. If you plan on dishing out hugs, your SMART toolkit will help maximize the benefits which include happy Read more…
Q: Do I have any other options? Help! A: Maybe – depending on your state. Now that we are 4 weeks away from the election, states with early voting may be starting soon or have already opened their polls! We came across a WONDERFUL chart on early voting from the bipartisan group, National Conference of Read more…
