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: Things to consider when preparing advance care planning documents: 1) Who would you trust to enact your wishes on your behalf? 2) What matters to you? Time, people, hobbies, something else? 3) What type of medical interventions are acceptable to you and in what setting? HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOUR PEOPLE! Ensure your documents Read more…
A: Leading experts suggest four guideposts: (1) We see a sustained 14 day decrease in cases; (2) Our health care system can handle the existing load; (3) We can test at least everyone who has symptoms; (4) We can trace confirmed cases and their close contacts. Different geographies will reach these milestones at different times. Read more…
A: Depends whom you ask. š tl;dr: The American Academy of Pediatrics’ April 2 guidance recommends separating infected mom & baby while mom is ill, and supporting mom to pump milk for bottle-feeding the baby. WHO, CDC, and Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine say it’s ok for infected mom & baby to stay together and breastfeed, Read more…
A: (1) Help for state + local governments; (2) Help for businesses (including the health care sector); (3) Help for individuals. Oliver Wyman has produced tons of helpful summaries of financial and public health info related to the Coronavirus, available here. Link to original FB post
A: The official numbers are most likely an undercount of actual COVID-19 related deaths. Read this Twitter feed for a breakdown of the types of COVID-19 deaths written by fellow demographer Andrew Noymer. The numbers on the dashboards only include those deaths that fall into Category 1, confirmed COVID-19 cases. Category 2 includes deaths that Read more…
A: The real truth lies in the numbers that we don’t have….yet. This Economist graphic sums it up well….what we really need to know are the excess deaths, that is the additional deaths, (outside of top reasons for death) not just those officially attributed to COVID-19. Links: EconomistĀ Original FB postĀ
A: No. Definitely worth reading this full article but here is a summary = TL;DR = too long; didn’t read Prolonged one-on-one encounters with infected individuals (ex: a visit with a person with the virus or patient care in a health setting with infected individuals ) carry greater risk of infection than short, indirect exposures Read more…
A: Not a great idea. The problem is this: Kids lick things. Kids also put their hands all over the playground equipment (as they are supposed to do!) and those hands also go in their mouths and noses and eyes. So, your kid will be licking and touching stuff that other (possibly sick) kids have Read more…
A: Start with concrete steps, focus on what you can control, and develop your own skills. A good place to start is this 8 week session open to all and focused on evidence based tactics such as cognitive behavioral therapy and healthy eating. Links: Ohio State University Evidence-Based Tactics Original FB post
Today Google released “Community Mobility Reports” demonstrating how movement patterns have changed since social distancing’s enactment. You can check out your own community here. Link to original FB post
Should everyone wear a mask in public? – Guidelines continue to change locally and nationally. We will continue to follow these updates with you. For now, consider wearing a mask in public if: 1) you are at high risk for complications from the virus, 2) there are high infection rates in your area, 3) you Read more…
A: It is complicated, but can be summed up well in this article by 538. TL; DR there are three primary factors: 1) Exponential growth makes models have great variation (think the estimates of 200,000 deaths vs. 2 million deaths); 2) There are many unknown factors (such as regarding the true rates of infected persons); Read more…
A: With serological (aka blood) testing, we can learn: (1) The true scope of COVID spread; (2) Who exhibits immunity; (3) How to best develop (promising!) blood-based treatments from COVID survivors. Links: Wired Original FB post
A. Yes! The following are steps you can take to prevent dryness: -Use a hand soap thatās mild and fragrance-free -Wash with warm, not hot water -After washing hands, pat them dry (donāt rub) -Use an oil-based hand cream (not a lotion!) immediately afterwards to seal in the moisture -at night, apply a thick hand Read more…
A: Open, direct communication starting pre-visit. Limit surface areas touched. Digital payment. For more sound guidance relevant to both repair professionals and those who hire them, we recommend this helpful article from UC Health. Link to original FB post
For COVID-19, there are lag times from infection to being symptomatic to (in the worst case) hospitalization to death. Today’s case and death rates are like looking at “light from a distant star.” Control measures work, but we only see their effects *weeks* after implementing them. Keep the faith! Links: Twitter Graphic Original FB post
Frequently asked questions regarding Covid-19 and pregnancy. Definitely worth a read if you or someone close to you is expecting. Link to original FB post
A: No. Other “Myth-Busting” graphics curated by the World Health Organization available at Link to original FB post
Hey COVID19 nerds. Here is another awesome Grant Sanderson YouTube video explaining exponential growth & epidemics. An excellent refresher if you haven’t seen this math for a while, and an equally lucid and accessible tutorial if, well, yeah. (Also, got a high schooler cooped up in the house? A timely 9-minute math lesson ready to Read more…
A: ABSOLUTELY YES. The financial hardships are real and very painful. Without social distancing to slow the disease over the next weeks and months, economic hardship will be DEEPER and LONGER. Here is a summary of an article showing the extreme economic value of social distancing. Key Points: Ā The projected mortality benefits of social distancing Read more…
