If a variant has mutations in the spike protein, does that mean the vaccines won’t work?
Biology/Immunity Vaccines
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
Tl;dr: mutations can make vaccines less effective, but that doesn’t mean they render them useless. Immunity isn’t all or nothing, and the current vaccines still provide protection, especially against severe disease and death. Many have been concerned that because (so far) our COVID vaccines have used the spike protein from the original SARS-CoV-2 virus (also Read more…
Have BA.5 cases peaked? That means it’s all downhill from here, right?
COVID Variants Infection and Spread
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Sort of…. Remember that even if cases come down as quickly as they rise, there will be as many cases *after* the peak as before (think area under the curve!). In the U.S. there is some indication that hospitalizations during this BA.5 wave have peaked. Since hospitalizations are a lagging indicator of infections, this Read more…
Dear Readers: What are your best and worst pandemic purchases?
Uncategorized
Joanna Dreifus, MPH
Dear Readers: Who has made some awesome (or not-so-awesome) purchases during the pandemic? We’ve (thankfully) passed the days of hoarding toilet paper, but Those Nerdy Girls know that stressful times may still call for retail therapy, whether small impulse buys (celebrity gossip rags, anyone?) or big splurges (hello, inflatable hot tubs). Some purchases have worked Read more…
Do antihistamines help with Long COVID symptoms?
Long COVID
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
TL; DR: There are a few published case reports and LOTS of stories from long COVID support groups about how antihistamines [(“histamine receptor antagonists” (HRAs)] can decrease long COVID symptoms. While they may help, we need more information to know who they help, when they should be taken, and how they should be taken. ❓What Read more…
Let’s talk about school start times.
Families/Kids Health & Wellness School
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
An interview with Nerdy Guest Dr. Terra Ziporyn Snider Q: Tell us a little about yourself and how you became interested in school start times. A: As both a mother of 3 and a medical historian and writer (former associate editor at JAMA and co-author of The New Harvard Guide to Women’s Health), I’ve been Read more…
Happy National Immunization Awareness Month!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
Vaccines are one of the greatest public health achievements of all time and August is the month to celebrate! Vaccines do more than just protecting us from diseases (although that is pretty freaking great!). They also support a functional economy, keep kids in school and adults at work, reduce poverty, prevent disease outbreaks, improve health Read more…
Omicron-updated boosters are coming to the U.S. soon
Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
GOOD NEWS: Omicron-updated boosters are coming to the U.S. soon (September). LESS GOOD NEWS: Americans under age 50 will have to wait for these new shots to get their 2nd boosters. While there had been chatter about offering 2nd boosters to Americans under age 50 soon to stave off the rising BA.5 wave, the FDA Read more…
I suspect that my kids may have been exposed to COVID-19 at summer camp. What can I do to protect my family and my community from the risk of infection?
Families/Kids Staying Safe Testing and Contact Tracing
Thanks to guest author Dr. Katie Schenk (who recently picked up her kids at camp) for offering to write this post. It’s a great American summer tradition: sleepaway camp! Campfires, singing, sports, smores, and now… COVID-19? Despite best intentions and precautions, the BA.5 surge has already contributed to many COVID-19 outbreaks at summer camp. Camps Read more…
Where do new variants come from?
COVID Variants
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5… while we’re all getting lost in an alphanumeric soup, it’s important to understand why we continue to see new variants. Some have speculated vaccines are to blame, arguing that vaccination itself drives the development of variants. Is this true? Vaccinations do not produce new variants. Thankfully, no. Variants are not Read more…
What is brain fog anyways?
Long COVID Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
TL; DR: Brain fog is a general term used to describe many issues including poor attention, memory, and planning abilities. This can happen after an infection or injury. We are learning more about what causes it, but there do seem to be changes in the immune system and the way the cells work as a Read more…
How many kids are affected by Long COVID?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids Long COVID
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A large study conducted in Denmark found that kids who recently had COVID-19 experienced symptoms of long COVID more often than similar kids who didn’t have a COVID-19 diagnosis. But, long COVID among children seems less common than it is among adults. Researchers asked thousands of parents about their kids’ symptoms that lasted more than Read more…
What is Parechovirus?
Infectious Diseases
Megan Madsen, DO
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
Tl;dr: mutations can make vaccines less effective, but that doesn’t mean they render them useless. Immunity isn’t all or nothing, and the current vaccines still provide protection, especially against severe disease and death. Many have been concerned that because (so far) our COVID vaccines have used the spike protein from the original SARS-CoV-2 virus (also Read more…
Have BA.5 cases peaked? That means it’s all downhill from here, right?
COVID Variants Infection and SpreadJennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Sort of…. Remember that even if cases come down as quickly as they rise, there will be as many cases *after* the peak as before (think area under the curve!). In the U.S. there is some indication that hospitalizations during this BA.5 wave have peaked. Since hospitalizations are a lagging indicator of infections, this Read more…
Dear Readers: What are your best and worst pandemic purchases?
Uncategorized
Joanna Dreifus, MPH
Dear Readers: Who has made some awesome (or not-so-awesome) purchases during the pandemic? We’ve (thankfully) passed the days of hoarding toilet paper, but Those Nerdy Girls know that stressful times may still call for retail therapy, whether small impulse buys (celebrity gossip rags, anyone?) or big splurges (hello, inflatable hot tubs). Some purchases have worked Read more…
Do antihistamines help with Long COVID symptoms?
Long COVID
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
TL; DR: There are a few published case reports and LOTS of stories from long COVID support groups about how antihistamines [(“histamine receptor antagonists” (HRAs)] can decrease long COVID symptoms. While they may help, we need more information to know who they help, when they should be taken, and how they should be taken. ❓What Read more…
Let’s talk about school start times.
Families/Kids Health & Wellness School
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
An interview with Nerdy Guest Dr. Terra Ziporyn Snider Q: Tell us a little about yourself and how you became interested in school start times. A: As both a mother of 3 and a medical historian and writer (former associate editor at JAMA and co-author of The New Harvard Guide to Women’s Health), I’ve been Read more…
Happy National Immunization Awareness Month!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
Vaccines are one of the greatest public health achievements of all time and August is the month to celebrate! Vaccines do more than just protecting us from diseases (although that is pretty freaking great!). They also support a functional economy, keep kids in school and adults at work, reduce poverty, prevent disease outbreaks, improve health Read more…
Omicron-updated boosters are coming to the U.S. soon
Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
GOOD NEWS: Omicron-updated boosters are coming to the U.S. soon (September). LESS GOOD NEWS: Americans under age 50 will have to wait for these new shots to get their 2nd boosters. While there had been chatter about offering 2nd boosters to Americans under age 50 soon to stave off the rising BA.5 wave, the FDA Read more…
I suspect that my kids may have been exposed to COVID-19 at summer camp. What can I do to protect my family and my community from the risk of infection?
Families/Kids Staying Safe Testing and Contact Tracing
Thanks to guest author Dr. Katie Schenk (who recently picked up her kids at camp) for offering to write this post. It’s a great American summer tradition: sleepaway camp! Campfires, singing, sports, smores, and now… COVID-19? Despite best intentions and precautions, the BA.5 surge has already contributed to many COVID-19 outbreaks at summer camp. Camps Read more…
Where do new variants come from?
COVID Variants
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5… while we’re all getting lost in an alphanumeric soup, it’s important to understand why we continue to see new variants. Some have speculated vaccines are to blame, arguing that vaccination itself drives the development of variants. Is this true? Vaccinations do not produce new variants. Thankfully, no. Variants are not Read more…
What is brain fog anyways?
Long COVID Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
TL; DR: Brain fog is a general term used to describe many issues including poor attention, memory, and planning abilities. This can happen after an infection or injury. We are learning more about what causes it, but there do seem to be changes in the immune system and the way the cells work as a Read more…
How many kids are affected by Long COVID?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids Long COVID
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A large study conducted in Denmark found that kids who recently had COVID-19 experienced symptoms of long COVID more often than similar kids who didn’t have a COVID-19 diagnosis. But, long COVID among children seems less common than it is among adults. Researchers asked thousands of parents about their kids’ symptoms that lasted more than Read more…
What is Parechovirus?
Infectious Diseases
Megan Madsen, DO
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
A: Sort of…. Remember that even if cases come down as quickly as they rise, there will be as many cases *after* the peak as before (think area under the curve!). In the U.S. there is some indication that hospitalizations during this BA.5 wave have peaked. Since hospitalizations are a lagging indicator of infections, this Read more…
Dear Readers: What are your best and worst pandemic purchases?
UncategorizedJoanna Dreifus, MPH
Dear Readers: Who has made some awesome (or not-so-awesome) purchases during the pandemic? We’ve (thankfully) passed the days of hoarding toilet paper, but Those Nerdy Girls know that stressful times may still call for retail therapy, whether small impulse buys (celebrity gossip rags, anyone?) or big splurges (hello, inflatable hot tubs). Some purchases have worked Read more…
Do antihistamines help with Long COVID symptoms?
Long COVID
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
TL; DR: There are a few published case reports and LOTS of stories from long COVID support groups about how antihistamines [(“histamine receptor antagonists” (HRAs)] can decrease long COVID symptoms. While they may help, we need more information to know who they help, when they should be taken, and how they should be taken. ❓What Read more…
Let’s talk about school start times.
Families/Kids Health & Wellness School
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
An interview with Nerdy Guest Dr. Terra Ziporyn Snider Q: Tell us a little about yourself and how you became interested in school start times. A: As both a mother of 3 and a medical historian and writer (former associate editor at JAMA and co-author of The New Harvard Guide to Women’s Health), I’ve been Read more…
Happy National Immunization Awareness Month!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
Vaccines are one of the greatest public health achievements of all time and August is the month to celebrate! Vaccines do more than just protecting us from diseases (although that is pretty freaking great!). They also support a functional economy, keep kids in school and adults at work, reduce poverty, prevent disease outbreaks, improve health Read more…
Omicron-updated boosters are coming to the U.S. soon
Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
GOOD NEWS: Omicron-updated boosters are coming to the U.S. soon (September). LESS GOOD NEWS: Americans under age 50 will have to wait for these new shots to get their 2nd boosters. While there had been chatter about offering 2nd boosters to Americans under age 50 soon to stave off the rising BA.5 wave, the FDA Read more…
I suspect that my kids may have been exposed to COVID-19 at summer camp. What can I do to protect my family and my community from the risk of infection?
Families/Kids Staying Safe Testing and Contact Tracing
Thanks to guest author Dr. Katie Schenk (who recently picked up her kids at camp) for offering to write this post. It’s a great American summer tradition: sleepaway camp! Campfires, singing, sports, smores, and now… COVID-19? Despite best intentions and precautions, the BA.5 surge has already contributed to many COVID-19 outbreaks at summer camp. Camps Read more…
Where do new variants come from?
COVID Variants
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5… while we’re all getting lost in an alphanumeric soup, it’s important to understand why we continue to see new variants. Some have speculated vaccines are to blame, arguing that vaccination itself drives the development of variants. Is this true? Vaccinations do not produce new variants. Thankfully, no. Variants are not Read more…
What is brain fog anyways?
Long COVID Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
TL; DR: Brain fog is a general term used to describe many issues including poor attention, memory, and planning abilities. This can happen after an infection or injury. We are learning more about what causes it, but there do seem to be changes in the immune system and the way the cells work as a Read more…
How many kids are affected by Long COVID?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids Long COVID
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A large study conducted in Denmark found that kids who recently had COVID-19 experienced symptoms of long COVID more often than similar kids who didn’t have a COVID-19 diagnosis. But, long COVID among children seems less common than it is among adults. Researchers asked thousands of parents about their kids’ symptoms that lasted more than Read more…
What is Parechovirus?
Infectious Diseases
Megan Madsen, DO
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
Dear Readers: Who has made some awesome (or not-so-awesome) purchases during the pandemic? We’ve (thankfully) passed the days of hoarding toilet paper, but Those Nerdy Girls know that stressful times may still call for retail therapy, whether small impulse buys (celebrity gossip rags, anyone?) or big splurges (hello, inflatable hot tubs). Some purchases have worked Read more…
Do antihistamines help with Long COVID symptoms?
Long COVIDAparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
TL; DR: There are a few published case reports and LOTS of stories from long COVID support groups about how antihistamines [(“histamine receptor antagonists” (HRAs)] can decrease long COVID symptoms. While they may help, we need more information to know who they help, when they should be taken, and how they should be taken. ❓What Read more…
Let’s talk about school start times.
Families/Kids Health & Wellness School
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
An interview with Nerdy Guest Dr. Terra Ziporyn Snider Q: Tell us a little about yourself and how you became interested in school start times. A: As both a mother of 3 and a medical historian and writer (former associate editor at JAMA and co-author of The New Harvard Guide to Women’s Health), I’ve been Read more…
Happy National Immunization Awareness Month!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
Vaccines are one of the greatest public health achievements of all time and August is the month to celebrate! Vaccines do more than just protecting us from diseases (although that is pretty freaking great!). They also support a functional economy, keep kids in school and adults at work, reduce poverty, prevent disease outbreaks, improve health Read more…
Omicron-updated boosters are coming to the U.S. soon
Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
GOOD NEWS: Omicron-updated boosters are coming to the U.S. soon (September). LESS GOOD NEWS: Americans under age 50 will have to wait for these new shots to get their 2nd boosters. While there had been chatter about offering 2nd boosters to Americans under age 50 soon to stave off the rising BA.5 wave, the FDA Read more…
I suspect that my kids may have been exposed to COVID-19 at summer camp. What can I do to protect my family and my community from the risk of infection?
Families/Kids Staying Safe Testing and Contact Tracing
Thanks to guest author Dr. Katie Schenk (who recently picked up her kids at camp) for offering to write this post. It’s a great American summer tradition: sleepaway camp! Campfires, singing, sports, smores, and now… COVID-19? Despite best intentions and precautions, the BA.5 surge has already contributed to many COVID-19 outbreaks at summer camp. Camps Read more…
Where do new variants come from?
COVID Variants
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5… while we’re all getting lost in an alphanumeric soup, it’s important to understand why we continue to see new variants. Some have speculated vaccines are to blame, arguing that vaccination itself drives the development of variants. Is this true? Vaccinations do not produce new variants. Thankfully, no. Variants are not Read more…
What is brain fog anyways?
Long COVID Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
TL; DR: Brain fog is a general term used to describe many issues including poor attention, memory, and planning abilities. This can happen after an infection or injury. We are learning more about what causes it, but there do seem to be changes in the immune system and the way the cells work as a Read more…
How many kids are affected by Long COVID?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids Long COVID
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A large study conducted in Denmark found that kids who recently had COVID-19 experienced symptoms of long COVID more often than similar kids who didn’t have a COVID-19 diagnosis. But, long COVID among children seems less common than it is among adults. Researchers asked thousands of parents about their kids’ symptoms that lasted more than Read more…
What is Parechovirus?
Infectious Diseases
Megan Madsen, DO
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
TL; DR: There are a few published case reports and LOTS of stories from long COVID support groups about how antihistamines [(“histamine receptor antagonists” (HRAs)] can decrease long COVID symptoms. While they may help, we need more information to know who they help, when they should be taken, and how they should be taken. ❓What Read more…
Let’s talk about school start times.
Families/Kids Health & Wellness SchoolLauren Hale, PhD MA
An interview with Nerdy Guest Dr. Terra Ziporyn Snider Q: Tell us a little about yourself and how you became interested in school start times. A: As both a mother of 3 and a medical historian and writer (former associate editor at JAMA and co-author of The New Harvard Guide to Women’s Health), I’ve been Read more…
Happy National Immunization Awareness Month!
Families/Kids Vaccines
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
Vaccines are one of the greatest public health achievements of all time and August is the month to celebrate! Vaccines do more than just protecting us from diseases (although that is pretty freaking great!). They also support a functional economy, keep kids in school and adults at work, reduce poverty, prevent disease outbreaks, improve health Read more…
Omicron-updated boosters are coming to the U.S. soon
Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
GOOD NEWS: Omicron-updated boosters are coming to the U.S. soon (September). LESS GOOD NEWS: Americans under age 50 will have to wait for these new shots to get their 2nd boosters. While there had been chatter about offering 2nd boosters to Americans under age 50 soon to stave off the rising BA.5 wave, the FDA Read more…
I suspect that my kids may have been exposed to COVID-19 at summer camp. What can I do to protect my family and my community from the risk of infection?
Families/Kids Staying Safe Testing and Contact Tracing
Thanks to guest author Dr. Katie Schenk (who recently picked up her kids at camp) for offering to write this post. It’s a great American summer tradition: sleepaway camp! Campfires, singing, sports, smores, and now… COVID-19? Despite best intentions and precautions, the BA.5 surge has already contributed to many COVID-19 outbreaks at summer camp. Camps Read more…
Where do new variants come from?
COVID Variants
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5… while we’re all getting lost in an alphanumeric soup, it’s important to understand why we continue to see new variants. Some have speculated vaccines are to blame, arguing that vaccination itself drives the development of variants. Is this true? Vaccinations do not produce new variants. Thankfully, no. Variants are not Read more…
What is brain fog anyways?
Long COVID Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
TL; DR: Brain fog is a general term used to describe many issues including poor attention, memory, and planning abilities. This can happen after an infection or injury. We are learning more about what causes it, but there do seem to be changes in the immune system and the way the cells work as a Read more…
How many kids are affected by Long COVID?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids Long COVID
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A large study conducted in Denmark found that kids who recently had COVID-19 experienced symptoms of long COVID more often than similar kids who didn’t have a COVID-19 diagnosis. But, long COVID among children seems less common than it is among adults. Researchers asked thousands of parents about their kids’ symptoms that lasted more than Read more…
What is Parechovirus?
Infectious Diseases
Megan Madsen, DO
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
An interview with Nerdy Guest Dr. Terra Ziporyn Snider Q: Tell us a little about yourself and how you became interested in school start times. A: As both a mother of 3 and a medical historian and writer (former associate editor at JAMA and co-author of The New Harvard Guide to Women’s Health), I’ve been Read more…
Happy National Immunization Awareness Month!
Families/Kids VaccinesSarah Whitley Coles, MD
Vaccines are one of the greatest public health achievements of all time and August is the month to celebrate! Vaccines do more than just protecting us from diseases (although that is pretty freaking great!). They also support a functional economy, keep kids in school and adults at work, reduce poverty, prevent disease outbreaks, improve health Read more…
Omicron-updated boosters are coming to the U.S. soon
Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
GOOD NEWS: Omicron-updated boosters are coming to the U.S. soon (September). LESS GOOD NEWS: Americans under age 50 will have to wait for these new shots to get their 2nd boosters. While there had been chatter about offering 2nd boosters to Americans under age 50 soon to stave off the rising BA.5 wave, the FDA Read more…
I suspect that my kids may have been exposed to COVID-19 at summer camp. What can I do to protect my family and my community from the risk of infection?
Families/Kids Staying Safe Testing and Contact Tracing
Thanks to guest author Dr. Katie Schenk (who recently picked up her kids at camp) for offering to write this post. It’s a great American summer tradition: sleepaway camp! Campfires, singing, sports, smores, and now… COVID-19? Despite best intentions and precautions, the BA.5 surge has already contributed to many COVID-19 outbreaks at summer camp. Camps Read more…
Where do new variants come from?
COVID Variants
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5… while we’re all getting lost in an alphanumeric soup, it’s important to understand why we continue to see new variants. Some have speculated vaccines are to blame, arguing that vaccination itself drives the development of variants. Is this true? Vaccinations do not produce new variants. Thankfully, no. Variants are not Read more…
What is brain fog anyways?
Long COVID Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
TL; DR: Brain fog is a general term used to describe many issues including poor attention, memory, and planning abilities. This can happen after an infection or injury. We are learning more about what causes it, but there do seem to be changes in the immune system and the way the cells work as a Read more…
How many kids are affected by Long COVID?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids Long COVID
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A large study conducted in Denmark found that kids who recently had COVID-19 experienced symptoms of long COVID more often than similar kids who didn’t have a COVID-19 diagnosis. But, long COVID among children seems less common than it is among adults. Researchers asked thousands of parents about their kids’ symptoms that lasted more than Read more…
What is Parechovirus?
Infectious Diseases
Megan Madsen, DO
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
Vaccines are one of the greatest public health achievements of all time and August is the month to celebrate! Vaccines do more than just protecting us from diseases (although that is pretty freaking great!). They also support a functional economy, keep kids in school and adults at work, reduce poverty, prevent disease outbreaks, improve health Read more…
Omicron-updated boosters are coming to the U.S. soon
VaccinesJennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
GOOD NEWS: Omicron-updated boosters are coming to the U.S. soon (September). LESS GOOD NEWS: Americans under age 50 will have to wait for these new shots to get their 2nd boosters. While there had been chatter about offering 2nd boosters to Americans under age 50 soon to stave off the rising BA.5 wave, the FDA Read more…
I suspect that my kids may have been exposed to COVID-19 at summer camp. What can I do to protect my family and my community from the risk of infection?
Families/Kids Staying Safe Testing and Contact Tracing
Thanks to guest author Dr. Katie Schenk (who recently picked up her kids at camp) for offering to write this post. It’s a great American summer tradition: sleepaway camp! Campfires, singing, sports, smores, and now… COVID-19? Despite best intentions and precautions, the BA.5 surge has already contributed to many COVID-19 outbreaks at summer camp. Camps Read more…
Where do new variants come from?
COVID Variants
Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5… while we’re all getting lost in an alphanumeric soup, it’s important to understand why we continue to see new variants. Some have speculated vaccines are to blame, arguing that vaccination itself drives the development of variants. Is this true? Vaccinations do not produce new variants. Thankfully, no. Variants are not Read more…
What is brain fog anyways?
Long COVID Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
TL; DR: Brain fog is a general term used to describe many issues including poor attention, memory, and planning abilities. This can happen after an infection or injury. We are learning more about what causes it, but there do seem to be changes in the immune system and the way the cells work as a Read more…
How many kids are affected by Long COVID?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids Long COVID
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A large study conducted in Denmark found that kids who recently had COVID-19 experienced symptoms of long COVID more often than similar kids who didn’t have a COVID-19 diagnosis. But, long COVID among children seems less common than it is among adults. Researchers asked thousands of parents about their kids’ symptoms that lasted more than Read more…
What is Parechovirus?
Infectious Diseases
Megan Madsen, DO
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
GOOD NEWS: Omicron-updated boosters are coming to the U.S. soon (September). LESS GOOD NEWS: Americans under age 50 will have to wait for these new shots to get their 2nd boosters. While there had been chatter about offering 2nd boosters to Americans under age 50 soon to stave off the rising BA.5 wave, the FDA Read more…
I suspect that my kids may have been exposed to COVID-19 at summer camp. What can I do to protect my family and my community from the risk of infection?
Families/Kids Staying Safe Testing and Contact TracingThanks to guest author Dr. Katie Schenk (who recently picked up her kids at camp) for offering to write this post. It’s a great American summer tradition: sleepaway camp! Campfires, singing, sports, smores, and now… COVID-19? Despite best intentions and precautions, the BA.5 surge has already contributed to many COVID-19 outbreaks at summer camp. Camps Read more…
Where do new variants come from?
COVID VariantsKristen Panthagani, MD, PhD
BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5… while we’re all getting lost in an alphanumeric soup, it’s important to understand why we continue to see new variants. Some have speculated vaccines are to blame, arguing that vaccination itself drives the development of variants. Is this true? Vaccinations do not produce new variants. Thankfully, no. Variants are not Read more…
What is brain fog anyways?
Long COVID Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
TL; DR: Brain fog is a general term used to describe many issues including poor attention, memory, and planning abilities. This can happen after an infection or injury. We are learning more about what causes it, but there do seem to be changes in the immune system and the way the cells work as a Read more…
How many kids are affected by Long COVID?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids Long COVID
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A large study conducted in Denmark found that kids who recently had COVID-19 experienced symptoms of long COVID more often than similar kids who didn’t have a COVID-19 diagnosis. But, long COVID among children seems less common than it is among adults. Researchers asked thousands of parents about their kids’ symptoms that lasted more than Read more…
What is Parechovirus?
Infectious Diseases
Megan Madsen, DO
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5… while we’re all getting lost in an alphanumeric soup, it’s important to understand why we continue to see new variants. Some have speculated vaccines are to blame, arguing that vaccination itself drives the development of variants. Is this true? Vaccinations do not produce new variants. Thankfully, no. Variants are not Read more…
What is brain fog anyways?
Long COVID Mental HealthAparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
TL; DR: Brain fog is a general term used to describe many issues including poor attention, memory, and planning abilities. This can happen after an infection or injury. We are learning more about what causes it, but there do seem to be changes in the immune system and the way the cells work as a Read more…
How many kids are affected by Long COVID?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids Long COVID
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A large study conducted in Denmark found that kids who recently had COVID-19 experienced symptoms of long COVID more often than similar kids who didn’t have a COVID-19 diagnosis. But, long COVID among children seems less common than it is among adults. Researchers asked thousands of parents about their kids’ symptoms that lasted more than Read more…
What is Parechovirus?
Infectious Diseases
Megan Madsen, DO
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
TL; DR: Brain fog is a general term used to describe many issues including poor attention, memory, and planning abilities. This can happen after an infection or injury. We are learning more about what causes it, but there do seem to be changes in the immune system and the way the cells work as a Read more…
How many kids are affected by Long COVID?
Data and Metrics Families/Kids Long COVIDMalia Jones, PhD MPH
A large study conducted in Denmark found that kids who recently had COVID-19 experienced symptoms of long COVID more often than similar kids who didn’t have a COVID-19 diagnosis. But, long COVID among children seems less common than it is among adults. Researchers asked thousands of parents about their kids’ symptoms that lasted more than Read more…
What is Parechovirus?
Infectious Diseases
Megan Madsen, DO
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
A large study conducted in Denmark found that kids who recently had COVID-19 experienced symptoms of long COVID more often than similar kids who didn’t have a COVID-19 diagnosis. But, long COVID among children seems less common than it is among adults. Researchers asked thousands of parents about their kids’ symptoms that lasted more than Read more…
What is Parechovirus?
Infectious DiseasesMegan Madsen, DO
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
There’s a new infection in the news – parechovirus. While it’s not a new virus, recent reports of severe cases have garnered public attention. In this post, Those Nerdy Girls are here to help you get the facts straight and learn how to protect yourself. 🦠 What is parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that is Read more…
