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. TL;DR. The relationship between COVID-19 and air pollution likely goes in both directions. First, air pollution is linked with higher COVID-19 mortality risk. Second, the lockdowns associated with the pandemic initially resulted in a large reduction in air pollution in some regions, with more modest and temporary reductions in other regions. The Nerdy Girls Read more…
R. Durante mucho tiempo se sabía muy poco sobre muchas de las vacunas que se usaban fuera de los EE.UU., incluida la vacuna de Rusia, Sputnik V. Esto se debe a que no se habían realizado ensayos de fase 3 y a que había muy poca información disponible para científicos independientes. Pero se están reportando Read more…
Q: I thought a normal temperature was 98.6° F (37° C). Has that changed? If it has, what is a fever? A: Yes. The change is proposed by many in the medical community. New research reveals that the average adult body temperature has dropped 1 degree Fahrenheit since the standard temperature was established in the Read more…
Over-the-counter COVID-19 tests are now available in the United States. For 30 to 50 bucks, you get an answer in 25-45 minutes in the comfort of your home, much like the free rapid antigen tests used in the UK. Can you trust the results? It depends. Dr. Chana Davis from Fueled by Science gives us Read more…
Scientists share certain habits of mind, regardless of whether we study pathogens, people, or plants. As legendary astronomer Carl Sagan wrote: “Science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of knowledge.” Today we launch an occasional series on “How to Think Like a Scientist,” starting with three key values we Read more…
R. No. Las personas pueden estar PEGAJOSAS. NUNCA MAGNÉTICAS. BUENAS NOTICIAS: Es probable que haya otros superpoderes de la vacunación, incluida la inmunidad a una enfermedad que es potencialmente mortal para usted o sus seres queridos. Desde historias de microchips hasta recepción de 5G, este año ha estado repleto de falsedades y videos virales relacionados Read more…
A: Unvaccinated people, for the most part. Q: Will the “delta” variant change that? A: Not likely. As new cases of COVID-19 continue to decline in the US 🇺🇸and Canada 🇨🇦, but are rising steeply elsewhere (UK 🇬🇧and South Africa🇿🇦, we see you 🤗💕!), you might be wondering who is bearing the burden of new Read more…
GOOD NEWS TUESDAY–VACCINE EDITION! ➡️ TL;DR: 2-dose Novavax shows EXCELLENT protection, including against the Alpha (B.1.1.7) variant. ➡️ The vaccine is cheaper to produce than mRNA vaccines, stored at fridge temperature, and will be a great boon to global supplies. It’s been a while since we heard from Novavax, a “protein sub-unit” vaccine candidate from Read more…
R: ¡No! Las vacunas contra el COVID-19 no le han dado la culebrilla a nadie. La culebrilla (llamada “shingles” en inglés) es causada por el virus que causa la varicela, llamado varicela o herpes zóster. Se puede esconder en el cuerpo por mucho tiempo después de tener la varicela y reactivarse más tarde y causa Read more…
We hope the guidelines in this terrific infographic offer some help to parents who are trying to navigate keeping their under 12 kids safe while you–like many of us!–await vaccines in that age group! (Be sure to scroll ALL the way down to see complete information.) These graphic were developed by our good friends at Read more…
A: No. TL;DR: You are STICKY. Not MAGNETIC. BUT GOOD NEWS: Other superpowers from vaccination are likely, including immunity to a potentially fatal disease. From microchips to 5G reception, this year has been chock full of tall vaccine tales and viral videos. In recent weeks this has taken the form of “magnet challenges” showing refrigerator Read more…
If you haven’t had a chance yet, please go check out the online game Bad News, which is not only fun to play but it will help you learn to spot misinformation. In Bad News, you play a media magnate intent on building followers and viral reach at any cost. It turns out, roleplaying in Read more…
R: Hay dos tipos de pruebas para el virus que causa COVID-19: diagnóstico y anticuerpo. Se han desarrollado diferentes tipos de pruebas basadas en la ciencia del virus y como nuestro cuerpo responde a él. Las pruebas de diagnóstico le informan si tiene una infección viral activa — es decir, si tiene COVID-19 activo ahora Read more…
A: Rare cases of myocarditis have been reported after mRNA vaccines, particularly in young men. Reported cases have been mild and treatable. 👉🏽TL;DR: Cases of myocarditis have been reported following COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, particularly in younger men. All of these people recovered quickly after treatment. A definitive link between COVID-19 mRNA vaccines and myocarditis is Read more…
R: Si ha tenido una reacción alérgica a cualquier ingrediente incluido en las vacunas Pfizer o Moderna (lista ingredientes a continuación), entonces no debe recibir ninguna de estas vacunas para COVID-19. Si tiene una reacción alérgica a la primera dosis de estas vacunas, no debe recibir la segunda dosis. Si tiene antecedentes de reacciones alérgicas Read more…
FACT OVER FALSEHOOD: A new occasional series The bad news: Setting the record straight on vaccine misinformation is a daunting job. The better news: Evidence-based strategies are effective in beating back bad info, and we can all help! Today we launch a new occasional series that fights back against vaccine myths using an evidence-based “truth Read more…
A: This is hard. While we seek an easy guide for summer activities with unvaccinated kids, there just isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Sending strength and a few tips to everyone navigating summer plans with unvaccinated kids. This is Dr. Ashley Ritter here today. I regularly participate in complicated decision making with patients and their support Read more…
Health policy wonks across the U.S. are cheering the appointment of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to the top job running the country’s public health insurance programs. Her agency – the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) – is responsible for insuring over 150 million people through the country’s Medicare and Medicaid programs, which together account for Read more…
Q: Is this just another rule, or is there science behind it? A: Social distancing works to stop the spread of germs that are airborne after a cough, sneeze, singing, or even speaking. Some argue that the parameters are based on older science models. Newer models suggest that distances longer than 6 ft (2m) are Read more…
