What’s the difference between EUA and full FDA approval?
Vaccines
Christine Whelan, PhD
Q: COVID-19 vaccines have emergency use authorization, but not full FDA approval yet. Does that mean we don’t yet know if they are safe? A: The three vaccines in circulation in the United States to protect against COVID-19 have been proven to be safe and effective. Vaccine manufacturers are continuing to gather even more data, Read more…
May 2, 2021
When we get to 70% vaccinated, this will instantly be over–right?
Infection and Spread
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: Not necessarily. We need to dig in a little to the difference between reaching the herd immunity *threshold* and the end goal–herd immunity. The upshot: herd immunity is the ultimate goal of a vaccination program, and reaching the herd immunity threshold is the first step toward it. Also, patterns of vaccination matter. Protecting people Read more…
May 1, 2021
Has demand for the COVID-19 vaccine crashed in the US?
Vaccines
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: “Crashed”, “plummeted”, “off a cliff”, “vanished”, and “evaporated” are exaggerations, but vaccine demand has definitely weakened in many states. As Cynthia Cox, VP at Kaiser Family Foundation, put it recently: “Good news: In the next month, everyone who wants a vaccine will have gotten one. Bad news: In the next month, everyone who wants Read more…
May 1, 2021
Dear Pandemic COVID Q&A
Biology/Immunity Families/Kids Socializing Staying Safe Vaccines Videos
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Dear Pandemic’s contributors Drs. Michelle Kinder, Aparna Kumar, and Malia Jones will be taking questions submitted by kids on this weeks’ Live event! We’ll be talking about bats, masks, nanometers, and so much more. ➡️ Welcome, Intros, and our kids’ Favorite Books (0:00-2:42) ➡️ Greta from Camp Hill, PA asks: Why do you need the Read more…
April 30, 2021
Do the COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: There is no scientific evidence to suggest COVID-19 vaccines negatively impact fertility in men or women. While these vaccines were not tested among pregnant people for initial FDA Emergency Use Authorization in the United States, accumulating data support the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in people who wish to become pregnant and people who are Read more…
April 30, 2021
I need to relax but I don’t have time or a quiet space to meditate. Is there anything I can do?
Mental Health
Verdena Jennings, DO
A: Yes. There is a simple breathing exercise you can do anywhere anytime. The year 2020 was very challenging in many ways for all of us. And 2021 seems to be keeping pace with the strangeness. Though there is a bit of relief we can feel, none of us can predict what will happen next. Read more…
April 29, 2021
Will there be a COVID pill?
Treatments
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Signs are hopeful! Widespread vaccination remains our best bet at #kickingCOVID. But having an arsenal of treatments is important, too. In a recent speech at the National Press Club, Dr. Fauci argued that the biggest treatment need is a convenient medicine – like a pill – that can stomp out severe disease at the Read more…
April 29, 2021
Is it normal to have pain in my armpit or breast after the COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Very possible and normal, specifically on the side you received the vaccination. Throughout your body, hundreds of lymph nodes work to filter your lymphatic fluid. When your body is mounting an immune response, after an infection or a vaccine, lymph nodes can swell with fluid. Lymph nodes are located all over our bodies, with Read more…
April 28, 2021
What is the new guidance for wearing masks outdoors, particularly if we are vaccinated?
Masks Staying Safe Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: Vaccinated people in the United States (US) only need to wear a mask outdoors in crowded settings (think sporting events, parades, and concerts). In other words, being vaccinated means you can get back to nearly normal outdoor activities just as the weather is warming up! Yeah!! TL;DR The new guidelines for mask use in Read more…
April 28, 2021
What is going on with J&J COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Verdena Jennings, DO
A: Johnson & Johnson was granted emergency authorization use (EAU) by the FDA for a vaccine against COVID-19 in late February. After receiving reports of a rare life-threatening blood clot condition occurring primarily in women under 50 within three weeks of getting this vaccine, CDC paused the use of the vaccine for 10 days. A Read more…
April 27, 2021
What about vaccines being used in developing countries?
Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
Q: Could you explain more about the vaccines being used in developing countries? Are these countries getting inferior vaccines? A. For a long time, very little was known about many of the vaccines in wide use outside the U.S., especially the ones from China like CoronaVac, Sinopharm, and CanSino, and the vaccine from Russia, Sputnik Read more…
April 27, 2021
If the most vulnerable are now protected due to the vaccine, why can’t we go back to normal life?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: We SO feel the yearning behind this question. The sacrifices made, especially by young people, are heart-breaking and real. Please hang in there–we are SO close to getting through the last mile AND the last inch of this pandemic. But we’re not there yet. In the US and the UK, vaccines have rolled out Read more…
April 26, 2021
I’m hearing a lot of conflicting opinions on what’s safe and what’s not. Help!
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: Humans are bad at assessing risk. We’re even worse at determining whether something is a real or hypothetical risk. By challenging our psychological assumptions, we can be smarter consumers of science information. Our personal sense of what’s risky and what’s safe is a *feeling*… and feelings aren’t always accurate. Here are some of our Read more…
April 25, 2021
Country update: India
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
India has been in the headlines over the past weeks for soaring case numbers, rising deaths, and a severely strained health system. What is happening, and how can other countries help? Let’s start with the numbers: For the past 4 days, India has recorded over 300,000 new cases *per day*, by far the highest number Read more…
April 24, 2021
How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
Q: These are tough times. How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic, like anger and happiness or relief and anxiety, at the same time? How can I make space for both? Dr. Aparna Kumar, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner here to answer. Many of us are struggling right now. How can we Read more…
Q: COVID-19 vaccines have emergency use authorization, but not full FDA approval yet. Does that mean we don’t yet know if they are safe? A: The three vaccines in circulation in the United States to protect against COVID-19 have been proven to be safe and effective. Vaccine manufacturers are continuing to gather even more data, Read more…
When we get to 70% vaccinated, this will instantly be over–right?
Infection and Spread
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: Not necessarily. We need to dig in a little to the difference between reaching the herd immunity *threshold* and the end goal–herd immunity. The upshot: herd immunity is the ultimate goal of a vaccination program, and reaching the herd immunity threshold is the first step toward it. Also, patterns of vaccination matter. Protecting people Read more…
May 1, 2021
Has demand for the COVID-19 vaccine crashed in the US?
Vaccines
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: “Crashed”, “plummeted”, “off a cliff”, “vanished”, and “evaporated” are exaggerations, but vaccine demand has definitely weakened in many states. As Cynthia Cox, VP at Kaiser Family Foundation, put it recently: “Good news: In the next month, everyone who wants a vaccine will have gotten one. Bad news: In the next month, everyone who wants Read more…
May 1, 2021
Dear Pandemic COVID Q&A
Biology/Immunity Families/Kids Socializing Staying Safe Vaccines Videos
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Dear Pandemic’s contributors Drs. Michelle Kinder, Aparna Kumar, and Malia Jones will be taking questions submitted by kids on this weeks’ Live event! We’ll be talking about bats, masks, nanometers, and so much more. ➡️ Welcome, Intros, and our kids’ Favorite Books (0:00-2:42) ➡️ Greta from Camp Hill, PA asks: Why do you need the Read more…
April 30, 2021
Do the COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: There is no scientific evidence to suggest COVID-19 vaccines negatively impact fertility in men or women. While these vaccines were not tested among pregnant people for initial FDA Emergency Use Authorization in the United States, accumulating data support the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in people who wish to become pregnant and people who are Read more…
April 30, 2021
I need to relax but I don’t have time or a quiet space to meditate. Is there anything I can do?
Mental Health
Verdena Jennings, DO
A: Yes. There is a simple breathing exercise you can do anywhere anytime. The year 2020 was very challenging in many ways for all of us. And 2021 seems to be keeping pace with the strangeness. Though there is a bit of relief we can feel, none of us can predict what will happen next. Read more…
April 29, 2021
Will there be a COVID pill?
Treatments
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Signs are hopeful! Widespread vaccination remains our best bet at #kickingCOVID. But having an arsenal of treatments is important, too. In a recent speech at the National Press Club, Dr. Fauci argued that the biggest treatment need is a convenient medicine – like a pill – that can stomp out severe disease at the Read more…
April 29, 2021
Is it normal to have pain in my armpit or breast after the COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Very possible and normal, specifically on the side you received the vaccination. Throughout your body, hundreds of lymph nodes work to filter your lymphatic fluid. When your body is mounting an immune response, after an infection or a vaccine, lymph nodes can swell with fluid. Lymph nodes are located all over our bodies, with Read more…
April 28, 2021
What is the new guidance for wearing masks outdoors, particularly if we are vaccinated?
Masks Staying Safe Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: Vaccinated people in the United States (US) only need to wear a mask outdoors in crowded settings (think sporting events, parades, and concerts). In other words, being vaccinated means you can get back to nearly normal outdoor activities just as the weather is warming up! Yeah!! TL;DR The new guidelines for mask use in Read more…
April 28, 2021
What is going on with J&J COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Verdena Jennings, DO
A: Johnson & Johnson was granted emergency authorization use (EAU) by the FDA for a vaccine against COVID-19 in late February. After receiving reports of a rare life-threatening blood clot condition occurring primarily in women under 50 within three weeks of getting this vaccine, CDC paused the use of the vaccine for 10 days. A Read more…
April 27, 2021
What about vaccines being used in developing countries?
Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
Q: Could you explain more about the vaccines being used in developing countries? Are these countries getting inferior vaccines? A. For a long time, very little was known about many of the vaccines in wide use outside the U.S., especially the ones from China like CoronaVac, Sinopharm, and CanSino, and the vaccine from Russia, Sputnik Read more…
April 27, 2021
If the most vulnerable are now protected due to the vaccine, why can’t we go back to normal life?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: We SO feel the yearning behind this question. The sacrifices made, especially by young people, are heart-breaking and real. Please hang in there–we are SO close to getting through the last mile AND the last inch of this pandemic. But we’re not there yet. In the US and the UK, vaccines have rolled out Read more…
April 26, 2021
I’m hearing a lot of conflicting opinions on what’s safe and what’s not. Help!
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: Humans are bad at assessing risk. We’re even worse at determining whether something is a real or hypothetical risk. By challenging our psychological assumptions, we can be smarter consumers of science information. Our personal sense of what’s risky and what’s safe is a *feeling*… and feelings aren’t always accurate. Here are some of our Read more…
April 25, 2021
Country update: India
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
India has been in the headlines over the past weeks for soaring case numbers, rising deaths, and a severely strained health system. What is happening, and how can other countries help? Let’s start with the numbers: For the past 4 days, India has recorded over 300,000 new cases *per day*, by far the highest number Read more…
April 24, 2021
How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
Q: These are tough times. How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic, like anger and happiness or relief and anxiety, at the same time? How can I make space for both? Dr. Aparna Kumar, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner here to answer. Many of us are struggling right now. How can we Read more…
A: Not necessarily. We need to dig in a little to the difference between reaching the herd immunity *threshold* and the end goal–herd immunity. The upshot: herd immunity is the ultimate goal of a vaccination program, and reaching the herd immunity threshold is the first step toward it. Also, patterns of vaccination matter. Protecting people Read more…
Has demand for the COVID-19 vaccine crashed in the US?
Vaccines
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
A: “Crashed”, “plummeted”, “off a cliff”, “vanished”, and “evaporated” are exaggerations, but vaccine demand has definitely weakened in many states. As Cynthia Cox, VP at Kaiser Family Foundation, put it recently: “Good news: In the next month, everyone who wants a vaccine will have gotten one. Bad news: In the next month, everyone who wants Read more…
May 1, 2021
Dear Pandemic COVID Q&A
Biology/Immunity Families/Kids Socializing Staying Safe Vaccines Videos
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Dear Pandemic’s contributors Drs. Michelle Kinder, Aparna Kumar, and Malia Jones will be taking questions submitted by kids on this weeks’ Live event! We’ll be talking about bats, masks, nanometers, and so much more. ➡️ Welcome, Intros, and our kids’ Favorite Books (0:00-2:42) ➡️ Greta from Camp Hill, PA asks: Why do you need the Read more…
April 30, 2021
Do the COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: There is no scientific evidence to suggest COVID-19 vaccines negatively impact fertility in men or women. While these vaccines were not tested among pregnant people for initial FDA Emergency Use Authorization in the United States, accumulating data support the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in people who wish to become pregnant and people who are Read more…
April 30, 2021
I need to relax but I don’t have time or a quiet space to meditate. Is there anything I can do?
Mental Health
Verdena Jennings, DO
A: Yes. There is a simple breathing exercise you can do anywhere anytime. The year 2020 was very challenging in many ways for all of us. And 2021 seems to be keeping pace with the strangeness. Though there is a bit of relief we can feel, none of us can predict what will happen next. Read more…
April 29, 2021
Will there be a COVID pill?
Treatments
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Signs are hopeful! Widespread vaccination remains our best bet at #kickingCOVID. But having an arsenal of treatments is important, too. In a recent speech at the National Press Club, Dr. Fauci argued that the biggest treatment need is a convenient medicine – like a pill – that can stomp out severe disease at the Read more…
April 29, 2021
Is it normal to have pain in my armpit or breast after the COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Very possible and normal, specifically on the side you received the vaccination. Throughout your body, hundreds of lymph nodes work to filter your lymphatic fluid. When your body is mounting an immune response, after an infection or a vaccine, lymph nodes can swell with fluid. Lymph nodes are located all over our bodies, with Read more…
April 28, 2021
What is the new guidance for wearing masks outdoors, particularly if we are vaccinated?
Masks Staying Safe Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: Vaccinated people in the United States (US) only need to wear a mask outdoors in crowded settings (think sporting events, parades, and concerts). In other words, being vaccinated means you can get back to nearly normal outdoor activities just as the weather is warming up! Yeah!! TL;DR The new guidelines for mask use in Read more…
April 28, 2021
What is going on with J&J COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Verdena Jennings, DO
A: Johnson & Johnson was granted emergency authorization use (EAU) by the FDA for a vaccine against COVID-19 in late February. After receiving reports of a rare life-threatening blood clot condition occurring primarily in women under 50 within three weeks of getting this vaccine, CDC paused the use of the vaccine for 10 days. A Read more…
April 27, 2021
What about vaccines being used in developing countries?
Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
Q: Could you explain more about the vaccines being used in developing countries? Are these countries getting inferior vaccines? A. For a long time, very little was known about many of the vaccines in wide use outside the U.S., especially the ones from China like CoronaVac, Sinopharm, and CanSino, and the vaccine from Russia, Sputnik Read more…
April 27, 2021
If the most vulnerable are now protected due to the vaccine, why can’t we go back to normal life?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: We SO feel the yearning behind this question. The sacrifices made, especially by young people, are heart-breaking and real. Please hang in there–we are SO close to getting through the last mile AND the last inch of this pandemic. But we’re not there yet. In the US and the UK, vaccines have rolled out Read more…
April 26, 2021
I’m hearing a lot of conflicting opinions on what’s safe and what’s not. Help!
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: Humans are bad at assessing risk. We’re even worse at determining whether something is a real or hypothetical risk. By challenging our psychological assumptions, we can be smarter consumers of science information. Our personal sense of what’s risky and what’s safe is a *feeling*… and feelings aren’t always accurate. Here are some of our Read more…
April 25, 2021
Country update: India
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
India has been in the headlines over the past weeks for soaring case numbers, rising deaths, and a severely strained health system. What is happening, and how can other countries help? Let’s start with the numbers: For the past 4 days, India has recorded over 300,000 new cases *per day*, by far the highest number Read more…
April 24, 2021
How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
Q: These are tough times. How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic, like anger and happiness or relief and anxiety, at the same time? How can I make space for both? Dr. Aparna Kumar, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner here to answer. Many of us are struggling right now. How can we Read more…
A: “Crashed”, “plummeted”, “off a cliff”, “vanished”, and “evaporated” are exaggerations, but vaccine demand has definitely weakened in many states. As Cynthia Cox, VP at Kaiser Family Foundation, put it recently: “Good news: In the next month, everyone who wants a vaccine will have gotten one. Bad news: In the next month, everyone who wants Read more…
Dear Pandemic COVID Q&A
Biology/Immunity Families/Kids Socializing Staying Safe Vaccines Videos
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
Dear Pandemic’s contributors Drs. Michelle Kinder, Aparna Kumar, and Malia Jones will be taking questions submitted by kids on this weeks’ Live event! We’ll be talking about bats, masks, nanometers, and so much more. ➡️ Welcome, Intros, and our kids’ Favorite Books (0:00-2:42) ➡️ Greta from Camp Hill, PA asks: Why do you need the Read more…
April 30, 2021
Do the COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: There is no scientific evidence to suggest COVID-19 vaccines negatively impact fertility in men or women. While these vaccines were not tested among pregnant people for initial FDA Emergency Use Authorization in the United States, accumulating data support the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in people who wish to become pregnant and people who are Read more…
April 30, 2021
I need to relax but I don’t have time or a quiet space to meditate. Is there anything I can do?
Mental Health
Verdena Jennings, DO
A: Yes. There is a simple breathing exercise you can do anywhere anytime. The year 2020 was very challenging in many ways for all of us. And 2021 seems to be keeping pace with the strangeness. Though there is a bit of relief we can feel, none of us can predict what will happen next. Read more…
April 29, 2021
Will there be a COVID pill?
Treatments
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Signs are hopeful! Widespread vaccination remains our best bet at #kickingCOVID. But having an arsenal of treatments is important, too. In a recent speech at the National Press Club, Dr. Fauci argued that the biggest treatment need is a convenient medicine – like a pill – that can stomp out severe disease at the Read more…
April 29, 2021
Is it normal to have pain in my armpit or breast after the COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Very possible and normal, specifically on the side you received the vaccination. Throughout your body, hundreds of lymph nodes work to filter your lymphatic fluid. When your body is mounting an immune response, after an infection or a vaccine, lymph nodes can swell with fluid. Lymph nodes are located all over our bodies, with Read more…
April 28, 2021
What is the new guidance for wearing masks outdoors, particularly if we are vaccinated?
Masks Staying Safe Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: Vaccinated people in the United States (US) only need to wear a mask outdoors in crowded settings (think sporting events, parades, and concerts). In other words, being vaccinated means you can get back to nearly normal outdoor activities just as the weather is warming up! Yeah!! TL;DR The new guidelines for mask use in Read more…
April 28, 2021
What is going on with J&J COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Verdena Jennings, DO
A: Johnson & Johnson was granted emergency authorization use (EAU) by the FDA for a vaccine against COVID-19 in late February. After receiving reports of a rare life-threatening blood clot condition occurring primarily in women under 50 within three weeks of getting this vaccine, CDC paused the use of the vaccine for 10 days. A Read more…
April 27, 2021
What about vaccines being used in developing countries?
Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
Q: Could you explain more about the vaccines being used in developing countries? Are these countries getting inferior vaccines? A. For a long time, very little was known about many of the vaccines in wide use outside the U.S., especially the ones from China like CoronaVac, Sinopharm, and CanSino, and the vaccine from Russia, Sputnik Read more…
April 27, 2021
If the most vulnerable are now protected due to the vaccine, why can’t we go back to normal life?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: We SO feel the yearning behind this question. The sacrifices made, especially by young people, are heart-breaking and real. Please hang in there–we are SO close to getting through the last mile AND the last inch of this pandemic. But we’re not there yet. In the US and the UK, vaccines have rolled out Read more…
April 26, 2021
I’m hearing a lot of conflicting opinions on what’s safe and what’s not. Help!
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: Humans are bad at assessing risk. We’re even worse at determining whether something is a real or hypothetical risk. By challenging our psychological assumptions, we can be smarter consumers of science information. Our personal sense of what’s risky and what’s safe is a *feeling*… and feelings aren’t always accurate. Here are some of our Read more…
April 25, 2021
Country update: India
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
India has been in the headlines over the past weeks for soaring case numbers, rising deaths, and a severely strained health system. What is happening, and how can other countries help? Let’s start with the numbers: For the past 4 days, India has recorded over 300,000 new cases *per day*, by far the highest number Read more…
April 24, 2021
How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
Q: These are tough times. How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic, like anger and happiness or relief and anxiety, at the same time? How can I make space for both? Dr. Aparna Kumar, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner here to answer. Many of us are struggling right now. How can we Read more…
Dear Pandemic’s contributors Drs. Michelle Kinder, Aparna Kumar, and Malia Jones will be taking questions submitted by kids on this weeks’ Live event! We’ll be talking about bats, masks, nanometers, and so much more. ➡️ Welcome, Intros, and our kids’ Favorite Books (0:00-2:42) ➡️ Greta from Camp Hill, PA asks: Why do you need the Read more…
Do the COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
A: There is no scientific evidence to suggest COVID-19 vaccines negatively impact fertility in men or women. While these vaccines were not tested among pregnant people for initial FDA Emergency Use Authorization in the United States, accumulating data support the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in people who wish to become pregnant and people who are Read more…
April 30, 2021
I need to relax but I don’t have time or a quiet space to meditate. Is there anything I can do?
Mental Health
Verdena Jennings, DO
A: Yes. There is a simple breathing exercise you can do anywhere anytime. The year 2020 was very challenging in many ways for all of us. And 2021 seems to be keeping pace with the strangeness. Though there is a bit of relief we can feel, none of us can predict what will happen next. Read more…
April 29, 2021
Will there be a COVID pill?
Treatments
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Signs are hopeful! Widespread vaccination remains our best bet at #kickingCOVID. But having an arsenal of treatments is important, too. In a recent speech at the National Press Club, Dr. Fauci argued that the biggest treatment need is a convenient medicine – like a pill – that can stomp out severe disease at the Read more…
April 29, 2021
Is it normal to have pain in my armpit or breast after the COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Very possible and normal, specifically on the side you received the vaccination. Throughout your body, hundreds of lymph nodes work to filter your lymphatic fluid. When your body is mounting an immune response, after an infection or a vaccine, lymph nodes can swell with fluid. Lymph nodes are located all over our bodies, with Read more…
April 28, 2021
What is the new guidance for wearing masks outdoors, particularly if we are vaccinated?
Masks Staying Safe Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: Vaccinated people in the United States (US) only need to wear a mask outdoors in crowded settings (think sporting events, parades, and concerts). In other words, being vaccinated means you can get back to nearly normal outdoor activities just as the weather is warming up! Yeah!! TL;DR The new guidelines for mask use in Read more…
April 28, 2021
What is going on with J&J COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Verdena Jennings, DO
A: Johnson & Johnson was granted emergency authorization use (EAU) by the FDA for a vaccine against COVID-19 in late February. After receiving reports of a rare life-threatening blood clot condition occurring primarily in women under 50 within three weeks of getting this vaccine, CDC paused the use of the vaccine for 10 days. A Read more…
April 27, 2021
What about vaccines being used in developing countries?
Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
Q: Could you explain more about the vaccines being used in developing countries? Are these countries getting inferior vaccines? A. For a long time, very little was known about many of the vaccines in wide use outside the U.S., especially the ones from China like CoronaVac, Sinopharm, and CanSino, and the vaccine from Russia, Sputnik Read more…
April 27, 2021
If the most vulnerable are now protected due to the vaccine, why can’t we go back to normal life?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: We SO feel the yearning behind this question. The sacrifices made, especially by young people, are heart-breaking and real. Please hang in there–we are SO close to getting through the last mile AND the last inch of this pandemic. But we’re not there yet. In the US and the UK, vaccines have rolled out Read more…
April 26, 2021
I’m hearing a lot of conflicting opinions on what’s safe and what’s not. Help!
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: Humans are bad at assessing risk. We’re even worse at determining whether something is a real or hypothetical risk. By challenging our psychological assumptions, we can be smarter consumers of science information. Our personal sense of what’s risky and what’s safe is a *feeling*… and feelings aren’t always accurate. Here are some of our Read more…
April 25, 2021
Country update: India
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
India has been in the headlines over the past weeks for soaring case numbers, rising deaths, and a severely strained health system. What is happening, and how can other countries help? Let’s start with the numbers: For the past 4 days, India has recorded over 300,000 new cases *per day*, by far the highest number Read more…
April 24, 2021
How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
Q: These are tough times. How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic, like anger and happiness or relief and anxiety, at the same time? How can I make space for both? Dr. Aparna Kumar, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner here to answer. Many of us are struggling right now. How can we Read more…
A: There is no scientific evidence to suggest COVID-19 vaccines negatively impact fertility in men or women. While these vaccines were not tested among pregnant people for initial FDA Emergency Use Authorization in the United States, accumulating data support the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in people who wish to become pregnant and people who are Read more…
I need to relax but I don’t have time or a quiet space to meditate. Is there anything I can do?
Mental Health
Verdena Jennings, DO
A: Yes. There is a simple breathing exercise you can do anywhere anytime. The year 2020 was very challenging in many ways for all of us. And 2021 seems to be keeping pace with the strangeness. Though there is a bit of relief we can feel, none of us can predict what will happen next. Read more…
April 29, 2021
Will there be a COVID pill?
Treatments
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Signs are hopeful! Widespread vaccination remains our best bet at #kickingCOVID. But having an arsenal of treatments is important, too. In a recent speech at the National Press Club, Dr. Fauci argued that the biggest treatment need is a convenient medicine – like a pill – that can stomp out severe disease at the Read more…
April 29, 2021
Is it normal to have pain in my armpit or breast after the COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Very possible and normal, specifically on the side you received the vaccination. Throughout your body, hundreds of lymph nodes work to filter your lymphatic fluid. When your body is mounting an immune response, after an infection or a vaccine, lymph nodes can swell with fluid. Lymph nodes are located all over our bodies, with Read more…
April 28, 2021
What is the new guidance for wearing masks outdoors, particularly if we are vaccinated?
Masks Staying Safe Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: Vaccinated people in the United States (US) only need to wear a mask outdoors in crowded settings (think sporting events, parades, and concerts). In other words, being vaccinated means you can get back to nearly normal outdoor activities just as the weather is warming up! Yeah!! TL;DR The new guidelines for mask use in Read more…
April 28, 2021
What is going on with J&J COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Verdena Jennings, DO
A: Johnson & Johnson was granted emergency authorization use (EAU) by the FDA for a vaccine against COVID-19 in late February. After receiving reports of a rare life-threatening blood clot condition occurring primarily in women under 50 within three weeks of getting this vaccine, CDC paused the use of the vaccine for 10 days. A Read more…
April 27, 2021
What about vaccines being used in developing countries?
Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
Q: Could you explain more about the vaccines being used in developing countries? Are these countries getting inferior vaccines? A. For a long time, very little was known about many of the vaccines in wide use outside the U.S., especially the ones from China like CoronaVac, Sinopharm, and CanSino, and the vaccine from Russia, Sputnik Read more…
April 27, 2021
If the most vulnerable are now protected due to the vaccine, why can’t we go back to normal life?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: We SO feel the yearning behind this question. The sacrifices made, especially by young people, are heart-breaking and real. Please hang in there–we are SO close to getting through the last mile AND the last inch of this pandemic. But we’re not there yet. In the US and the UK, vaccines have rolled out Read more…
April 26, 2021
I’m hearing a lot of conflicting opinions on what’s safe and what’s not. Help!
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: Humans are bad at assessing risk. We’re even worse at determining whether something is a real or hypothetical risk. By challenging our psychological assumptions, we can be smarter consumers of science information. Our personal sense of what’s risky and what’s safe is a *feeling*… and feelings aren’t always accurate. Here are some of our Read more…
April 25, 2021
Country update: India
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
India has been in the headlines over the past weeks for soaring case numbers, rising deaths, and a severely strained health system. What is happening, and how can other countries help? Let’s start with the numbers: For the past 4 days, India has recorded over 300,000 new cases *per day*, by far the highest number Read more…
April 24, 2021
How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
Q: These are tough times. How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic, like anger and happiness or relief and anxiety, at the same time? How can I make space for both? Dr. Aparna Kumar, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner here to answer. Many of us are struggling right now. How can we Read more…
A: Yes. There is a simple breathing exercise you can do anywhere anytime. The year 2020 was very challenging in many ways for all of us. And 2021 seems to be keeping pace with the strangeness. Though there is a bit of relief we can feel, none of us can predict what will happen next. Read more…
Will there be a COVID pill?
Treatments
Lindsey Leininger, PhD MA
A: Signs are hopeful! Widespread vaccination remains our best bet at #kickingCOVID. But having an arsenal of treatments is important, too. In a recent speech at the National Press Club, Dr. Fauci argued that the biggest treatment need is a convenient medicine – like a pill – that can stomp out severe disease at the Read more…
April 29, 2021
Is it normal to have pain in my armpit or breast after the COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Very possible and normal, specifically on the side you received the vaccination. Throughout your body, hundreds of lymph nodes work to filter your lymphatic fluid. When your body is mounting an immune response, after an infection or a vaccine, lymph nodes can swell with fluid. Lymph nodes are located all over our bodies, with Read more…
April 28, 2021
What is the new guidance for wearing masks outdoors, particularly if we are vaccinated?
Masks Staying Safe Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: Vaccinated people in the United States (US) only need to wear a mask outdoors in crowded settings (think sporting events, parades, and concerts). In other words, being vaccinated means you can get back to nearly normal outdoor activities just as the weather is warming up! Yeah!! TL;DR The new guidelines for mask use in Read more…
April 28, 2021
What is going on with J&J COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Verdena Jennings, DO
A: Johnson & Johnson was granted emergency authorization use (EAU) by the FDA for a vaccine against COVID-19 in late February. After receiving reports of a rare life-threatening blood clot condition occurring primarily in women under 50 within three weeks of getting this vaccine, CDC paused the use of the vaccine for 10 days. A Read more…
April 27, 2021
What about vaccines being used in developing countries?
Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
Q: Could you explain more about the vaccines being used in developing countries? Are these countries getting inferior vaccines? A. For a long time, very little was known about many of the vaccines in wide use outside the U.S., especially the ones from China like CoronaVac, Sinopharm, and CanSino, and the vaccine from Russia, Sputnik Read more…
April 27, 2021
If the most vulnerable are now protected due to the vaccine, why can’t we go back to normal life?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: We SO feel the yearning behind this question. The sacrifices made, especially by young people, are heart-breaking and real. Please hang in there–we are SO close to getting through the last mile AND the last inch of this pandemic. But we’re not there yet. In the US and the UK, vaccines have rolled out Read more…
April 26, 2021
I’m hearing a lot of conflicting opinions on what’s safe and what’s not. Help!
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: Humans are bad at assessing risk. We’re even worse at determining whether something is a real or hypothetical risk. By challenging our psychological assumptions, we can be smarter consumers of science information. Our personal sense of what’s risky and what’s safe is a *feeling*… and feelings aren’t always accurate. Here are some of our Read more…
April 25, 2021
Country update: India
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
India has been in the headlines over the past weeks for soaring case numbers, rising deaths, and a severely strained health system. What is happening, and how can other countries help? Let’s start with the numbers: For the past 4 days, India has recorded over 300,000 new cases *per day*, by far the highest number Read more…
April 24, 2021
How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
Q: These are tough times. How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic, like anger and happiness or relief and anxiety, at the same time? How can I make space for both? Dr. Aparna Kumar, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner here to answer. Many of us are struggling right now. How can we Read more…
A: Signs are hopeful! Widespread vaccination remains our best bet at #kickingCOVID. But having an arsenal of treatments is important, too. In a recent speech at the National Press Club, Dr. Fauci argued that the biggest treatment need is a convenient medicine – like a pill – that can stomp out severe disease at the Read more…
Is it normal to have pain in my armpit or breast after the COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
A: Very possible and normal, specifically on the side you received the vaccination. Throughout your body, hundreds of lymph nodes work to filter your lymphatic fluid. When your body is mounting an immune response, after an infection or a vaccine, lymph nodes can swell with fluid. Lymph nodes are located all over our bodies, with Read more…
April 28, 2021
What is the new guidance for wearing masks outdoors, particularly if we are vaccinated?
Masks Staying Safe Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: Vaccinated people in the United States (US) only need to wear a mask outdoors in crowded settings (think sporting events, parades, and concerts). In other words, being vaccinated means you can get back to nearly normal outdoor activities just as the weather is warming up! Yeah!! TL;DR The new guidelines for mask use in Read more…
April 28, 2021
What is going on with J&J COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Verdena Jennings, DO
A: Johnson & Johnson was granted emergency authorization use (EAU) by the FDA for a vaccine against COVID-19 in late February. After receiving reports of a rare life-threatening blood clot condition occurring primarily in women under 50 within three weeks of getting this vaccine, CDC paused the use of the vaccine for 10 days. A Read more…
April 27, 2021
What about vaccines being used in developing countries?
Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
Q: Could you explain more about the vaccines being used in developing countries? Are these countries getting inferior vaccines? A. For a long time, very little was known about many of the vaccines in wide use outside the U.S., especially the ones from China like CoronaVac, Sinopharm, and CanSino, and the vaccine from Russia, Sputnik Read more…
April 27, 2021
If the most vulnerable are now protected due to the vaccine, why can’t we go back to normal life?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: We SO feel the yearning behind this question. The sacrifices made, especially by young people, are heart-breaking and real. Please hang in there–we are SO close to getting through the last mile AND the last inch of this pandemic. But we’re not there yet. In the US and the UK, vaccines have rolled out Read more…
April 26, 2021
I’m hearing a lot of conflicting opinions on what’s safe and what’s not. Help!
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: Humans are bad at assessing risk. We’re even worse at determining whether something is a real or hypothetical risk. By challenging our psychological assumptions, we can be smarter consumers of science information. Our personal sense of what’s risky and what’s safe is a *feeling*… and feelings aren’t always accurate. Here are some of our Read more…
April 25, 2021
Country update: India
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
India has been in the headlines over the past weeks for soaring case numbers, rising deaths, and a severely strained health system. What is happening, and how can other countries help? Let’s start with the numbers: For the past 4 days, India has recorded over 300,000 new cases *per day*, by far the highest number Read more…
April 24, 2021
How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
Q: These are tough times. How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic, like anger and happiness or relief and anxiety, at the same time? How can I make space for both? Dr. Aparna Kumar, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner here to answer. Many of us are struggling right now. How can we Read more…
A: Very possible and normal, specifically on the side you received the vaccination. Throughout your body, hundreds of lymph nodes work to filter your lymphatic fluid. When your body is mounting an immune response, after an infection or a vaccine, lymph nodes can swell with fluid. Lymph nodes are located all over our bodies, with Read more…
What is the new guidance for wearing masks outdoors, particularly if we are vaccinated?
Masks Staying Safe Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: Vaccinated people in the United States (US) only need to wear a mask outdoors in crowded settings (think sporting events, parades, and concerts). In other words, being vaccinated means you can get back to nearly normal outdoor activities just as the weather is warming up! Yeah!! TL;DR The new guidelines for mask use in Read more…
April 28, 2021
What is going on with J&J COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Verdena Jennings, DO
A: Johnson & Johnson was granted emergency authorization use (EAU) by the FDA for a vaccine against COVID-19 in late February. After receiving reports of a rare life-threatening blood clot condition occurring primarily in women under 50 within three weeks of getting this vaccine, CDC paused the use of the vaccine for 10 days. A Read more…
April 27, 2021
What about vaccines being used in developing countries?
Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
Q: Could you explain more about the vaccines being used in developing countries? Are these countries getting inferior vaccines? A. For a long time, very little was known about many of the vaccines in wide use outside the U.S., especially the ones from China like CoronaVac, Sinopharm, and CanSino, and the vaccine from Russia, Sputnik Read more…
April 27, 2021
If the most vulnerable are now protected due to the vaccine, why can’t we go back to normal life?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: We SO feel the yearning behind this question. The sacrifices made, especially by young people, are heart-breaking and real. Please hang in there–we are SO close to getting through the last mile AND the last inch of this pandemic. But we’re not there yet. In the US and the UK, vaccines have rolled out Read more…
April 26, 2021
I’m hearing a lot of conflicting opinions on what’s safe and what’s not. Help!
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: Humans are bad at assessing risk. We’re even worse at determining whether something is a real or hypothetical risk. By challenging our psychological assumptions, we can be smarter consumers of science information. Our personal sense of what’s risky and what’s safe is a *feeling*… and feelings aren’t always accurate. Here are some of our Read more…
April 25, 2021
Country update: India
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
India has been in the headlines over the past weeks for soaring case numbers, rising deaths, and a severely strained health system. What is happening, and how can other countries help? Let’s start with the numbers: For the past 4 days, India has recorded over 300,000 new cases *per day*, by far the highest number Read more…
April 24, 2021
How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
Q: These are tough times. How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic, like anger and happiness or relief and anxiety, at the same time? How can I make space for both? Dr. Aparna Kumar, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner here to answer. Many of us are struggling right now. How can we Read more…
A: Vaccinated people in the United States (US) only need to wear a mask outdoors in crowded settings (think sporting events, parades, and concerts). In other words, being vaccinated means you can get back to nearly normal outdoor activities just as the weather is warming up! Yeah!! TL;DR The new guidelines for mask use in Read more…
What is going on with J&J COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Verdena Jennings, DO
A: Johnson & Johnson was granted emergency authorization use (EAU) by the FDA for a vaccine against COVID-19 in late February. After receiving reports of a rare life-threatening blood clot condition occurring primarily in women under 50 within three weeks of getting this vaccine, CDC paused the use of the vaccine for 10 days. A Read more…
April 27, 2021
What about vaccines being used in developing countries?
Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
Q: Could you explain more about the vaccines being used in developing countries? Are these countries getting inferior vaccines? A. For a long time, very little was known about many of the vaccines in wide use outside the U.S., especially the ones from China like CoronaVac, Sinopharm, and CanSino, and the vaccine from Russia, Sputnik Read more…
April 27, 2021
If the most vulnerable are now protected due to the vaccine, why can’t we go back to normal life?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: We SO feel the yearning behind this question. The sacrifices made, especially by young people, are heart-breaking and real. Please hang in there–we are SO close to getting through the last mile AND the last inch of this pandemic. But we’re not there yet. In the US and the UK, vaccines have rolled out Read more…
April 26, 2021
I’m hearing a lot of conflicting opinions on what’s safe and what’s not. Help!
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: Humans are bad at assessing risk. We’re even worse at determining whether something is a real or hypothetical risk. By challenging our psychological assumptions, we can be smarter consumers of science information. Our personal sense of what’s risky and what’s safe is a *feeling*… and feelings aren’t always accurate. Here are some of our Read more…
April 25, 2021
Country update: India
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
India has been in the headlines over the past weeks for soaring case numbers, rising deaths, and a severely strained health system. What is happening, and how can other countries help? Let’s start with the numbers: For the past 4 days, India has recorded over 300,000 new cases *per day*, by far the highest number Read more…
April 24, 2021
How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
Q: These are tough times. How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic, like anger and happiness or relief and anxiety, at the same time? How can I make space for both? Dr. Aparna Kumar, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner here to answer. Many of us are struggling right now. How can we Read more…
A: Johnson & Johnson was granted emergency authorization use (EAU) by the FDA for a vaccine against COVID-19 in late February. After receiving reports of a rare life-threatening blood clot condition occurring primarily in women under 50 within three weeks of getting this vaccine, CDC paused the use of the vaccine for 10 days. A Read more…
What about vaccines being used in developing countries?
Vaccines
Sandra Albrecht, PhD MPH
Q: Could you explain more about the vaccines being used in developing countries? Are these countries getting inferior vaccines? A. For a long time, very little was known about many of the vaccines in wide use outside the U.S., especially the ones from China like CoronaVac, Sinopharm, and CanSino, and the vaccine from Russia, Sputnik Read more…
April 27, 2021
If the most vulnerable are now protected due to the vaccine, why can’t we go back to normal life?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: We SO feel the yearning behind this question. The sacrifices made, especially by young people, are heart-breaking and real. Please hang in there–we are SO close to getting through the last mile AND the last inch of this pandemic. But we’re not there yet. In the US and the UK, vaccines have rolled out Read more…
April 26, 2021
I’m hearing a lot of conflicting opinions on what’s safe and what’s not. Help!
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: Humans are bad at assessing risk. We’re even worse at determining whether something is a real or hypothetical risk. By challenging our psychological assumptions, we can be smarter consumers of science information. Our personal sense of what’s risky and what’s safe is a *feeling*… and feelings aren’t always accurate. Here are some of our Read more…
April 25, 2021
Country update: India
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
India has been in the headlines over the past weeks for soaring case numbers, rising deaths, and a severely strained health system. What is happening, and how can other countries help? Let’s start with the numbers: For the past 4 days, India has recorded over 300,000 new cases *per day*, by far the highest number Read more…
April 24, 2021
How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
Q: These are tough times. How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic, like anger and happiness or relief and anxiety, at the same time? How can I make space for both? Dr. Aparna Kumar, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner here to answer. Many of us are struggling right now. How can we Read more…
Q: Could you explain more about the vaccines being used in developing countries? Are these countries getting inferior vaccines? A. For a long time, very little was known about many of the vaccines in wide use outside the U.S., especially the ones from China like CoronaVac, Sinopharm, and CanSino, and the vaccine from Russia, Sputnik Read more…
If the most vulnerable are now protected due to the vaccine, why can’t we go back to normal life?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: We SO feel the yearning behind this question. The sacrifices made, especially by young people, are heart-breaking and real. Please hang in there–we are SO close to getting through the last mile AND the last inch of this pandemic. But we’re not there yet. In the US and the UK, vaccines have rolled out Read more…
April 26, 2021
I’m hearing a lot of conflicting opinions on what’s safe and what’s not. Help!
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: Humans are bad at assessing risk. We’re even worse at determining whether something is a real or hypothetical risk. By challenging our psychological assumptions, we can be smarter consumers of science information. Our personal sense of what’s risky and what’s safe is a *feeling*… and feelings aren’t always accurate. Here are some of our Read more…
April 25, 2021
Country update: India
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
India has been in the headlines over the past weeks for soaring case numbers, rising deaths, and a severely strained health system. What is happening, and how can other countries help? Let’s start with the numbers: For the past 4 days, India has recorded over 300,000 new cases *per day*, by far the highest number Read more…
April 24, 2021
How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
Q: These are tough times. How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic, like anger and happiness or relief and anxiety, at the same time? How can I make space for both? Dr. Aparna Kumar, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner here to answer. Many of us are struggling right now. How can we Read more…
A: We SO feel the yearning behind this question. The sacrifices made, especially by young people, are heart-breaking and real. Please hang in there–we are SO close to getting through the last mile AND the last inch of this pandemic. But we’re not there yet. In the US and the UK, vaccines have rolled out Read more…
I’m hearing a lot of conflicting opinions on what’s safe and what’s not. Help!
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: Humans are bad at assessing risk. We’re even worse at determining whether something is a real or hypothetical risk. By challenging our psychological assumptions, we can be smarter consumers of science information. Our personal sense of what’s risky and what’s safe is a *feeling*… and feelings aren’t always accurate. Here are some of our Read more…
April 25, 2021
Country update: India
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
India has been in the headlines over the past weeks for soaring case numbers, rising deaths, and a severely strained health system. What is happening, and how can other countries help? Let’s start with the numbers: For the past 4 days, India has recorded over 300,000 new cases *per day*, by far the highest number Read more…
April 24, 2021
How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
Q: These are tough times. How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic, like anger and happiness or relief and anxiety, at the same time? How can I make space for both? Dr. Aparna Kumar, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner here to answer. Many of us are struggling right now. How can we Read more…
A: Humans are bad at assessing risk. We’re even worse at determining whether something is a real or hypothetical risk. By challenging our psychological assumptions, we can be smarter consumers of science information. Our personal sense of what’s risky and what’s safe is a *feeling*… and feelings aren’t always accurate. Here are some of our Read more…
Country update: India
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
India has been in the headlines over the past weeks for soaring case numbers, rising deaths, and a severely strained health system. What is happening, and how can other countries help? Let’s start with the numbers: For the past 4 days, India has recorded over 300,000 new cases *per day*, by far the highest number Read more…
April 24, 2021
How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
Q: These are tough times. How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic, like anger and happiness or relief and anxiety, at the same time? How can I make space for both? Dr. Aparna Kumar, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner here to answer. Many of us are struggling right now. How can we Read more…
India has been in the headlines over the past weeks for soaring case numbers, rising deaths, and a severely strained health system. What is happening, and how can other countries help? Let’s start with the numbers: For the past 4 days, India has recorded over 300,000 new cases *per day*, by far the highest number Read more…
How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic?
Mental Health
Aparna Kumar, PhD CRNP MPH
Q: These are tough times. How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic, like anger and happiness or relief and anxiety, at the same time? How can I make space for both? Dr. Aparna Kumar, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner here to answer. Many of us are struggling right now. How can we Read more…
Q: These are tough times. How can I deal with opposing feelings about the pandemic, like anger and happiness or relief and anxiety, at the same time? How can I make space for both? Dr. Aparna Kumar, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner here to answer. Many of us are struggling right now. How can we Read more…