What’s the news on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine?
Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: The news is GOOD!! TL;DR: The single-shot vaccine provides strong protection against COVID-19 severe disease and death, and requires only normal refrigeration. Johnson & Johnson is a “viral vector” vaccine, in which a non-replicating adenovirus (a cause of common cold) is used as a delivery service for instructions to create the coronavirus spike protein. Read more…
Should we be preparing to re-enter society?
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
Q: For otherwise healthy people, what’s safe to do these days? Should we be preparing to re-enter society? And if so, how do we address our serious fears about health safety? A: Safe socialization is important for our well-being and thriving, so when you’re ready, use your SMARTS, assess the risks, name the feelings that Read more…
Any news yet about whether vaccines prevent asymptomatic infection?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: YES! We are getting a steady trail of clues hinting that the vaccines DO IN FACT REDUCE INFECTIONS! This is magnificent news, and badly needed as we pass half a million COVID-19 deaths in the United States and many hundreds of thousands more worldwide. We can celebrate it as a real milestone in the Read more…
500,000 deaths in the US
Data and Metrics
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
Today we take a moment to remember each and every person who died of COVID-19 in the last 11 months — 500,000 deaths in the US as of yesterday. Large numbers are hard to put into context. In our absence of words to capture the trauma and tragedy of this massive societal and personal loss, Read more…
Do people who’ve already had COVID-19 need BOTH doses of the vaccine?
Biology/Immunity Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Possibly not. One shot may work as an effective booster in those previously infected. Given the large number of people who have been infected by SARS-COV-2 in many countries and the continued scarcity of vaccine doses, understanding the impact of the vaccines on the immunity of those previously infected is an important question. Several Read more…
Dr. Alison Buttenheim Testifies Before Congress
Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
We’re interrupting your regular feed to bring you this shameless brag: On Friday, our co-founder Dr. Alison Buttenheim, PhD, MBA, of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, testified before Congress at a hearing of the United States House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, & Technology. The hearing, titled “Science of COVID-19 Vaccines and Read more…
Can you please help us understand vaccine efficacy vs. effectiveness?
Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: Why yes we can! Vaccine efficacy and effectiveness both measure the % reduction in disease in the vaccinated group compared to the unvaccinated group. Vaccine efficacy measures this under *optimal conditions*, such as a vaccine trial, and vaccine effectiveness measures this in *real world settings*. How was vaccine efficacy evaluated in vaccine trials? In Read more…
Dear Pandemic COVID Q&A
Mental Health Staying Safe Vaccines Videos
In this live Q&A, Dear Pandemic contributing scientists Drs. Sandra Albrecht and Malia Jones will be taking questions about pet birds, what 95% efficacy really means, when safety measures are just too much, and what’s up with that CDC thing about vaccines wearing off in 3 months. If you have a question, put it in Read more…
Is it normal to have pain in my armpit or breast after the COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
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…
Any advice on pandemic dating?
Infection and Spread Socializing Staying Safe
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
“I’m single and in my late 30s … Pandemic dating is so hard… What is safe protocol for dating when you are in that “multiple first date” space because you haven’t found someone you want to go on multiple dates with yet?” Dating is hard in the best of times! Once you factor in a Read more…
When did you first hear about COVID?
Mental Health
Joanna Dreifus, MPH
It’s time for Throwback Thursday! When did you first hear about COVID? How did you hear? Share your story below. We want to hear it! One year later, it’s kind of tough to remember a time in our lives before COVID. We’re going to be coming up on a lot of 1-year-ago-today memories as this Read more…
What accounts for the recent drop in COVID-19 cases in the US?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
Q: It looks like Covid-19 infection rates have dropped significantly in the US since the vaccine became available. Is the vaccine already having an impact? What else would account for the drop?” A: Of all the possible explanations — vaccination, immunity from prior infection, behavior change, seasonality, and less testing — the best answer seems to Read more…
What’s in the vaccine from Oxford-AstraZeneca (and, what isn’t)?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
We’re getting a lot of questions about what is (and is not) in the COVID-19 vaccine made by Oxford-AstraZeneca. So here’s an explainer on the ingredients. This vaccine contains a virus that causes the common cold in chimpanzees. It has been genetically modified so that it can’t infect you, and also so that it delivers Read more…
This pandemic winter is dragging on … and on. I need a safe happiness boost. Right now.
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: We feel you! Here are four research-based tips to plant the seeds of change even as many of us are still buried under the (literal and figurative) snow. 😊 Say no more often. You might call it the “yes, sure… oh, dang” problem. Academics call it hyperbolic discounting. It’s the challenge we all have Read more…
Can mRNA vaccines change my DNA?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: No. The mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna contain a message which instructs your cells to make a protein shaped like a small part of the virus that causes COVID-19. The message is called messenger RNA or mRNA. Messenger RNA only contains the information it takes to make a certain protein. This can’t change Read more…
A: The news is GOOD!! TL;DR: The single-shot vaccine provides strong protection against COVID-19 severe disease and death, and requires only normal refrigeration. Johnson & Johnson is a “viral vector” vaccine, in which a non-replicating adenovirus (a cause of common cold) is used as a delivery service for instructions to create the coronavirus spike protein. Read more…
Should we be preparing to re-enter society?
Mental HealthChristine Whelan, PhD
Q: For otherwise healthy people, what’s safe to do these days? Should we be preparing to re-enter society? And if so, how do we address our serious fears about health safety? A: Safe socialization is important for our well-being and thriving, so when you’re ready, use your SMARTS, assess the risks, name the feelings that Read more…
Any news yet about whether vaccines prevent asymptomatic infection?
Infection and Spread Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: YES! We are getting a steady trail of clues hinting that the vaccines DO IN FACT REDUCE INFECTIONS! This is magnificent news, and badly needed as we pass half a million COVID-19 deaths in the United States and many hundreds of thousands more worldwide. We can celebrate it as a real milestone in the Read more…
500,000 deaths in the US
Data and Metrics
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
Today we take a moment to remember each and every person who died of COVID-19 in the last 11 months — 500,000 deaths in the US as of yesterday. Large numbers are hard to put into context. In our absence of words to capture the trauma and tragedy of this massive societal and personal loss, Read more…
Do people who’ve already had COVID-19 need BOTH doses of the vaccine?
Biology/Immunity Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Possibly not. One shot may work as an effective booster in those previously infected. Given the large number of people who have been infected by SARS-COV-2 in many countries and the continued scarcity of vaccine doses, understanding the impact of the vaccines on the immunity of those previously infected is an important question. Several Read more…
Dr. Alison Buttenheim Testifies Before Congress
Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
We’re interrupting your regular feed to bring you this shameless brag: On Friday, our co-founder Dr. Alison Buttenheim, PhD, MBA, of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, testified before Congress at a hearing of the United States House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, & Technology. The hearing, titled “Science of COVID-19 Vaccines and Read more…
Can you please help us understand vaccine efficacy vs. effectiveness?
Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: Why yes we can! Vaccine efficacy and effectiveness both measure the % reduction in disease in the vaccinated group compared to the unvaccinated group. Vaccine efficacy measures this under *optimal conditions*, such as a vaccine trial, and vaccine effectiveness measures this in *real world settings*. How was vaccine efficacy evaluated in vaccine trials? In Read more…
Dear Pandemic COVID Q&A
Mental Health Staying Safe Vaccines Videos
In this live Q&A, Dear Pandemic contributing scientists Drs. Sandra Albrecht and Malia Jones will be taking questions about pet birds, what 95% efficacy really means, when safety measures are just too much, and what’s up with that CDC thing about vaccines wearing off in 3 months. If you have a question, put it in Read more…
Is it normal to have pain in my armpit or breast after the COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
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…
Any advice on pandemic dating?
Infection and Spread Socializing Staying Safe
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
“I’m single and in my late 30s … Pandemic dating is so hard… What is safe protocol for dating when you are in that “multiple first date” space because you haven’t found someone you want to go on multiple dates with yet?” Dating is hard in the best of times! Once you factor in a Read more…
When did you first hear about COVID?
Mental Health
Joanna Dreifus, MPH
It’s time for Throwback Thursday! When did you first hear about COVID? How did you hear? Share your story below. We want to hear it! One year later, it’s kind of tough to remember a time in our lives before COVID. We’re going to be coming up on a lot of 1-year-ago-today memories as this Read more…
What accounts for the recent drop in COVID-19 cases in the US?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
Q: It looks like Covid-19 infection rates have dropped significantly in the US since the vaccine became available. Is the vaccine already having an impact? What else would account for the drop?” A: Of all the possible explanations — vaccination, immunity from prior infection, behavior change, seasonality, and less testing — the best answer seems to Read more…
What’s in the vaccine from Oxford-AstraZeneca (and, what isn’t)?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
We’re getting a lot of questions about what is (and is not) in the COVID-19 vaccine made by Oxford-AstraZeneca. So here’s an explainer on the ingredients. This vaccine contains a virus that causes the common cold in chimpanzees. It has been genetically modified so that it can’t infect you, and also so that it delivers Read more…
This pandemic winter is dragging on … and on. I need a safe happiness boost. Right now.
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: We feel you! Here are four research-based tips to plant the seeds of change even as many of us are still buried under the (literal and figurative) snow. 😊 Say no more often. You might call it the “yes, sure… oh, dang” problem. Academics call it hyperbolic discounting. It’s the challenge we all have Read more…
Can mRNA vaccines change my DNA?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: No. The mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna contain a message which instructs your cells to make a protein shaped like a small part of the virus that causes COVID-19. The message is called messenger RNA or mRNA. Messenger RNA only contains the information it takes to make a certain protein. This can’t change Read more…
Q: For otherwise healthy people, what’s safe to do these days? Should we be preparing to re-enter society? And if so, how do we address our serious fears about health safety? A: Safe socialization is important for our well-being and thriving, so when you’re ready, use your SMARTS, assess the risks, name the feelings that Read more…
Any news yet about whether vaccines prevent asymptomatic infection?
Infection and Spread VaccinesMalia Jones, PhD MPH
A: YES! We are getting a steady trail of clues hinting that the vaccines DO IN FACT REDUCE INFECTIONS! This is magnificent news, and badly needed as we pass half a million COVID-19 deaths in the United States and many hundreds of thousands more worldwide. We can celebrate it as a real milestone in the Read more…
500,000 deaths in the US
Data and Metrics
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
Today we take a moment to remember each and every person who died of COVID-19 in the last 11 months — 500,000 deaths in the US as of yesterday. Large numbers are hard to put into context. In our absence of words to capture the trauma and tragedy of this massive societal and personal loss, Read more…
Do people who’ve already had COVID-19 need BOTH doses of the vaccine?
Biology/Immunity Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Possibly not. One shot may work as an effective booster in those previously infected. Given the large number of people who have been infected by SARS-COV-2 in many countries and the continued scarcity of vaccine doses, understanding the impact of the vaccines on the immunity of those previously infected is an important question. Several Read more…
Dr. Alison Buttenheim Testifies Before Congress
Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
We’re interrupting your regular feed to bring you this shameless brag: On Friday, our co-founder Dr. Alison Buttenheim, PhD, MBA, of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, testified before Congress at a hearing of the United States House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, & Technology. The hearing, titled “Science of COVID-19 Vaccines and Read more…
Can you please help us understand vaccine efficacy vs. effectiveness?
Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: Why yes we can! Vaccine efficacy and effectiveness both measure the % reduction in disease in the vaccinated group compared to the unvaccinated group. Vaccine efficacy measures this under *optimal conditions*, such as a vaccine trial, and vaccine effectiveness measures this in *real world settings*. How was vaccine efficacy evaluated in vaccine trials? In Read more…
Dear Pandemic COVID Q&A
Mental Health Staying Safe Vaccines Videos
In this live Q&A, Dear Pandemic contributing scientists Drs. Sandra Albrecht and Malia Jones will be taking questions about pet birds, what 95% efficacy really means, when safety measures are just too much, and what’s up with that CDC thing about vaccines wearing off in 3 months. If you have a question, put it in Read more…
Is it normal to have pain in my armpit or breast after the COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
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…
Any advice on pandemic dating?
Infection and Spread Socializing Staying Safe
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
“I’m single and in my late 30s … Pandemic dating is so hard… What is safe protocol for dating when you are in that “multiple first date” space because you haven’t found someone you want to go on multiple dates with yet?” Dating is hard in the best of times! Once you factor in a Read more…
When did you first hear about COVID?
Mental Health
Joanna Dreifus, MPH
It’s time for Throwback Thursday! When did you first hear about COVID? How did you hear? Share your story below. We want to hear it! One year later, it’s kind of tough to remember a time in our lives before COVID. We’re going to be coming up on a lot of 1-year-ago-today memories as this Read more…
What accounts for the recent drop in COVID-19 cases in the US?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
Q: It looks like Covid-19 infection rates have dropped significantly in the US since the vaccine became available. Is the vaccine already having an impact? What else would account for the drop?” A: Of all the possible explanations — vaccination, immunity from prior infection, behavior change, seasonality, and less testing — the best answer seems to Read more…
What’s in the vaccine from Oxford-AstraZeneca (and, what isn’t)?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
We’re getting a lot of questions about what is (and is not) in the COVID-19 vaccine made by Oxford-AstraZeneca. So here’s an explainer on the ingredients. This vaccine contains a virus that causes the common cold in chimpanzees. It has been genetically modified so that it can’t infect you, and also so that it delivers Read more…
This pandemic winter is dragging on … and on. I need a safe happiness boost. Right now.
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: We feel you! Here are four research-based tips to plant the seeds of change even as many of us are still buried under the (literal and figurative) snow. 😊 Say no more often. You might call it the “yes, sure… oh, dang” problem. Academics call it hyperbolic discounting. It’s the challenge we all have Read more…
Can mRNA vaccines change my DNA?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: No. The mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna contain a message which instructs your cells to make a protein shaped like a small part of the virus that causes COVID-19. The message is called messenger RNA or mRNA. Messenger RNA only contains the information it takes to make a certain protein. This can’t change Read more…
A: YES! We are getting a steady trail of clues hinting that the vaccines DO IN FACT REDUCE INFECTIONS! This is magnificent news, and badly needed as we pass half a million COVID-19 deaths in the United States and many hundreds of thousands more worldwide. We can celebrate it as a real milestone in the Read more…
500,000 deaths in the US
Data and MetricsAshley Ritter, APRN, PhD
Today we take a moment to remember each and every person who died of COVID-19 in the last 11 months — 500,000 deaths in the US as of yesterday. Large numbers are hard to put into context. In our absence of words to capture the trauma and tragedy of this massive societal and personal loss, Read more…
Do people who’ve already had COVID-19 need BOTH doses of the vaccine?
Biology/Immunity Vaccines
Jennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Possibly not. One shot may work as an effective booster in those previously infected. Given the large number of people who have been infected by SARS-COV-2 in many countries and the continued scarcity of vaccine doses, understanding the impact of the vaccines on the immunity of those previously infected is an important question. Several Read more…
Dr. Alison Buttenheim Testifies Before Congress
Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
We’re interrupting your regular feed to bring you this shameless brag: On Friday, our co-founder Dr. Alison Buttenheim, PhD, MBA, of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, testified before Congress at a hearing of the United States House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, & Technology. The hearing, titled “Science of COVID-19 Vaccines and Read more…
Can you please help us understand vaccine efficacy vs. effectiveness?
Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: Why yes we can! Vaccine efficacy and effectiveness both measure the % reduction in disease in the vaccinated group compared to the unvaccinated group. Vaccine efficacy measures this under *optimal conditions*, such as a vaccine trial, and vaccine effectiveness measures this in *real world settings*. How was vaccine efficacy evaluated in vaccine trials? In Read more…
Dear Pandemic COVID Q&A
Mental Health Staying Safe Vaccines Videos
In this live Q&A, Dear Pandemic contributing scientists Drs. Sandra Albrecht and Malia Jones will be taking questions about pet birds, what 95% efficacy really means, when safety measures are just too much, and what’s up with that CDC thing about vaccines wearing off in 3 months. If you have a question, put it in Read more…
Is it normal to have pain in my armpit or breast after the COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
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…
Any advice on pandemic dating?
Infection and Spread Socializing Staying Safe
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
“I’m single and in my late 30s … Pandemic dating is so hard… What is safe protocol for dating when you are in that “multiple first date” space because you haven’t found someone you want to go on multiple dates with yet?” Dating is hard in the best of times! Once you factor in a Read more…
When did you first hear about COVID?
Mental Health
Joanna Dreifus, MPH
It’s time for Throwback Thursday! When did you first hear about COVID? How did you hear? Share your story below. We want to hear it! One year later, it’s kind of tough to remember a time in our lives before COVID. We’re going to be coming up on a lot of 1-year-ago-today memories as this Read more…
What accounts for the recent drop in COVID-19 cases in the US?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
Q: It looks like Covid-19 infection rates have dropped significantly in the US since the vaccine became available. Is the vaccine already having an impact? What else would account for the drop?” A: Of all the possible explanations — vaccination, immunity from prior infection, behavior change, seasonality, and less testing — the best answer seems to Read more…
What’s in the vaccine from Oxford-AstraZeneca (and, what isn’t)?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
We’re getting a lot of questions about what is (and is not) in the COVID-19 vaccine made by Oxford-AstraZeneca. So here’s an explainer on the ingredients. This vaccine contains a virus that causes the common cold in chimpanzees. It has been genetically modified so that it can’t infect you, and also so that it delivers Read more…
This pandemic winter is dragging on … and on. I need a safe happiness boost. Right now.
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: We feel you! Here are four research-based tips to plant the seeds of change even as many of us are still buried under the (literal and figurative) snow. 😊 Say no more often. You might call it the “yes, sure… oh, dang” problem. Academics call it hyperbolic discounting. It’s the challenge we all have Read more…
Can mRNA vaccines change my DNA?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: No. The mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna contain a message which instructs your cells to make a protein shaped like a small part of the virus that causes COVID-19. The message is called messenger RNA or mRNA. Messenger RNA only contains the information it takes to make a certain protein. This can’t change Read more…
Today we take a moment to remember each and every person who died of COVID-19 in the last 11 months — 500,000 deaths in the US as of yesterday. Large numbers are hard to put into context. In our absence of words to capture the trauma and tragedy of this massive societal and personal loss, Read more…
Do people who’ve already had COVID-19 need BOTH doses of the vaccine?
Biology/Immunity VaccinesJennifer Beam Dowd, PhD
A: Possibly not. One shot may work as an effective booster in those previously infected. Given the large number of people who have been infected by SARS-COV-2 in many countries and the continued scarcity of vaccine doses, understanding the impact of the vaccines on the immunity of those previously infected is an important question. Several Read more…
Dr. Alison Buttenheim Testifies Before Congress
Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
We’re interrupting your regular feed to bring you this shameless brag: On Friday, our co-founder Dr. Alison Buttenheim, PhD, MBA, of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, testified before Congress at a hearing of the United States House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, & Technology. The hearing, titled “Science of COVID-19 Vaccines and Read more…
Can you please help us understand vaccine efficacy vs. effectiveness?
Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: Why yes we can! Vaccine efficacy and effectiveness both measure the % reduction in disease in the vaccinated group compared to the unvaccinated group. Vaccine efficacy measures this under *optimal conditions*, such as a vaccine trial, and vaccine effectiveness measures this in *real world settings*. How was vaccine efficacy evaluated in vaccine trials? In Read more…
Dear Pandemic COVID Q&A
Mental Health Staying Safe Vaccines Videos
In this live Q&A, Dear Pandemic contributing scientists Drs. Sandra Albrecht and Malia Jones will be taking questions about pet birds, what 95% efficacy really means, when safety measures are just too much, and what’s up with that CDC thing about vaccines wearing off in 3 months. If you have a question, put it in Read more…
Is it normal to have pain in my armpit or breast after the COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
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…
Any advice on pandemic dating?
Infection and Spread Socializing Staying Safe
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
“I’m single and in my late 30s … Pandemic dating is so hard… What is safe protocol for dating when you are in that “multiple first date” space because you haven’t found someone you want to go on multiple dates with yet?” Dating is hard in the best of times! Once you factor in a Read more…
When did you first hear about COVID?
Mental Health
Joanna Dreifus, MPH
It’s time for Throwback Thursday! When did you first hear about COVID? How did you hear? Share your story below. We want to hear it! One year later, it’s kind of tough to remember a time in our lives before COVID. We’re going to be coming up on a lot of 1-year-ago-today memories as this Read more…
What accounts for the recent drop in COVID-19 cases in the US?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
Q: It looks like Covid-19 infection rates have dropped significantly in the US since the vaccine became available. Is the vaccine already having an impact? What else would account for the drop?” A: Of all the possible explanations — vaccination, immunity from prior infection, behavior change, seasonality, and less testing — the best answer seems to Read more…
What’s in the vaccine from Oxford-AstraZeneca (and, what isn’t)?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
We’re getting a lot of questions about what is (and is not) in the COVID-19 vaccine made by Oxford-AstraZeneca. So here’s an explainer on the ingredients. This vaccine contains a virus that causes the common cold in chimpanzees. It has been genetically modified so that it can’t infect you, and also so that it delivers Read more…
This pandemic winter is dragging on … and on. I need a safe happiness boost. Right now.
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: We feel you! Here are four research-based tips to plant the seeds of change even as many of us are still buried under the (literal and figurative) snow. 😊 Say no more often. You might call it the “yes, sure… oh, dang” problem. Academics call it hyperbolic discounting. It’s the challenge we all have Read more…
Can mRNA vaccines change my DNA?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: No. The mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna contain a message which instructs your cells to make a protein shaped like a small part of the virus that causes COVID-19. The message is called messenger RNA or mRNA. Messenger RNA only contains the information it takes to make a certain protein. This can’t change Read more…
A: Possibly not. One shot may work as an effective booster in those previously infected. Given the large number of people who have been infected by SARS-COV-2 in many countries and the continued scarcity of vaccine doses, understanding the impact of the vaccines on the immunity of those previously infected is an important question. Several Read more…
Dr. Alison Buttenheim Testifies Before Congress
VaccinesMalia Jones, PhD MPH
We’re interrupting your regular feed to bring you this shameless brag: On Friday, our co-founder Dr. Alison Buttenheim, PhD, MBA, of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, testified before Congress at a hearing of the United States House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, & Technology. The hearing, titled “Science of COVID-19 Vaccines and Read more…
Can you please help us understand vaccine efficacy vs. effectiveness?
Vaccines
Amanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: Why yes we can! Vaccine efficacy and effectiveness both measure the % reduction in disease in the vaccinated group compared to the unvaccinated group. Vaccine efficacy measures this under *optimal conditions*, such as a vaccine trial, and vaccine effectiveness measures this in *real world settings*. How was vaccine efficacy evaluated in vaccine trials? In Read more…
Dear Pandemic COVID Q&A
Mental Health Staying Safe Vaccines Videos
In this live Q&A, Dear Pandemic contributing scientists Drs. Sandra Albrecht and Malia Jones will be taking questions about pet birds, what 95% efficacy really means, when safety measures are just too much, and what’s up with that CDC thing about vaccines wearing off in 3 months. If you have a question, put it in Read more…
Is it normal to have pain in my armpit or breast after the COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
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…
Any advice on pandemic dating?
Infection and Spread Socializing Staying Safe
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
“I’m single and in my late 30s … Pandemic dating is so hard… What is safe protocol for dating when you are in that “multiple first date” space because you haven’t found someone you want to go on multiple dates with yet?” Dating is hard in the best of times! Once you factor in a Read more…
When did you first hear about COVID?
Mental Health
Joanna Dreifus, MPH
It’s time for Throwback Thursday! When did you first hear about COVID? How did you hear? Share your story below. We want to hear it! One year later, it’s kind of tough to remember a time in our lives before COVID. We’re going to be coming up on a lot of 1-year-ago-today memories as this Read more…
What accounts for the recent drop in COVID-19 cases in the US?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
Q: It looks like Covid-19 infection rates have dropped significantly in the US since the vaccine became available. Is the vaccine already having an impact? What else would account for the drop?” A: Of all the possible explanations — vaccination, immunity from prior infection, behavior change, seasonality, and less testing — the best answer seems to Read more…
What’s in the vaccine from Oxford-AstraZeneca (and, what isn’t)?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
We’re getting a lot of questions about what is (and is not) in the COVID-19 vaccine made by Oxford-AstraZeneca. So here’s an explainer on the ingredients. This vaccine contains a virus that causes the common cold in chimpanzees. It has been genetically modified so that it can’t infect you, and also so that it delivers Read more…
This pandemic winter is dragging on … and on. I need a safe happiness boost. Right now.
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: We feel you! Here are four research-based tips to plant the seeds of change even as many of us are still buried under the (literal and figurative) snow. 😊 Say no more often. You might call it the “yes, sure… oh, dang” problem. Academics call it hyperbolic discounting. It’s the challenge we all have Read more…
Can mRNA vaccines change my DNA?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: No. The mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna contain a message which instructs your cells to make a protein shaped like a small part of the virus that causes COVID-19. The message is called messenger RNA or mRNA. Messenger RNA only contains the information it takes to make a certain protein. This can’t change Read more…
We’re interrupting your regular feed to bring you this shameless brag: On Friday, our co-founder Dr. Alison Buttenheim, PhD, MBA, of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, testified before Congress at a hearing of the United States House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, & Technology. The hearing, titled “Science of COVID-19 Vaccines and Read more…
Can you please help us understand vaccine efficacy vs. effectiveness?
VaccinesAmanda Simanek, PhD MPH
A: Why yes we can! Vaccine efficacy and effectiveness both measure the % reduction in disease in the vaccinated group compared to the unvaccinated group. Vaccine efficacy measures this under *optimal conditions*, such as a vaccine trial, and vaccine effectiveness measures this in *real world settings*. How was vaccine efficacy evaluated in vaccine trials? In Read more…
Dear Pandemic COVID Q&A
Mental Health Staying Safe Vaccines Videos
In this live Q&A, Dear Pandemic contributing scientists Drs. Sandra Albrecht and Malia Jones will be taking questions about pet birds, what 95% efficacy really means, when safety measures are just too much, and what’s up with that CDC thing about vaccines wearing off in 3 months. If you have a question, put it in Read more…
Is it normal to have pain in my armpit or breast after the COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
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…
Any advice on pandemic dating?
Infection and Spread Socializing Staying Safe
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
“I’m single and in my late 30s … Pandemic dating is so hard… What is safe protocol for dating when you are in that “multiple first date” space because you haven’t found someone you want to go on multiple dates with yet?” Dating is hard in the best of times! Once you factor in a Read more…
When did you first hear about COVID?
Mental Health
Joanna Dreifus, MPH
It’s time for Throwback Thursday! When did you first hear about COVID? How did you hear? Share your story below. We want to hear it! One year later, it’s kind of tough to remember a time in our lives before COVID. We’re going to be coming up on a lot of 1-year-ago-today memories as this Read more…
What accounts for the recent drop in COVID-19 cases in the US?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
Q: It looks like Covid-19 infection rates have dropped significantly in the US since the vaccine became available. Is the vaccine already having an impact? What else would account for the drop?” A: Of all the possible explanations — vaccination, immunity from prior infection, behavior change, seasonality, and less testing — the best answer seems to Read more…
What’s in the vaccine from Oxford-AstraZeneca (and, what isn’t)?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
We’re getting a lot of questions about what is (and is not) in the COVID-19 vaccine made by Oxford-AstraZeneca. So here’s an explainer on the ingredients. This vaccine contains a virus that causes the common cold in chimpanzees. It has been genetically modified so that it can’t infect you, and also so that it delivers Read more…
This pandemic winter is dragging on … and on. I need a safe happiness boost. Right now.
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: We feel you! Here are four research-based tips to plant the seeds of change even as many of us are still buried under the (literal and figurative) snow. 😊 Say no more often. You might call it the “yes, sure… oh, dang” problem. Academics call it hyperbolic discounting. It’s the challenge we all have Read more…
Can mRNA vaccines change my DNA?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: No. The mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna contain a message which instructs your cells to make a protein shaped like a small part of the virus that causes COVID-19. The message is called messenger RNA or mRNA. Messenger RNA only contains the information it takes to make a certain protein. This can’t change Read more…
A: Why yes we can! Vaccine efficacy and effectiveness both measure the % reduction in disease in the vaccinated group compared to the unvaccinated group. Vaccine efficacy measures this under *optimal conditions*, such as a vaccine trial, and vaccine effectiveness measures this in *real world settings*. How was vaccine efficacy evaluated in vaccine trials? In Read more…
Dear Pandemic COVID Q&A
Mental Health Staying Safe Vaccines VideosIn this live Q&A, Dear Pandemic contributing scientists Drs. Sandra Albrecht and Malia Jones will be taking questions about pet birds, what 95% efficacy really means, when safety measures are just too much, and what’s up with that CDC thing about vaccines wearing off in 3 months. If you have a question, put it in Read more…
Is it normal to have pain in my armpit or breast after the COVID-19 vaccine?
VaccinesAshley Ritter, APRN, PhD
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…
Any advice on pandemic dating?
Infection and Spread Socializing Staying Safe
Lauren Hale, PhD MA
“I’m single and in my late 30s … Pandemic dating is so hard… What is safe protocol for dating when you are in that “multiple first date” space because you haven’t found someone you want to go on multiple dates with yet?” Dating is hard in the best of times! Once you factor in a Read more…
When did you first hear about COVID?
Mental Health
Joanna Dreifus, MPH
It’s time for Throwback Thursday! When did you first hear about COVID? How did you hear? Share your story below. We want to hear it! One year later, it’s kind of tough to remember a time in our lives before COVID. We’re going to be coming up on a lot of 1-year-ago-today memories as this Read more…
What accounts for the recent drop in COVID-19 cases in the US?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
Q: It looks like Covid-19 infection rates have dropped significantly in the US since the vaccine became available. Is the vaccine already having an impact? What else would account for the drop?” A: Of all the possible explanations — vaccination, immunity from prior infection, behavior change, seasonality, and less testing — the best answer seems to Read more…
What’s in the vaccine from Oxford-AstraZeneca (and, what isn’t)?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
We’re getting a lot of questions about what is (and is not) in the COVID-19 vaccine made by Oxford-AstraZeneca. So here’s an explainer on the ingredients. This vaccine contains a virus that causes the common cold in chimpanzees. It has been genetically modified so that it can’t infect you, and also so that it delivers Read more…
This pandemic winter is dragging on … and on. I need a safe happiness boost. Right now.
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: We feel you! Here are four research-based tips to plant the seeds of change even as many of us are still buried under the (literal and figurative) snow. 😊 Say no more often. You might call it the “yes, sure… oh, dang” problem. Academics call it hyperbolic discounting. It’s the challenge we all have Read more…
Can mRNA vaccines change my DNA?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: No. The mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna contain a message which instructs your cells to make a protein shaped like a small part of the virus that causes COVID-19. The message is called messenger RNA or mRNA. Messenger RNA only contains the information it takes to make a certain protein. This can’t change 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…
Any advice on pandemic dating?
Infection and Spread Socializing Staying SafeLauren Hale, PhD MA
“I’m single and in my late 30s … Pandemic dating is so hard… What is safe protocol for dating when you are in that “multiple first date” space because you haven’t found someone you want to go on multiple dates with yet?” Dating is hard in the best of times! Once you factor in a Read more…
When did you first hear about COVID?
Mental Health
Joanna Dreifus, MPH
It’s time for Throwback Thursday! When did you first hear about COVID? How did you hear? Share your story below. We want to hear it! One year later, it’s kind of tough to remember a time in our lives before COVID. We’re going to be coming up on a lot of 1-year-ago-today memories as this Read more…
What accounts for the recent drop in COVID-19 cases in the US?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
Q: It looks like Covid-19 infection rates have dropped significantly in the US since the vaccine became available. Is the vaccine already having an impact? What else would account for the drop?” A: Of all the possible explanations — vaccination, immunity from prior infection, behavior change, seasonality, and less testing — the best answer seems to Read more…
What’s in the vaccine from Oxford-AstraZeneca (and, what isn’t)?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
We’re getting a lot of questions about what is (and is not) in the COVID-19 vaccine made by Oxford-AstraZeneca. So here’s an explainer on the ingredients. This vaccine contains a virus that causes the common cold in chimpanzees. It has been genetically modified so that it can’t infect you, and also so that it delivers Read more…
This pandemic winter is dragging on … and on. I need a safe happiness boost. Right now.
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: We feel you! Here are four research-based tips to plant the seeds of change even as many of us are still buried under the (literal and figurative) snow. 😊 Say no more often. You might call it the “yes, sure… oh, dang” problem. Academics call it hyperbolic discounting. It’s the challenge we all have Read more…
Can mRNA vaccines change my DNA?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: No. The mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna contain a message which instructs your cells to make a protein shaped like a small part of the virus that causes COVID-19. The message is called messenger RNA or mRNA. Messenger RNA only contains the information it takes to make a certain protein. This can’t change Read more…
“I’m single and in my late 30s … Pandemic dating is so hard… What is safe protocol for dating when you are in that “multiple first date” space because you haven’t found someone you want to go on multiple dates with yet?” Dating is hard in the best of times! Once you factor in a Read more…
When did you first hear about COVID?
Mental HealthJoanna Dreifus, MPH
It’s time for Throwback Thursday! When did you first hear about COVID? How did you hear? Share your story below. We want to hear it! One year later, it’s kind of tough to remember a time in our lives before COVID. We’re going to be coming up on a lot of 1-year-ago-today memories as this Read more…
What accounts for the recent drop in COVID-19 cases in the US?
Data and Metrics Infection and Spread
Alison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
Q: It looks like Covid-19 infection rates have dropped significantly in the US since the vaccine became available. Is the vaccine already having an impact? What else would account for the drop?” A: Of all the possible explanations — vaccination, immunity from prior infection, behavior change, seasonality, and less testing — the best answer seems to Read more…
What’s in the vaccine from Oxford-AstraZeneca (and, what isn’t)?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
We’re getting a lot of questions about what is (and is not) in the COVID-19 vaccine made by Oxford-AstraZeneca. So here’s an explainer on the ingredients. This vaccine contains a virus that causes the common cold in chimpanzees. It has been genetically modified so that it can’t infect you, and also so that it delivers Read more…
This pandemic winter is dragging on … and on. I need a safe happiness boost. Right now.
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: We feel you! Here are four research-based tips to plant the seeds of change even as many of us are still buried under the (literal and figurative) snow. 😊 Say no more often. You might call it the “yes, sure… oh, dang” problem. Academics call it hyperbolic discounting. It’s the challenge we all have Read more…
Can mRNA vaccines change my DNA?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: No. The mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna contain a message which instructs your cells to make a protein shaped like a small part of the virus that causes COVID-19. The message is called messenger RNA or mRNA. Messenger RNA only contains the information it takes to make a certain protein. This can’t change Read more…
It’s time for Throwback Thursday! When did you first hear about COVID? How did you hear? Share your story below. We want to hear it! One year later, it’s kind of tough to remember a time in our lives before COVID. We’re going to be coming up on a lot of 1-year-ago-today memories as this Read more…
What accounts for the recent drop in COVID-19 cases in the US?
Data and Metrics Infection and SpreadAlison Buttenheim, PhD MBA, Co-founder & Advisor
Q: It looks like Covid-19 infection rates have dropped significantly in the US since the vaccine became available. Is the vaccine already having an impact? What else would account for the drop?” A: Of all the possible explanations — vaccination, immunity from prior infection, behavior change, seasonality, and less testing — the best answer seems to Read more…
What’s in the vaccine from Oxford-AstraZeneca (and, what isn’t)?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
We’re getting a lot of questions about what is (and is not) in the COVID-19 vaccine made by Oxford-AstraZeneca. So here’s an explainer on the ingredients. This vaccine contains a virus that causes the common cold in chimpanzees. It has been genetically modified so that it can’t infect you, and also so that it delivers Read more…
This pandemic winter is dragging on … and on. I need a safe happiness boost. Right now.
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: We feel you! Here are four research-based tips to plant the seeds of change even as many of us are still buried under the (literal and figurative) snow. 😊 Say no more often. You might call it the “yes, sure… oh, dang” problem. Academics call it hyperbolic discounting. It’s the challenge we all have Read more…
Can mRNA vaccines change my DNA?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: No. The mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna contain a message which instructs your cells to make a protein shaped like a small part of the virus that causes COVID-19. The message is called messenger RNA or mRNA. Messenger RNA only contains the information it takes to make a certain protein. This can’t change Read more…
Q: It looks like Covid-19 infection rates have dropped significantly in the US since the vaccine became available. Is the vaccine already having an impact? What else would account for the drop?” A: Of all the possible explanations — vaccination, immunity from prior infection, behavior change, seasonality, and less testing — the best answer seems to Read more…
What’s in the vaccine from Oxford-AstraZeneca (and, what isn’t)?
Uncertainty and Misinformation VaccinesMalia Jones, PhD MPH
We’re getting a lot of questions about what is (and is not) in the COVID-19 vaccine made by Oxford-AstraZeneca. So here’s an explainer on the ingredients. This vaccine contains a virus that causes the common cold in chimpanzees. It has been genetically modified so that it can’t infect you, and also so that it delivers Read more…
This pandemic winter is dragging on … and on. I need a safe happiness boost. Right now.
Mental Health
Christine Whelan, PhD
A: We feel you! Here are four research-based tips to plant the seeds of change even as many of us are still buried under the (literal and figurative) snow. 😊 Say no more often. You might call it the “yes, sure… oh, dang” problem. Academics call it hyperbolic discounting. It’s the challenge we all have Read more…
Can mRNA vaccines change my DNA?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: No. The mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna contain a message which instructs your cells to make a protein shaped like a small part of the virus that causes COVID-19. The message is called messenger RNA or mRNA. Messenger RNA only contains the information it takes to make a certain protein. This can’t change Read more…
We’re getting a lot of questions about what is (and is not) in the COVID-19 vaccine made by Oxford-AstraZeneca. So here’s an explainer on the ingredients. This vaccine contains a virus that causes the common cold in chimpanzees. It has been genetically modified so that it can’t infect you, and also so that it delivers Read more…
This pandemic winter is dragging on … and on. I need a safe happiness boost. Right now.
Mental HealthChristine Whelan, PhD
A: We feel you! Here are four research-based tips to plant the seeds of change even as many of us are still buried under the (literal and figurative) snow. 😊 Say no more often. You might call it the “yes, sure… oh, dang” problem. Academics call it hyperbolic discounting. It’s the challenge we all have Read more…
Can mRNA vaccines change my DNA?
Uncertainty and Misinformation Vaccines
Malia Jones, PhD MPH
A: No. The mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna contain a message which instructs your cells to make a protein shaped like a small part of the virus that causes COVID-19. The message is called messenger RNA or mRNA. Messenger RNA only contains the information it takes to make a certain protein. This can’t change Read more…
A: We feel you! Here are four research-based tips to plant the seeds of change even as many of us are still buried under the (literal and figurative) snow. 😊 Say no more often. You might call it the “yes, sure… oh, dang” problem. Academics call it hyperbolic discounting. It’s the challenge we all have Read more…
Can mRNA vaccines change my DNA?
Uncertainty and Misinformation VaccinesMalia Jones, PhD MPH
A: No. The mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna contain a message which instructs your cells to make a protein shaped like a small part of the virus that causes COVID-19. The message is called messenger RNA or mRNA. Messenger RNA only contains the information it takes to make a certain protein. This can’t change Read more…
A: No. The mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna contain a message which instructs your cells to make a protein shaped like a small part of the virus that causes COVID-19. The message is called messenger RNA or mRNA. Messenger RNA only contains the information it takes to make a certain protein. This can’t change Read more…
