Thursday, May 2

Tag: covid

Even If You’ve Already Had The Coronavirus – Why You Should Get A COVID-19 Vaccine
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COVID-19

Even If You’ve Already Had The Coronavirus – Why You Should Get A COVID-19 Vaccine

A few weeks ago, a message popped up in the corner of my screen. “What do you think about people who have recently had COVID–19 getting the vaccine?” A friend of mine was eligible for a COVID–19 vaccine, but she had recently gotten over an infection with SARS–CoV–2. More people are becoming eligible for vaccines each week – including millions of people who have already recovered from a coronavirus infection. Many are wondering whether they need the vaccine, especially people who have already been infected. I study immune responses to respiratory infections, so I get a lot of these types of questions. A person can develop immunity – the ability to resist infection – from being infected with a virus or from getting a vaccine. However, immune protection isn’t always equal. The strength of th...
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A July 4th With Much Greater Freedom From COVID-19: 4 Steps To Reaching Biden’s Goal
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COVID-19

A July 4th With Much Greater Freedom From COVID-19: 4 Steps To Reaching Biden’s Goal

President Joe Biden set a goal for the U.S. to have COVID-19 under enough control by summer that Americans can celebrate July 4th with family and friends, at least in small gatherings. Important in achieving this goal is another presidential request: that all U.S. adults be made eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations by May 1. We are public health deans who lead a variety of COVID-19 response efforts and are involved in public policy discussions. At a time when the nation is weary of hearing “no, you can’t,” we believe that thinking in terms of harm reduction – offering safer but not necessarily risk-free alternatives – is crucial. Harm reduction strategies are in use all around you. Seat belts and air bags are perhaps the most widespread harm reduction strategy for a leading cause of death ...
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With 3 Weeks Of Strict COVID-19 Measures The US Could Save Tens Of Thousands Of Lives And Tens Of Billions Of Dollars
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COVID-19

With 3 Weeks Of Strict COVID-19 Measures The US Could Save Tens Of Thousands Of Lives And Tens Of Billions Of Dollars

President Joe Biden commemorated the COVID-19 pandemic’s one-year anniversary by giving Americans an ambitious goal: Return to a semblance of normalcy by the Fourth of July. “But to get there we can’t let our guard down,” he added. Unfortunately, many states already have. Falling numbers of new coronavirus cases and accelerating vaccination rates have prompted Texas and a growing number of other states to ease more restrictions or drop them altogether. Their governors argue the economic costs are just too high and the measures no longer necessary. Federal health officials, meanwhile, are advising states to hold off on reopening too soon and urging Americans to continue to mask up and take other precautions in public – even if they’re fully vaccinated. About 1,500 people in the U.S. are ...
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Early Data Indicates Only A Handful Of US Foundations Quickly Pitched In As The COVID-19 Pandemic Got Underway
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Journalism

Early Data Indicates Only A Handful Of US Foundations Quickly Pitched In As The COVID-19 Pandemic Got Underway

Many U.S. foundations, which disbursed roughly US$76 billion in 2019, say they are giving more money away in the United States because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the health, economic and other crises it’s creating. As geographers who study the connections between money and power, we’re tracking this trend. It’s hard, because foundations do not have to disclose many details about what they do or how they make decisions. Often, foundations share very little information with the public about which organizations they are supporting. To get more insight, we analyzed nine months of data regarding roughly $1.4 billion in grants that 152 foundations pledged for causes related to the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. and the economic pain it brought on. We obtained this data from Candid, a group...
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African Americans And People With Vascular Dementia Are At Greater Risk For COVID-19
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HEALTH & WELLNESS, VIDEO REELS

African Americans And People With Vascular Dementia Are At Greater Risk For COVID-19

New research is shedding light on how dementia can increase people’s risk for developing COVID-19, particularly among two groups: African Americans and people with vascular dementia. The headline findings of a recent study revealed that dementia patients overall face twice the risk for developing COVID-19 as adults without dementia. But two other results from that study deserve more attention than they have received so far. One is that African Americans with dementia had three times the risk of developing COVID-19, and when they did, it was more likely to be life-threatening. African Americans with both dementia and COVID-19 had a higher hospitalization rate than white patients with dementia – 73% compared with 54% – and a higher death rate – 23% compared with 19% for whites. In view of ...
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HEALTH & WELLNESS

COVID-19 Sleep Loss – Daylight Saving Time Could Be Especially Hard This Weekend

The clock springs forward one hour on Sunday morning, March 14 for most people in the U.S. That is not an appealing thought for those who have suffered sleep problems because of the pandemic. Sleep this past year has been affected by a variety of factors, including anxiety, inconsistent schedules and increased screen time. This affects our health, as getting adequate sleep is important to assure our immune system can fend off and fight infections. Even before the pandemic, about 40% of adults – 50 to 70 million Americans – got less than the recommended minimum seven hours per night. And, many researchers were already concerned about how the twice-a-year switch affects our body’s physiology. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the largest scientific organization that studies sleep, i...
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Guilt A Growing Issue As COVID-19 Survivor’s Reality Of Loss Settles In
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COVID-19

Guilt A Growing Issue As COVID-19 Survivor’s Reality Of Loss Settles In

People are eager to return to normal after a year of coronavirus, but is the U.S. there yet? Hardly. The ongoing psychological and spiritual damage caused by the pandemic is rising, too. Guilt and shame are two prevailing emotions surrounding COVID-19. This guilt stems in part from the fact that anyone could be a potential carrier of the virus – so anyone, then, could unwittingly pass it to another person. Guilt can also arise when a person looks at the national and global death tolls and wonders how they were spared. Guilt also happens when family members can’t visit loved ones undergoing treatment at a hospital, or when someone with COVID-19 survives but reads about a infected stranger who died. A particular type of response called survivor’s guilt can occur when people lose loved ones...
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But Will They? States Drop COVID-19 Mask Mandates But Still Expect People To Mask Up
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COVID-19

But Will They? States Drop COVID-19 Mask Mandates But Still Expect People To Mask Up

The governors of Texas and Mississippi announced that they were rescinding their statewide mask mandates and allowing restaurants and other businesses to return to 100% capacity in early March. The moves come while new infection numbers in the U.S. are still higher than they were in September and just ahead of school spring breaks, known for large gatherings and crowded bars where the coronavirus can quickly spread. Along with Iowa, Montana and North Dakota, which recently lifted their mask orders, these states are part of an emerging trend of some states bucking national and international public health recommendations. Alabama and Utah plan to end their mask requirements in April. Wyoming’s governor announced on March 8 that he would drop his mask order, too. Residents and visitors in ...
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According To Economists: Biden’s $1,400 COVID-19 Checks Is Questionable Economics, May Be Great Politics
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BUSINESS, POLITICS

According To Economists: Biden’s $1,400 COVID-19 Checks Is Questionable Economics, May Be Great Politics

The US$1,400 direct checks to people are the most expensive and perhaps most popular part of the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package racing its way through Congress right now. The House is set to vote on a final version of the package narrowly passed by the Senate on March 6 before it moves on to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature. Moderate Senate Democrats, who had voiced concerns about how many people would receive direct payments in the original proposal endorsed by the House, managed to make them more targeted at lower-income households, which means an estimated 17 million fewer people will get a check. The coronavirus package contains a lot of provisions that will help struggling Americans, and we understand why the checks are so popular – with 78% support among adult...
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Here’s How To Make The Real And Risky Rollout Of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 Vaccine A Success
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BUSINESS

Here’s How To Make The Real And Risky Rollout Of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 Vaccine A Success

More than 50 million Americans have received at least one dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. So far, Americans have been largely brand-agnostic, but that’s about to change as a new vaccine rolls out. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been hailed as a game changer. It requires only a single dose rather than two doses spaced weeks apart, and it does not need freezer storage, making it a natural fit for hard-to-reach rural areas and underserved communities with limited access to health care and storage facilities. But while many people are excited about the prospects of only one shot, the new vaccine is also getting backlash. Part of that is coming from lack of clarify about the vaccines’ efficacy numbers, and part of it is more nuanced. On March 2, the U.S. Conferen...
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