Italy – once overwhelmed by COVID-19 – turns to a health pass and stricter measures to contain virus

After enduring a devastating wave of infections, deaths and lockdowns at the start of the pandemic, Italy is putting in place tougher anti-COVID measures, including a vaccine passport.

Sara Belligoni, Ph.D. Candidate in Security Studies, University of Central Florida • conversation
Aug. 23, 2021 ~11 min

After India's brutal coronavirus wave, two-thirds of population has been exposed to SARS-CoV2

A public health scholar based in New Delhi explains how India has emerged from the massive spike in COVID-19 cases, even as the country braces for a new wave.

Rajib Dasgupta, Chairperson, Centre of Social Medicine and Community Health, Jawaharlal Nehru University • conversation
Aug. 20, 2021 ~10 min


Mexico, facing its third COVID-19 wave, shows the dangers of weak federal coordination

COVID-19 cases in Mexico are approaching the highest levels seen during the second wave in late January 2021, with about 22,000 new infections a day. A slow vaccine rollout is stunting progress.

Felicia Marie Knaul, Director, Institute for Advanced Study of the Americas, University of Miami • conversation
Aug. 18, 2021 ~10 min

Study provides suggestions for keeping classroom air fresh

MIT team looks at classroom configurations and offers modifications to enhance safety during Covid-19 pandemic.

Peter Dizikes | MIT News Office • mit
Aug. 13, 2021 ~10 min

Emotion is a big part of how you assess risk – and why it's so hard to be objective about pandemic precautions

How you respond to a risk depends on how you weigh the costs and benefits of an action. The problem is you’re not just a logical computer, and emotions bias your interpretation of the facts.

Sheldon H. Jacobson, Professor of Computer Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign • conversation
Aug. 12, 2021 ~9 min

State policies can provide clear guidance on when to put on and take off masks – with benefits to health, education and the economy

After the CDC changed course in late July, recommending universal masking indoors, Nevada became the first state to adopt a flexible masking policy that can quickly adjust to changing COVID-19 rates.

Alexandra Skinner, Research Fellow of Health Law, Policy and Management, Boston University • conversation
Aug. 10, 2021 ~10 min

New device can diagnose Covid-19 from saliva samples

The tabletop diagnostic yields results in an hour and can be programmed to detect variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Anne Trafton | MIT News Office • mit
Aug. 6, 2021 ~7 min

Funerals will hit 100 million a year by 2060 – here’s how to make them more sustainable

Death is a part of life: but environmentally harmful burial practices, overcrowded cemeteries and unaffordable funerals are denying many the right to a good death.

Julie Rugg, Senior Research Fellow, University of York • conversation
Aug. 6, 2021 ~7 min


How to combat Delta, according to Harvard epidemiologist

Harvard Associate Professor of Epidemiology William Hanage provides tips on how to deal with the Delta variant of COVID-19.

Lian Parsons • harvard
Aug. 5, 2021 ~3 min

How to persuade the unvaccinated

Robert Blendon examined the divide among Americans over vaccine mandates.

Liz Mineo • harvard
July 29, 2021 ~4 min

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