World Health Organization: what does it spend its money on?

The Trump administration has halted funding to the World Health Organization in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. But what does it actually do with its budget?

Sumit Mazumdar, Research Fellow at the Centre for Health Economics, University of York • conversation
April 23, 2020 ~8 min

The coronavirus pandemic might make buildings sick, too

Office buildings have been left mostly empty for weeks amid the coronavirus pandemic, leaving standing water in pipes where harmful organisms can grow. What happens when those buildings reopen?

William Rhoads, Research Scientist, Virginia Tech • conversation
April 21, 2020 ~7 min


Want to know how many people have the coronavirus? Test randomly

Researchers and public health officials still don't know how widespread nor how deadly the coronavirus really is. Random testing is a way to quickly and easily learn this important information.

Michael Herron, William Clinton Story Remsen '43 Professor of Government and Chair, Program in Quantitative Social Science, Dartmouth College • conversation
April 13, 2020 ~8 min

Safe Paths: A privacy-first approach to contact tracing

A multinational team develops new tools to slow the spread of pandemics.

MIT Media Lab • mit
April 10, 2020 ~9 min

Digital surveillance can help bring the coronavirus pandemic under control – but also threatens privacy

Cellphone data can show who coronavirus patients interacted with, which can help isolate infected people before they feel ill. But how digital contact tracing is implemented matters.

Jennifer Daskal, Professor of Law and Faculty Director, Technology, Law & Security Program, American University • conversation
April 9, 2020 ~9 min

Bluetooth signals from your smartphone could automate Covid-19 contact tracing while preserving privacy

A system that enables smartphones to transmit “chirps” to nearby devices could notify people if they have been near an infected person.

Kylie Foy | Lincoln Laboratory • mit
April 8, 2020 ~10 min

In the rush to innovate for COVID-19 drugs, sound science is still essential

To battle the coronavirus, strong regulatory protection from the FDA is essential.

Keith Joiner, Professor of Medicine, Economics and Health Promotions Science, University of Arizona • conversation
April 8, 2020 ~9 min

Coronavirus case counts are going to go up – but that doesn't mean social distancing is a bust

COVID-19 has a long incubation time, and testing can take days to get results. Don't let continually rising case numbers make you give up on staying at home.

Abram Wagner, Research Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, University of Michigan • conversation
April 3, 2020 ~6 min


MIT’s entrepreneurial ecosystem steps up to the challenge of Covid-19

Entrepreneurial groups around the Institute have launched initiatives to address challenges brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Zach Winn | MIT News Office • mit
April 2, 2020 ~8 min

Social media companies are taking steps to tamp down coronavirus misinformation – but they can do more

Facebook, Google and Twitter are stepping up to block misinformation and promote accurate information about the coronavirus. Their track records on self-policing are poor. The results so far are mixed.

Bhaskar Chakravorti, Dean of Global Business, The Fletcher School, Tufts University • conversation
March 30, 2020 ~11 min

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