Public health surveillance, from social media to sewage, spots disease outbreaks early to stop them fast

Rather than winging it when an unusual health event crops up, health officials take a systematic approach. The goal is to quickly figure out what’s going on and squash any outbreak before it spreads.

John Duah, Assistant Professor of Health Services Administration, Auburn University • conversation
Nov. 21, 2024 ~9 min

Marburg virus outbreaks are increasing in frequency and geographic spread – three virologists explain

The Marburg virus, a close cousin of Ebola, currently has no approved treatments or vaccines to protect against it.

Judith Olejnik, Senior Research Scientist, Boston University • conversation
March 13, 2023 ~9 min


How the 'test to treat' initiative aims to get ahead of the next wave of COVID-19

Earlier detection and treatment of COVID-19 by health care providers in pharmacies could help prevent surges in infection rates and severe illness.

Adrian V. Hernandez, Associate Professor of Comparative Effectiveness and Outcomes Research, University of Connecticut • conversation
April 5, 2022 ~10 min

Clarifying the CDC's COVID-19 quarantine and isolation guidelines – an infectious disease doc looks at the latest research

The CDC’s controversial recommendation changes are based on new studies showing that most omicron transmission takes place within five days of the onset of illness.

William Petri, Professor of Medicine, University of Virginia • conversation
March 4, 2022 ~6 min

The US was not prepared for a pandemic – free market capitalism and government deregulation may be to blame

While neoliberalism has allowed U.S. markets to grow, the resultant stunted public health system left Americans to figure out how to protect themselves from COVID-19 and its fallout on their own.

Elanah Uretsky, Associate Professor of International and Global Studies, Brandeis University • conversation
Nov. 5, 2021 ~10 min

How Apple and Google let your phone warn you if you've been exposed to the coronavirus while protecting your privacy

Bluetooth wireless communication makes it possible to track when people have been exposed to people infected with the coronavirus. The right cryptography scheme keeps alerts about exposures private.

David Starobinski, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University • conversation
Feb. 12, 2021 ~11 min

This DIY contact tracing app helps people exposed to COVID-19 remember who they met

With new US COVID-19 cases topping 200,000 a day, contact tracers are overwhelmed. Here's how infected people can start tracing and notifying contacts themselves.

Ian Jason Lee, Doctoral Student, Florida International University • conversation
Dec. 4, 2020 ~7 min

New DIY contact tracing app expands the fight against COVID-19, using the science of memory

With new US COVID-19 cases topping 200,000 a day, contact tracers are overwhelmed. Here's how infected people can start tracing and notifying contacts themselves.

Ian Jason Lee, Doctoral Student, Florida International University • conversation
Dec. 4, 2020 ~7 min


Contact-tracing apps: there's no evidence they're helping stop COVID-19

Download rates have been disappointing and people aren't following self-isolation warnings.

Allison Gardner, Lecturer in Computer Science/Co-founder Women Leading in AI, Keele University • conversation
Oct. 21, 2020 ~7 min

As COVID-19 cases rise again, how will the US respond? Here's what states have learned so far

States have been experimenting with more targeted approaches to slow the coronavirus's spread. Two strategies stand out.

Murray J. Côté, Associate Professor of Health Policy and Management, Texas A&M University • conversation
Oct. 12, 2020 ~8 min

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