First lockdown's effect on air pollution was overstated, our study reveals
Exaggerating how much lockdown improved air quality could allow us to underestimate the scale of the air pollution problem.
Jan. 13, 2021 • ~7 min
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Delaying second COVID-19 vaccine doses will make supplies last longer but comes with risks
With vaccine shortages looming, experts are debating whether it is important to receive two doses or whether it's better to give one dose to more people and give a second when the supply is better.
Jan. 11, 2021 • ~11 min
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COVID-19 crisis in Los Angeles: Why activating 'crisis standards of care' is crucial for overwhelmed hospitals
States and hospitals are starting to declare 'crisis standards of care' as the pandemic floods their ERs. The orders have consequences – both good and bad, as a medical ethicist explains.
Jan. 6, 2021 • ~8 min
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Seat belts and smoking rates show people eventually adopt healthy behaviors – but it can take time we don't have during a pandemic
Public health recommendations have always been a hard sell. Resistance to new behaviors – like the mask-wearing and social distancing advised during the COVID-19 pandemic – is part of human nature.
Dec. 29, 2020 • ~7 min
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Getting COVID-19 vaccines to rural Americans is harder than it looks – but there are ways to lift the barriers
The vaccines' cold storage requirements and shipment rules put small, rural communities at a disadvantage, but that's only part of a long-running challenge.
Dec. 28, 2020 • ~8 min
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Why getting COVID-19 vaccines to rural Americans is harder than it looks, and how to lift the barriers
The vaccines' cold storage requirements and shipment rules put small, rural communities at a disadvantage, but that's only part of a long-running challenge.
Dec. 28, 2020 • ~8 min
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Should pregnant women get the COVID-19 vaccine? Will it protect against asymptomatic infections and mutated viruses? An immunologist answers 3 questions
With vaccines forthcoming for most Americans, many groups, including expectant mothers, are wondering if the vaccine is safe for them and their babies. A physician-scientist explains.
Dec. 23, 2020 • ~6 min
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Why it matters that the coronavirus is changing – and what this means for vaccine effectiveness
A new strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 appears to be spreading fast in the the UK. What does this mean for vaccine developers and vaccinations?
Dec. 22, 2020 • ~6 min
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New antidepressants can lift depression and suicidal thoughts fast, but don’t expect magic cures
Drugs like ketamine can relieve depression symptoms, including suicidal thoughts, within hours, but they also carry risks that patients need to understand.
Dec. 21, 2020 • ~8 min
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The top scientific breakthrough for 2020 was understanding SARS-CoV-2 and how it causes COVID-19 – and then developing multiple vaccines
The development of multiple vaccines against the virus that causes COVID-19 has been hailed as the breakthrough of 2020. But there were many more supporting discoveries that made this possible.
Dec. 17, 2020 • ~11 min
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