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.

Sanjay Mishra, Project Coordinator & Staff Scientist, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt University • conversation
Jan. 11, 2021 • ~11 min

The cold supply chain can't reach everywhere – that's a big problem for equitable COVID-19 vaccination

So far, the only COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use need to be kept frozen. But there are many places in the world that can't support a cold supply chain.

Charles M. Schweik, Professor of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst • conversation
Jan. 4, 2021 • ~7 min

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.

William Petri, Professor of Medicine, University of Virginia • conversation
Dec. 23, 2020 • ~6 min

Would you eat indoors at a restaurant? We asked five health experts

Experts weigh in on whether they will sit and eat at a restaurant.

Thomas A. Russo, Professor and Chief, Infectious Disease, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo • conversation
Dec. 23, 2020 • ~9 min

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?

David Kennedy, Assistant Professor of Biology, Penn State • conversation
Dec. 22, 2020 • ~6 min

International Statistic of the Year: Race for a COVID-19 vaccine

The coronavirus vaccine was developed faster than any vaccine in history. It took just 332 days from the first sequencing of the virus genome to the first vaccines given to the public.

Liberty Vittert, Professor of the Practice of Data Science, Washington University in St Louis • conversation
Dec. 18, 2020 • ~5 min

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.

David Pride, Associate Director of Microbiology, University of California San Diego • conversation
Dec. 17, 2020 • ~11 min

My university will be getting COVID-19 vaccines soon – here's how my team will get doses into arms

Health systems around the US are on the cusp of receiving COVID-19 vaccines. At the end of this months-long effort are the nitty-gritty details of how health care providers are giving people the vaccine.

Desi Kotis, Associate Dean and Professor of Pharmacy, University of California, San Francisco • conversation
Dec. 11, 2020 • ~7 min

Daily DIY sniff checks could catch many cases of COVID-19

COVID-19 patients often lose their sense of smell and taste. This is rare for a viral infection. At-home smell tests could be used as a screening tool and help slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Cara Exten, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, Penn State • conversation
Dec. 9, 2020 • ~8 min

Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 will have side effects – that's a good thing

The side effects of new SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are a result of immune system activation. While uncomfortable, they are both normal and expected. They are a sign that the vaccine is working.

Matthew Woodruff, Instructor, Lowance Center for Human Immunology, Emory University • conversation
Dec. 3, 2020 • ~9 min

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