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Health

Coronavirus
Johns Hopkins ramps up COVID-19 testing
Published July 20, 2020
A team of about 90 work around the clock in the microbiology lab processing up to 1,500 COVID-19 tests each day, returning results in less than 24 hours
Reopening
Experts share strategies for safely reopening schools
Published July 17, 2020
Chief among the recommendations are practicing physical distancing in schools, providing federal funding to support schools, and ensuring community transmission of coronavirus is under control in surrounding areas
Q+A
Is coronavirus airborne?
Published July 16, 2020
Engineer Peter DeCarlo discusses evidence of airborne transmission, particle behavior, risks, and why he added his name to an open letter urging WHO to revise their guidance
Seasonal flu
Fast-spreading mutation helps common flu subtype escape human immune response
Published July 15, 2020
Unlike the novel coronavirus, which has been shown to mutate slowly, strains of influenza virus have acquired a mutation that blocks antibodies from binding to a key viral protein, making vaccine development more complex
Public health
How contact tracing breaks the chain of COVID-19 transmission
Published July 14, 2020
One COVID-19 patient could lead to thousands of new cases. Contact tracers use calls, texts, and personal persuasion to prevent that from happening.
Neuroscience
Antidepressant harms developing neurons in lab-grown 'mini-brains'
Published July 13, 2020
Model of a developing brain derived from stem cells could allow for the rapid and more reliable testing of drugs to detect neurotoxicity
Fertility treatment
Abnormal cells in embryos might not prevent IVF success
Published July 10, 2020
Study shows that chromosomal abnormalities in embryos may be more common than previously thought, may lead to development of healthy babies during IVF
Education
Johns Hopkins launches reopening policy tracker for K-12 schools
Published July 9, 2020
The interactive map and resource guides compare and analyze reopening plans for schools nationwide, offering solutions for safe education during the pandemic
By the numbers
Coronavirus infections and death rate higher in prisons
Published July 8, 2020
Infection rate is five times higher and the death rate is three times higher in state and federal prisons than in the general population, study finds
Health care costs
Study finds high out-of-pocket costs for COVID-19 hospitalizations
Published July 6, 2020
The highest burden seen is for tens of millions of employees with high-deductible plans at companies that self-insure and assume financial risk for health costs