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Health

A table of hand sewn masks
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
Flu virus
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
Image of contact tracers at work
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.
Paxil
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
Microscopic image of embryo
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
Illustration of a school
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
Prison cells
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
A checkbook and medical bill
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
Crowded New York City street
Study: Urban density not linked to higher coronavirus infection rates
Published July 2, 2020
Study of more than 900 U.S. metropolitan counties suggests that area size matters more than population density in spread of COVID-19
Shop sign reads "Due to the coronavirus we will be closed until further notice"
Flattening the curve
Individuals practiced physical distancing before state mandates
Published July 1, 2020
New study of cell phone data shows that people in counties hardest hit by the pandemic voluntarily reduced their number of daily trips outside the home to slow the spread of coronavirus