Public Health
The Coronavirus Is Here to Stay—Here’s What That Means
A Nature survey shows many scientists expect the virus that causes COVID-19 to become endemic, but it could pose less danger over time
"The Coronavirus Outbreak"
Public Health
How Will the Coronavirus Evolve?
If we’re lucky, mutations will make SARS-CoV-2 less lethal, as happened with the 1918 flu—but there’s no guarantee of that
Public Health
Which COVID Vaccine Is ‘Best’? Why Do Some People Have Side Effects? Experts Answer These Questions and More
Scientific American talked to scientists about everything from what efficacy means to protection against the new coronavirus variants
Public Health
Nursing Home Workers Had One of the Deadliest Jobs of 2020
An analysis of incomplete data shows they had a death rate higher than that of loggers and may have rivaled fishers for the most perilous profession
Public Health
Booster Shots against Scary COVID Virus Variants Are in the Works
Vaccine makers are designing follow-up shots based on new mutations to keep the disease at bay
Medicine
COVID Vaccines Are Safe and Effective—What the Research Says
As more coronavirus vaccines are rolled out, researchers are learning about the extent and nature of side effects
Policy
How President Biden Can Deliver on His Vaccine Promise to Communities of Color
It will require the federal government to use a scientific, data-driven system for identifying those most in need
Public Health
Coronavirus News Roundup: February 6–February 12
Pandemic highlights for the week
Cognition
Masks Can Be Detrimental to Babies’ Speech and Language Development
The good news is that parents can take action to compensate
Medicine
Why It’s So Hard to Make Antiviral Drugs for COVID and Other Diseases
Antibiotics abound, but virus-fighting drugs are harder to come by. Fortunately, scientists are getting better at making and finding them
Public Health
A Visual Guide to the New Coronavirus Variants
The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus seems to be suddenly acquiring mutations at a rapid rate. The most worrying variants, first discovered in South Africa and Brazil, increase the virus’s contagiousness and may even help it evade the human immune system...
Public Health
Why COVID Vaccines Are Taking So Long to Reach You
Bottlenecks in supply chains and difficult appointment-registration systems are slowing distribution
Medicine
Is It Safe to Delay a Second COVID Vaccine Dose?
Some evidence indicates that short waits are safe, but there is a chance that partial immunization could help risky new coronavirus variants to develop
Public Health
Safely Reopening Requires Testing, Tracing and Isolation, Not Just Vaccines
No matter how effective vaccines are, they are not enough
Public Health
Why the U.S. Is Underestimating COVID Reinfection
Many U.S. states aren’t rigorously tracking or investigating suspected cases of reinfection
Public Health
The Pandemic Has Caused a Steep Decline in Living Standards
A survey of more than 30,000 households in developing countries shows increased food insecurity
Mental Health
Pregnant during Pandemic: The Bump That No One Saw
Finding meaning for life’s milestones—in my case growing a child—can seem bizarre in COVID isolation
Public Health
Why Are We Still Deep-Cleaning Surfaces for COVID?
The coronavirus behind the pandemic can linger on doorknobs and other surfaces, but these aren’t a major source of infection
Medicine
Why COVID Vaccines Are Likely Safe for Pregnant People
The scantness of available data leaves the decision up to the individual and their doctors, though benefits can outweigh risks in some cases
Public Health
A COVID Look-alike That Strikes Young Adults
A dangerous lung illness stems from substandard vape liquids
