Coronavirus | Penn Today

CureVac, the latest experimental coronavirus vaccine, proves just 48 percent effective overall, a disappointing result

Drew Weissman of the Perelman School of Medicine responded to claims by CureVac executives that their COVID-19 vaccine’s poor results were due to the number of variants, among other factors. “Variants may account for some of their poor efficacy, but the modified [messenger RNA] vaccines have shown good efficacy against variants,” said Weissman.

The pandemic, health inequities, and an ‘opportunity for change’

Experts across the University weigh in on which lessons the pandemic drove home and what immediate measures are needed to prevent future loss.

A person in a face mask giving hand sanitizer to a child also wearing a face mask.

Five tips for talking to young children about COVID-19 today

Many vaccinated adults have started going maskless, but most children still cannot. Some states are now fully open. Psychologist Caroline Watts offers parents language they can use to talk openly as a family about this newest phase of the pandemic.

Philly gives doctors of color starring role to encourage vaccinations

Rotonya M. Carr of the Perelman School of Medicine participated in a campaign by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health to encourage COVID-19 vaccination. “I love that we’re able to amplify how many in our area have already been vaccinated,” she said.

Two people seated at a table in front of a panel that reads "Penn Medicine" many times over. The person on the left is wearing a gray suit, with a white shirt and red tie. The person on the right is wearing glasses, an orange shirt, and a black cardigan.

Penn mRNA pioneers receive the Princess of Asturias Award

Drew Weissman and Katalin Karikó earned the prestigious honor for their foundational research that led to development of two lifesaving mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.

Person smiling at a sewing machine while making masks for COVID-19 face coverings.

Having a strong life purpose eases the loneliness of COVID-19 isolation

Those who felt their life was guided by meaningful values or goals were more willing to engage in COVID-19 protective behaviors.

Eugene Lew reflects on a year without live performances

During the pandemic, the lecturer and director of Sound and Music Technology in the Department of Music switched from organizing live performance events to collaborative online technology.

Third COVID vaccine dose helps some transplant patients

Richard Wender of the Perelman School of Medicine said specialists, not primary care doctors, should be responsible for responding to emerging vaccination recommendations for unique populations such as transplant patients. Primary care doctors’ “focus needs to be on helping to overcome hesitancy, mistrust, lack of information, or anti-vaccination sentiment to help more people feel comfortable being vaccinated—this is a lot of work and needs constant focus,” he said.

Mass. joins several other states already deploying vaccine lotteries

David Asch of the Wharton School and Perelman School of Medicine said vaccine lotteries “appeal to the emotional side of our nature rather than the quantitative transactional side, and the former usually wins.”

Scientists report earliest known coronavirus infections in five U.S. states

Scott Hensley of the Perelman School of Medicine commented on new research that identifies seven people who may be been infected with COVID-19 before the first confirmed cases in the U.S. “This is an interesting paper because it raises the idea that everyone thinks is true, that there were infections that were going undiagnosed,” he said.

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