Coronavirus

The Wall Street Journal

What do we actually know about COVID-19? Not enough

A January survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center suggests that more than half of people have returned to pre-pandemic life.

The Atlantic

The next stage of COVID is starting now

Scott Hensley of the Perelman School of Medicine says that children’s responses and vulnerability to future bouts of coronavirus may depend on the variants they encounter.

Wired

No one knows if you need another COVID booster

Paul Offit of the Perelman School of Medicine believes that boosters might not be necessary for anyone but the most vulnerable patients, at least until long-lasting T-cell responses dissipate.

Illustration of COVID-19, made by drawing in red circular orbs with match-like objects sticking out around all of them.

States with high COVID-19 death rates also saw high mortality from other causes

Research from Penn, Boston University, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation shows that between March 2020 and February 2021 non-COVID deaths accounted for some 20% of excess mortality.

Politifact

Immunity from COVID-19 infection is strong and lasting, but carries risks, research finds

According to John Wherry of the Perelman School of Medicine, it’s not surprising that SARS-CoV-2 infection generates robust immunity, including protection from disease.

Associated Press

FDA’s own reputation could be restraining its misinfo fight

A Penn survey conducted last year found that only a quarter of Americans had “a lot” of trust in the FDA’s handling of COVID-19, while less than half said they had “some trust.”

The Conversation

Three things the pandemic taught us about inequality in college—and why they matter today

Doctoral candidate Elena G. van Stee in the School of Arts & Sciences outlines three lessons on disparity from the pandemic that can help colleges better address student inequality.

A silhouette of a person in black on a red background. The person is holding a phone that reads "COVID-19" and the back of the head is open, with many different symbols flowing out, including a globe, a hospital, a needle, a vial, a mask, the dollar sign, and a TV screen that reads "Fake News."

Q&A

Why COVID misinformation continues to spread

Penn Medicine’s Anish Agarwal discusses why false claims about the virus and vaccines arise and persist, plus what he hopes will come from NIH-funded research he and Penn Engineering’s Sharath Chandra Guntuku have recently begun.

two young people wearing lie under a blanket on a couch, looking sick

Five things to know about this year’s ‘tripledemic’

The Perelman School of Medicine’s E. John Wherry and Scott Hensley discuss the season’s confluence of COVID-19, influenza, and RSV and how our bodies are responding.

Philadelphia Inquirer

Penn scientists are honored for mRNA research used in COVID vaccines

Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman of the Perelman School of Medicine have been named to the National Inventors Hall of Fame for their research on mRNA vaccines.

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