Coronavirus | Penn Today

A hospital room with all lights off but the fluorescent light above bed, which has a green blanket. Behind the bed is a hospital tray that swivels and a blue chair. On the yellow wall behind are about 8 outlets.

In the U.S., COVID-19 wasn’t sole cause of excess deaths in 2020

Comparing death rates in the United States with those of the five biggest European countries, Penn and Max Planck demographers found that significant excess mortality cost more lives annually than the epidemic itself.

A person receives a vaccination at a Penn Medicine vaccine site by a masked professional while other masked people wait on folding chairs in the room.

An approach to COVID-19 vaccination equity for Black neighborhoods

A new paper centers racial equity and address the structural barriers that have prevented Black and other underrepresented minority communities from being vaccinated against COVID-19 at equitable rates.

COVID communications and first generation students

Marcus Wright, undergraduate program manager and academic coordinator in the Department of Sociology and doctoral student at the Graduate School of Education, analyzes academic messaging to expose blind spots.

Many colleges will require the COVID vaccine—here are some of the challenges ahead

Eric Feldman of the Law School weighed in on COVID vaccine requirements at colleges and universities. “The question is, at Rutgers, for example, where students exercise the exemptions that they’re allowed to exercise, either religious or medical and don’t get back to vaccinated then will they be allowed back on campus?” he asked. “Or will they not be allowed on campus? And what’s Rutgers’ legal responsibility to provide accommodation for them?”

Biden, public health officials face crossroads on COVID-19

Aaron Richterman of the Perelman School of Medicine said promoting how effective COVID-19 vaccines actually are would help convince more people to get vaccinated. “Nothing is ever 100 percent, but these are as effective as any vaccine that’s ever been tested,” he said. “That’s how I would frame that.”

To speed vaccination, some call for delaying second shots

PIK Professor Ezekiel Emanuel proposed that for the next few weeks all COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. should go to people receiving their first dose. “That should be enough to quell the fourth surge, especially in places like Michigan, like Minnesota,” he said.

Young person running laps on a track wearing a face mask.

How young athletes can safely return to sports after COVID-19

Sports medicine experts at Penn worked with school districts to develop a protocol for student athletes to safely return to competitive sports, and the strenuous exercise levels associated with those activities.

Understanding and addressing barriers to COVID vaccine acceptance

Different communities have different reasons for wanting to wait on this shot. Getting to the heart of those concerns can help meet people where they are.

Amid record pandemic travel, what’s safe? And the debate over vaccine passports

PIK Professor Ezekiel Emanuel spoke about so-called “vaccine passports” and privacy. “In public health there’s a principle that you should use the least restrictive method necessary,” he said. “This allows us to say, ‘Those people who’ve gotten vaccinated, you don’t have to adhere to certain restrictions because you are now immune.’”

Selfie of David Roos in front of two desktop computer monitors and a laptop.

David S. Roos on the future of COVID-19

The E. Otis Kendall Professor of Biology and infectious disease specialist discusses the virus, its variants, and vaccines in a Q&A.

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