4/22
Public Health
Nature as a refuge in unsettling times
Even before the pandemic, campus initiatives like NatureRx@Penn and the 30x30 Challenge encouraged time outside. These efforts are continuing, now that restorative outlets are more important than ever.
Domestic violence and gun sales in the time of COVID-19
In a Q&A, School of Social Policy & Practice researcher Susan B. Sorenson describes new challenges surrounding intimate partner violence and the uptick in gun purchases since this crisis began.
COVID-19 and lessons for public health
Six lessons for public health in the U.S. during the fight against COVID-19.
Penn’s wellness goals reach far and wide, together or apart
In just a few weeks, Student Health Service, Counseling and Psychological Services, and Campus Health revamped almost entirely, providing a full array of support for students on and off campus.
Penn ED tents ready for COVID-19 surge
The aim of the temporary structures is to identify and sort patients before they enter the hospitals. Those with mild symptoms can get tested and sent home, leaving the space inside for more severe cases.
Is the U.S. winning the war against COVID-19?
Ezekiel J. Emanuel, vice provost for global initiatives, gave a sobering update on how the United States is doing in the fight against COVID-19, saying the country needs to be prepared to battle the new coronavirus for about 18 months.
Polarizing tweets by Russian trolls on vaccination targeted groups in 2016
During the 2016 election cycle, politically polarizing tweets about vaccination included pro- and anti-vaccination messages targeted at people with specific political inclinations by Russian trolls using an assortment of fake persona types, according to a recent study.
Human rights during the coronavirus pandemic
During a virtual event at Perry World House, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, former United Nations high commissioner for human rights, spoke to PWH interim director Michael Horowitz about the importance of centering human rights and about holding governments accountable in a time of pandemic.
Ibuprofen does not worsen COVID-19, reports FactCheck.org
FactCheck.org disproves the idea that ibuprofen or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can make COVID-19 cases more severe.
The legal history of epidemics in America
Sarah Barringer Gordon, the Arlin M. Adams Professor of Constitutional Law and Professor of History, offers a commentary on American political responses to epidemics past.
In the News
UPenn hosts free online panel for LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion
The Eidos LGBTQ+ Health Initiative, led by José Bauermeister and Jessica Halem of the School of Nursing, will host a free online panel in April on the integration of LGBTQ+ people in the workforce.
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Mayor Parker’s plan to ‘remove the presence of drug users’ from Kensington raises new questions
Shoshana Aronowitz of the School of Nursing and Ashish Thakrar of the Perelman School of Medicine comment on the lack of specificity in Philadelphia’s plan to remove drug users from Kensington and on the current state of drug treatment in the city.
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Posts mislead about COVID-19 vaccine safety with out-of-context clip of FDA official
Jeffrey S. Morris of the Perelman School of Medicine says that many adverse medical events, even those clearly unrelated to vaccines, have been reported an order of magnitude more for COVID vaccines during the pandemic than any time before.
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Philadelphians hope a cleaner city will reduce gun violence. Will Oh or Parker make it a reality?
A $3 million blight reduction project in Philadelphia is informed by Penn research showing that cleaning up trash and revitalizing vacant lots can reduce gun violence rates by as much as 29%.
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Universal basic income is working—even in red states
Researchers at Penn concluded that a basic income program in Stockton, California, could have profound positive impacts on local public health.
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NJ’s Camden County deploying virtual reality to teach students about naloxone
Penn partnered with New Jersey’s Camden County to create a virtual reality training video for administering the opioid-reversing drug Narcan.
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