In The News

Social Distancing Saves Lives: MarketWatch

Matthew McQueen March 12, 2020
More than half the global population could eventually be infected with COVID-19, and the elderly and people with compromised immune systems are especially vulnerable. Sudden outbreaks can overwhelm health systems with limited staff, hospital beds and equipment. Already US testing capacity is stressed. To avoid disaster, public health experts advise avoiding large gatherings and maintaining social...

COVID-19 Travels 4 Meters? SCMP

Stephen Chen March 11, 2020
China has identified more than 80,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, almost three times more than the rest of the world. The high numbers permit research that aids understanding the disease's spread. Officials advise keeping a safe distance up to 2 meters meter or 6 feet. Yet researchers tracked infections during a January 22 bus trip and suggest a bus passenger with symptoms infected travelers...

COVID-19 Frontlines in Italy: Politico

Greta Privitera March 11, 2020
COVID-19 spreads quickly, and confirmed cases grow exponentially in countries that test and release results in transparent ways. An article for Politico suggests that Italy’s doctors struggle against an onslaught of cases – an assessment that neglects the greater number of nurses and other health care workers who are truly on the frontlines: “hospitals are scrambling to increase the number of...

Boost Immune System to Avoid COVID-19: Guardian

Amy Fleming March 10, 2020
People wash hands and keep a distance from others with COVID-19 symptoms. Improved eating and other habits can strengthen immune systems, including mucus and microbes that protect against germs, suggests researchers. To strengthen gut microbiomes, one professor of immunology suggests eating “a more varied diet with lots of high-fiber foods” and fermented foods like sauerkraut, yogurt and kimchi...

Apple, Google Crack Down on COVID-19 Apps: CNBC

Kif Leswing March 7, 2020
Major platforms like Apple and Google are restricting apps on the COVID-19 to those produced or approved by recognized governments and hospitals. “Four independent developers told CNBC that Apple rejected their apps, which would allow people to see stats about which countries have confirmed cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus,” reports Kif Leswing for CNBC. “Some of these apps used public data from...

Legalizing Abortion in Latin America: WSJ

Juan Forero March 6, 2020
After a lawyer filed suit to legalize abortion, the Constitutional Court of Colombia accepted the case to examine the issue – a breakthrough for Latin America where abortion is tightly restricted. While a few small countries including Uruguay, Cuba, and Guyana allow elective abortions, Colombia is the first regional power to consider legalizing abortion. Currently, the procedure is legal for...

Appropriate Response to COVID-19: Korea Herald

Robert J. Fouser February 28, 2020
As the coronavirus spreads, some countries respond by closing borders, blocking visas for some travelers and blocked cruise ships from ports. At the community level, some protest arrival of patients for monitoring in secure locations and discriminate against Chinese nationals. Societies must resist fear and panic, balancing public safety and individual rights in fighting the coronavirus, argues...