Confused about the new CDC mask guidance for vaccinated people? You’re not alone. In a reverse course from the honor system (wear a mask if you’re unvaccinated), the CDC is now recommending all-masking in indoor public settings in areas of substantial-high “community transmission”. So what does that mean? Read on to find out.
Continue reading What you need to know about the new CDC mask guidanceTag Archives: infectious disease
Unpacking Vaccine Hesitancy
Daily COVID-19 case numbers are down, but vaccination rates are also slowing. Unpacking reasons for COVID vaccine hesitancy reveals a few surprises.
The Scientific Method as the Arbiter of Truth
A few people have recently mentioned that I haven’t published a Cloudy Media Blog article in a while. I love the enthusiasm for these blogs and I really want to provide you, my faithful readers, with evidence-based information, especially during such tenious times. But I have to admit something. I am sick of it.
Continue reading The Scientific Method as the Arbiter of TruthAre Masks Really Effective?
In all the questions I’ve been directly asked or encountered online during the COVID pandemic, the effectiveness of masks is undoubtedly the most frequent. And rightfully so, when recommendations have swung so far from one side to the other it’s hard to know what to do. Added to the confusion are research studies that show masks are effective and others that show that they aren’t, and it becomes nearly impossible to make sense of it all. So what’s the truth? Are masks really effective?
Continue reading Are Masks Really Effective?Evaluating risk during a pandemic
It is estimated that the average adult makes about 35,000 decisions every day–that’s about 32 decisions per waking minute or one every two seconds. Whether you hem and haw or make an unconscious choice, one element of the decision making process is the calculation of risk.
Continue reading Evaluating risk during a pandemicImmunity to the rescue (someday)
With a growing number of patients recovering from COVID-19, their blood being tested as a treatment, and the approval of antibody tests to detect exposure, immunity to SARS-CoV-2 is now the center of attention. Is immunity to COVID-19 the key to returning to normalcy?
Continue reading Immunity to the rescue (someday)Why Asymptomatic COVID-19 is a Problem
I got an interesting question about asymptomatic COVID-19 this week that seemed relatively straightforward, but is actually much more complicated. Isn’t it a good thing that a lot of people with COVID-19 have mild illness or no illness at all? Here’s why the answer to that question is both yes and no.
Continue reading Why Asymptomatic COVID-19 is a ProblemShould you request a COVID-19 test?
Now that the majority of the United States is in semi-lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, what should you do if you start feeling ill?
Continue reading Should you request a COVID-19 test?Is the U.S. Doing Too Much or Too Little to Combat COVID-19?
On Wednesday March 11, the NBA announced it would be suspending its season due to COVID-19, and other professional sports leagues soon followed suit. Over the past week, concerts, conferences, and other large gatherings were cancelled amid concern for the outbreak to apply a strategy known as “social distancing.” Students from universities across the country are being sent home, children are out of school, and employers are scrambling to develop guidance for employees to work remotely. And yet the reaction of the public is one of polar opposites: either sheer panic or no big deal (how very on-brand for the U.S.).
Social distancing refers to literally creating more distance between individuals by enacting measures that prevent congregate settings. It may seem extreme, take for example this text my sister sent me this week:
SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) is spreading, but there is good news
There is a growing body of evidence that the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 is spreading. Here’s a rundown of what we know:
Continue reading SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) is spreading, but there is good news