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 guidanceCategory Archives: Cloudy Media
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 TruthFive Myths About Coronavirus Debunked
There is an overwhelming amount of information about coronavirus circulating on the internet these days. Here are five ideas and sentiments that are utterly false.
Continue reading Five Myths About Coronavirus DebunkedThe Promise of Stem Cells Sells
I recently binged the Wondery podcast Bad Batch from reporter Laura Beil. Like her previous podcast Dr. Death, Beil leads us through another fascinating medical mystery. This time, a handful of patients in Texas, Florida, and Arizona develop life-threatening infections after receiving an injection of stem cells.
Continue reading The Promise of Stem Cells Sells10 Fun Facts about Vax
It’s that time of year again. The leaves are a-changing, there is a crispness in the air, and you’re finding it impossible to NOT purchase Halloween candy that you will inevitably eat and have to buy again anyway. Oh, and your local pharmacy, Facebook feed, tv, magazines, and just about any other media outlet are reminding you to go get your flu shot.
Our Precious Antibiotics
Just a day after reading about a woman in Nevada who died from a bacterial infection resistant to EVERY SINGLE antibiotic, I discovered that my sister had just finished a course of antibiotics for an upper respiratory infection known as pharyngitis. Not all that interesting until you consider that my sister had strep test-negative pharyngitis, meaning not caused by the bacteria Streptococcus. As my palm smacked my forehead in disbelief and I attempted to explain why taking antibiotics might not have been a great idea, I said to myself, “gosh darn it Heather, you’ve got a blog, go blog.” Continue reading Our Precious Antibiotics
Year-in-review
It’s pretty safe to say that 2016 sucked a big one. Adding insult to injury, the worst day of the year for me (and likely many of you) just happened to fall on my birthday–November 9th. But, before we slam the door on this year (and look forward to next? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯), let’s reflect on some memorable science in the media in 2016. Continue reading Year-in-review
Hard knocks on science
It’s that time of year again! Crisp air, the start of a new school year, a hint of red in the trees, and the beginning of the NFL season–this is undoubtedly my favorite time of year.
This NFL season should be full of intrigue. Will Ezekiel Elliot plow over all front lines? Will Jim Caldwell, Mike McCoy, and Gus Bradley still have their jobs at the end of the season? Will any AFC East team dethrone the 4-game Bradyless Patriots? Will Colin Kaepernick’s stance–or lack thereof–result in a season-long seat on the bench? Will mermaids rise from the ocean to cheer William Hayes and the newly relocated LA Rams?
I bet you thought this piece was going to be about concussions. Although that is an ever-present issue for football players, what I really want to discuss is Rams defensive end William Hayes’ anti-science diatribe on the HBO show Hard Knocks. Continue reading Hard knocks on science
Preventing cancer in our children
National vaccination coverage statistics for adolescents (13-17 years old) were recently published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Wait, wasn’t this supposed to be a cancer blog? Oh, it is–the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine prevents infection by the HPV strains that cause cancer.
In 2015, 56% of adolescents had at least 1 dose of HPV vaccine, 45% had 2 doses, and 35% had all 3 doses required for maximal protection. In comparison for the same adolescent population, 87% had a Tdap vaccine and 81% had a meningococcal vaccine.
So why the low HPV vaccination rates? Continue reading Preventing cancer in our children