Year: 2020
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Our complicated relationship with viruses
In this 2016 article published by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, we will discover that at least 10% of the human genome is made up of virus DNA. The report shows us that rather than harming us, virus DNA is actually beneficial. Commonly referred to as endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), these viral hitchhikers actually help…
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COVID-19 spike in the Philippines due to community transmission
In a press briefing held today, July 9, 2020, DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that they could no longer see link of current infections to any positive case, which means that infections are coming from everywhere. Editor’s Note: Even as other countries are now focused on strengthening health care systems and jumpstarting economies, ours is…
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Epidemiologist reveals circular reasoning used to support the validity of COVID-19 test kits
The following article was written on March 26, 2020, in the early days of worldwide lockdowns due to the novel coronavirus. The article is a transcript of a conversation between Jason Hommel and an unnamed epidemiologist who wished to address Hommel’s claim that the COVID-19 test kits do not work. In this conversation, Hommel asks…
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Blaming protests for spread of coronavirus ignores larger systemic threats
In this June 3, 2020 article for The Verge, Nicole Wetsman criticizes the narrow focus on the possible increase of COVID-19 cases due to the Black Lives Matter protests [more recent studies have shown that the BLM protests did not fuel increased community transmission of the virus, see Black Lives Matter protests did not lead to…
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The coronavirus is changing our definition of good leadership
In this April 18, 2020 article for The Hill, author Austa Somvichian-Clausen looks at how our definition of good leadership is being redefined by the performances of various country leaders. New York University professor of sociology Kathleen Gersen says that we must be careful about generalizing the performance of male vs. female national and global leaders,…
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Black Lives Matter protests did not lead to spike in coronavirus cases
When Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests erupted around the world, many waited in fear for the eventual surge of COVID-19 infections. But a paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) has found that the protests did not reignite growth of coronavirus infections. The analysis also discovered that while the protest increased the…
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No surge in coronavirus cases after Europe reopened
In this article for The Washington Post, authors Chico Harlan, Loveday Morris, Michael Birnbaum, and Stefano Pitrelli say that coronavirus cases in Europe remains controlled even as a majority of countries in the continent have reopened. The authors also look at the various theories which attempt to explain the decline in case numbers. Some of the possible…
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Climate crisis worsens amidst the pandemic
For some cities, smog has lifted and rivers are now running clear. The shutting down of many countries has led to the healing of the environment. Or so we thought. In this article for The Washington Post, author Ishaan Tharoor says that environmental healing during the pandemic was no more than an illusion. In fact, carbon…
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In-person learning must resume as soon as possible
In this article for Independent Women’s Forum, author Jennifer Braceras collated data from various studies on children and COVID-19. The data shows that school closures present children with a considerable risk for a multitude of physical, emotional, and social harms. These risks far outweigh the risk of contracting and spreading the coronavirus. Moreover, the data shows…
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American Academy of Pediatrics release recommendations for school re-opening
The following document was published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) last June 25, 2020. It contains six key principles that schools must adhere to when crafting policies for reopening. The AAP says that these principles were crafted with the goal of having students physically present in schools, as new information about the coronavirus…
