The Coronavirus Pandemic: Surging Cases, Rapid Diagnostics, and New Vaccines

With spiking coronavirus cases, America is looking to measures such as COVID-19 vaccines and the first, FDA-approved rapid COVID-19 self-testing kit to lessen the numbers and to give hope as 2020 comes to a close. Still, steps such as mask wearing and social distancing remain important in the fight against the spread of the pandemic. Join The World’s Elana Gordon in this Facebook Live Q&A with epidemiologist Megan Murray, who…

Innovative Testing Strategies for COVID-19 Containment

Diagnostic vs antibody. At-home vs point-of-care collection. Sensitivity vs specificity. There is a lot to consider when testing for past or present coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, such as when to test, how to test, and which test to use. We rely on testing to paint an accurate picture of disease prevalence, but what if there’s a better strategy than the current approach? Join us for this live MJH Life…

Using Human Mobility Data to Inform Pandemic Response Theory and Practice

This 90-minute panel will examine the application of mobility data in monitoring the spread of the pandemic and informing containment policy, with a particular focus on privacy-preserving safeguards, methodological challenges, and translational barriers. Moderated by Caroline Buckee. Join the event here with the password 567899.     Panelists: Rafael Araos, MD, MMSc Assistant Professor, Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo Greg Wellenius, ScD Professor, Dept. of Environmental Health, Boston University School…

Stop spread of COVID-19 through at-home, rapid testing

This presentation is part of the conference "What Could Congress Do About the Pandemic By Dec 18." Join the event here. Learn more about the conference here. Conference desription: The COVID-19 pandemic is causing record levels of infections and deaths. Thousands more Americans are projected to die before the current Congress leaves for the year this month. This workshop will explore actions that Congress can take in the next three…

At-home COVID tests: Advancing do-it-yourself diagnostics

OraSure Technologies has blazed a trail in at-home diagnostic tests. Now, the Pennsylvania-based biotech company is working to produce a quick, over-the-counter coronavirus test that consumers can take in the privacy of their home with results available in minutes. NPR's Allison Aubrey reports. Hosted by CBS Sunday Morning News and features Michael Mina. Stream the segment here. Learn more about the feature here.  

Widespread, Rapid Testing

Michael Mina will be featured on the show Fareed Zakaria GPS on CNN to discuss his plan for widespread, rapid testing for COVID-19. Stream it live here.        

Trust in Science, Trust in Democracy

In 2020, science and democracy are both in crisis. Facts, long considered the bedrock of democracy, are increasingly questioned. At the same time, the public has lost faith in the institutions most responsible for producing reliable facts. To reflect on what this means for democracy, the Trust in Science project has convened a roundtable of four leading experts from academia and public life. Their knowledge spans the crises that have…

The Future of COVID-19 Epidemiology

To what extent is our future with COVID-19 knowable? As new information about the transmission, demographics, and treatment of COVID-19 emerge, epidemiologists continue to address complex data and generate new predictive models to better understand the dynamics of the virus. Join leading epidemiologists for a panel discussion as they assess the current and future state of the epidemic. This event is hosted by Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. Learn more…

Containing COVID-19 in Developing Countries

Compared to what we thought six months ago, the economic outlook has worsened significantly in some emerging market and low-income economies where infections are rising rapidly. Consequently, these economies, excluding China, are projected to incur a greater loss of output over 2020-21 relative to the pre-pandemic projected path when compared to advanced economies. These uneven recoveries significantly worsen the prospects for global convergence in income levels. But how are policymakers…

Rapid COVID Tests: A Cure for Lockdowns, A Complement to Vaccines

Last winter, the regulatory system at the FDA, the CDC and CMS delayed the ability of the United States to rapidly develop and deploy COVID-19 testing. These regulatory failures contributed to the rapid spread of COVID and led to lockdowns, and a wave of infections. This time around, the agencies could (and should) enable us to get ahead of the virus by approving rapid self-testing kits for COVID-19. The FDA…