People have lived with infectious disease throughout the millennia, with culture and biology influencing each other. Archaeologists decode the stories told by bones and what accompanies them.
A COVID-19-type pandemic had long been predicted, but our warnings weren’t heeded. We need to start rethinking our approach to health now – even in countries like New Zealand.
Jako Nice, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
The study of two hospitals was a first for researching the microbiology of the built environment in South Africa – a multi-disciplinary approach to understanding how to design healthier buildings.
When two or more epidemics co-exist and compound one another to worsen health, they are said to be syndemic. COVID-19 is feeding on other crises and diseases.
Robert Muggah, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio) and Richard Florida, University of Toronto
COVID-19 is spreading fast through not only the world’s richest cities but also its poorest, ravaging slum areas where risk factors like overcrowding and poverty accelerate disease transmission.
Fabrice Flipo, Institut Mines-Télécom Business School
The pandemic, in that it represents a major and therefore exceptional risk, calls for a response built collectively, and not by a small group of experts or decision-makers.
Human psychology has evolved to avoid situations that could lead to infection. Behavioral choices now could have long-term effects on how people interact with others and the world.
Lord May was an illustrious scientist, a towering figure in the British establishment, and a quintessential Aussie. His theories help explain everything from complex ecosystems to financial markets.
A recent study suggested the coronavirus could spread up to four metres. But the evidence isn’t strong enough to suggest we should change social distancing advice from 1.5 metres.
Antimicrobial resistance is a public health and economic disaster waiting to happen. If we do not address this threat, by 2050 more people will die from drug-resistant infections than from cancer.
Winter is flu season – could it be coronavirus season as well? The research is mixed, but other factors besides temperature and humidity have more to do with the spread of SARS-CoV-2.
Why is there such a wide difference in projections for how much COVID-19 will spread? An expert in disease modeling explains what models can and cannot do.