Pandemic does not refer to the lethality of a virus but to its transmissibility and geographical extension.
Dr. Aimee Sisson, a public health officer in Placer County, Calif., answers a question about the death of an elderly patient in Auburn, Calif., March 4, 2020.
AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli
Communication from public health and government officials during a health threat is a critical component of preventing and treating a disease. An expert who worked on the anthrax scare explains.
A wrench may not be enough.
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Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, right, bumps elbows with a worker at the seafood counter March 3, 2020, in Seattle’s International District.
AP Photo/Ted S. Warren
At least temporarily, a kiss is no longer just a kiss. It could pass coronavirus. Even the French have suggested a ban on their traditional greeting. An expert explains why this is necessary.
Shelves of ready noodles in Singapore were left empty after fear led people to panic buy.
kandl/Shutterstock
Based on current available data, our model predicts by March 31, the number of deaths worldwide will surpass 4,500 and confirmed COVID-19 cases will reach about 150,000.
Peter Martin, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
Australia’s three-decade run of near continuous economic growth is set to end, with treasury warning of a hit to growth of ‘at least’ 0.5%, potentially followed by a ‘prolonged downturn’.
Duane Clark works to sanitize surfaces at the Avenue X subway station in New York City on Tuesday, March 3, 2020.
AP Photo/Kevin Hagen
What can you do to keep yourself and your family safe from the coronavirus? A public health scholar explains antiseptics – and emphasizes the importance of good hand-washing.
Hand washing is a tried and true, scientifically proven preventive strategy that reduces the likelihood of transmitting both viral and bacterial borne diseases.
On Feb. 18, 2020, in Seoul, South Korea, people wearing face masks pass an electric screen warning about COVID-19.
AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon
Coronavirus cases are slowly rising in Australia. We have a good system of testing possible cases and surveilling the population for people who don’t know they have it. But there’s more we could do.
Amy Maguire, University of Newcastle e Bin Li, University of Newcastle
Australia’s Biosecurity Act gives the government power to detain and isolate people who are suspected of being infected, with potentially harsh penalties for those who fail to comply.
Medical workers in health crisis zones need access to research evidence to inform decisions. Above, workers at a temporary hospital for COVID-19 patients in Wuhan, China on Feb. 21, 2020.
Chinatopix via AP, File
In a health crisis, decisions about treatment and containment must be made quickly. It’s crucial those decisions be based on research evidence, but fast and easy access is not always available.
Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne
Dean Faculty of Health Sciences and Professor of Vaccinology at University of the Witwatersrand; and Director of the SAMRC Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit, University of the Witwatersrand