Different groups of researchers give different predictions. And it’s easy to be bewildered, especially if you’re in lockdown and looking for answers. Here’s what to make of it all.
New research shows the dire effects of the pandemic on the mental health of children and youth, with as many as 25 per cent of young people affected. Immediate action can help address this distress.
Sorana Froda, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) and Fabrice Larribe, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)
Vaccine efficacy is usually expressed as a percentage, but what is it actually measuring? Statisticians explain what the numbers mean, and what they say about how well a vaccine can protect us.
Reducing transmission of the virus among younger people can help Britain reopen more quickly and reduce the risk of the virus infecting those most at risk.
America’s founders accepted the reality of human selfishness. But, they also said people were capable of thinking for the good of the whole, which is necessary for a free society.
For decades, US schools have been common sites for vaccine clinics to respond to outbreaks and provide catch-up immunizations. So why are they suddenly controversial?
With lockdowns likely to be a part of life in Australia until a significant majority of us are vaccinated, it’s timely to think about what we can do to look out for people who may be vulnerable.
The government has ordered 7,700 doses of sotrovimab. But until further evidence shows it’s effective, the guidelines say it should only be given to patients as part of a human clinical trial.
Death is a part of life: but environmentally harmful burial practices, overcrowded cemeteries and unaffordable funerals are denying many the right to a good death.
In east Asian countries, past disease outbreaks have made face masks part of everyday life – but the social context supporting such behaviour isn’t present in the UK.
Shang Gao, University of Illinois Chicago and Jalees Rehman, University of Illinois Chicago
Machine learning is great at finding patterns but doesn’t know what those patterns mean. Combine it with knowledge gained from genetic research and you have a powerful view into the workings of cells.
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