The Vaccination Paradigm: Do the Naturally Immune Really Need a Second Dose?
Science, at a fundamental level, can be distilled into a series of paradigms, or sets of concepts and practices that define a scientific discipline at a particular period of time [1]. These paradigms are defined by the sum total of available scientific evidence.
Paradigms have guided scientific discovery for centuries. For example, the geocentric model of the universe, which posited that the Earth was the astronomical body that all other planets rotated about, held for more than 1,500 years. The miasma theory, which suggested that disease was caused by “bad air,” prevailed from the days of the ancient Chinese through the late 19th century.
These paradigms were shattered by the work of…
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Pandemic Endgame: Confronting Covid-19 Vaccine Misinformation
Vaccinations are arguably the greatest medical technology ever created. From the eradication of smallpox to the prevention of certain types of cancers, the success of vaccines is indisputable. The recent COVID-19 vaccines are no less impressive than their numerous predecessors. The leaders in effectiveness are the dual-dose Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, which achieve about 95% effectiveness after two doses, while the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine has a 72% overall efficacy with an 86% efficacy against severe disease. While no vaccine offers 100% protection, they are all recommended to…
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Unpacking Media Coverage of the Covid-19 Lab Leak Theories
A year ago, the idea that SARS-CoV-2 emerged from a Chinese laboratory was regarded widely with suspicion, disbelief, and, at times, dismissal. Now, the possibility is treated as far more plausible, with recent statements from President Biden, Dr. Fauci, and WHO General-Secretary Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus insisting that the theory cannot be ruled out. This shift reflects the changing attitudes of scientists, government authorities, and the media, despite no definitive explanation for the origins of the virus.
There’s no more evidence to support the lab leak theory than there was 16 months ago and yet it has received substantial new attention. Partially, this is due to…
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Best Covid-19 News Sources of 2020
Many have noted that the Covid-19 pandemic was accompanied by an “infodemic” — a flood of related news and information that played a large role in how different populations responded to the virus. Looking back at 2020, we can now see what a full year of Covid-19 coverage tells us, from who was publishing the most to who was publishing the best, most well-researched journalism.
The Factual used its AI-powered algorithm to analyze 178,845 articles about Covid-19 from across the political spectrum in 2020. The emerging data allows us to analyze trends in media output, including…
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The SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines: Everything You Need to Know
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage throughout the world including the United States which averaged 243,503 cases and 3119 deaths over the last seven days [1]. The surge in post-holiday cases has pushed hospitals past capacity. As of January 10th, there are 128,710 active COVID-19 hospitalizations [2]. 35% of intensive care units are 90% or more occupied [3]. The overwhelming number of hospitalizations has caused staff and equipment shortages and fundamentally altered the way that we deliver care. These shortages will…
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The Infodemic and How to Safely Navigate the Information Landscape
It is certainly interesting times that we find ourselves in. Fake news, pervasive science denial, a new conspiracy theory seemingly every week, tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths from the pandemic that could have been easily avoided by acknowledging the recommendations coming from the scientific community, and many more examples. Society is swimming in false information that is literally costing people their lives at this point and driving us apart through polarization [1]. But what can we do? Quite a bit actually…
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Masks: The Science Behind Our Most Valuable Public Health Tool
At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did not recommend wearing masks to prevent the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. As the pandemic has raged on, however, these organizations now recommend the opposite. As a result, an increasing number of cities and states within the United States require the use of a mask when in public settings. The shifting guidelines by…
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The Ongoing COVID-19 Epidemic in the United States
In May, the United States began relaxing restrictions that were put into place to prevent the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Although federal guidelines for the reopening process were published, states have created and implemented individual plans for reopening. The result has been an unmitigated disaster. While certain states, including former hotspots such as New Jersey, New York, and Illinois have managed to “flatten the curve,” the majority of other states, including Florida, Texas, California, Arizona, and others, have seen record numbers of new cases of COVID-19 [1]. The United States, as a whole, is…
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Are COVID-19-Related Infections and Deaths Over- or Under-Reported?
Whether you believe that COVID-19-related estimates, specifically infections and deaths, are over- or under-reported depends almost entirely on where you get your news. This is an unfortunate result of these sources having diverging motives. Some aim to inform the public while others are advancing their own agendas. Discerning which is which can prove difficult, especially because many of the arguments made by nefarious individuals and organizations are…
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Thinking Critically About COVID-19
Coronavirus, COVID19, or SARS-CoV-2 are all names that you've heard for the novel virus that was first identified in Wuhan China in 2019 and that's currently severely disrupting our way of life throughout the world. This is the same virus that has overwhelmed the healthcare systems of various countries, has been called a “hoax” by certain world leaders, has led to social-distancing practices implemented throughout the world, and forced us to…
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