Coronavirus Response

“As an increasingly vaccinated world emerges from lockdowns, lots of people are talking about whether the fight against the pandemic was too strong or too weak. Some people argue restrictions did not go far enough; others maintain the attempted cures have been worse than the disease. One reason for these conflicting views is that the answer depends on both facts and values,” writes the UW’s James Long, associate professor of political science; Mark Smith, professor of political science; and Victor Menaldo, professor of political science.

For four months, Facebook censored claims that the coronavirus originated in a lab in Wuhan, China. But the company has reversed its stance, in a prime example of how the pandemic has intensified the free speech questions already plaguing social media titans. The decision has thrown into sharp relief the challenges of evaluating misinformation amid evolving scientific debates. Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.

Starting June 8, you could win a cool $250,000 from the state, assuming you’re vaccinated, of course. Today we ask: Why do these vaccine lottery programs work? Jane Simoni, professor of psychology at the UW, is interviewed on the “Seattle Now” podcast.

An orphaned elephant named Nania may soon get to return to their family — if conservationists can find their family, that is. Scientists are searching for relatives using DNA extracted from dung. Sam Wasser, research professor of biology at the UW and director of the Center for Conservation Biology, is interviewed. [This is the fifth segment of "The Record"]

After more than a year of wearing a mask, keeping a distance and staying home, socializing with other people again might feel a little overwhelming. Luckily, there are ways to help feel better about getting back out in public. Jonathan Kanter, research associate professor of psychology at the UW, is interviewed.

"As social scientists and public health practitioners familiar with Nepal’s health care delivery and emergency response systems, we recognize that ultimately, the capacity to care for people suffering from COVID-19 in Nepal is severely limited, with roughly 1,500 intensive care beds and just over 800 ventilators in the country. The mountainous terrain throughout much of the country, along with a lack of infrastructure, political marginalization and poverty compound the impacts of infectious disease," write David Citrin, affiliate assistant professor of global health and of anthropology at the UW; Katharine Rankin of the University of Toronto; Galen Murton of James Madison University; and Sienna Craig of Dartmouth College.

Jane Simoni, professor of psychology at the UW, talks about the sense of security and control people have gotten from wearing masks.

Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology, discusses the end goal of COVID-19 management if herd immunity isn't achievable.

After over a year of masking, social distancing and staying put, many vaccinated Americans are itching to go, well, anywhere. But with COVID-19 cases on the rise worldwide — and a grotesque, preventable disparity in vaccine distribution — what does safe and ethical travel look like? Anu Taranath, a teaching professor of English and Comparative History of Ideas at the UW, is quoted.

Washington state is on track to fully reopen by June 30, and psychologists say some people are just not ready for that. Jane Simoni, professor of psychology at the UW, is interviewed.

Seattle was the first city in the country to pass laws mandating premium pay and sick days for delivery-app drivers during the pandemic. But the current laws are set to expire after the pandemic ends, so Seattle leaders may soon consider making those protections permanent. Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.

Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW, says that even if we never reach herd immunity, dealing with COVID-19 will become more manageable with time.

More than half of adults in the United States have been inoculated with at least one dose of a vaccine. But daily vaccination rates are slipping, and there is widespread consensus among scientists and public health experts that the herd immunity threshold is not attainable — at least not in the foreseeable future, and perhaps not ever. Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.

History Professor Margaret O’Mara explains how she plans on incorporating teaching techniques she developed during the pandemic into future curriculum.

Testing is still a valuable tool in our COVID-19 prevention toolkit, but the technologies and motivations behind it are shifting. We’ll also have to shift our understanding of test results and metrics. A tool developed by the UW's Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology, and Ryan McGee, a graduate student in biology, are quoted.