New stuff I’m learning about living dying and what matters most - Sun, Oct 25 2020

The Washington Post – Christopher Ingraham – Oct 23, 3:00 AM

Despite the clear opposition to masks within the Trump White House and among its allies, Americans of all political stripes overwhelmingly support their use as a public health measure and say they wear them whenever they're in public. Still, there…

Jeff Cohn Read this for the impressive chart..

The latest political battle over COVID has taken the form of two dueling petitions: The Great Barrington Declaration and the the John Snow Memorandum. Their conception reflect the dangerously polarized state of COVID-19. But despite dividing the…

Jeff Cohn There is such a need for dialogue here- this is an example of a “right vs right” issue- some merit on both sides, and it need not be either/or...

It is a basic instinct of infectious diseases clinicians and researchers to seek and prescribe prophylactics or treatments that are almost guaranteed to benefit the patients who entrust us with their care. With Covid-19, this instinct can be…

Jeff Cohn In complex challenges tipping points occur. The whole does not equal sum of its parts. Lots of little, seemingly inconsequential interventions can produce huge impact when done together..

Beth Kalb was worried about the pews. This summer, the century-old Catholic church she attends in a small town outside Minneapolis had, like many places, reopened its doors with new rituals of disinfection. Kalb had quickly noticed the side…

Jeff Cohn Very small risk, not no risk. If “doing everything” is your goal, focus on surfaces too. If “doing what makes the most sense” is your goal, focus on ways to prevent airborne transmission (masks, distancing, ventilation)..

Two things are true about COVID-19. First, there is no person who has all the answers. SARS-CoV-2 affects every aspect of human life, carries massive uncertainty, and there is no demigod amongst us who understands the disease and policy response…

Jeff Cohn What if we led with curiosity and empathy rather than judgment?

American Dynasty, a commercial trawler, departed Seattle one day in May to fish for hake off the Washington coast. Before leaving, its 122 crew members were screened for the coronavirus using the highly accurate polymerase chain reaction (P.C.R.)…

Jeff Cohn This story provides evidence for why there’s hope that a good vaccine will provide real protection..

Back in March, when the pandemic was starting its sweep across the United States, Valerie Cortez's 3-year old twins were shut out of their day care. Cortez, who is a virologist in Memphis, Tenn., spent months juggling work and child care…

Jeff Cohn Bottom line- if the facility’s doing what the guidelines say and doing it well/diligently, you can feel good about this decision..

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Jeff Cohn Sarah Cooper does this better than anyone, IMO..