Coronavirus Response

  • Why nobody will ever agree on whether COVID lockdowns were worth it

    “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.

    06/16/2021 | The Conversation
  • The Health 202: The pandemic intensified the tech censorship debate

    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.

    06/07/2021 | The Washington Post
  • Seattle Now: Why vaccine incentives work

    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.

    06/07/2021 | KUOW
  • Should businesses have to keep track of employee vaccinations?

    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"]

    06/01/2021 | KUOW
  • How to ease back into social situations as restrictions are lifted

    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.

    05/26/2021 | King 5 News
  • With COVID-19 cases surging, Nepal asks global community for urgent vaccine help

    "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.

    05/26/2021 | The Conversation
  • Coping with changing mask guidance

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

    05/21/2021 | KUOW-FM
  • What Does a Future Without Herd Immunity Look Like?

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

    05/20/2021 | The New York Times
  • Travel Is Back. But How Can We Do It Safely — & Ethically?

    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.

    05/19/2021 | Refinery29
  • Return to 'normal' amid pandemic will cause anxiety for some, UW expert says

    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.

    05/18/2021 | King 5 News
  • Seattle’s COVID-19 rules have paid off for delivery-app drivers. What’s next?

    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.

    05/16/2021 | The Seattle Times
  • Shift away from herd immunity goal

    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.

    05/04/2021 | KPTV-TV
  • Reaching ‘Herd Immunity’ Is Unlikely in the U.S., Experts Now Believe

    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.

    05/03/2021 | The New York Times
  • What virtual learning has taught UW professors about the future of in-person schooling

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

    04/22/2021 | The Daily
  • The Way We Think About COVID Testing Is About to Change

    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.

    04/19/2021 | Slate