Health

We know spending the holidays on our own will keep our loved ones healthy. That doesn’t make it any easier. But there’s joy to be found in solitude. We spoke to experts in stress and connection who told us how to navigate the complicated emotions around spending the holidays alone. Jonathan Kanter, research associate professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

There’s a Norwegian term for deliberately embracing time spent outside, for both the mental and physical benefits. It’s frifluftsliv, something Alaskans will find familiar, in spirit if not in name. And some say it’s a way to cope with the many limitations on life during a pandemic. Andy Meyer, assistant teaching professor of Scandinavian studies at the UW, is quoted.

The governors of Iowa and North Dakota recently announced mandates that require people to wear masks in public. Both leaders previously resisted mask rules but issued them in the past week as daily COVID-19 cases spiked in their states, overrunning hospitals and intensive care units. Christopher Adolph, associate professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

Some family separations are due to estrangement, not COVID. That's not necessarily a bad thing, says Communication Professor Kristina Scharp.

Concerned about the lack of health coverage for undocumented individuals, UW senior Marium Raza is taking action.

Statistics and Sociology Professor Adrian Raftery is lead author on a guide to understanding COVID-19 data, for those making public health decisions.

As a kid growing up in Kennewick, Danielle Reed (BA, Psychology, 1984), was drawn to eating kale, dandelion and other sharp-flavored greens—but their bitter taste repelled most of her friends. That made her wonder why. When she was a student at the UW in the 1980s, she learned about the study of physiological psychology, or the biological explanations for how our minds work. Next came the opportunity to conduct research that examined animals’ food intake and what drove their approach to food.

The CDC this week adjusted its guidance for coronavirus exposure to say people without symptoms “do not necessarily need a test.” Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology, is quoted.

Here’s to dating after 50 as a do-over, a love mulligan that has the potential to enrich your life experience. How do you get that happening? Advice from Pepper Schwartz, professor of sociology, is referenced.

Patricia Louie, professor of sociology, explains bias in medical textbooks and how it endangers BIPOC.

Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology, explains how missteps from public health agencies worry health experts.

Rubén Manzanedo, a postdoctoral researcher in biology, is quoted in this article about what COVID-19 can teach us about fighting climate change.

Researchers are trying to figure out how many people in a community must be immune before the coronavirus fades. Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology, is quoted.

Because of an overburdened system, people who are visiting family have complicated questions to ask on whether to get tested. Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology, is quoted.

Margaret O’Mara, professor of history, explains Amazon's relocation rumors and what effect COVID-19 could have on them.