Population Health

A year into the COVID-19 pandemic, the “what ifs” having come true, therapists hear story after story of collective trauma, grief and loss, all through a computer or phone screen. Jane Simoni, professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

Psychology professor Jane Simoni explains the mental health implications of the COVID-19 vaccine phase.

Amid an acrid national controversy, the CDC proposed detailed criteria for returning students to classrooms. Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.

“A couple of years ago racism almost killed the love of my life, my husband, the father of our two children. The attempted murder didn’t come about through police violence or Karens trying to regulate his use of public space. Instead it came through the hands of the very people who should be improving the quality of his life: his doctors,” writes Ralina Joseph, professor of communication at the UW.

We're all fatigued, and our resolve is slipping. But this is also the most consequential point of the coronavirus crisis so far. Susan Joslyn, associated professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

A recent Scientific American feature explores how the catastrophic 1918 influenza pandemic seemed to quickly slip from public discourse. Scientific American published letters they received, including one from Tabitha Grace Mallory, affiliate professor of international studies at the UW.

"As the first few days of the new year plopped themselves on my calendar, echoes from last year emanated, as if refusing to relinquish its grip on a twisted, telenovela-esque reality," writes Oscar Rosales Castañeda, a lecturer in American ethnic studies at the UW.

UW researchers found a run-in with police is much more devastating for Black children than it is for white kids. Annie McGlynn-Wright, who did the research while pursuing her doctorate in sociology at the UW, is interviewed.

Twenty moments from a year like no other — captured through the lenses of UW photographers.

Some hope is on the horizon this week with the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine. Of course, it’s not a silver bullet in this pandemic. Certain groups of people remain especially vulnerable. They include detainees at the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma. A report by the UW Center for Human Rights is mentioned.

Jonathan Kanter, director of the Center for the Science of Social Connection, offered UW News some suggestions for a healthy and, yes, happy, holiday season.

Jane Simoni, professor of psychology at the UW, talks about the mental health challenges people are experiencing during the winter amidst the pandemic. [Segment begins at :25.]

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said researchers are still investigating whether people who have been vaccinated can spread the novel coronavirus. Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW, explains why this is important. [This is part of the Dec. 4 issue of "Health 202."]

With vaccines and a new administration, the pandemic will be tamed. But experts say the coming months “are going to be just horrible.” Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW, is mentioned.

“Beyond damage repair, Biden has big plans for American energy. In my view, not all of them are realistic. Yet their actual purpose may be as starting points for negotiation,” writes Scott Montgomery, lecturer of international studies at the UW.