coronavirus Archives

COVID-19 restrictions take a toll on brain function, but there are techniques to help you cope

Nancy Brassard, École nationale d’administration publique (ENAP) Confinement — which has been frequent during the pandemic — has undeniable effects on the brain. There’s the inability to concentrate enough to read or write, the lack […]

Doug Ford’s flip-flops: A dangerous failure of risk communication in COVID-19 third wave

Jack L. Rozdilsky, York University, Canada All disasters are political. Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s April 16 news conference announcing new pandemic control measures was followed by a rapid flip-flop after public outcry. A panicky walking […]

7 tips for staying safe as COVID-19 cases rise and colder weather heightens the risk

Melissa Burdi, Purdue University As temperatures fall, people are spending more time indoors. That heightens the risk of the coronavirus spreading, but there are some simple steps you can take to help protect yourself and […]

‘What do you mean, it was a false positive?’ Making sense of COVID-19 tests and terminology

Priyanka Gogna, Queen’s University, Ontario During the COVID-19 pandemic, words and phrases that have typically been limited to epidemiologists and public health professionals have entered the public sphere. Although we’ve rapidly accepted epidemiology-based news, the […]

Why Donald Trump’s words work, and what to do about it

Robert Danisch, University of Waterloo As America chaotically careens toward election day with President Donald Trump fighting a COVID-19 infection, we should stop and ask: Just why and how do Trump’s words work? And how […]

North Korea insists it has no coronavirus – how the state is managing the story

Niki J.P. Alsford, University of Central Lancashire North Korea continues to insist that it is completely free of coronavirus. The World Health Organization’s representative to the country said that 709 people had been tested with […]

Coronavirus: will the UK really have highest death toll in Europe, as a US study suggests?

Jeremy Rossman, University of Kent Within four months, the UK will have 66,314 fatalities from COVID-19, according to a recent report from the University of Washingon’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). This would […]

Coronavirus debate turns to whether Australia should embrace ‘elimination’ strategy

Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra Health Minister Greg Hunt has said the goal of the government’s suppression policy is the “effective eradication” of the coronavirus in Australia – while at the same time casting doubt […]

What to do if you’ve been fined for breaching coronavirus restrictions

Elyse Methven, University of Technology Sydney et David J. Carter, University of Technology Sydney The message to everyone during the coronavirus pandemic is to stay at home and only leave if you really need to […]

Coronavirus hoarding: Why you can stop amassing toilet paper

Giovani J.C. da Silveira, University of Calgary Signs warning of one package of toilet paper per customer during the coronavirus pandemic are not an indication of supply chain failure. It is more a mark of […]