Views Reference

Americans' views of life with COVID, and the ultimate goal we're trying to achieve, appear to be evolving quickly at this point in the pandemic.

As evidence mounts that the omicron variant is less deadly than prior COVID-19 strains, one oft-cited explanation is that viruses always evolve to become less virulent over time. The problem, experts say, is that this theory has been soundly debunked.
 

Here's what we know so far about the different ways to swab for COVID-19 rapid tests and how effective they are.

Amesh Adalja discusses the role of the COVID vaccine as new variants emerge on ‘Kennedy.’

Third shots for adolescent boys and young men were already a hard sell. Then came Omicron.
 

A massive increase in gun sales in early 2020 seems to have contributed to the recent rise in homicides.
Daniel Webster and Cass Crifasi are quoted. 

An omicron-specific Covid vaccine will be ready by March but some experts warn it could be “too late” due to the variant’s highly transmissible nature.
Bill Moss and Shaun Truelove are quoted. 

COVID case numbers are still going up. Kids under 5 won't be eligible for vaccination for months. How can parents make smart decisions in the meantime?
Tara Kirk Sell and Kawsar Talaat are quoted. 

The rapid increase of coronavirus cases in the Washington region has made the painstaking task of contact tracing more difficult, moving public health officials to prioritize whom to inform about potential exposure in a triage-like effort to keep the highly transmissible omicron variant from spreading even faster and further.
 

While vaccines and boosters have allowed many people to move about more freely, seniors and the people who care for them have had to remain vigilant. What should seniors and caregivers, both disproportionately women, do differently? Do people need to scale back on activities like going grocery shopping or seeing friends? 
 

Californians have been racing to buy at-home testing kits. But chances are that the results aren't making their way into the public health system.
 

New research suggests Omicron may be easier to detect in saliva than nasal samples.