how the getting crash course scientific

by Anne Zulauf V 4 min read

How do researchers test a hypothesis?

What do scientists do in the interim?

How to educate the public and win their trust?

Is science moving at a fast pace?

Is the road ahead difficult?

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How many times can a person get COVID-19?

Maybe you thought it was like chickenpox — if youve had it once, youre immune forever, and you can put your worries away for good. Unfortunately, thats not the case. You can get COVID-19 more than once. Many times, in fact.

Is the COVID-19 pandemic over?

With over 1 million deaths this year alone, the pandemic remains an emergency globally and within most countries. "The COVID-19 summer wave, driven by Omicron BA.4 and BA.5, showed that the pandemic is not yet over as the virus continues to circulate in Europe and beyond," a European Commission spokesperson said.

Is COVID-19 still a threat to our lives?

But experts caution that COVID remains a threat. “We’re making progress, lots of progress,” said Eric Rubin, adjunct professor of immunology and infectious diseases, “but our lives are still disrupted” by the pandemic.

Which organ system is most often affected by COVID-19?

COVID-19 is a disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 that can trigger what doctors call a respiratory tract infection. It can affect your upper respiratory tract (sinuses, nose, and throat) or lower respiratory tract (windpipe and lungs).

What is the latest COVID-19 variant in the US?

Currently, BA.5 (dark green) is the dominant COVID-19 variant nationwide, followed by BA.4.6. Source: CDC Variant Proportions on August 25, 2022.

Is the new booster free?

Like earlier coronavirus vaccines, the updated boosters will be free. The new boosters — the first changes since the mRNA vaccines were rolled out in December 2020 — target the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron subvariants dominant in the United States.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected our life?

Over the past two years, the world has seen a shift in behaviors, the economy, medicine and beyond due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

How serious is COVID-19?

Although most people with COVID-19 have mild to moderate symptoms, the disease can cause severe medical complications and lead to death in some people. Older adults or people with existing chronic medical conditions are at greater risk of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19 .

What effect does the COVID-19 pandemic have on people's personal lives?

See full answerIn addition to other everyday steps to prevent COVID-19, physical or social distancing is one of the best tools we have to avoid being exposed to this virus and slow its spread. However, having to physically distance from someone you love—like friends, family, coworkers, or your worship community—can be hard. It may also cause change in plans—for instance, having to do virtual job interviews, dates, or campus tours. Young adults may also struggle adapting to new social routines—from choosing to skip in person gatherings, to consistently wearing masks in public. It is important to support young adults in taking personal responsibility to protect themselves and their loved ones.

What organs could be affected by the long term effects of a severe COVID-19 disease?

People who had severe illness with COVID-19 might experience organ damage affecting the heart, kidneys, skin and brain. Inflammation and problems with the immune system can also happen. It isnt clear how long these effects might last.

Can the COVID-19 virus affect your kidneys?

Does COVID-19 affect the kidneys? It can. In addition to attacking the lungs, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 — officially called SARS-CoV-2 — also can cause severe and lasting harm in other organs, including the heart and kidneys.

How does COVID-19 affect the heart and lungs?

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, most commonly affects the lungs but It can also lead to serious heart problems. Lung damage caused by the virus prevents oxygen from reaching the heart muscle, which in turn damages the heart tissue and prevents it from getting oxygen to other tissues.

Can COVID-19 become an endemic?

July 7, 2022 -- The COVID-19 virus could become endemic, meaning it will persist in a less fearsome mode like the flu or common cold. But that might not happen until 2024, says a new study from Yale published this week in PNAS Nexus.

Is COVID-19 the deadliest epidemic in the world?

COVID-19 already ranks among the world's deadliest epidemics, each of which can claim credit for epochal – not just generational – shifts. Granted, absolute figures tell you only so much: COVID-19 arrived on a far more populous planet than the one which was devastated by the Black Death.

Do COVID-19 variants continue to evolve?

Yes. As long as the coronavirus spreads through the population, mutations will continue to happen, and the delta and omicron variant families continue to evolve. “New variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus are detected every week,” Ray says.

What temperature kills the virus that causes COVID-19?

In order to kill COVID‐19, heat virus‐containing objects for: 3 minutes at temperature above 75°C (160°F). 5 minutes for temperatures above 65°C (149°F). 20 minutes for temperatures above 60°C (140°F).

How do researchers test a hypothesis?

Researchers first frame the hypothesis and then design experiments to test it. Data from hundreds of studies, often by competing teams, are analyzed before the community of experts comes to a conclusion.

How to educate the public and win their trust?

The first step toward educating the public and winning their trust is to make plans, and then communicate them honestly – flaws, uncertainty and all.

Do Americans correctly identify fossil fuels and the threat of antibiotic resistance?

In a 2019 survey by the Pew Research Center, many Americans correctly identified fossil fuels and the threat of antibiotic resistance, but they were less knowledgeable about the scientific process.

Is science moving at a fast pace?

Americans are living with science as it unfolds in real time. The process has always been fluid, unpredictable. But rarely has it moved at this speed, leaving citizens to confront research findings as soon as they land at the front door, a stream of deliveries that no one ordered and no one wants.

Is the CDC's Twitter a robotic stream?

But health officials have not taken full advantage. The CDC’s Twitter feed is a robotic stream of announcements. Agency experts need not just to deliver messages, but also to answer questions about how the evolving facts apply to American lives.

How do researchers test a hypothesis?

Researchers first frame the hypothesis, then design experiments to test it. Data from hundreds of studies, often by competing teams, are analyzed before the community of experts comes to a conclusion.

What do scientists do in the interim?

In the interim, scientists present the findings to their peers, often at niche conferences that are off-limits to journalists and the general public, and hone their ideas based on the feedback they receive. It’s not unusual to see attendees at these meetings point out — sometimes harshly — every flaw in a study’s methods or conclusions, sending the author back to the lab for more experiments.

How to educate the public and win their trust?

The first step toward educating the public and winning their trust is to make plans, and then communicate them honestly — flaws, uncertainty and all.

Is science moving at a fast pace?

Americans are living with science as it unfolds in real time. The process has always been fluid, unpredictable. But rarely has it moved at this speed, leaving citizens to confront research findings as soon as they land at the front door, a stream of deliveries that no one ordered and no one wants.

Is the road ahead difficult?

The road ahead will be difficult . The virus has more surprises in store, and the myths that have already become entrenched will be hard to erase.

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