FDA Limits Access to COVID-19 Vaccine to Older Adults and Other High-Risk Groups – A Public Health Expert Explains the New Rules

FDA Limits Access to COVID-19 Vaccine to Older Adults and Other High-Risk Groups – A Public Health Expert Explains the New Rules

By Libby Richards, THE CONVERSATION On May 20, 2025, the Food and Drug Administration announced a new stance on who should receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The agency said it would approve new versions of the vaccine only for adults 65 years of age and older as well as for people with one or more risk factors for […]

Inside the Billion-Dollar Industry That Profits from Colorism—and the Lives It Silently Wounds

Inside the Billion-Dollar Industry That Profits from Colorism—and the Lives It Silently Wounds

By Sandy Connors The Business of “Brighter” $8.8 billion. That’s the estimated global value of the skin bleaching industry as of 2022, according to Global Industry Analysts. By 2026, it’s projected to grow to over $11.8 billion. These numbers aren’t just market data—they’re evidence of a thriving industry built on selling insecurity. From creams and […]

‘Grit’ and Relentless Perseverance Can Take a Toll on Brain Health − Particularly for People Facing Social Stresses Like Racism

‘Grit’ and Relentless Perseverance Can Take a Toll on Brain Health − Particularly for People Facing Social Stresses Like Racism

By:Darlingtina Esiaka | Theconversation.com For many people, grit – the perseverance and passion for long-term goals – is a virtue. It is also a key ingredient in overcoming challenges, achieving success and maintaining resilience. Studies have linked grit with success in goal attainment, improved psychological well-being and increased life satisfaction. But despite conventional narratives equating this type of psychological persistence with […]

5 Years of COVID-19 Underscore Value of Coordinated Efforts to Manage Disease – While CDC, NIH and WHO Face Threats to their Ability to Respond to a Crisis

5 Years of COVID-19 Underscore Value of Coordinated Efforts to Manage Disease – While CDC, NIH and WHO Face Threats to their Ability to Respond to a Crisis

By Katherine A. Foss, THE CONVERSATION | Editorial credit: Tada Images / shutterstock.com  Five years ago, on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of COVID-19 a global pandemic. The novel coronavirus, dubbed SARS-CoV-2, began as a “cluster of severe pneumonia cases of unknown cause” reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. It had […]

The Recovery From COVID-19 Pandemic Gun Violence

The Recovery From COVID-19 Pandemic Gun Violence

By: Alex R. Piquero , Chandler Hall and Nick Wilson | vitalcitynyc.org | Editorial credit: JTTucker / Shutterstock.com Since the spike in gun violence before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, the nation as a whole has reciprocally experienced a significant decline. While this national trend has been widely reported, little has been discussed about whether […]

What We Know About Long Covid in New York City: Symptoms, Treatment and Risks

What We Know About Long Covid in New York City: Symptoms, Treatment and Risks

By: Dr. Marisa Donnelly, Healthbeat New York | Thecity.nyc  This article was originally published by Healthbeat, a nonprofit newsroom covering public health published by Civic News Company and KFF Health News. Sign up for Your Local Epidemiologist New York and get Dr. Marisa Donnelly’s community public health forecast in your inbox a day early. Covid-19 is here to stay, and […]

COVID-19, Flu and RSV Shots − An Epidemiologist Explains Why All Three Matter This Fall

COVID-19, Flu and RSV Shots − An Epidemiologist Explains Why All Three Matter This Fall

By: Annette Regan, The Conversation |photo credits: Studio Romatic/Shutterstock.com The Food and Drug Administration approved and granted emergency use authorization on Aug. 22, 2024, for the newest, updated version of the COVID-19 vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention quickly endorsed the new shot to protect against severe illness. The 2024 summer wave of COVID-19 cases is a good […]

COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates have come and Mostly Gone in the US – an Ethicist Explains why their Messy Rollout Matters for Trust in Public Health

COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates have come and Mostly Gone in the US – an Ethicist Explains why their Messy Rollout Matters for Trust in Public Health

By Rachel Gur-Arie | October 18, 2023 Ending pandemics is a social decision, not scientific. Governments and organizations rely on social, cultural and political considerations to decide when to officially declare the end of a pandemic. Ideally, leaders try to minimize the social, economic and public health burden of removing emergency restrictions while maximizing potential benefits. Vaccine policy […]