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The list of U.S. parents’ pandemic burdens this winter is longer and more chaotic than ever: More kids have been infected with the novel coronavirus, or SARS-CoV-2, despite scrupulous safety measures. Outbreaks have occurred in staff-strained schools and daycare centers. Many have faced dreaded returns to remote learning. COVID vaccine boosters remain unauthorized for most … Read more
To health care workers in the COVID era, holidays mean death, and we knew Omicron was coming before it had a name. The wave caused by this variant has barely begun, rapidly gathering steam, and we are exhausted, attempting to pull from reserves badly drained by earlier surges. Back in August, the beds of my … Read more
The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research. At the end of 2020, it seemed hard to imagine a worse year for misinformation on social media, given the intensity of the presidential election and the trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic. But 2021 proved up to the … Read more
The scientific evidence is crystal clear: Early experiences literally shape the architecture of the developing brain. This widespread understanding is driving increased public support for universal pre-K to enhance school readiness for all children and level the playing field for kids who face adversity. But here’s something that’s less well-known by the public: Since the brain is … Read more
As I jogged along the Hudson River recently, a few lonely snowflakes fell, and I composed a haiku in my head: Every snowflake isspecial. But so what? They melttoo fast to matter I’ve been glum lately, and I’m not sure why. My blues are overdetermined, meaning they could stem from lots of things: diminished daylight, … Read more
A few days ago, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city would provide 500,000 free at-home COVID tests to city residents through community centers. This step toward more equitable testing came days after a heated exchange between White House spokesperson Jen Psaki and a National Public Radio reporter in which Psaki scoffed … Read more
Many people have experienced reductions in stress, pain, and anxiety, and sometimes even euphoria after exercise. What’s behind this so-called ‘runner’s high’? New research on the neuroscience of exercise may surprise you. The runner’s high has long been attributed to endorphins. These are chemicals produced naturally in the body of humans and other animals … Read more
My two-year-old tested positive for COVID last month. My mind-numbing and costly project to keep him uninfected prior to his vaccinations had proven an abject failure. I was angry—and surprised. During the time he was likely infected, he had only been around vaccinated people when indoors. Although we know the absolute risk of serious illness … Read more
Too much stress hurts mind and body, but the stress response exists for good evolutionary reasons. Recognising that is the first step to turning its negative effects around Health 1 December 2021 By Catherine de Lange Sergio Membrillas Many of us have felt more than a little stressed over the past couple of years. For … Read more