We’re hearing the first rumblings about the likelihood that the Covid pandemic is evolving to ultimately become “endemic”. We can add it to the long list of seemingly endless new verbiage we’ve tossed out to the masses: And like the wearing of masks, and social distancing, and vaccination, the concept of “endemic” is, well […]
Yesterday Rand Paul and Anthony Fauci went at it again at a Senate Hearing. In this corner we have Rand Paul the Ophthamologist cum virologist and mask-less champion. In the opposite corner, Dr Anthony Fauci Director NIH National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Disease The sparring this time was about why […]
Allow me to frame the following critique by quoting what my ex (lovingly) used to say to me: “You have a problem for every solution” But, I digress, Like most health communication people I’ve spent this year thinking about, writing about and re-imaging how we could have done better communicating the Covid pandemic to various “general […]
Christina Zarcadoolas, PhD June 8 2020 Ask adults in the US if antibiotics kill viruses or bacteria and many will respond incorrectly. As for naming the steps in the scientific method half are in the dark. And probe the purpose of a control group in a new drug’s development and you’re likely to get blank stares […]
Since the early 90s, in response to large scale national studies revealing the low health literacy of at least half of the population, public health experts have promoted a “prescription to end confusion”. Simple, “easy-to-read” “plain language” to yield improved health literacy, and thus improved health behaviors and better health outcomes. For just as many […]
In one of the many information-filled updates given by the White House Task Force on Covid Dr. Deborah Birx was discussing the importance of antibody testing and she said: The antibody piece is critical, as you described, because at this time, we can’t – if we have – let’s say asymptomatic status is inversely – […]
This is the 4th in a series of Soundbites: Health Literacy and Covid We’ve simplified and DISTILLED OUT most of the FOUNDATIONAL HEALTH AND SCIENCE CONCEPTS from easy to read/ simplified information. During a pandemic this puts many millions at disproportionate risk. Click HERE to view the video seminar
Friday’s shelter in place activity for me – continue interviewing (virtually) people about what they understand and don’t understand about Covid19 information. As I do these interviews, I am very aware that my work is not part of the critical rescue mission. I don’t have medical training. I can’t drive a bus, or direct traffic, or […]
I’m sure you’ve noticed. It’s not uncommon for a word or phrase to come into fashion – now you see it and soon it’s everywhere. In fact this is very common: likes – as in how many did you get copay bingeable airplane mode manspreading fave the cloud social distancing Some terms are a flash […]
–> Novel Virus Since every description of the “COVID-19” Coronavirus I’ve found uses the term “novel” I spent the afternoon searching for even one source easily available to the public online that explains what novel means and why it’s important for people to understand it. (This is what happens to a linguist with time on her […]
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