Dear Reader, Here’s a first: Some non-Covid news to share with you all. It’s bittersweet to announce that this is my final Coronavirus Blog newsletter. Today is my last day at Medium, as I am beginning a new role at the New York Times. It’s been an honor to navigate…

Anecdotally, some people have reported feeling side effects after their second shot of an mRNA Covid-19 vaccine. Science reporter Katherine Wu digs into the reasons why in a new piece for The Atlantic. Bottom line: It’s a sign the immune system is kicking into gear. Wu writes: My husband had…

Dear Reader, The vaccine rollout is happening worldwide with varied success. But the promise of adding more vaccines to the arsenal is really encouraging news. AstraZeneca and University of Oxford released data today showing their vaccine cuts down on transmission. Great! As I wrote earlier this week, some may wonder…

Even if there’s varying effectiveness — The vaccine rollout is happening worldwide with varying degrees of logistical success. In the United States, the two vaccines currently approved for emergency use include one from Moderna and one from Pfizer-BioNTech, both with over 90% reported efficacy rates. Other vaccines will likely soon be reviewed by the U.S. Food…

Dear Reader, More infectious variants of the coronavirus have been confirmed in the United States. Most recently, the South Africa variant B.1.351 was detected in two people in South Carolina. As you can read here and below, some of the Covid-19 vaccine makers are confident their vaccines still work against…

Throughout the month of January, Kate Green Tripp has been sharing daily tips for staying healthy and hopeful. They’re simple hacks for making it through the winter months. Here are some of my favorites: Make Peace With the Early Darkness Seize the day so nighttime doesn’t get you downelemental.medium.com Take Care of Your Resting Heart Rate Get to know it and nurture itelemental.medium.com Breathe Yourself to Sleep Try this tonightelemental.medium.com

Dear Reader, It’s a unique moment in the pandemic. Things are objectively not great with very high numbers of people dying from Covid-19 each day. But there are some encouraging signs: Cases, hospitalizations, and deaths seem to be easing after a scary holiday surge. People are continuing to be vaccinated…

There are a few states that are progressing faster than others when it comes to getting residents vaccinated. West Virginia is one of those states. According to Bloomberg, the state has used 73% of its shots so far. The reason? As Yuki Noguchi reports for NPR, West Virginia is the…

Dear Reader, There’s early momentum by the new Biden-Harris administration to change the trajectory of the Covid-19 pandemic in the United States. Masks are required in more places, and the manufacturing of protective gear and vaccines will ramp up. People will finally hear from the nation’s doctor, Dr. Anthony Fauci…