The Hidden Pandemic behind the Coronavirus
Sarah Javaid and Kathleen Lindsey
Sarah Javaid and Kathleen Lindsey take a look at some of the positive and negative impacts on the environment that have happened due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Environmental Health Sciences
Infant Mortality among Black Babies
Utibe Effiong, MPH ’14, Ekemini Hogan, and Obasi Okorie
It’s a painful statistical fact that Black babies die at higher rates than White babies—a fact all the more painful and tragic for those living with the realities of infant mortality. The difference in death rates is shared by developing and developed nations alike. But the trend can and must change.
Do Africans Want Genetically Modified Mosquitoes?
Utibe Effiong, MPH ’14
Genetically modifying mosquitoes to control infectious disease is not a new idea. But all consequences—the good and the bad—of such an intervention must be adequately vetted. And importantly, argues physician and alum Utibe Effiong, local communities should have a say in the process.
Mental Health, Incarceration, and COVID-19
Chanese A. Forte
In the US, ten times more people with mental health disorders are in jail or prison than in mental health facilities. The coronavirus pandemic further complicates this matter, putting incarcerated individuals at increased risk of infection.
Understanding Lupus, the Disease Treated by Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine
Ekemini Hogan, Akpabio Akpabio, and Utibe Effiong
Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are important therapies for those suffering from lupus, a complex auto-immune disease. As the world battles to overcome COVID-19, we must ensure continued availability of antimalarials to patients whose lives literally depend on them.
Why Are Ethical Concerns Blocking the Progress of COVID-19 Vaccine Efforts?
Akpabio Akpabio and Utibe Effiong
Ultimately, vaccines are beneficial, and human trials are essential in determining the safety of any vaccine. But how do we select candidates for vaccine tests? Fallout from unethical experiments is persistent, and we must insist on the most ethical and medically accurate appraisals of the vaccine landscape.