Apr 8, 2020
Coronavirus testing 2: Antibody tests for immunity Antibody structure. Source: Wikimedia Commons Coronavirus tests part 2: Serologic tests for antibodies As we grapple with the challenge of ending quarantines and resuming group interactions, a powerful tool will be...
Apr 6, 2020
Coronavirus testing: how it works, and its limitations Source: Wikimedia Commons Coronavirus tests (part 1): Detecting viral RNA Coronavirus testing has been top of the news for weeks. As more and faster “coronavirus tests” roll out across America, another type of...
Apr 2, 2020
There won’t be a cure: Why are viral infections so hard to treat? Why are viral infections so hard to treat? In today’s post I’d like to explain some of the basic biology of viruses. This will help you understand a future post about how this pandemic will end....
Mar 31, 2020
To face mask, or not to face mask? That is the question. To face mask, or not to face mask? That is the question. {This post is specifically about surgical face masks, the cheap, loose-fitting, disposable kind. Surgical masks are different from N95 respirators, which...
Mar 29, 2020
The New Normal The New Normal How are y’all doing? I’m surprised how quickly the weirdness of our days has started to feel normal. The sharpness of my initial grief and fear has blunted, leaving me with a nagging ache in my gut. I’m impressed by how my fears and...
Mar 28, 2020
A new Manhattan Project to stop the next pandemic We need a new Manhattan Project: Biomarker testing to screen for and stop the next virus Hubby is reading The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes, a brilliant and comprehensive history of the origin and...
