New international study reveals one in every 13 COVID-related deaths results in a child under 18 years of age losing a parent.
COVID-19
New software provides detailed picture of diversity of COVID-19 virus variants
Genomic surveillance programs have tracked more than 300,000 unique genetic versions of the COVID-19 virus. A new Western-developed web application visually represents all of that data in an easy-to-understand way.
Vaccine and cure remain focus on World AIDS Day
Jimmy Dikeakos, PhD, understands why virologists like himself quickly pivoted their focus to COVID-19 when the global pandemic struck earlier this year: Vaccines and treatments were needed and the international research community responded. The issue, he said, is that...
New interactive dashboard tracks COVID-19 cases in Ontario schools
An expert in global education, Prachi Srivastava investigates international development and equity in schools. She recently led a high-level policy brief for the T20 Task Force on the pandemic, which informed G20 world leaders, but her latest project is focused much...
Expert Explainer: Dr. Nitin Mohan on Circuit Breaker Lockdowns
Some experts in Canada are considering a ‘circuit breaker lockdown’ to help control the surging case counts of COVID-19. Dr. Nitin Mohan, Assistant Professor at Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, is a physician epidemiologist who teaches...
Digital tool developed at Western assesses privacy and effectiveness of contact tracing apps
A new tool developed by a team of Western University computer scientists performs a digital deep dive on the near-endless stream of contact tracing (CT) mobile apps currently available on the market to evaluate their effectiveness and, more importantly for most, their...
Ebola ’emergency’ vaccines provide ethical blueprint for COVID-19 response
Despite not having safety and efficacy data from the final phase of clinical trials, China and Russia have already started COVID-19 vaccinations and have been widely criticized for prematurely exposing the public to these unlicensed vaccines. While this approach...
Expert Explainer: Greta Bauer, PhD, on celebrating a COVID-19-safe Halloween
As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise across Ontario, parents are grappling with how and if they can continue with Halloween traditions in a safe way. Greta Bauer, PhD, Professor at Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry is an epidemiologist...
Pandemic poses unique challenges for those living with eating disorders
Physical distancing, quarantines, and lockdowns have become necessary evils in the global fight against COVID-19 but for those battling eating disorders, this new normal – further fueled by an onslaught of mixed messaging – may make managing recovery and accessing...
Global study finds ‘COVID-19 free’ hospital areas could save lives after surgery
Millions of surgeries around the world were cancelled during the first wave of the pandemic, for fear patients might contract COVID-19 in hospital. As the second wave peak approaches, a new global study suggests hospitals should set up ‘COVID-19 free’ areas for...
‘Inside-the-box’ technology solves organ and vaccine transportation problem
Following a fatal car crash, a registered organ donor could save the lives of many patients critically awaiting heart, kidney, liver, lung or pancreas transplantation. Once doctors successfully remove vital organs, they are carefully placed in what are essentially...
U.S. politics expert available to comment on President Trump testing positive for COVID-19
President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have announced they have tested positive for COVID-19. Matthew Lebo, the Chair of Western University’s Department of Political Science, is available to comment on what the news means to the 2020 U.S. presidential election,...