Here is what our researchers are saying about COVID-19

Newly approved “bivalent” vaccine boosters by Moderna and Pfizer target Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 as well as original COVID-19. Experts say people who have recently been vaccinated against COVID or infected should wait to get the shot.

Research from a team co-led by Qi Ryan Wang, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Northeastern, could lead to better emergency responses, especially in low-income communities.

David Lazer, university distinguished professor of political science and computer science, says the new research points to “systemic failures” in providing patients with Paxlovid and Molnupiravir.

The university’s requirement for students, faculty and staff to be fully vaccinated and boosted will remain in place, and campus life will continue with no restrictions.

Several Northeastern University professors call for a more robust response to the latest virus spreading in the U.S. and Europe and beyond.

With 10% of Paxlovid patients rebounding, should length of antiviral course be extended? Northeastern University professors weigh in.

Jared Auclair’s lab is gearing up to help protect the U.S. from emerging pathogens with a new focus on biosurveillance. The likely first step? Testing samples collected at airports and other places of entry for monkeypox.

The nymphal deer ticks that are out now are less likely to carry the pathogens that cause Lyme disease than the adult ticks, but they are so hard to spot—and therefore remove—they are responsible for most cases of human infection. Prevention is key.

“We identified every data source that we could get our hands on—from administrative data to social media posts,” says Northeastern professor Dan O’Brien, who leads the Boston Area Research Initiative that oversees the data project.

A data harmonization undertaken by Northeastern researchers drew from a variety of information sources to construct a picture of what long COVID looks like in the U.S.

Researchers at the Covid States Project sought to tease out where parents of both vaccinated and unvaccinated children get their information about the COVID-19 vaccine and matters affecting their children’s health. Northeastern experts explain their findings in a new survey.

The virus has unexpectedly spread to Europe, Australia, and North America, with the first U.S. patient undergoing treatment in Boston. “But it’s not something to panic about at this point,” says Brandon Dionne, an associate clinical professor in Northeastern’s department of pharmacy and health systems sciences.

People leave a trail of breadcrumbs when they navigate the digital world, offering clues about what is happening in their lives—including their health. Northeastern’s Mauricio Santillana is using machine learning algorithms to turn those clues into an early warning system for disease outbreaks.

The short answer is yes, says Jared Auclair, director of the Biopharmaceutical Analysis Training Lab at Northeastern. Here’s a look at why different tests have different expiration windows, and the best way to store them at home.

While Dr. Anthony Fauci’s comments last week signal hope that the U.S. and other nations could finally be moving into a post-pandemic world, officials should proceed with caution, Northeastern experts say.

A study of more than 27 million people across the U.S. has found a link between COVID-19 infections and Type 1 diabetes. Northeastern’s Trenton Honda says, “Our interest is really looking at the question, ‘Are there going to be hidden costs, even among those who are not at high risk from COVID itself, because of COVID, later on?’”

According to analysis by researchers at Northeastern and partner institutions, the CDC counts, when compared with census data, indicate that in 26 states, more than 100% of people above age 65 have gotten at least one shot. What went wrong? David Lazer, university distinguished professor, explains.

The ruling sparked criticism from legal experts, some of whom contend that U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle misunderstood the law and, therefore, erred in her reasoning. Wendy Parmet, director of Northeastern’s Center for Health Policy and Law, breaks down the decision and its implications.

The Cambridge-based biotech pioneer has plans to open a $500 million facility in Kenya and deliver 500 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine yearly in Africa, Moderna’s Patrick Bergstedt said at a Northeastern forum Wednesday run by the university’s Africa Global Initiative.

Technically, the new dominant viral strain is another iteration of omicron. But, Northeastern experts say, that’s no reason for alarm. In fact, they say, it’s a likely sign of the new normalcy.

The move reflects a shift in the public health approach to COVID-19 as the university and nation transition to managing the disease like other illnesses.

For most people, the short answer is: Probably not, says Mansoor Amiji, university distinguished professor of pharmaceutical sciences and chemical engineering at Northeastern.

In step with the CDC’s revised public health guidelines, the university will remove indoor mask requirements on its Boston campus. Face coverings will be optional in all settings beginning on Saturday, March 5, with the exception of University Health and Counseling Services.

The pandemic upended higher education as we know it. Now, says Joseph E. Aoun, president of Northeastern, there is “an opportunity for universities and colleges to reflect on who they are,” what they offer and how that knowledge will be delivered

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Friday new criteria for the metrics that local jurisdictions use to ease pandemic mitigation measures. “It’s moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach to a much more tailored approach,” says Neil Maniar, professor of public health practice at Northeastern.

Public-health experts have said that COVID-19 is likely to become an “endemic” disease. But the general public is unfamiliar with the term. Northeastern epidemiologist Alessandro Vespignani explains what the term “endemic” means to scientists—and how you can understand what happens next.

Moving to the next phase of COVID-19 management, the university is making testing optional for students, faculty, and staff who are asymptomatic. The change goes into effect on Monday, Feb. 28. On that day we also say goodbye to the COVID-19 dashboard.

Wearing masks indoors is strongly supported nationwide, including in several blue states that plan to ditch the requirement soon, according to a new U.S. survey by researchers at Northeastern and partner universities. See which parts of the country are in favor of and opposed to wearing masks inside.

Many coronavirus testing labs combine samples for faster, less costly results. But the pooled testing approach doesn’t mean the same thing in all labs. Jared Auclair, who runs Northeastern University’s COVID-19 testing facility, explains how pooled testing works and what results mean.

The COVID-19 toolbox is starting to look a lot more like the approach to battling other viruses. “So 2022 is sort of about making that transition to the new endemic world,” says Jared Auclair, director of the Biopharmaceutical Analysis Training Lab at Northeastern.

Students, faculty, and staff are required to be fully vaccinated and boosted against SARS-CoV-2, and as reported COVID-19 infections continue to plummet nationwide, the university has started to scale back some of its policies put in place during earlier stages of the pandemic.

Children’s COVID-19 vaccination rates slowed during the winter wave of omicron infections. A new survey by researchers at Northeastern and partner universities explains why.

The CDC suggests that you do not take a COVID-19 test in the 90 days following an infection unless you have symptoms. But that doesn’t mean you get a free pass. Northeastern public health experts break down what that guidance actually means.