COVID-19 Archives

A gas sensor used to detect airborne SARS-CoV-2 virus in professor Nian Sun’s lab in Egan Research Center. Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University

These new sensors can detect coronavirus particles on your breath, instantly

Instead of sticking swabs up our noses, what if we could instantly detect viral particles we breathe out? That is precisely the kind of technology that Nian Sun, a professor of electrical and computer engineering, is working on.

by Roberto Molar Candanosa July 17, 2020

A national coin shortage is the latest consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

An unexpected consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic? A national coin shortage.

As people find contactless ways to pay for goods, physical money—particularly coins—have become hard to come by. But the national coin shortage is more than an inconvenience; it has serious consequences for people who routinely pay in cash or don’t have access to a bank account, says William Dickens, university distinguished professor of economics and social policy.

by Molly Callahan July 17, 2020

image of person holding anterior nasal swab kit

Here’s how Northeastern intends to test all Boston students, faculty, and staff for the coronavirus

The university is planning a number of measures to conduct free coronavirus testing of students, faculty, and staff who will be returning to the Boston campus in the fall. “This testing is for everyone,” says David Luzzi, senior vice provost for research and vice president of Northeastern’s Innovation Campus. “The goal here is to keep fully on top of what’s happening on campus.”

by Roberto Molar Candanosa July 13, 2020

A person wearing a mask to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus walks past a U.S. flag displayed in a window in Boston on July 7, 2020. AP Photo/Steven Senne

New survey shows ‘systematic decline’ in domestic approval for US leaders

Amid a record-breaking increase in new cases of SARS-CoV-2, which prompted some states to pause reopening plans, a new survey by Northeastern and other researchers shows that public approval of U.S. governors as well as President Donald Trump has dropped over the last couple of months.

by Khalida Sarwari July 9, 2020

Joseph E. Aoun, president of Northeastern, led an online discussion on the Latin American economy with regional business leaders organized by Northeastern’s Young Global Leaders program. Screenshot by Northeastern University.

Latin American business leaders see pain, promise in post-pandemic economy

The pandemic has exposed raw inequality and devastated entire industries. But business leaders from the region, in a panel discussion organized by Northeastern’s Young Global Leaders, expressed optimism that Latin America may one day compete on a global scale, and even pose a threat to China as a wordwide trading partner.

by Peter Ramjug July 8, 2020

Here’s what could make your homemade mask work as well as an N95

How do you make a mask as effective as the N95 respirators used by healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients? Northeastern researchers sought solutions from materials…

by Adam Fischer and Benjamin Bertsch July 8, 2020

Are these uncertain times keeping you up? The solution might be personal.

Advising people on how to improve their sleep is oddly difficult, says Lichuan Ye, an associate professor of nursing who studies sleep disorders. “Most times we forget that we should give compassion to ourselves,” she says, adding that there is no single remedy to help everyone relax.

by Roberto Molar Candanosa July 7, 2020

How COVID-19 is affecting support for mail-in voting

How will opinions change as cases across the country fluctuate—particularly in states, such as Arizona or Florida, where cases are rising sharply? That’s the question,…

by Cam Sleeper July 6, 2020

Handguns for sale are lined up in a display case at Frontier Justice in Lee's Summit, Mo on , Dec. 21, 2108. AP Photo Charlie Riedel

Here’s why guns increase the risk of suicide–especially in stressful times

Handgun owners are almost four times more likely to die by suicide than people who don’t have guns, according to research by Matt Miller, professor of health sciences and epidemiology at Northeastern.

by Ian Thomsen July 6, 2020

Sporting events around the world are beginning to re-emerge after strict public health guidelines that cautioned people against large gatherings and close quarters. In the United Kingdom, professional soccer teams have begun playing to empty stadiums under a plan called “Project Restart.” The return of sports offers a “unique opportunity to change the depth and scope of the public health conversation,” says Dan Lebowitz, executive director of the Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern. (Michael Regan/Pool via AP)

Sports are coming back–but there’s more at stake than who wins or loses

When major sports leagues shut down or were postponed earlier this year, the move was a powerful message for many that the COVID-19 pandemic needed to be taken seriously. Their reopening could also serve to amplify a powerful message: this time, for racial justice, says Dan Lebowitz, executive director of the Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern.

by Molly Callahan July 2, 2020

COVID-19