COVID19
No, That New Study Doesn’t Show that Masks Are Useless
We asked Prof. Jason Abaluck, who co-authored a landmark randomized trial of mask promotion in Bangladesh, what conclusions we can draw from the recent Cochrane Review—and what the evidence says about the effectiveness of masks.
COVID Outcomes in Two States Show That Leadership Matters
Yale SOM’s Anjani Jain and Jeffrey Sonnenfeld on how the rhetoric and policies of Governors Ron DeSantis of Florida and Ned Lamont of Connecticut have shaped their states’ responses to the resurgence of COVID-19—with profound implications for their constituents.
In a First, Randomized Study Shows That Masks Reduce COVID-19 Infections
A large study co-authored by Yale SOM’s Jason Abaluck and Mushfiq Mobarak found that a mask-promotion program in Bangladesh significantly lowered symptomatic infections, especially among older people and when surgical masks are used.
How to Distribute Scarce Medical Supplies in a Pandemic—and Do It Fairly
Early in the pandemic, states waited in frustration for medical equipment from the Strategic National Stockpile. New research outlines a better way to efficiently and equitably allot emergency supplies.
To Stop a Pandemic in Its Tracks, Coordinate across Borders
New research co-authored by Yale SOM’s Paul Goldsmith-Pinkham shows that a proactive approach, in which jurisdictions respond to infections in neighboring areas, can dramatically lower spread in the early stages of an epidemic.
Send Vaccines Where People Want Them: Developing Nations
COVID-19 vaccine acceptance is significantly higher in low- and middle-income countries than wealthy ones. Prioritizing those countries for vaccine distribution could help save more lives and keep variants at bay.
A Pandemic Landscape of Optimism and Uncertainty
Nationally, infection rates are close to their low point and many Americans are resuming their usual activities, but the more transmissible Delta variant is spreading and vaccinations are still low in some areas. We asked Yale SOM's Dr. Howard Forman where things stand now.
Did COVID-19 Restrictions on Restaurants and Bars Save Lives?
COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants, bars, gyms and salons were among the most controversial and the last to be lifted. A new study looks at whether closures, capacity restrictions, and other limits on these businesses actually lowered the death rate.
Video: Identifying with a Team Helps Prevent Stress and Burnout among Healthcare Workers
A Yale study conducted in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic found that feeling like part of a team reduced reported stress and burnout—an insight with implications for how any kind of organization can weather a crisis.
Study in Bangladesh Identifies Keys to Encouraging Mask-Wearing
A team of researchers, including Yale SOM’s Jason Abaluck and Mushfiq Mobarak, tested multiple methods for encouraging use of masks in Bangladesh and identified a group of simple interventions that tripled usage.
How Nudges Could Boost Vaccination Rates
A study co-authored by Yale SOM’s James Choi tested a variety of text messages to prompt people to get flu vaccines, offering one potential tool to encourage those who aren’t rushing to get a COVID shot.
