Stacey Ritzen is a reporter and editor based in Philadelphia with more than 10 years of experience covering pop culture, web culture, entertainment, and news.
India is currently experiencing a “humanitarian disaster” due to soaring COVID-19 infection rates and deaths. Exacerbating the current crisis, doctors are reporting a rare infection called mucormycosis—aka “black fungus”—among recovered and still-recovering COVID patients. The highly deadly condition has a mortality rate of around 50%. Mucormycosis is caused by exposure to mucor mold that thrives […] More
Vaccination rollouts have allowed many retail businesses, restaurants, and schools to reopen as COVID-19 cases continue to trend downward. One aspect of American life that has yet to pivot back to a return to normal, however, is that the office workforce is still largely working remotely. But some are wondering, is this a safety issue […] More
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 70% of the population will need to be inoculated against COVID-19 to achieve a level of herd immunity. In the United States, this task is easier said than done thanks to anti-vaccination movements and political partisanship standing in the way. People with hesitant family members […] More
Medical experts are still learning about the side effects suffered by “long covid” patients. Symptoms include fatigue, headache, difficulty breathing, and even skin symptoms lasting weeks to months post-infection. Some doctors are even seeing patients experience neurological, cognitive, and psychological effects from COVID-19. These cases, which are being referred to as “post-COVID psychosis,” have cropped […] More
The coronavirus pandemic has caused shortages in everything from toilet paper, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, and food supply chains to more unexpected items like coins. And now, over a year into the pandemic, U.S. travelers may have a harder time finding gasoline because of a truck driver shortage. Though there is not currently a low […] More
Millions of relieved Americans are receiving their COVID-19 vaccinations every day. It takes two weeks after the second dose—or two weeks from your first and only dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine—before full vaccination is reached, but a single dose does offer a certain degree of protection. This has people wondering what activities they […] More
An unfortunate consequence of rushing to execute a COVID-19 vaccine rollout is that there have inevitably been some leftover doses. What, then, happens to all the COVID vaccines that go unused? After all, health departments, pharmacies, and medical facilities can acquire only a limited number of vaccines to distribute at a time. And because the […] More
When the coronavirus pandemic broke out in 2020, many public health experts wondered if it would mean the end of the handshake as we know it. The concept of shaking hands soon became a nonstarter, as people were encouraged to thoroughly wash and sanitize after coming into contact with potentially contaminated outside surfaces and objects. […] More
The COVID-19 pandemic brought international travel to a screeching halt in 2020, as many countries closed their borders to travelers. As a result, many Americans turned to road trips and destinations like national parks to satisfy their wanderlust. With COVID-19 vaccinations inundating the United States, however, some people are starting to wonder if it will […] More
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists common side effects after getting a COVID-19 vaccine ranging from pain, redness, and swelling in the arm to flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, tiredness, headaches, and muscle pains. However, a small number of people are experiencing a metal taste for hours, days, or even weeks after […] More
By now, the common side effects of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine are well known. Side effects typically include soreness at the injection site, chills, fever, and fatigue. Some women are reporting an additional side effect, however, after they noticed heavier-than-usual menstrual cycles following their first or second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Postdoctoral research fellow […] More
The pandemic has been a struggle for just about every global citizen. While kids typically don’t face the same risk from the virus that adults do, the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on their mental health may be just as debilitating. Challenges—including changes to routine, the shift to remote learning, prolonged distance from friends and family, missing […] More