The Vaccination Paradigm: Do the Naturally Immune Really Need a Second Dose?
Science, at a fundamental level, can be distilled into a series of paradigms, or sets of concepts and practices that define a scientific discipline at a particular period of time [1]. These paradigms are defined by the sum total of available scientific evidence.
Paradigms have guided scientific discovery for centuries. For example, the geocentric model of the universe, which posited that the Earth was the astronomical body that all other planets rotated about, held for more than 1,500 years. The miasma theory, which suggested that disease was caused by “bad air,” prevailed from the days of the ancient Chinese through the late 19th century.
These paradigms were shattered by the work of…
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The SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines: Everything You Need to Know
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage throughout the world including the United States which averaged 243,503 cases and 3119 deaths over the last seven days [1]. The surge in post-holiday cases has pushed hospitals past capacity. As of January 10th, there are 128,710 active COVID-19 hospitalizations [2]. 35% of intensive care units are 90% or more occupied [3]. The overwhelming number of hospitalizations has caused staff and equipment shortages and fundamentally altered the way that we deliver care. These shortages will…
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Masks: The Science Behind Our Most Valuable Public Health Tool
At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did not recommend wearing masks to prevent the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. As the pandemic has raged on, however, these organizations now recommend the opposite. As a result, an increasing number of cities and states within the United States require the use of a mask when in public settings. The shifting guidelines by…
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The Ongoing COVID-19 Epidemic in the United States
In May, the United States began relaxing restrictions that were put into place to prevent the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Although federal guidelines for the reopening process were published, states have created and implemented individual plans for reopening. The result has been an unmitigated disaster. While certain states, including former hotspots such as New Jersey, New York, and Illinois have managed to “flatten the curve,” the majority of other states, including Florida, Texas, California, Arizona, and others, have seen record numbers of new cases of COVID-19 [1]. The United States, as a whole, is…
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Are COVID-19-Related Infections and Deaths Over- or Under-Reported?
Whether you believe that COVID-19-related estimates, specifically infections and deaths, are over- or under-reported depends almost entirely on where you get your news. This is an unfortunate result of these sources having diverging motives. Some aim to inform the public while others are advancing their own agendas. Discerning which is which can prove difficult, especially because many of the arguments made by nefarious individuals and organizations are…
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