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Conquering COVID -19. Is a cure or a vaccine close?
With a pandemic now touching just about every part of the globe, the race is on by scientists and researchers to find a vaccine or cure for COVID-19. Can it be done, by when and how long to get to market? With testing and lengthy trials – could it even help? As well, with SARS, MERS, H1N1 and the flu all appearing in dangerous scenarios this century, why weren’t there already vaccines in place for the next time a coronavirus took flight? There’s a lot of information out there, and in an effort to keep the public informed with objective opinions and evidence-based facts – that’s where our experts can help. Dr. Marc Sweeney is the Founding Dean of the School of Pharmacy at Cedarville University. He is an expert in health and wellness and advanced medical equipment. Dr. Sweeney is available to speak to media regarding this topic – simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.
How to Find Quality Family Time During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Planning schedules, screen time and social connectedness during the coronavirus crisis can parents and children reduce stress, be productive and create meaningful family moments With many schools closed as a measure against the spread of coronavirus, and many parents working remotely, families can incorporate a variety of activities — including educational ones — to keep kids engaged and ready to continue learning when they return to school, say family experts at Baylor University. “Life will look a little different over the next few weeks” amid the social distancing recommend by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Karen K. Melton, Ph.D., assistant professor of child and family studies in Baylor’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences. “For the next few weeks, we are going to get to spend extra quality time with our loved ones at home, likely resulting in more laughs and tears. “A sense of routine can help us stay calm and keep moving forward,” she said. “As we all lean into the changes that surround us, we offer three S’s for being intentional while kids are home: schedules, screen time and social connectedness.” SCHEDULES Schedules can take time and effort to create, but once established, they will help reduce stress, Melton said. “You can create a full-day schedule or just a morning/afternoon schedule when you need to get other work done. By providing a family’s schedule, you will reduce boredom and anxiety while increasing a sense of belonging and competency. Some families may allow kids to watch TV in the morning and then work through their schedule. If they complete all their activities, then they can earn additional screen time in the late afternoon.” Some schedule suggestions: Art and/or music Outdoor play Free play Learning activities/educational worksheets Reading Chores Board games Screen time SCREEN TIME “Your kids will likely have more screen time than usual,” Melton said. “For older children, limit screen time so that it does not replace physical activity, sleep or other healthy behaviors. Parents also may want to consider that all screen time is not equal, not only by the ways we interact — smartphones, tablets, computers, gaming devices and televisions — but by different categories for screen time use.” Among those: Watching educational shows versus watching entertaining shows Playing educational games versus playing entertainment games Constructive social media versus destructive social media use SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS Apps and other technology offer ways to stay connected with those outside the home. But each day of the week also provides opportunities for meaningful moments with family at home, said Nicole McAninch, Ph.D., clinical associate professor of child and family studies at Baylor, who co-directors the Intentional Family Project at Baylor. Some ideas: Dust off the board games. Teach your kids a family recipe. Have a family dance party. Play a video game as a family. Have a family movie night. “Life will be a little crazier than usual over the next few weeks,” Melton said. “Remember, we are all in this together. We will all need to sacrifice and be more flexible. If we spend a little time being intentional with schedules, screen time and social connections, then we can look back at this time, having created meaningful moments that help our family thrive.” ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.
Baylor Sports Marketing Expert Discusses NBA, NCAA Coronavirus Decisions
On Wednesday, the NBA took the unprecedented step to suspend its season following the revelation that one of its players tested positive for coronavirus. In addition, the NCAA announced that the March Madness basketball tournaments will be played, but without fans present. Baylor University’s Dr. Kirk Wakefield is a nationally recognized expert on sports marketing, sports psychology and fan/consumer response. He has conducted research on the sports retail market – including the NBA and all major national organizations – for more than 20 years. In this brief Q&A, he shares his thoughts about these two decisions. Q: This was an unprecedented action by the NBA to suspend the season due to coronavirus. What does this mean for the teams? A: We’ve had work stoppage before with labor lockouts. Fans were angry then, but the majority won’t be now. Most won’t blame the league or the teams. We might see even more passion for the teams as fans are anxious for play to resume. Q: Based on your understanding of the decision-making process, does this seem to be an action that was done thoughtfully? A: It was carefully considered. No one wants to be the one who could have prevented a catastrophe and didn’t take prudent steps. Just like after lockout years, the leagues will recover. Q: The NCAA tournament will be played – but without fans. What does this mean for college sports teams and the NCAA? A: Obviously, viewership will increase – which is good for sponsors with heavy broadcast and digital assets. Sponsors and venues/teams who are reliant on gate revenue will be hit the hardest. ABOUT KIRK WAKEFIELD, PH.D. Kirk Wakefield, Ph.D., is the Edwin W. Streetman Professor of Retail Marketing and executive director of Sports Sponsorship & Sales at Baylor Unviersity's Hankamer School of Business. His research on retailing covers more than two decades and focuses primarily on sports psychology, team sports marketing, entertainment marketing, and fan and consumer response to pricing and promotional tools. He has conducted fan research in almost every venue in sports including the NBA, NFL, MLB, MLS, NHL and NASCAR. ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 18,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. ABOUT HANKAMER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY At Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business, integrity stands shoulder-to-shoulder with analytic and strategic strengths. The School’s top-ranked programs combine rigorous classroom learning, hands-on experience in the real world, a solid foundation in Christian values and a global outlook. Making up approximately 25 percent of the University’s total enrollment, undergraduate students choose from 16 major areas of study. Graduate students choose from full-time, executive or online MBA or other specialized master’s programs, and Ph.D. programs in Information Systems, Entrepreneurship or Health Services Research. The Business School also has campuses located in Austin and Dallas, Texas. Visit www.baylor.edu/business and follow on Twitter at twitter.com/Baylor_Business.
What Coronavirus Means for the Workplace
As the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the coronavirus (COVID-19) a pandemic, organizations, schools and large public events have been scrambling in an effort to figure out what will happen next. But what if your employer doesn't have a formal work from home (or remote) policy? "Given that a high percentage of families have two working parents, managers need to understand that their usual expectations for productivity are going to have to adjust," says Narda Quigley, PhD, professor of management in the Villanova School of Business. In addition, it will be a completely different dynamic for the manager-employee relationship. Deadlines and tasks will need to be fluid in a more virtual workday, Dr. Quigley says. "It is impossible to expect that there wouldn't be an extreme impact on the processes that organizations depend on for day-to-day functioning, and so the goals have to change accordingly. Productivity goals and expectations probably need to be tabled (or at least dramatically decreased) until more about COVID-19 is understood. The organizations that are able to be nimble in the face of an unknown and developing situation, yet understanding of the urgency of public health directives and the needs of their employees, will emerge from this situation with valuable experience that may help them weather the next unexpected situation." Dr. Quigley also notes that women may be negatively impacted by an extended work from home period. "As work transitions to the home sphere, one question to consider is whether this disruption will have a longer-term adverse impact on the careers of women, rather than men. Given the continued prevalence of traditional gender roles and expectations around caretaking in many American families, women will likely be expected to focus less on work when they are working from home, particularly if they have children at home or individuals in their families who are sick. "Upon transitioning back into their regular working lives, women may find themselves further than ever from their next promotion. Organizations must be cognizant of this and understand that there are likely 'hidden' ways that women are contributing to their ongoing ability to operate—and without this activity, their ability to continue with business-as-usual would grind to a halt. However, this would require a fundamental, culture-wide rethinking of how we value what stands as work in this society, as American cultural norms are so strongly gender-specific."
March 6 is the National Day of Unplugging. Communications Professor Joni Siani at Manhattanville College is spearheading a unique project, the “No App For Life” challenge, to address the unintended consequences affecting the first digitally socialized generation. The challenge encourages a week of refraining from social media apps and reminds students that they are human and have all the apps they need to feel connected. “Our college students are considered the first digitally socialized generation,” said Siani. “We've seen the decline in soft skills along with a rise in anxiety, affecting their success in college and both their professional and personal lives. We're dedicated to giving students the skills they need.” Siani has dedicated her research to creating effective solutions to reverse the effects of growing up online. Beginning with the award-winning documentary “Celling Your Soul,” the No App For Life challenge evolved over a ten-year period into a comprehensive project, meeting students where they are with a deep level of compassion that focuses on empowerment. This portion of the curriculum from her classes was so well received, students encouraged Siani to expand it campus-wide. Siani discovered the benefits of the project were not about "going without, but, going within." This is "not anti-technology, but pro-human." Many educators encourage some type of digital abstinence, but Siani created a more comprehensive curriculum that works in a positive approach. The No App For Life challenge provides a writing activity and observational tasks that teach specific skills to practice and hone. Students report these strategies as "life changing" and incorporate the new behaviors into their daily lives with a positive effect on their relationships and mental health. As Siani explains, "Nobody wants to hear that the thing they love isn't good for them. The No App For Life challenge provides students with the skills they need to navigate their world using their ‘human apps.’ Going without their digital default methods, they build self-esteem and confidence while their phones are on the back burner. When students learn how to communicate to have their needs met and address anxiety and stress, they actually are excited to test out their new skills. They want to learn about themselves. This is a personal motivation strategy." If you are a journalist covering the National Day of Unplugging or looking to know more about how technology is impacting society, let the experts from Manhattanville College help with your stories.
FAU Experts Available to Speak on Coronavirus and its Impact Worldwide
Coronavirus has now earned global attention and Florida Atlantic University experts are available to speak with media about the impact of coronavirus on areas related to this worldwide epidemic, including hospitality, tourism, employment sick leave, and politics. If you are a journalist covering the progress of this virus and how it is impacting various sectors and segments of society – then let us help with your stories, questions and ongoing coverage. LeaAnne DeRigne, Ph.D., MSW, associate professor in FAU’s Phyllis and Harvey Sandler School of Social Work LeaAnne DeRigne is an expert on paid sick leave and its impact on the health and financial security of individuals, families and public health in general. Her recent research on the importance of paid sick leave benefits has received wide press coverage,and has been cited around the country by policy makers, lobbyists, and advocates pushing cities and states to mandate sick leave coverage. Key findings from the study, which are representative of the nation, showed that regardless of income, age, race, occupation, full-time or part-time work status, health status or health insurance coverage, workers without paid sick leave were three times more likely to delay medical care than were workers with paid sick leave. She also conducts research on other workplace benefits such as flexible work, vacation time and pensions. Peter Ricci, clinical associate professor and director of the Department of Marketing and Hospitality Management in FAU’s College of Business Peter Ricci is a hospitality industry veteran with more than 20 years of managerial experience in segments including food service, lodging, incentive travel, and destination marketing. While filling the role of hotel general manager for almost a decade, Ricci served as a part-time educator before entering academia full time as both a clinical associate professor and administrator. Kevin Wagner, Ph.D., professor and chair of FAU’s Department of Political Science in the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters Kevin Wagner’s research and teaching interests include presidential and judicial politics, political behavior and legislative behavior. He is also a research fellow of the FAU Business and Economics Polling Initiative (BEPI). Wagner has lectured extensively on American politics and has served as an expert in many leading newspapers including the New York Times, Boston Globe, New York Newsday, the Dallas Morning News, and the Miami Herald. He has been featured as the political analyst for CBS 12 in West Palm Beach and on national television including NBC’s “Today.” All of the experts listed above are ready and available to speak with media. To arrange an interview simply click on an expert’s profile or email Lisa Metcalf at lmetcalf@fau.edu.
What started in China with the world watching, now has the globe’s full attention as some countries are locking down borders and advising residents to prepare for the worst. In America, leaders are urging caution and hoping to ease anxiety among the population. The number of coronavirus cases across the nation surged to more than 100 on Tuesday with six deaths blamed on the outbreak. That doesn't mean it's time to panic, said Surgeon General Jerome Adams. “Caution, preparedness, but not panic,” he said. That message was echoed at the White House, where Vice President Mike Pence confirmed "four additional fatalities" in Washington state Monday but stressed again that the risk "remains low" according to experts who are working with the Trump administration's newly formed coronavirus task force. There are more than 40 "domestic cases," mostly in California and Washington state, Pence said, and even more cases of people who came from other countries. However, as Covid-19 creeps closer to pandemic levels, there’s a lot of information out there, and not all of it is accurate. So, if you’re a journalist covering the progressing story – let Manhattanville College help ensure you get the right information and facts for your stories. Manhattanville College Professor Anna Yeung-Cheung is a biologist, virologist and infectious disease expert and has a lot of insight and experience with infectious diseases and Covid-19. When asked recently by Slate.com how Coronavirus can kill a young doctor if the risks are primarily to older people and small children, Professor Yeung Cheung said it was due to the repeated exposure because of his profession. “It’s a dosage thing,” explained Anna Yeung-Cheung to Slate.com. “Health care workers are exposed to far more people, often pretty sick people, than the average person, and therefore stand to come in contact with higher levels of the virus. A lot of virus can still overwhelm a healthy immune system.” Originally from Hong Kong, Professor Anna Yeung-Cheung received her B.S. from National Taiwan University and her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Georgia. Dr. Yeung-Cheung is available to comment on global pandemics and where we are now with Covid-19. Simply click on her icon to arrange an interview today.
It’s here and it’s time America got serious about Covid-19, known as coronavirus. The CDC is working overtime, and leading government health officials are scrambling to ensure hospitals are equipped, front-line health providers are ready and the public is informed. But with any emergency, there comes the risk of misinformation and unnecessary worry. As the new coronavirus outbreak becomes an ever-looming threat in the United States, state infectious disease specialists say the first step to staying safe is this: Remain calm. Also, don’t worry about buying a mask. “You really have to make sure you get the accurate information and not … ‘Lock your doors, close the windows, buy a generator and hope for the best,’” said Dr. Peter Gulick, an infectious disease expert at the Michigan State University's College of Osteopathic Medicine and director of the MSU Internal Medicine Osteopathic Residency program. That’s not only alarmist and bad advice, he said, it’s a waste of energy. The best advice — like these tips from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — is tried-and-true, Gulick said: Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. It’s especially important after using the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. No soap and water? Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. If you’re sick, stay home. Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. If you think you’ve come in contact with someone with the virus (there have been no confirmed cases yet in Michigan) contact your health provider immediately. February 26 – The Bridge Regrettably, that too can often lead to financial reactions that can ripple across the economy. Lately, the surging stock market has plunged with worries from investors and Wall Street about how America’s workforce will be impacted if the virus spreads. Friday ended the worst week the stock market has had since 2008. NBC News 6 sat down with the Dean of the Broad College of Business at Michigan State University, Sanjay Gupta, to talk more about the stocks and what to expect after this week. “The stock market is clearly spooked, and it has become nervous with whatever is going on in the business world,” said Gupta. What has ‘spooked’ the business world, is COVID-19. “The coronavirus is quarantined lots of factories, in fact the whole country,” said Gutpa. Gutpa says the halt in Chinese manufacturing also limits businesses and goods here in the United States. “In our day to day lives, either there will be some things that we count on that may not be available. It might be that the priciest of those things that we count on change, or go up dramatically because we are so dependent on a foreign source,” said Gutpa. February 29 – WLNS TV Covering an outbreak like Covid-19 isn’t easy, there are multiple angles to explore and it is vital that only the correct facts are shared by media to the millions of viewers, readers and listeners that are waiting for the latest information – and that’s where our experts can help. Sanjay Gupta is the Eli and Edythe L. Broad Dean of the Eli Broad College of Business. He is an expert in the areas of corporate and individual tax policy issues and finance. Peter Gulick is currently an associate professor of medicine at Michigan State University, College of Osteopathic Medicine, and serves as adjunct faculty in the College of Human Medicine and the College of Nursing. Both experts have already been sought out by the media for their expert insight on this issue – if you are interested in arranging an interview, simply click on either expert’s profile to arrange a time today.
Unprecedented levels of partisanship vitriol threatens the health of democracy in U.S., globally
Voter-based political parties have played an integral role in American politics since their formation in the 1790s, yet it is difficult to remember any other time in history — other than perhaps the 1850s — when the level of divisiveness was this high and the polarity this profound between Republicans and Democrats. To add more fuel to the fire, the anti-democratic actions against the rule of law by President Donald Trump have become a primary threat to democracy in the U.S., said David Lynch, Ph.D., a professor of History and Social Sciences and Political Science program coordinator at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. The same action are also threatening how the government works and delegitimizing and undermining institutions that make and enforce laws,Lynch added. Those institutions include formal ones such as Congress and the political parties themselves, as well as less formal entities, such as the traditional news media. “You have to have free, fair, open media in order to have a democracy. If you do not have a free press, you do not have a democracy,” Dr. Lynch said. “And similarly, you need to have the rule of law where laws are carried out not for political ends, but based on the laws.” The recent impeachment proceedings were an attempt to curtail these actions, but the partisan response to the Senate’s impeachment trial allowed the violation of democratic norms to be rewarded, said Dr. Lynch. Furthermore, politicians who react strongly to anti-democratic actions threaten to further delegitimize the government, such as Trump’s refusal to shake the hand of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, at his most recent State of the Union address and her subsequent action of tearing up his speech. “That helps both sides reinforce their own position that the other side is less legitimate and that we shouldn't cooperate with somebody like that,” Dr. Lynch said. Dr. Lynch pointed to how the indices that measure the health of democracy both in the U.S. and abroad have all gone down since Trump won the 2016 election. In addition, the most recent Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index reflected the worst registered global democracy score since its inception in 2006. In that report, the U.S. received a score of “flawed democracy.” Traditionally, the U.S. democratic system has been able to regulate such extreme partisanship before election day by not nominating candidates that violate democratic norms or are far from the ideological center. On election day, overly partisan candidates are vulnerable in swing districts and swing states. That ability for the public to express its collective voice, though, has eroded over the years as the number of swing districts has dwindled. "When people view through a partisan lens, it changes the incentives that elected officials have because they may be rewarded for partisan but anti-democratic actions,” Dr. Lynch said. “It also changes how average people view this whole debate.” To demonstrate the current political scene in the U.S., Dr. Lynch alluded to a 2017 study conducted by a group of political scientists at Yale University in which experimental surveys were sent to Venezuelans to see to what degree they would be willing to accept a less democratic candidate if he or she was a member of the political party they affiliated themselves with. The answer was quite a large degree. “The big message here is you can't necessarily rely on the public just to vote out an anti-democratic candidate because they might get a partisan advantage from that anti-democrat,” Dr. Lynch said. Are you a journalist covering this topic and interested in an interview? That’s where we can help. David Lynch, Ph.D., professor of History and Social Sciences and Political Science program coordinator, has taught political science at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota since 1996. Dr. Lynch has also written over a dozen chapters on international relations, international political economy, and American foreign policy, including the chapter on trade in the United Nations Association of the USA’s “A Global Agenda” from 1996 to 2005. Dr. Lynch is an expert in political science, political economies, and international relations. He is available to speak with the media. To arrange an interview with him, simply click on his photo below to access his contact information.
Beginning in Fall 2020 Georgia Southern University will offer its first fully online Master of Public Health (MPH) degree with a concentration in applied public health. “For those who do not have the ability to enroll in one of our on-campus MPH concentrations, the online applied public health option would be ideal for anyone passionate about improving health and making a difference in their community,” stated Interim Dean Stuart Tedders, Ph.D. Students will complete a broad-based program of study with a focus on public health education, information and advocacy, and with the flexibility to tailor their elective options. Students will apply their skills and knowledge to become front-line public health practitioners or public health leaders. Academic advisors and technical support will be provided to all students enrolled in the online master’s program. Additionally, the online program includes a field experience located within reach of the student’s location. Are you a journalist looking to cover this topic or learn more about Georgia Southern University and the programs it offers? Simply contact Melanie Simón at 912.344.2904 to arrange an interview or contact Karl Peace via his icon directly.
