Artwork stating 'Education Destroys Barriers', 'We Demand Treatment', and 'I Need A Chance'

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  • Could Akira Miyawaki's 50-year-old innovation help promote biodiversity and reduce the risk of climate change?

    An innovative approach to combat climate change involves growing forests and resorting natural vegetation on degraded or barren land. Known as the Miyawaki technique, planting seedlings of indigenous trees close together could speed the growth of the trees and not only offset carbon emissions, but also increase biodiversity. While the technique can be challenging to do correctly, corporations, nonprofits, and even schools have planted 285 of these forests around the world in India, the Netherlands, France, and Pakistan.

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  • How Puerto Rican Scientists Hacked The COVID-19 Response

    In Puerto Rico, scientists, students, and educators from different organizations created a consortium to help develop a way to expand the territory's testing capacity for COVID-19 after the government continuously struggled to obtain test kits and was only conducting 150 tests per day. After developing a molecular test and partnering with a swab manufacturer in Italy, their efforts culminated in the distribution of 3,000 tests per day.

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  • What We Can Learn From South Korea's Coronavirus Response

    Lessons learned from the outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2015 helped South Korea uniquely prepare a quick and effective response to the recent coronavirus outbreak. With several new strategies in place including contact tracing protocols and "laws clarifying the roles of national and local government, public health, and industry sectors in the event of another outbreak," the country was able to largely contain the virus faster than other countries which reported cases emerging at similar times.

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  • How Kerala managed to flatten the coronavirus curve

    The local government in Kerala implemented swift and aggressive measures to contain the coronavirus, within three days of learning that China was experiencing an outbreak. The success of the state is largely due to the way the government functions under the "Kerala model," which is a culmination of "decades of progressive politics and an egalitarian development strategy." Although the curve has been flattened, there are still significant socio-economic ramifications that are posing a challenge to recovery.

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  • Tribe aims to improve dental health by bringing smiles to the dental visit

    The San Carlos Apache tribe in Arizona has been able to increase dental healthcare access for children through targeted outreach and an educational marketing campaign. The goal of the multifaceted approach is to address fears, both on the part of the child and parents, through education about going to the dentist. The result has been a significant uptick in the number of children's dentistry appointments and caregivers reporting that their children are no longer afraid.

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  • 'Cool pavement' experiments help urban planners find ways to ease rising temperatures

    To combat the effects of rising temperatures due to climate change, Los Angeles piloted an experiment called “cool pavements,” where they coat streets with a light-colored sealant to reflect heat. Researchers are studying how effective this method is at reducing the urban heat island effect. Using a mobile sensor station, they found mixed results: While the surface temperature of the road was cooler, a person could feel warmer on the reflective roads. Figuring out how to balance different heat-mitigating strategies could be helpful as cities like Phoenix figure out how to implement cooling infrastructure.

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  • How 'overreaction' made Vietnam a virus success

    Vietnam's approach to handling the Covid-19 pandemic prioritized prevention over eradication which, so far, has helped the country avoid virus-caused deaths. Although the restriction in places, such as quarantine facilities, are aggressive and may not work in other countries, some public health experts commend the approach saying, "it's better to overreact."

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  • Can Vote by Mail Work in Low Income Minority Neighborhoods?

    Maryland and Ohio recently held elections almost entirely by mail and their different approaches provide insight into the impact on low-income voters, particularly those without permanent addresses. All registered voters in Maryland were sent mail-from-home ballots whereas Ohio voters had to request a ballot. Despite some reports of issues, turnout in Maryland increased 10 percentage points overall and 6 points in Baltimore City, indicating no widespread disenfranchisement in poorer counties. In Ohio, the extra step created a barrier for many voters and turnout decreased from 43.6% in 2016 to just 22.6%.

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  • Why does Germany have such a low number of deaths from Covid-19?

    Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, Germany has seen some of the lowest death rates in the world. Reasons behind that rate have been attributed to the widespread, accessible testing and subsequent quarantining of individuals who test positive, as well as the country’s health care capacity and infrastructure. While a success story right now, there is worry that the immediate wins may lead to relaxing on protocol and a second wave.

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  • Amid the Coronavirus Crisis, a Regimen for Reëntry

    As the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, attention is starting to shift toward reopening and recovery. Looking to healthcare professionals as models for doing so can help. A five-part strategy, tested and implemented at Boston’s Mass General Brigham hospital, has shown promise in its ability to reduce spread amongst hospital workers. It includes: hand-washing, social distancing, mask-wearing, regular health screenings, and cultural shifts toward working better together as communities. Key to this strategy is employing all of the measures in synchronicity.

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