The COVID-19 History Project

This really happened.

This Day in COVID: August 13, 2020

Dr. Fauci recommends eye protection to fight COVID-19

Dr. Littleton added that it could be a good idea for many, citing that 'the everyday person should we eye protection if they're in closed spaces or if they're elderly or great risk. “

Fox Orlando

Dr. Fauci on U.S. coronavirus outbreak: ‘I’m not pleased with how things are going’

U.S. public health officials are beginning to see a 'disturbing' uptick in the rate of coronavirus tests that come back positive in some regions of the nation, Fauci said.

CNBC

CDC: Avoid exhalation valve masks to stop the spread of COVID-19

Masks with valves allow people to expel respiratory droplets that could contain virus particles.

NBC

Governor Drops Lawsuit Against Atlanta Mayor Over Masks, But Fight May Not Be Over

Gov. Brian Kemp suggests he will wait out his existing executive order and address Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms' refusal to lift her mask-wearing requirement when he signs a new one on Aug. 15.

NPR

Joe Biden calls for a nationwide mask mandate as he pushes his plan to combat coronavirus

Biden remarks drew a sharp contrast with President Trump, who opposes such a mandate.

CNBC

Which Mask Is the Best Mask?

A new study suggests that certain face coverings may be worse than none at all.

The Cut

Face masks with valves or vents do not prevent spread of the coronavirus, CDC says

Washington Post

Is it safe to drink from a fountain during the pandemic?

Is it safe to drink from a water fountain during the pandemic? There’s no evidence you can get COVID-19 from the water itself.

Drug overdoses were increasing before Covid-19. The pandemic made things worse.

America’s new epidemic is likely making a previous epidemic deadlier.

Vox

Coronavirus Pandemic Causing Anxiety, Depression in Americans, CDC Finds

US News

Scientists say the coronavirus is at least as deadly as the 1918 flu pandemic

The coronavirus is at least as deadly as the 1918 flu pandemic and the death toll could even be worse if world leaders and public health officials fail to adequately contain it, researchers say.

CNBC

Pandemic letter from America: how the US handling of COVID-19 provides the starkest warning for us all

The Conversation

U.S. Sees Deadly Drug Overdose Spike During Pandemic

'During the pandemic, basically everything is pointed in the wrong direction,' says one federal health official, who calls the convergence of COVID-19 and America's addiction crisis 'a nightmare.'

NPR

A Deadly Coronavirus Was Inevitable. Why Was No One Ready?

WSJ

Getting A Coronavirus Test To Make Visiting Family Safe? Not So Fast

If you want to socialize with family or friends — say share a vacation cabin — can testing in advance keep everyone safe? We asked experts how diagnostic tests work and how to interpret the results.

NPR

These Covid-19 vaccine candidates could change the way we make vaccines — if they work

Why adenovirus and mRNA vaccines could start a revolution.

Vox

Coronavirus making it harder for Colombia's indigenous Wayuu to survive, report finds

Reuters

COVID-19 Death Rate For Black Americans Twice That For Whites, New Report Says

Three times as many Black Americans as whites have also become infected with the coronavirus, according to the National Urban League report, based partly on data from Johns Hopkins University.

NPR

A COVID-19 Vaccine Is About To Be Tested In D.C. With Hundreds Of Volunteers

At least 500 volunteers are expected to participate in late-stage vaccine trials at George Washington University.

DCist

Our Mission

The COVID-19 History Project is a curated archive of the events and policy decisions surrounding the emergence of COVID-19.

The pandemic era of 2020-2022 saw massive increases in restrictions on daily life—enforced by the government and by social stigma—accompanied social protests that roiled cities worldwide

In the United States alone, trillions of dollars were spent by the federal government to offset the forced closure of businesses and the devastation of normal life.

The impacts of these policy decisions are still being felt today.

Some would like us to forget the actions and people that played a significant role during the pandemic.

But we of the COVID-19 History Project don't want to forget. Through our work, we hope there will always be an archive to learn from and interpret this fascinating, disturbing, time in world history.

The Timeline

In order to learn from the mistakes of the past, and give COVID-19 decision makers the credit—both good and bad—they deserve, we have compiled a media timeline from every day of the pandemic.

We have endeavored to make the timeline comprehensive without being duplicative, following the major trends as they unfolded.

We provided analyses for each month highlighting major events, but encourage readers to make their own conclusions about these events as well.

This Day in COVID: August 13, 2021

Details

Has COVID taught us anything about pandemic preparedness?

Researchers warn that plans to prevent the next global outbreak don’t consider the failures that have fuelled our current predicament.

Nature

Excess of COVID-19 cases and deaths due to fine particulate matter exposure during the 2020 wildfires in the United States

Science | AAAS

Is my child regressing due to the COVID-19 pandemic?

If you’re noticing regression with your children, you’re not alone.

Unicef

COVID Cases Are Rising In ICE Facilities, Putting Detainees And The Public At Risk

"Many people had coronavirus," says asylum seeker Raudel, adding there's little social distancing or mask wearing, and sick and healthy people are mixed. ICE denies this but cases doubled since June.

NPR

Wildfire smoke linked to increase in COVID-19 cases and deaths

Researchers have found strong evidence of an association between exposure to fine particulate air pollution from 2020 wildfires in the U.S. and increased risk of COVID-19 cases and deaths in three western states, for up to four weeks after the exposure.

Harvard Gazette

U.S. chimp sanctuary is poised to give its primates a COVID-19 vaccine—will others follow its lead?

Science | AAAS

‘Recipe for a Massive Viral Outbreak’: Iran Emerges as a Worldwide Threat (Published 2020)

The New York Times

Back to School amidst the New Normal: Ongoing Effects of the Coronavirus Pandemic on Children’s Health and Well-Being - Issue Brief - 9775 | KFF

As millions of children across the nation prepare to go back to school this fall, many will face challenges due to ongoing health, economic, and social consequences of the pandemic. Children may be uniquely impacted by the pandemic, having experienced this crisis during important periods of physical, social, and emotional development, and some have experienced…More

KFF

Florida Gov. DeSantis Expands Monoclonal Antibody Treatments Amid COVID-19 Spike

Monoclonal antibodies can be used to treat people with mild to moderate COVID-19, but the treatment doesn't work for those who've already developed more severe symptoms or are hospitalized.

NPR

Coronavirus case surges force school closures

Axios

Why the coronavirus lab leak theory won’t go away

The idea that the pandemic began in a laboratory has moved from fringe theory to mainstream.

www.politico.eu

Philly issues vaccine mandate for health care, higher-ed workers and students

Philadelphia will require all health care workers and faculty or students of colleges and universities to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 15.

WHYY

In the West, a Connection Between Covid and Wildfires (Published 2021)

The New York Times

Don’t Be a Schmuck. Put on a Mask.

Generations of Americans made incredible sacrifices, and we’re going to throw fits about putting a mask over our mouth and nose?

The Atlantic

Masks in school: What are the rules in my state?

Following guidance from the CDC, some states are now requiring masks for students age 2 and up.

TODAY.com

Why Only 28 Percent of Young Black New Yorkers Are Vaccinated (Published 2021)

The New York Times

Who can ask about your vaccine status? Here's what you need to know about HIPAA

HIPAA, or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, protects people’s private health information from being shared by certain health care entities without patient consent. But this 1996 law is far more narrowly defined than most people realize.

PBS

UN health agency urges support for new COVID-19 origins studies

UN News

Considerations in boosting COVID vaccine immune responses.

WHO consultation on COVID-19 vaccines research – 13 August 2021 Report of consultation is available HEREIn continuation to the scientific discussions on COVID-19 vaccines research, WHO R&D Blueprint organized a consultation on the state of the art and best research methods to evaluate existing, modified and new COVID-19 vaccines.The objectives of this consultation was to review the available evidence on the efficacy and effectiveness of vaccines being deployed in terms of:Emerging variants effec...

World Health Organization (WHO)

Justice Barrett rejects Indiana University students' vaccine mandate appeal

Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett denied a bid by Indiana University students to stop their school from requiring all students to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

ABC News

Exercise After the COVID-19 Vaccine: What to Know

Is it safe to exercise after the COVID vaccine? We've got the answer.

Healthline

‘I knew supply was coming’: how Canada’s push for Covid vaccines paid off

Anita Anand’s determination to get doses for Canadians means the country now has world’s highest global vaccination rate

The Guardian

How Full FDA Approval Could Spur Vaccination | KFF

In this Axios column, Drew Altman says full FDA approval of COVID-19 vaccines can provide a big boost to vaccination efforts if treated as an opportunity for updated messaging from government officials at all levels and public health experts and new actions from employers.

KFF

Vaccines Are Like Sunscreen … No, Wait, Airbags … No, Wait …

Everyone is bad at describing the vaccines, including me.

The Atlantic

Safety and immunogenicity of a QazCovid-in® inactivated whole-virion vaccine against COVID-19 in healthy adults: A single-centre, randomised, single-blind, placebo-controlled phase 1 and an open-label phase 2 clinical trials with a 6 months follow-up in Ka

The Lancet

Fauci is my dog

The Washington Post

Vaccine breakups: Is it fair to cut someone out of your life for not getting the shot?

Family members and friends disagree about the COVID-19 vaccine. If you want to cut someone out for their vaccine politics, here's what to know.

USA Today

Back to School amidst the New Normal: Ongoing Effects of the Coronavirus Pandemic on Children’s Health and Well-Being | KFF

As millions of children across the nation prepare to go back to school this fall, many will face challenges due to ongoing health, economic, and social consequences of the pandemic. This brief examines how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the health and well-being of children, explores recent policy responses, and considers what the findings means for the back-to-school season amidst new challenges due to the recent increase in cases and deaths.

KFF

Fauci says he can't rule out indefinite COVID booster shots

Dr. Anthony Fauci said on Thursday that he can't rule out indefinite COVID-19 booster shots but that he hopes that, if booster shots are needed, just one will suffice.

Daily Mail

The Joys of Parks During a Pandemic (Published 2021)

The New York Times

Childhood cancer care in Africa hit hard by pandemic

Nearly 30,000 children in sub-Saharan Africa are believed to have died from cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO).

UN News

Census shows US more diverse than ever, but many people of color likely went uncounted because of COVID-19, Trump, experts say

The COVID-19 pandemic and Trump administration policies may have contributed to an undercount of communities of color, experts warn.

USA Today

Optimal national prioritization policies for hospital care during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic - Nature Computational Science

Countries are using hospital admission policies that prioritize patients with COVID-19 during the pandemic. The authors propose an alternative open-source framework to optimally schedule hospital care for all diseases and patients that can save life years overall.

Nature