EPISODE 1

covid-19:
from evidence to advice

Why does expert advice change?
How can we interpret risk evidence?
How do we deal with uncertainty?

In this episode we focus on Source-Pathway-Receptor Framework and, as always, a bit of cost benefit analysis

***February 2021 update on masks ***

Given the new virus variants, we wanted to check out the new advice about masks. Listen to the quick update (we sneak in ‘the precautionary principle’ too). You can download the references which we used for the update by clicking: updated Covid19 & mask references Feb 2021

From August 2020. One of the biggest changes the coronavirus pandemic has caused in our day-to-day lives is that we now wear a mask in shops, restaurants, and public transport – after a long debate about whether we should wear them.

Why has this advice changed? Can we trust science if it is so susceptible to change? How can we join the dots from evidence to advice?

How should we wear the masks (or gloves or visors) and look after them? Is there a way to protect ourselves that’s sustainable and affordable? We investigate.

Also, you’ve probably read headlines claiming that countries led by female leaders fared better at containing the pandemic. We look at the research on women leaders and at what sets them apart from more autocratic male leaders.

***All  information and statistics correct at time of recording: early August 2020***

***The views we and our guests express in this podcast are our own***

reference list

(Click on the links below to find out more)

Reducing transmission, and the efficacy of PPE

Face masks work – read about the University of Oxford’s study and the evidence behind the advice

What level of protection do face masks and visors provide from Covid-19 and what is the optimum distance for avoiding virus transmission?

America’s leading infectious disease expert’s advice on eye shields

Discussion of changes in government attitudes towards face coverings

Review of the science of the effectiveness of different face mask types and coverings and behavioural adherence

The difference between droplets and aerosols, and what this may mean in relation to coronavirus transmission

Overview of the modes of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and implications for infection prevention

Investigation into the change in transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 with use of face masks 

Scientific analysis of the potential predictors of per-capita coronavirus-related mortality in 198 countries, including age, sex ratio, obesity prevalence, temperature, urbanisation, smoking, duration of infection, lockdowns, viral testing, contact tracing policies, and public mask-wearing norms and policies

Do face shields provide protection to the wearer and decrease transmissibility?

Do latex gloves protect the wearer and decrease transmissibility?

What is the WHO’s advice on rubber gloves?

How to avoid infection with SARS-CoV-2

PPE waste – where does it go?

Article describing plastic waste surges on England’s south coast

Article about the challenges posed by the need for increased medical waste treatment

Policy document setting out environmental implications of the use of single-wear face masks, and comparison to effectiveness of reusable options.

Life cycle assessment of the environmental and financial costs of replacing reusable hospital equipment with single-use alternatives

Medical supply littering

The carbon footprint of latex and rubber gloves

 

 

Washing your hands

News article about hand dryers and the spread of Covid-19

Article about government and health institutions’ approval of the use of hand dryers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic

How to wash and dry your hands

 

Gender and leadership styles in response to Covid-19 

Does the gender of leaders affect Covid-19 mortality outcomes?

Literature review of gender differences in economic experiments, including risk, social and competitive preferences

Are the infection  and death rates of Covid-19 lower in countries run by women?

Why Are Women-Led Nations Doing Better With Covid-19?

 

Pandemic outcomes in countries with populist leaders

 

 

 

 

Other

What is the difference between causation and association?

What are the impacts of air pollution on the population’s health?

FAQs about covid-19 transmission

Covid-19 projections across countries under different scenarios

Prices and availability of respirator masks


further resources

What are the costs of reducing virus spillover from animals weighed against the toll of disease outbreak? This article suggests reducing tropical deforestation might be one of the most cost-effective ways of preventing the next pandemic.  

What policies responses are appropriate to address threats of zoonotic diseases?

Have retailers been profiteering off PPE by placing excessive markups?

What are the labour rights concerns in the medical gloves industry?

International scientific forum on home hygiene and health

How do I take care of my face mask?

Researchers create tests to determine which masks are most effective