In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a series of guidelines on disease naming. They included useful practices to summarize symptoms and reduce fear. They also explicitly mentioned that diseases must not be named after locations, people, animals, or cultures. This was all done in an effort to reduce the stigma and insult related…
On a sunny Tuesday morning, four enthusiastic students sat down for an interview about WHOLE Churchill. WHOLE Churchill is a community created by Haroon M., Megan C., Rahul A., and Sidharth S., to promote awareness of mental health for all youth, starting with the students of Sir Winston Churchill High School. Shruti: What is…
In 2011, 123 countries immunized over 90% of infants against measles. Between 2000 and 2011, vaccination resulted in a 71% drop in measles related deaths worldwide, and yet 18% of Americans believe vaccines cause autism, and 30% are undecided. While vaccines shouldn’t be mandatory, because they at the end of the day it is the…
In the time since the current outbreak began, reports on Ebola have flooded nearly every news medium in every country. As the death toll rises with each day (currently, it surpasses 4,500), the issue has justifiably escalated to a matter of international concern. However, so much attention surrounding any one topic can easily warrant discrepancy that leaves one baffled and with…
The biggest mistake in life could be shaking an unwashed hand. Especially considering the modern arsenal of viruses and biological threats. From influenza to smallpox, many viruses have been silenced or moderated, but throughout our earth, unimaginable biological threats are peering over every corner waiting to ignite the next pandemic. Here is my list of…
If you watched Brad Pitt’s latest blockbuster movie World War Z, then maybe you would remember that the zombie pandemic originated with a rabies-like case along with a breakout with rabies in Taiwan. Well, recently, after a long 50 years without any rabies case, the rabies virus has re-emerged in Taiwan when 11 dead ferret…