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News from Those Nerdy Girls is an educational Substack by an all-woman team focusing on health and science information. It covers COVID-19 insights, health precautions, benefits of self-care, reproductive health issues, and inclusivity in health language. It aims to empower with data-driven guidance on navigating health concerns.

COVID-19 Protection and Treatments Self-Care and Well-being Preventing Infectious Diseases Health Communication and Inclusivity Reproductive Health Mental Health and Screen Time Nutritional Health

The hottest Substack posts of News from Those Nerdy Girls

And their main takeaways

A lot more Americans are dying of COVID than the flu. It’s not too late to get your updated vaccine.

786 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness COVID-19 Vaccine Public Health Prevention Infection
  1. Winter respiratory illness season is approaching, and there is a significant surge in COVID cases.
  2. COVID is more deadly than the flu, with more Americans dying of COVID compared to flu.
  3. The updated COVID vaccine is effective and worth getting, providing strong protection against infection and severe outcomes.
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Are puberty blockers helpful or harmful to trans youth?

373 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Puberty Blockers Mental health Medical Research
  1. Puberty blockers are reversible and help improve the mental health of trans youth while reducing the need for future surgeries.
  2. Using puberty blockers gives trans youth time to explore interventions and prevents irreversible physical changes.
  3. Research shows that puberty blockers are safe and beneficial for trans youth, improving well-being and decreasing mental health risks.

February is American Heart Month: what screenings are available for cardiovascular disease?

255 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Heart Health Disease Prevention Physical activity Healthy Lifestyle
  1. Screening for cardiovascular disease involves checking for risk factors like high blood pressure and cholesterol.
  2. Various screenings like EKG, stress test, and coronary calcium score CT scan can help assess risks and symptoms of cardiovascular disease.
  3. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise, balanced diet, and quality sleep can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

How many minutes of exposure does it take to get COVID?

0 implied HN points • 10 Mar 23
🏥 Health & Wellness COVID-19 Health Risks Public Health
  1. Exposure longer than 15 minutes increases infection risk, but shorter exposure with other risk factors can still lead to COVID infection.
  2. Factors like what the infected person was doing, presence of symptoms, ventilation, and proximity affect risk of infection.
  3. Wearing a mask indoors, even for brief periods, is a good precaution due to various factors that influence COVID transmission.

Why do Those Nerdy Girls use phrases like “people with cervices” and “people who lactate” in your reproductive health posts? Why not just say “women”?

0 implied HN points • 10 Feb 23
  1. Using inclusive language like 'people with cervices' and 'people who lactate' includes more individuals in health discussions.
  2. Excluding specific groups from language can prevent them from getting necessary health information.
  3. Being precise, inclusive, and brief are important when communicating science and medical information.

Is it true that a previous COVID-19 infection is just as good as a vaccine?

0 implied HN points • 24 Mar 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Immunity Vaccination Infection Long Covid
  1. A past COVID-19 infection provides good protection against re-infection and severe disease, if you survived the first infection.
  2. Vaccination remains the safest way to build immunity and protect against future encounters with the virus.
  3. Hybrid immunity, a combination of vaccine and infection-induced immunity, offers better protection against re-infection and severe disease.

Do masks work?

0 implied HN points • 07 Mar 23
🏥 Health & Wellness COVID-19 Masks Transmission Science communication
  1. Despite recent reviews, high quality masks are effective in reducing transmission of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses.
  2. Different types of masks, usage, and settings affect their effectiveness in preventing the spread of COVID-19.
  3. There is strong evidence that masks are able to block aerosol transmission and reduce the risk of transmission and infection of COVID-19.

Help! How can I stop the spread of a “stomach flu” caused by Norovirus?

0 implied HN points • 17 Feb 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Infectious Diseases Prevention Hygiene Public Health
  1. To stop the spread of Norovirus, use bleach, wash hands, avoid sharing, close the lid, and stay home if possible for two days.
  2. Norovirus is highly contagious and causes symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, fever, headaches, and fatigue.
  3. Key tips to prevent Norovirus spread: clean with bleach, wash hands thoroughly, avoid sharing items, close the toilet lid, and stay home to recover and prevent further spread.

What is self-care and why is it Important?

0 implied HN points • 07 Feb 23
  1. Self-care is important for your health and not something to do only if you have time.
  2. Self-care can apply to emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being.
  3. Self-care helps us handle difficult situations, deal with stress, and take care of others.

What’s one of the most underused but effective tools we have against COVID-19?

0 implied HN points • 04 Apr 23
🏥 Health & Wellness COVID-19 Treatment Prevention Healthcare Medication
  1. Paxlovid is an underused but effective tool against COVID-19, especially for high-risk individuals over 50.
  2. Taking Paxlovid within the first 5 days of symptoms can prevent severe disease, death, and Long Covid.
  3. Paxlovid has shown to reduce the risk of post-acute symptoms and can be beneficial for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals.