Writing for The Washington Post, Prof. Robin Wolfe Scheffler underscores the importance of not only pursuing coronavirus vaccine development initiatives, but also “addressing the social and political factors that exacerbate disease and limit the access of many Americans to basic medical care.”
Bhaskar Pant, executive director of MIT Professional Education, writes for The European Business Review about how cultural differences are influencing the varying responses to the Covid-19 pandemic. “In an increasingly globalized business world, effectiveness in communication and action requires a solid foundation in cultural awareness and cultural competence,” writes Pant.
TechCrunch reporter Zach Whittaker writes about Butlr, an MIT startup that has developed passive infrared sensors that use a “mix of wireless, battery-powered hardware and artificial intelligence to track people’s movements indoors without violating their privacy.”
Fast Company reporter Kristin Toussaint writes that a study by MIT researchers finds shutdowns and lockdowns caused by the coronavirus pandemic led to clearer skies and increased solar output in Delhi. “I think we’ve been able to get a glimpse of how the world can look like if we actually have clean air,” says research scientist Ian Marius Peters.
MIT researchers have found that the Paycheck Protection Program helped protect around 2.3 million jobs, reports Jonnelle Marte for Reuters. “The researchers compared hiring trends at companies that were eligible for the program to those that were too large to qualify,” writes Marte. “They found that hiring at eligible companies rose after the launch of PPP when compared to companies that did not qualify.”
Bloomberg reporter Maeve Sheehey writes that a new study co-authored by MIT researchers finds that the Paycheck Protection Program helped to boost employment by 2% to 4.5%. “The research suggests that providing money directly to companies helped curb job losses during the pandemic,” writes Sheehey.
A study co-authored by MIT researchers finds that the Paycheck Protection Program saved between 1.5 and 3.5 million jobs, reports David Leonhardt for The New York Times. “The study adds to the mounting evidence about one kind of economic stimulus that seems to have worked especially well during the pandemic: direct subsidies to businesses, to keep people employed.”
CNBC reporter Cory Stieg writes about how researchers from MIT and Brigham and Women’s Hospital created a new reusable silicon mask with slots for small disposable N95 filters. “The masks themselves can be quickly and easily sterilized and reused, and though the small filters must be thrown out, each mask requires much less N95 material,” writes Stieg.
A report by researchers from MIT and Harvard outlines a framework for improving education during the Covid-19 pandemic, reports Paul Darvasi for KQED. “It's more likely that if young people feel like they have voice and ownership and are part of the process of reopening and recreating schools, that they will be more likely to be excited to participate in them,” says Prof. Justin Reich.
Reuters reporter Storay Karimi spotlights how the Afghan all-girls robotics team has designed a low-cost ventilator, based in part off the E-Vent device developed by MIT researchers.
Writing for the Financial Times, Prof. Sherry Turkle examines how the Covid-19 pandemic could offer an opportunity for positive change. “When the government no longer plays by the rules, people want more than a return to order,” writes Turkle. “We are offered the chance of something genuinely new coming out of the crucible of our current disorder.”
A working paper from Prof. Arnold Barnett shows that keeping the middle seat open on an airplane significantly lowers the spread of Covid-19. “Such a policy lowers the risk of contracting COVID from 1 in 4,400 to 1 in 7,300,” writes Jeff John Roberts for Fortune.
Using statistical analysis, Prof. Victor Chernozhukov found that “40,000 lives would have been saved in two months if a national mask mandate for employees of public-facing businesses had gone into effect on April 1 and had been strictly obeyed,” reports Peter Coy for Bloomberg.
Fast Company reporter Adele Peters writes that researchers from MIT and Brigham and Women’s Hospital have developed a new face mask that is made of silicon and designed to be reused and sterilized repeatedly. “We wanted to have a system that could be accessible and used by anyone globally,” says Prof. Giovanni Traverso
A new study by MIT researchers examines the environmental impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, reports Steven Reinberg for HealthDay. "If the pandemic leads to a persistent global recession, there is a real threat to the adoption of clean technology, which could outweigh any 'silver lining' in environmental benefits," says Prof. Jing Li.