Mix-and-matching COVID-19 vaccines

+ what is a 100-year flood? US Edition - Today's top story: A mix-and-match approach to COVID-19 vaccines could provide logistical and immunological benefits [View in browser]( US Edition | 17 June 2021 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair Way back at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, when scientists were at the very early stages of cooking up a vaccine, I noticed that different labs were taking different technical approaches. Some vaccinologists were looking to other viruses to carry the payload for their shots, others were tinkering with proteins and still others were experimenting with mRNA. It may have been the paranoia of lockdown leaking into my thought process, but I remember wondering, “Can I just get one of each, please?” Well, now that there are a variety of coronavirus vaccines authorized for use around the world, it turns out there might actually be something to my question. Rochester Institute of Technology biologist Maureen Ferran explains why studies are underway to see what effect [mixing and matching COVID-19 vaccines]( has on people’s immune responses. The one-of-these-and-one-of-those approach could help us inch closer to the end of the pandemic. Also today: - [Pop stars bare all through ‘emotional stripping’]( - [The problem with Israel’s missing constitution]( - [Will post-pandemic hookups bring young people joy?]( Maggie Villiger Senior Science + Technology Editor One of this and one of that might be a good strategy to coronavirus vaccination. SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images [A mix-and-match approach to COVID-19 vaccines could provide logistical and immunological benefits]( Maureen Ferran, Rochester Institute of Technology Various companies use different ingredients and different delivery systems in their COVID-19 vaccines. Researchers are investigating whether it's better for individuals to mix what's available. Politics + Society - [How Israel’s missing constitution deepens divisions between Jews and with Arabs]( Brendan Szendro, Binghamton University, State University of New York Governed by a changeable body of 'basic laws,' Israel never settled basic questions like the rights of religious minorities. These destabilizing issues will continue to fester under a new government. Health - [Young people are eager to have sex, but will post-pandemic hookups bring happiness or despair?]( Nicole K. McNichols, University of Washington Some people have wondered whether the return to something like normal will bring a new Roaring 20s, with new sexual and social mores. One thing is certain: Young people are eager to have sex. - [Millions are rejecting one of humanity’s best weapons for saving lives: Vaccines]( S. Jay Olshansky, University of Illinois at Chicago; Leonard Hayflick, University of California, San Francisco; Ronald Hershow, University of Illinois at Chicago Vaccines have successfully curtailed viral diseases for decades. But as COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy shows, mistrust and misinformation continue to put lives at risk. Arts + Culture - [Being a pop star once meant baring skin – now, for artists like Billie Eilish and Demi Lovato, it’s all about emotional stripping]( Kristin J. Lieb, Emerson College Unloading about trauma and mental illness is in vogue. But like undressing, it centers musicians' vulnerabilities at the expense of their artistry. Economy + Business - [Postal banking could provide free accounts to 21 million Americans who don’t have access to a credit union or community bank]( Terri Friedline, University of Michigan; Ameya Pawar, University of Chicago About a quarter of census tracts with a post office lack a credit union or community bank, making the US Postal Service an efficient way to help more Americans get low-cost bank accounts. - [What’s the charitable deduction? An economist explains]( Patrick Rooney, IUPUI Giving $100 to a favorite charity costs less than that for the roughly 8.5% of Americans who use this tax break. Education - [Nurturing dads raise emotionally intelligent kids – helping make society more respectful and equitable]( Kevin Shafer, Brigham Young University Fathers whose own dads were highly nurturing tend to have healthier levels of competition and be more emotionally open. Environment + Energy - [What’s a 100-year flood? A hydrologist explains]( Robert Mace, Texas State University Flood plain statistics can be confusing. There are better ways to think about the risk of severe weather than 100-year storm or flood. Trending on site - [A volcanic eruption 39 million years ago buried a forest in Peru – now the petrified trees are revealing South America’s primeval history]( Deborah Woodcock, Clark University; Herb Meyer, National Park Service Using remnants of fossilized trees, scientists and an artist figured out what the forest looked like long before humans existed. - [Middle-aged Americans in US are stressed and struggle with physical and mental health – other nations do better]( Frank J. Infurna, Arizona State University Adults in Germany, South Korea and Mexico reported improvements in health, well-being and memory. - [Why do we hate the sound of our own voices?]( Neel Bhatt, University of Washington If you've ever cringed after hearing a recording of yourself, you're not alone. --------------------------------------------------------------- Today’s graphic [A map of the United States color coded according to the share of tracts with post offices without community bank or credit union.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe](. 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451