How Safe Sex Communication Skills Apply To COVID-19 "Social Bubbles"

Also: Boston navigates new terrain with phase 3 reopening; CRISPR comes to COVID ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  [View in Browser]( | [Donate [WBUR]]( [WBUR](  [WBUR]( July 13, 2020 Good afternoon, From Duck Boats rumbling anew through the harbor to gyms and museums reopening, Boston is now [officially in phase three]( of its coronavirus-era new normal, joining most of the rest of Massachusetts (Somerville is waiting an extra week). Meanwhile, if you're finding it hard to decide whether you're now willing to go to the movies or out to dinner, you might want to revisit these reassurances from experts on risk assessment: [These decisions really are hard. It's not you](. This phased re-emergence can raise some fraught social interactions as well. As you navigate them, you might appreciate [this comparison]( with the communication and negotiation skills normally taught for keeping safe in the sexual arena. P.S.– I'm especially happy to report that, with deepest thanks to newsletter editor Meagan McGinnes for filling in these last few weeks, I – Carey of CommonHealth – can resume writing these weekly newsletters. True normalcy remains distant, but isn't every step back toward it a small comfort? As many are signing off these days, stay safe... — Carey Goldberg, CommonHealth editor newsletters@wbur.org Our Must Reads url[Kids Feel Pandemic Stress Too. Here's How To Help Them Thrive]( Summer activities are canceled or up in the air, and many children are suffering confusion and stress. Parents may be stressed themselves, but there are ways to help kids feel better. [Read more.](   #%23%23[Twitter](  #%23%23[Facebook](    [CRISPR Comes To COVID: A Pandemic Pivot And The Push For A Simple Coronavirus Test]( With coronavirus tests in short supply around the country, the revolutionary gene-editing tool CRISPR could help, and a Cambridge, Mass. company is trying to develop quick, cheap, accurate tests that could help with reopening. [Read more.](  [Starting A COVID-19 'Social Bubble'? How Safe Sex Communication Skills Can Help]( As families across the U.S. have started to emerge from strict shelter-in-place rules, they're having to figure out whether (and how) to get a haircut, host a family barbecue or share child care with another family. Americans are learning they have a lot to discuss and negotiate with each other about what they're willing to do, with whom and how carefully. [Read more.](  Support the news [Tracking The Pandemic: Are Coronavirus Cases Rising Or Falling In Your State?]( In this NPR graphic, you can explore the trend in new coronavirus cases in any state to see whether cases are rising, falling or staying level. [Read more.](  [How 2 Hard-Hit New England Cities Slowed Coronavirus Infections]( With large populations of residents vulnerable to COVID-19, Chelsea, Mass. and Central Falls, R.I. had to cope with early spikes in cases. Months later, both cities offer lessons in controlling the infection. [Read more.]( What We're Reading Today I'm reading this speculative but provocative piece from MIT's Technology Review: [If the coronavirus is really airborne, we might be fighting it the wrong way.]( "Whether the virus is airborne isn’t simply a scientific question," Neel V. Patelarchive [writes](. "If it is, it could mean that in places where the virus has not been properly contained (e.g., the US), the economy needs to be reopened more slowly, under tighter regulations that reinforce current health practices as well as introducing improved ones. Our current tactics for stopping the spread won’t be enough." Among this read's possible takeaways: Masks and good ventilation may matter more than we thought, if the tiny droplets of virus linger in the air enough to infect people; cleaning surfaces and washing hands may matter less. But no one at this point is changing the guidelines, which recommend all of the above. The World Health Organization says it's looking into the question but [still believes bigger droplets]( are the main mode of transmission. And a [new review]( in the journal JAMA, led by Harvard's Dr. Michael Klompas, concludes that while some "aerosol-based" transmission is possible, the balance of evidence suggests it's not the main way the coronavirus is spread, at least not in well-ventilated places. For your health: NPR has a helpful piece on [how to protect yourself if the virus really is airborne.]( “ So rarely in science do you get to work on something with such an immediate need. — Paul Carlson, Sherlock Biosciences ["CRISPR Comes To COVID: A Pandemic Pivot And The Push For A Simple Coronavirus Test"]( Commentary [We All Want Schools To Reopen Fully. That Doesn't Mean They Should]( A longtime English teacher and mother of two teenagers writes: "Even as I write this, I’m torn, weighing the risks and debating with myself. And yet, the idea of reopening schools amidst dire predictions, with [no national plan]( is bewildering."      Did you know scientists think they've [identified an enzyme]( that could help explain how exercise can slow or even reverse some signs of aging in the brain? Pretty cool. 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📨 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.]( [WBUR]( [WBUR]  [WBUR]( [95289b97-66e8-43d4-a174-3bc3520a79a9.png]( [Instagram](  [Twitter]( [Facebook]( Want to change how you receive these emails? [Stop getting this newsletter by updating your preferences.]( I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. [Unsubscribe from all newsletters](. Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? [Click here.]( Copyright © 2020 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved. You signed up for this newsletter at wbur.org. 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