Death

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Governance
A young man in a white shirt wearing a blue surgical mask hugs his brother, wearing navy blue, as he wails mourning the loss of his father from COVID-19

Just How Do Deaths Due to COVID-19 Stack Up?

by Christopher Troeger

Despite a likely undercount in many places, COVID-19 is the leading killer in most of Latin America and Western Europe

Governance
It is dark out as Toni Tanama awaits the funeral of his 51-year-old mother at a Muslim burial area provided by the government for COVID victims, in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 7, 2021. In the background of his silhouette are rows of new gravestones reflecting the lights of the evening.

COVID-19: Death in Excess

by Stefanie Watson, Haley Comfort, Spencer Pease

True death counts from the virus are likely much higher than official numbers

A cemetery worker puts flowers on the graves of people who died of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) during The Day of the Dead celebration, as the outbreak continues, at La Bermeja cemetery in San Salvador, El Salvador November 2, 2020.
Governance

Tracking Lives We've Lost to COVID-19

by Emmanuela Gakidou, Katherine Paulson, Katherine Leach-Kemon, Stefanie Watson, Spencer Pease, Ryan Barber

It's surprisingly hard to answer how many lives we've lost to COVID-19

Education in Africa is being disrupted along with everything else—chickens here in a classroom converted into a poultry house because of COVID-19 in the town of Wang'uru, Kenya, on August 28, 2020. Picture shows a large gaggle of chickens inside a classroom, clucking around. One stands atop an overturned bucket. REUTERS/Baz Ratner
Poverty

The Double Threat of COVID-19 in Africa

by Tom Frieden, John Nkengasong

Deaths from health-care disruptions due to COVID-19 are almost certain to outnumber deaths from the coronavirus itself

A man smokes a cigarette next to a mural of a man wearing a protective mask amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, July 30, 2020. The photo shows a man wearing a mask pulled down around his chin smoking. Next to him is a mural of a worried-looking man in a mask. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez
Food

COVID-19 Shows Us It's Time to Tackle Obesity and Overweight

by Katherine Leach-Kemon, Christopher Troeger, Theo Vos

Lessons and cautionary tales from the anti-smoking movement show us a way to move forward

People enjoy the sun at an outdoor restaurant, despite the continuing spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Stockholm, Sweden March 26, 2020. The photo shows a large number of people sitting lose together in an outdoor eating area. TT News Agency/Janerik Henriksson via REUTERS
Governance

Five Problems With the Swedish Approach to COVID-19

by Theo Vos, Katherine Leach-Kemon

As herd immunity remains elusive, Sweden’s experience seems to be a cautionary tale—Norway and Denmark have fared better

A man wears a protective facemask decorated with a question mark in lower Manhattan during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in New York, U.S., May 22, 2020. Picture shows a well groomed man who appears to be in his 30s wearing a mask adorned with a huge question mark. REUTERS/Mike Segar
Governance

Uncertainty and the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Abraham D. Flaxman, Kevin O’Rourke

Understand and embrace uncertainty to get the most out of forecasts

A funeral worker wears a face mask with an illustration of Jesus, outside Los Ceibos hospital amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on April 15, 2020. The photo shows the worker in protective head covering and mask. on his mask is an image of Jesus with a rainbow colors on his robe. REUTERS/Santiago Arcos
Urbanization

Religion and COVID-19—Keeping Faith in the Battle Against Coronavirus

by Samantha Kiernan, Lily Cohen

Faith leaders and their organizations can and should serve as crucial allies in the fight against COVID-19—and many are