{"642850":{"#nid":"642850","#data":{"type":"news","title":"#StraightToTheSource Cuts through Covid-19 Confusion, Finds the Facts with Faculty Experts","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs Covid-19 spread throughout the U.S. in 2020, so did misinformation about the disease that\u0026#39;s caused by the novel coronavirus. From conspiracy theories about the origins of the virus to confusion about effects, spread, and treatment, it became more difficult over time for individuals seeking reliable information to distinguish fact from fiction across their social media and news feeds. When classes began in the fall semester, members of the Georgia Tech community and beyond also sought out evidence-based and peer-reviewed information about a number of detailed questions related to the virus \u0026mdash; many of which were being actively answered through ongoing research around the globe.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe call for information about Covid-19 was answered in many ways by members across the Institute \u0026ndash; in classes, virtual town halls, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/health.gatech.edu\/coronavirus\/health-information\u0022\u003Einformational pages\u003C\/a\u003E, emails, signage, Georgia Tech\u0026#39;s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/helpingstories.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EHelping Stories\u003C\/a\u003E series, and even a handful of informal \u0026ldquo;Ask Me Anything\u0026rdquo; posts with Tech\u0026#39;s faculty and research experts. One such collaborative effort to answer these questions found its home on social media.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAddressing the community\u0026rsquo;s questions by getting the perspective of Georgia Tech experts on the latest developments and findings in Covid-19 research, the College of Sciences kicked off \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/GTSciences\u0022\u003E#StraightToTheSource on Twitter\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/gtsciences\/\u0022\u003EInstagram\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/GTSciences\/\u0022\u003EFacebook\u003C\/a\u003E in November 2020. The campaign provides tips and tools on how to seek out and interpret scientific findings from news articles and scientific journal articles alike.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBuilding to tools to find accurate information \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile there may be a barrage of news stories about Covid-19, not all of them accurately interpret available data and facts. They can be especially misleading for young people. In a \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.kateto.net\/covid19\/COVID19%20CONSORTIUM%20REPORT%2014%20MISINFO%20SEP%202020.pdf\u0022\u003Estudy\u003C\/a\u003E by a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/covidstates.org\/\u0022\u003ECovid-19 Consortium\u003C\/a\u003E surveying more than 20,000 people across the U.S., people under 25 years of age were most likely to believe false claims about Covid-19. Comprised of researchers from Harvard, Northwestern, Northeastern, and Rutgers Universities, the Consortium also found that belief in false Covid-19 claims was associated with a lower intention to seek an eventual vaccine.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo learn how to spot a trustworthy news source, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CHdhhaBlTy4\/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link\u0022\u003E#StraightToTheSource\u003C\/a\u003E spoke to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/jennifer-leavey\u0022\u003EJennifer Leavey\u003C\/a\u003E, principal academic professional in the College of Sciences and one of the leaders of a class on the biology behind Covid-19. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s easy to get misled by headlines,\u0026rdquo; shares Leavey. \u0026ldquo;Well-written news pieces use a variety of primary sources including quotes from experts, original scientific publications, and information provided by government agencies. Be wary of clickbait!\u0026rdquo; The big take away? Look for articles citing peer-reviewed research and avoid sensational language.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen a news article that cites peer-reviewed research doesn\u0026rsquo;t have enough information to draw a conclusion about a topic, readers can also turn to the scientific article cited to help fill in the blanks. But scientific journal articles can be intimidating. To empower the community with the tools to decipher scientific articles, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CHvZXBUDQ2w\/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link\u0022\u003E#StraightToTheSource\u003C\/a\u003E spoke to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/julia-kubanek\u0022\u003EJulia Kubanek\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the Schools of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EBiological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EChemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E and associate dean of Research for the College of Sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;When you\u0026rsquo;re reading a scientific article in an area that is new to you, do not assume that the authors are way smarter than you,\u0026rdquo; explains Kubanek. \u0026ldquo;They just know facts and words that you don\u0026rsquo;t yet know. But you can look up essential facts and words as you go, and build your own understanding of a paper \u0026mdash; even outside of your area of expertise.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen reading a scientific paper, Kubanek suggests a non-linear route. \u0026ldquo;Scientific papers don\u0026rsquo;t have to be read from start to finish, one page at a time,\u0026rdquo; says Kubanek. \u0026ldquo;I start with the abstract to get the overall gist. But from there I jump to the figures \u0026ndash; they are usually where I can find the most important data. I dissect the figures, using the figure legends to help me understand the data in the figures themselves. The Discussion is where I can find the authors\u0026rsquo; opinion of what their conclusions are, but I judge the conclusions for myself from my interpretation of the figures. The Introduction is useful for background information, but I skim that at best. I only read the Methods if I want to repeat the experiments myself, which is hardly ever.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs for the main message of the paper, Kubanek suggests you decide it for yourself. \u0026ldquo;I think that every scientific article should be able to be summarized in a single sentence, a kind of take-home message,\u0026rdquo; suggests Kubanek. \u0026ldquo;When I\u0026rsquo;m reading a new paper, I try to build my own take-home message from the paper, turning it over in my mind as I make my way through the paper.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe big take away? Don\u0026rsquo;t let complicated language prevent you from reading scientific papers and interpreting the results yourself.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELearning more about Covid-19 antibodies\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAfter building the tools to dissect and interpret Covid-19 news, #StraightToTheSource spoke with Georgia Tech researchers to answer the community\u0026rsquo;s questions about Covid-19. One of the questions on the forefront of many minds: how long do Covid-19 antibodies last post-infection?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo find out, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CIBsyTSpnDO\/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link\u0022\u003E#StraightToTheSource\u003C\/a\u003E dove into a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.sciencemag.org\/content\/370\/6521\/1227.abstract\u0022\u003Epaper\u003C\/a\u003E published by Ania Wajnberg et al. in the journal Science\u003Cem\u003E \u003C\/em\u003Ewith Patton Distinguished Professor Greg Gibson, who teaches and researches in the School of Biological Sciences. \u0026quot;Serum antibodies (for Covid-19) generally first appear a week to 10 days after infection, and then persist \u0026mdash; albeit with some decline \u0026mdash; for at least 5 months, and remain neutralizing in the majority of people,\u0026quot; explains Gibson\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGibson\u0026#39;s statement was confirmed by Wajnberg et al., where it was found that Covid-19 antibodies are detectable in the blood at least 5 months after infection and perhaps longer. These antibodies infection still have neutralization activity and can fight the virus according to the study. \u0026quot;Although this cannot provide conclusive evidence that these antibody responses protect from reinfection,\u0026quot; says Wajnberg et al., \u0026quot;we believe it is very likely that they will decrease the odds ratio of reinfection and may attenuate disease in the case of breakthrough infection.\u0026quot;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile Gibson clarified the nature of Covid-19 antibodies post-infection, it was still unclear to curious Georgia Tech students exactly how the virus might manifest in the early days of infection \u0026mdash; do most people show symptoms when they are contagious, and if not, why? To investigate this, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CIl1TX0LcOu\/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link\u0022\u003E#StraightToTheSource\u003C\/a\u003E studied a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41591-020-0962-9\u0022\u003Epaper\u003C\/a\u003E published in Nature Medicine, which estimated that, remarkably, over 75% of Covid-19 cases might be clinically asymptomatic in people under 20 years old \u0026mdash; meaning that younger people can unknowingly spread the virus to others without showing symptoms. This further bolstered the importance of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/health.gatech.edu\/coronavirus\/testing\u0022\u003Eweekly testing\u003C\/a\u003E to detect infections early to help isolate and prevent spread, as testing may be the only way that certain individuals can confirm if they have the virus.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUp next: Vaccines and beyond\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt has been a year since Covid-19 entered the United States. With the development and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/health.gatech.edu\/coronavirus\/vaccine\/faq\u0022\u003Edistribution of vaccines\u003C\/a\u003E, a renewed hope to stamp out Covid-19 is on our shared horizon. Along with this hope appear new \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/health.gatech.edu\/coronavirus\/vaccine\/faq\u0022\u003Equestions and answers\u003C\/a\u003E. As we kick off a new year and phase of the pandemic, #StraightToTheSource will continue to share tips and techniques, evidence-based answers, and peer-reviewed data to help sort through news feeds and headlines \u0026mdash; straight from our community of faculty and research experts.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe College\u0026#39;s #StraightToTheSource social media series answers Covid-19-related community and frequently asked questions by directly examining scientific findings and research with College of Sciences experts.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The social media campaign #StraightToTheSource answered the community\u0027s questions by directly examining scientific findings with Georgia Tech experts."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2021-01-12 16:28:54","changed_gmt":"2021-01-12 19:50:47","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-01-12T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2021-01-12T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"642842":{"id":"642842","type":"image","title":"Julia Kubanek provides advice on how to approach reading scientific journal artlces for #StraightToTheSource","body":null,"created":"1610466284","gmt_created":"2021-01-12 15:44:44","changed":"1610466339","gmt_changed":"2021-01-12 15:45:39","alt":"A photo of Julia Kubanek with advice on how to read scientific journal articles. The advice reads the following: \u0022When you\u2019re reading a scientific article in an area that is new to you, do NOT assume that the authors are way smarter than you. They just know facts and words that you don\u2019t yet know. But you can look up essential facts and words as you go, and build your own understanding of a paper, even outside of your area of expertise.\u0022","file":{"fid":"244098","name":"SttS_ScienceInsta1.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/SttS_ScienceInsta1.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/SttS_ScienceInsta1.png","mime":"image\/png","size":483839,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/SttS_ScienceInsta1.png?itok=Hkn7IYSM"}},"642841":{"id":"642841","type":"image","title":"#StraightToTheSource talked with Jennifer Leavey to get advice on how to find accurate news articles","body":null,"created":"1610466094","gmt_created":"2021-01-12 15:41:34","changed":"1610466094","gmt_changed":"2021-01-12 15:41:34","alt":"A photo of Jennifer Leavey with text that reads: \u0022How do you find reliable news sources? \u0027It\u0027s easy to get misled by headlines. Well-written news pieces use a variety of primary sources including quotes from experts, original scientific publications, and information provided from government agencies.\u0027\u0022","file":{"fid":"244096","name":"SttS_ReliableSource_PNG1.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/SttS_ReliableSource_PNG1_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/SttS_ReliableSource_PNG1_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":679077,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/SttS_ReliableSource_PNG1_0.png?itok=iZFUfSbZ"}},"642845":{"id":"642845","type":"image","title":"#StraightToTheSource and Greg Gibson dove into a paper published in Science to investigate how long Covid-19 antibodies might last post-infection.","body":null,"created":"1610467514","gmt_created":"2021-01-12 16:05:14","changed":"1610474043","gmt_changed":"2021-01-12 17:54:03","alt":"A photo of Greg Gibson with text that reads: \u0022Serum antibodies generally first appear a week to 10 day after infection, and then persist albeit with some decline for at least 6 months, and remain neutralizing in the majority of people.\u0022","file":{"fid":"244101","name":"SttS_AntibodyLongevity_FB1.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/SttS_AntibodyLongevity_FB1.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/SttS_AntibodyLongevity_FB1.png","mime":"image\/png","size":902762,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/SttS_AntibodyLongevity_FB1.png?itok=kffNwuIk"}},"642847":{"id":"642847","type":"image","title":"To investigate how Covid-19 manifests in college-aged people, #StraightToTheSource tackled a paper published in Nature Medicine","body":null,"created":"1610468251","gmt_created":"2021-01-12 16:17:31","changed":"1610468251","gmt_changed":"2021-01-12 16:17:31","alt":"A picture of students on campus with text that reads: \u0022How many Covid-19 cases are asymptomatic among college students? A study published in Nature Medicine estimates that over 75% of Covid-19 cases are asymptomatic in people under 20 years old (Davies et al., 2020)\u0022","file":{"fid":"244103","name":"SttS_AsymptomatocTransmisson_Insta.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/SttS_AsymptomatocTransmisson_Insta.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/SttS_AsymptomatocTransmisson_Insta.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1927943,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/SttS_AsymptomatocTransmisson_Insta.png?itok=5X_6Je0u"}}},"media_ids":["642842","642841","642845","642847"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/health.gatech.edu\/coronavirus\/returning-safely-spring","title":"Returning to Campus Safely for Spring Semester"},{"url":"https:\/\/health.gatech.edu\/tech-moving-forward","title":"Tech Moving Forward: Our Road to Recovery"},{"url":"https:\/\/helpingstories.gatech.edu\/","title":"Georgia Tech\u0027s Helping Stories"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CHdhhaBlTy4\/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link","title":"#StraightToTheSource: Finding Reliable News Sources"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CHvZXBUDQ2w\/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link","title":"#StraightToTheSource: Reading Scientific News Articles"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CIBsyTSpnDO\/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link","title":"#StraightToTheSource: Covid-19 Antibodies"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CIl1TX0LcOu\/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link","title":"#StraightToTheSource: Asymptomatic Cases of Covid-19"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"1279","name":"School of Mathematics"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"184289","name":"covid-19"},{"id":"184288","name":"covid"},{"id":"184995","name":"tech moving forward"},{"id":"186660","name":"Straight to the Source"},{"id":"183843","name":"coronavirus"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAudra Davidson\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Assistant\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\ndavidson.audra@gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["davidson.audra@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}