Changing your thinking about COVID-19 rules

+ Malta's first official saint US Edition - Today's top story: Tomorrow's COVID safety guidelines will be different from today's – but that doesn't mean yesterday's were wrong [View in browser]( US Edition | 2 April 2022 [The Conversation]( Masks on, masks off. Schools close, then open, then close and then open again. Is proof of vaccination required to go to a concert or not? Have the requirements for travel changed again? If so, what are they now? The COVID-19 pandemic has been a time of constantly changing rules and policies, and so much change is, understandably, frustrating. But as the number of confirmed deaths in the U.S. approaches 1 million, it’s important to remember that this is a public health crisis like no other. “Typically, meaningful changes to federal health policy happen at a glacial pace,” explains Michael Williams, a University of Virginia physician and health policy expert. “But the modern world has never faced a public health crisis that has changed as quickly as the pandemic.” Contending with the coronavirus, he says, is [more like what happens with a hurricane](. Responses can differ from place to place, actions must be quick enough to match the speed of changing conditions, and as these conditions shift, so too must the tools and rules employed. Despite how it may appear, adjustments to COVID-19 policies aren’t a sign that officials or scientists are getting things wrong and backpedaling, Williams writes: “Rather, they show that for the most part, policymakers are getting things right over and over again.” This week we also liked articles about [climate change](, [an ornate guidebook on managing medieval households]( and [whether Russia is committing genocide in Ukraine](. And with the start of Ramadan, here are [six questions answered about this Muslim holy month](. To learn more about Islam, see our [special series Understanding Islam](. Daniel Merino Assistant Science Editor & Co-Host of The Conversation Weekly Podcast COVID guidelines have changed a lot over the past few years as the pandemic has ebbed and flowed. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu [Tomorrow’s COVID safety guidelines will be different from today’s – but that doesn’t mean yesterday’s were wrong]( Michael Williams, University of Virginia The constantly changing COVID-19 rules can be frustrating. But this pandemic is like no other public health crisis in history. It is better to think of the virus and US responses the way we think about hurricanes. A Ukrainian soldier observes a destroyed shopping mall in Kyiv on March 29, 2022. Mykhaylo Palinchak/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images [Is Russia committing genocide in Ukraine? A human rights expert looks at the warning signs]( Alexander Hinton, Rutgers University - Newark There are a few warning signs that genocide is happening. In the Russian war on Ukraine, all of those are present. Pope Francis presides over a special prayer in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on March 25, 2022, before heading out to Malta for a two-day visit. AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File [Pope Francis’ visit to Malta highlights the role of St. George Preca, an advocate for teaching the gospel]( Joanne M. Pierce, College of the Holy Cross Malta’s St. George Preca was canonized in 2007 by Pope Benedict XVI. As Pope Francis visits Malta, renewed attention is coming to how his life and work can provide guidance for welfare of refugees. - [Medieval illustrated manuscripts reveal how upper-class women managed healthy households – overseeing everything from purging, leeching and cupping to picking the right wet nurse]( Jennifer Borland, Oklahoma State University This illustrated health manual dating back to the 13th century provides a glimpse of daily life in aristocratic households during the Middle Ages. - [How fast can we stop Earth from warming?]( Richard B. (Ricky) Rood, University of Michigan If fossil fuel burning stopped, emerging research suggests air temperatures could level off sooner than expected. But that doesn’t mean the damage stops. - [How MacKenzie Scott’s $12 billion in gifts to charity reflect an uncommon trust in the groups she supports]( Tyrone McKinley Freeman, IUPUI The approximately $12 billion she’s given away in the past two years has shattered conventions, explains a philanthropy historian. - [Calling Putin a ‘war criminal’ could spark even more atrocities in Ukraine]( - [‘Laugh right in its face’ – a poet reflects on her craft’s defiant role in the middle of a war]( - [Two Orthodox Christian countries at war – here’s an explanation of the faith tradition shared by Russia and Ukraine]( - [Much of the cost of dementia care in aging Native American adults is due to hospitalization]( - [Soaring crude prices make the cost of pretty much everything else go up too because we almost literally eat oil]( - [Can my electric car power my house? Not yet for most drivers, but vehicle-to-home charging is coming]( - [A new way to pick the best school for your child]( - [Transgender people of color face unique challenges as gender discrimination and racism intersect]( - [What the new science of authenticity says about discovering your true self]( - More from The Conversation US - Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly emails: [Politics Weekly]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Global Economy & Business]( - - About The Conversation: We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. [Donate now to support research-based journalism]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](