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Special Report

Covid-19

Bringing historical context and scientific evidence as the pandemic unfolds


LifestyleVisuals/Getty
Many Americans struggle with risk assessment when making decisions during the pandemic.

SCIENCE

Why It’s So Hard to Make Risk Decisions in the Pandemic

Both Pfizer and Moderna already developed updated shots to target Omicron variant BA.1, and their data showcasing superior antibody responses against the Omicron variant were evaluated by the panel of experts deciding which strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus should be included in updated booster shots.

SMART NEWS

FDA Panel Endorses Updated Covid Boosters Targeting Omicron Subvariants

Vaccinations could begin as soon as next week if the FDA authorizes either the Pfizer or Moderna shots for kids under 5. 

SMART NEWS

FDA Says Both Moderna and Pfizer Covid-19 Vaccines Are Effective for the Youngest Children

Latest News

Since the pandemic began, the country has implemented strict zero-Covid poicies.

SMART NEWS

China Fully Reopens to Travelers After Three Years of Closures

Sarah Kuta

Dictionary.com regularly adds new words with staying power to its online listings.

SMART NEWS

Dictionary.com Adds More Than 300 New Words

Sarah Kuta

Even before the Covid-19 restrictions, tourism numbers were dropping amid widespread demonstrations.

SMART NEWS

Hong Kong Is Giving Away 500,000 Free Plane Tickets

Molly Enking

Nearly 70 percent of the U.S. population has completed the primary series of Covid-19 vaccinations, but only 16 percent have received the updated bivalent booster dose.

 

SMART NEWS

CDC Includes Covid-19 Shots in Routine Immunization Schedule

Sarah Kuta

AMC's announcement comes amid ongoing concerns about movie theaters' financial future.

SMART NEWS

AMC Theaters Will Start Charging Based on Where You Sit

Ella Feldman

COVID-19 and Culture

Charles Boyer and Ingrid Bergman in Gaslight, a film adaptation of the 1938 play Gas Light

SMART NEWS

'Gaslighting' Is Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year

Ella Feldman

Angel Blue performing in the 2021 production of Fire Shut Up in My Bones at the Met.

SCIENCE

Can Pathogens at the Opera Haunt a Performance?

Calli McMurray

The Museum of Broadway opens this week, bringing New York its first permanent museum dedicated to the Great White Way.

SMART NEWS

The Ten Coolest Artifacts at the New Museum of Broadway

Ella Feldman

Many of this year’s 42 finalists (above: Customer Service Representative by Marianna Olague, 2020) delve into the American psyche, depicting life during the Covid era.

AT THE SMITHSONIAN

These Are the New Faces of American Portraiture

By Diane Bernard

Both Pfizer and Moderna already developed updated shots to target Omicron variant BA.1, and their data showcasing superior antibody responses against the Omicron variant were evaluated by the panel of experts deciding which strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus should be included in updated booster shots.

SMART NEWS

FDA Panel Endorses Updated Covid Boosters Targeting Omicron Subvariants

Elizabeth Gamillo

Vaccines & US

Vaccines and US logo

Cultural Organizations for Community Health

Resources collected by the Smithsonian Institution to help you make an informed decision about Covid‑19 vaccines

1918 Flu Outbreak

AT THE SMITHSONIAN

The Long History of Blaming Immigrants in Times of Sickness


HISTORY

Warren Harding Tried to Return America to ‘Normalcy’ After WWI and the 1918 Pandemic. It Failed.


HISTORY

How Epidemics of the Past Changed the Way Americans Lived


HISTORY

What We Can Learn From 1918 Flu Diaries


HISTORY

Ten Myths About the 1918 Flu Pandemic


HISTORY

Why Did the 1918 Flu Kill So Many Otherwise Healthy Young Adults?


HISTORY

How the Horrific 1918 Flu Spread Across America


SCIENCE

The United States Is Not Ready for Another Flu Pandemic

At-Home Education

AT THE SMITHSONIAN

Eight Digital Education Resources From Around the Smithsonian


SMART NEWS

Listen to Hundreds of Free Audiobooks, From Classics to Educational Texts


AT THE SMITHSONIAN

Seven Ways to Learn About Natural History From Home


SMART NEWS

68 Cultural, Historical and Scientific Collections You Can Explore Online


SMART NEWS

AR App Brings the Northern Lights Into Your Living Room

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