A note from STAT's Infectious Diseases Reporter, Helen Branswell
On Jan. 4, 2020, STAT published our first story on the mystery outbreak in Wuhan, reporting that a new coronavirus, from the family of viruses to which SARS belongs, was thought to be responsible. By Jan. 26, 2020, we reported that containing the new virus — which didn't yet have a name — might no longer be possible. Four days later, the World Health Organization declared the fast-spreading outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.
I can't tell you how many stories my colleagues and I have written about Covid-19 in the years since then. But we know — and we're proud of the fact — that our reporting on the pandemic gave STAT readers crucial information that they needed to navigate those difficult years. An article we published and updated regularly throughout 2021 was a side-by-side comparison of the new Covid vaccines. At the end of the year, it was number 2 on Chartbeat's 100 Most Engaging Stories of 2021, read by 14.7 million people.
Covid was a once-in-a-generation — I hope! — event that touched every aspect of our lives. But as Covid coverage has slowed in the past year or two, many other stories have jostled for the attention of our readers. The long-awaited arrival of tools with which to protect babies and older adults from RSV infections. Research to understand the alarming global sweep of the H5N1 bird flu virus. A challenge of federal government efforts to battle Covid disinformation that has made it all the way to the Supreme Court. (SCOTUS seemed… unconvinced.)
We can't tell you what the next big infectious disease problem will be. But we can assure you that whatever it is, STAT will be on top of it, providing our loyal readers fast and incisive need-to-know information. STAT is reliant on subscribers so we can produce ambitious and impactful stories, so please consider subscribing to STAT+. For a limited time, you can get your first 3 months for $20.
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