The Week in Philly from KYW Newsradio

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Doomsday Scenarios, episode 1: Can an asteroid destroy earth? Jan 14, 2022

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We're starting a mini series on KYW Newsradio In Depth called Doomsday Scenarios, where we ask very smart people if this, that, or the other thing could destroy life as we know it. Today: could an asteroid strike earth with enough mass and force to kill the planet? How much should we be concerned about this actually happening? How big would something have to be to do catastrophic damage to the planet? Could we actually do anything to prevent this? Our guest is Dr. Eric Jensen, Professor of astronomy at Swarthmore College and friend of the podcast.

Deja vu all over again: why is COVID testing still an issue? Jan 12, 2022

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Nearly 2 years into the coronavirus pandemic and testing is still an issue in the United States. It's very difficult to find at home tests to purchase right now, and it's tough to find an appointment at a testing site as well. How did we get here? Why does it seem like we never really got this right? Jennifer Kolker, Associate Dean for Practice and External Relations at the Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University is on the podcast to talk about why testing remains a difficult thing to master.

Where did we go wrong with COVID messaging? Jan 11, 2022

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Public health messaging has been a challenge in the pandemic, to say the least. People are getting frustrated and confused with constantly changing protocols and advice. So we asked Dr. Sarah Bass, Associate Professor and Director of the Risk Communication Laboratory at Temple University College of Public Health, to help us look back at our messaging throughout the past two years on both federal and local levels. Have we gotten anything right? What should we have done differently from the beginning? And is it is possible to fix now?

'Kids need to be in school.' Updated COVID guidance from Children's Hospital Jan 10, 2022

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The last two years have been very hard for schools trying to come up with policies to keep kids and staff safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the key groups that has helped schools create policies during the pandemic is the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia PolicyLab. They recently updated their guidance for schools, so KYW Newsradio's Jim Melwert reached out to PolicyLab's Director Dr. David Rubin to ask what changed, why, and get his thoughts on where we are in this pandemic and why it's different than a year ago.

Setting sights on the spring: a vaccination timeline for kids 0 to 4 Jan 10, 2022

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COVID-19 vaccines remain a constant focus as the pandemic rages on. For as much as we talk about boosters, one portion of the population hasn’t even been cleared yet to get their first shots. What is the status of a vaccine for kids under the age of five years old? Why is it taking so long? How can parents of young children navigate the Omicron surge? Dr. Jennifer Hamilton, Professor of Family, Community and Preventative Medicine at Drexel University College of Medicine, offers detailed information about the timeline for a vaccine, and symptoms the Omicron variant causes in kids.

Jobs, wages, inflation: the biggest economic questions of 2022 Jan 07, 2022

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It's a new year, so it's time to take a look at the biggest economic questions and issues we're going to run into in 2022. From jobs, inflation, and rising wages, to interest rates, the labor pool and the great resignation, Philadelphia economist David Fiorenza is on the podcast to break down the economic news of the week and the big picture questions as we start a new year.

How to fight extremism: 'Interrupt intolerance, cancel cancel-culture, stop hate before it takes root' Jan 06, 2022

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Extremism is on the rise in the US. One of the most egregious examples of extremist violence in recent memory was one year ago today, the January 6th insurrection at the US Capitol. So what can normal people do to help fight extremism and to stop hate before it takes root? Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt has written a new book titled 'It Could Happen Here' about what we are seeing, why we are seeing it and how to combat it.

"Anyone can create the news:" how to detect mis- and disinformation Jan 05, 2022

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We all know how much damage misinformation and disinformation have done to society, but how do we combat it, and get people to understand the difference between fact and fiction? Perhaps the answer lies in the idea of 'information literacy.' Dr. Denise Agosto, Professor in the College of Computing and Informatics and Director of the Masters of Science and Information at Drexel University, discusses the role that social media plays in spreading mis- and disinformation, while offering strategies to get to the truth.

"A real opportunity to educate our students better:" is it time to rethink the traditional school day? Jan 04, 2022

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Schools have had to deal with a lot over the last couple of years as the pandemic rolled on. On top of that, many folks have been anxious for schools to get back to how they used to operate before COVID-19. But should that be the goal? Or, does this moment in time present an opportunity to reimagine the approach to public education? Dr. Jeff Rhodes, the Director of School Improvement Services for NWEA, a nonprofit focused on education, shares his opinions on how the education system can better serve its students. Dr. Rhodes is also a former School District of Philadelphia assistant superintendent.

"Sometimes it takes a crisis:" pandemic exposes flaws in caregiving Jan 03, 2022

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The state of caregiving in the U.S. is a serious issue - it's expensive and the people providing the caregiving are underpaid and overworked. Dr. Julie Morita, Executive Vice President at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, digs into this topic and provides some potential solutions, while explaining how the Build Back Better program could resolve these problems.

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