News from the School of Public Health

College Park, Md. — COVID-19 worries children from sub-Saharan Africa more than children from other parts of the world, an international study of children’s knowledge, perceptions and stress during the pandemic found. A research team asked questions to more than 4,000 children aged 9-12 in 42 countries during the month of April 2020.

Opiaah Jeffers M.P.H. ’21 hadn’t even finished her first shift as a COVID-19 contact tracer for the Prince George’s County Health Department on Friday when the complexity of safely restarting public life in the state of Maryland hit her.

When Maureen “Mo” Bryant ’01, founder of Spontaneity, LLC, went back to school to earn her Bachelor’s in Science degree in Family Studies at 40, her mission was to help as many children as she could.

Now, Bryant is looking to give others the same second chance by establishing the Irene Scholarship with a $25,000 gift.

Named after Bryant’s late mother, Irene Gleason Wallace Baxter, the scholarship will provide financial and academic support to School of Public Health undergraduate students returning to school after a break of two years or more.

Spreading positivity and sharing messages of support is an important way to keep connected with one another while maintaining physical distancing. In the spirit of #KeepTogether, please enjoy a video message from our Dean Lushniak, as well as a #ShellsUnited video message from every one of our UMD academic deans.

Near the end of each academic year, the School of Public Health faculty, staff, students, families and friends join together for the special occasion of honoring our outstanding students through the SPH Convocation ceremony.

A growing number of studies have found evidence that the coronavirus can remain suspended in the air in aerosol particles. But, Don Milton told the Washington Post that there is widespread confusion surrounding respiratory droplets and aerosol particles.

There's not a bright line between the two, he says.