Coronavirus Ethics and Policy Insights and Resources

The Berman Institute of Bioethics is striving to ensure that the international public health response to COVID-19 is ethically informed as well as effective.

Through years of experience and scholarship, and tested through multiple threatened and actual epidemics, scholars at the Berman Institute have led research to identify the ethical principles that should guide the actions of governments and other institutions in a moment like this. This website is a resource for sharing those ideas.

WYPR | April 26, 2022
How the pandemic accelerated nurse burnout
Cynda Rushton was interviewed

Los Angeles Times | April 1, 2022
How many COVID deaths are ‘acceptable’? Answer is key to moving to a post-pandemic world
Jeffrey Kahn was quoted

MedPage Today | March 23, 2022
The Play’s the Thing for Nurses Coping With Pandemic’s Sting
Cynda Rushton was quoted

The New York Times | March 16, 2022
Confronting Grief, With Margaret Atwood, in ‘The Nurse Antigone
Cynda Rushton was quoted

Mindful | March 11, 2022
Can a Greek Tragedy Help Nurses Heal From the Stress of the Pandemic?
Cynda Rushton was quoted

American Journal of Nursing | March 2022
‘How Can Acute Care Recover from the Pandemic?’
Cynda Rushton was quoted

Foreign Affairs | February 22, 2022
When Will the Pandemic End?
Ruth Faden is quoted

National Geographic | February 8, 2021
Should you get the COVID-19 vaccine while pregnant? Here’s what experts say.
Ruth Faden is quoted

Stat News | January 21, 2022
It’s staff, not stuff: Applying crisis standards of care to allocating health care workers
Cynda Rushton co-authored the commentary

cliffs and fences podcast | January 17, 2022
Ethical Considerations of Vaccinating Children Against COVID-19 with Rachel Gur-Arie, Ph.D., MS
Rachel Gur-Arie was the guest

The 19th News | January 14, 2022
When kids under 5 get COVID-19, parents are screwed
Ruth Faden was quoted

NPR | January 14, 2022
Omicron and the continuing inequity of coronavirus care
Zackary Berger is quoted

Philosopher’s Magazine | December 25, 2021
How Should Governments Make COVID-19 Policy?
Anne Barnhill and Travis Rieder co-authored the piece

Bloomberg Equality | December 23, 2021
Omicron Brings New Risks to Unvaccinated Pregnant Women
Ruth Faden is quoted

New York Times | December 21, 2021
Omicron and Holiday Travel: How to Strategize
Jeffrey Kahn is quoted

WYPR-FM’s “On the Record” | December 20, 2021
Why global vaccine access is still faltering; CRS in Afghanistan
Ruth Faden is interviewed

Advisory Board | December 9, 2021
It’s not just ‘burnout’: Your workforce is facing moral exhaustion
Cynda Rushton is the subject of the Q&A

WebMD | December 7, 2021
Patients Can Experience Burnout Too
Mark Hughes is quoted

VeryWell Health | December 3, 2021
CDC: Risk of Stillbirth Is Higher Among Pregnant People With COVID-19
Ruth Faden is quoted

Baltimore Fishbowl | November 23, 2021
Johns Hopkins tracker finds widespread variation in COVID-19 policies in U.S. Schools
Megan Collins was quoted

The Washington Post | November 18, 2021
The Ethics of Twisting Unvaccinated Arms in Europe
Nancy Kass was interviewed

WBUR-FM | November 15, 2021
Scientists are learning more about the lingering symptoms of COVID-19
Zackary Berger was interviewed

Associated Press | November 9, 2021
Despite Reopening, the U.S. Is Still Closed to Many in World
Nancy Kass was quoted

State of Reform | November 8, 2021
Kids and the Covid Vaccine
Maggie Moon was the subject for a Q & A

The Hill | October 28, 2021
Small employers also need the vaccine mandate
Ruth Faden and Nancy Kass authored the commentary

MedPage Daily | October 18, 2021
More Race Data Needed on Covid Vaccination and Testing, Researchers Say
With comments from Kadija Ferryman

Daily Item | October 26, 2021
Philosopher: Debate over Covid requirements not solely political
Anne Barnhill was featured

New York Times | October 14, 2021
Britain Infected Volunteers with the Coronavirus. Why Won’t the U.S.?
Jeffrey Kahn was quoted

New York Times | October 12, 2021
Past Pandemics Remind Us Covid Will Be an Era, Not a Crisis that Fades
Jeremy Greene was quoted

WYPR-FM | Midday
The volatile ethics of COVID vaccine and mask mandates
Jeffrey Kahn was the featured guest

STAT | September 23, 2021
Advisory committee recommends wide swath of Americans be offered COVID-19 vaccine boosters
Ruth Faden was quoted

JHU Hub | September 15, 2021
Are Boosters a Bioethical Bust?
Ruth Faden was the subject of a Q&A

The New York Times | September 14, 2021
The Global Vaccine Drive Is Failing. Can It Be Saved?
Ruth Faden was quoted

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation | September 12, 2021
When will international air travel soar again after COVID-19?
Joe Ali was quoted

STAT | September 11, 2021
The ethics of pausing a vaccine trial in the midst of a pandemic
Ruth Faden was the subject of a Q& A

Time Magazine | September 10, 2021
Could we have avoided the Covid-19 health care rationing crisis?
Jeffrey Kahn was quoted

Baltimore Sun | August 24, 2021
Pandemic reveals the limits of civil liberties
Nancy Kass was quoted

MSNBC | August 20, 2021
Covid booster shots are coming – and the world isn’t happy
Ruth Faden was quoted

Wired | August 20, 2021
The US Is Getting Covid Booster Shots. The World Is Furious
Ruth Faden was quoted

New York Times | August 18, 2021
The Truth About Long Covid Is Complicated. Better Treatment Isn’t
Zackary Berger co-authored the commentary

Axios | August 18, 2021
The ethics of vaccine booster shots
Ruth Faden was quoted

Washington Post | August 9, 2021
Is you doctor, dentist or hairstylist vaccinated? Tips for how to ask – and avoid awkwardness
Ruth Faden was quoted

Chicago Tribune | August 4, 2021
Is it ethical to offer prize money to people who waited to get vaccinated?
Jeffrey Kahn was quoted

NBC News | August 3, 2021
Covid pandemic linked to increased nearsightedness in kids
Megan Collins is quoted

The Guardian | August 1, 2021
American mulls vaccine mandates – will they work?
Ruth Faden was quoted

Denver Post | July 24, 2021
Colorado has 2 months to use 350,000 doses of stockpiled vaccine before they expire
Ruth Faden was quoted

The Conversation | June 30
The ethical questions raised by COVID-19 vaccines: 5 essential reads
Travis Rieder is featured

The Times of India | June 29
With nod for vaccine in pregnancy, crores of families will breathe easy
The COMIT tracker is cited

JHU Hub | June 28
Global policies on COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy vary widely by country according to new online tracker
Ruth Faden is quoted

The New York Times | June 22
How to Have the Hard Vaccination Conversations
Ruth Faden is quoted

WYPR-FM | June 21
Midday On Ethics: The Challenge of Vaccination Authentication
In conversation with Jeffrey Kahn

The New York Times | June 17
Could the U.S. Have Saved More Lives? 5 Alternate Scenarios for the Vaccine Rollout
Ruth Faden is quoted

Global Citizen | June 10
The US Will Donate 500 Million Pfizer Vaccine Doses to the World. What Else Can Biden Do to Help End COVID-19?
Ruth Faden is quoted

The Atlantic |June 8, 2021
On Top of Everything Else, the Pandemic Messed with Our Morals
Cynda Hylton Rushton is quoted

The Commonwealth Fund: The Dose | June 4
“It’s Really, Truly Everywhere”: How the Opioid Crisis Worsened with COVID-19
Brendan Saloner is quoted

The Wall Street Journal | June 1
The Pandemic Made Kids‘ Eyesight Worse, Doctors Say
Megan Collins is quoted

Good Morning America | June 1, 2021
COVID-19 vaccines safe and effective for pregnant people, NIH director says
Ruth Faden was quoted

The Baltimore Sun | May 28, 2021
Should employers make vaccination mandatory?
Ruth Faden and Nancy Kass authored the commentary

National Geographic | May 25, 2021
Can teens get vaccinated if their parents object?
Ruth Faden was quoted

The Hill | May 25, 2021
Jails shrunk during the pandemic – here’s how to keep them small
Brendan Saloner authored the commentary

CNN | May 23, 2021
How feasible is it for businesses to require proof of vaccination? Experts are split
Nancy Kass was quoted

Vox | May 20, 2021
Why Covax, the fund to vaccinate the world, is struggling
Ruth Faden was quoted

The Conversation | April 20, 2021
There are plenty of moral reasons to be vaccinated – but that doesn’t mean it’s your ethical duty
Travis Rieder authored the commentary

CNBC | April 14, 2021
Panicked patients call doctors as Covid vaccine hesitancy rises with J&J blood clot issue
Jeffrey Kahn was quoted

Philadelphia Inquirer | April 14, 2021
Scrambled plans, delays, and new fears accompany J&J COVID-19 vaccination pause
Ruth Faden was quoted

The Hub | April 14, 2021
Ending the pandemic and combating vaccine resistance: Modern questions with a long history
Jeremy Greene was a featured guest

Baltimore Sun | April 13, 2021
Maryland pauses use of Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine as CDC, FDA study six reports of blood clots
Jeffrey Kahn was quoted

Voice of America | April 13, 2021
US Pauses Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Over Rare Blood Clots
Jeffrey Kahn was quoted

Education Week | April 9, 2021
Absenteeism Is the Wrong Student Engagement Metric to Use Right Now
Ruth Faden co-authored the commentary

Scripps TV | April 8, 2021
Johns Hopkins creates online site to track school reopening decisions
Megan Collins was quoted

NPR | April 6, 2021
Do We Need Vaccine Passports?
Nancy Kass was a featured guest

Cleveland Plain-Dealer | April 3, 2021
Coronavirus vaccine passports beg the question who should know whether you’ve gotten the shot
Nancy Kass was quoted

NPR | March 26, 2021
Why Pandemics Give Birth to Hate; From Bubonic Plague to COVID-19
Nancy Kass was quoted

NPR | March 24, 2021
Where Does the United States Fit Into the Global Vaccination Effort?
Ruth Faden was a featured guest

New York Times | March 19, 2021
Europe’s Vaccine Ethics Call: Do No Harm and Let More Die?
Ruth Faden was quoted

Livestrong.com | March 17, 2021
Should You Wait to Get the Covid Vaccine if You Think Other People Need it More?
Jeffrey Kahn was quoted

MarketWatch | March 15, 2021
Am I a jerk for getting a COVID-19 vaccine if I feel healthy and work from home?
Ruth Faden was quoted

TheLily.com | March 15, 2021
Vaccine guilt is real. Here’s what experts say about it
Ruth Faden was quoted

MSNBC | March 12, 2021
Life after Lockdown: Experts Answer Questions on Pregnancy and Parenting During the Pandemic
Ruth Faden was a featured guest

WFMJ-TV | March 11, 2021
Frontline COVID-19 nurses reflect on pandemic’s impact
Cynda Rushton was interviewed

The Atlantic | March 11, 2021
People Are Keeping Their Vaccines Secret
Ruth Faden was quoted

BBC News | March 10, 2021
Covid: The man with ‘super antibodies’
Jeffrey Kahn was quoted

Devex “Inside Development” | March 10, 2021
Middle-income countries are caught in a COVID-19 financing gap
Ruth Faden was quoted

Wired | March 9, 2021
The Pandemic Can’t End While Wealthy Nations Hoard Shots
Ruth Faden was quoted

WBUR-FM  “On Point” | March 9, 2021
Vaccine Passports: Public Health Tool or Invasion of Civil Liberties?
Ruth Faden was a featured guest

WBAL-TV | March 7, 2021
JHU Introduces New Tool to Track Data about Vaccines and School Openings
Megan Collins was the featured guest

Washington Post | March 6, 2021
Your employer can ask whether you’ve received the coronavirus vaccine – and even require it
Jeffrey Kahn was quoted

STAT News “First Opinion” | March 6, 2021
Using the new Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine to create equity and trust
Ruth Faden co-authored the commentary

Fox News | March 5, 2021
Teacher vaccinations go untracked amid school reopening push
Megan Collins was quoted

CBS News | March 3, 2021
Should you get a coronavirus vaccine if you’re pregnant? Experts say medical trials need to change
Ruth Faden was quoted

The Telegraph (U.K.) | March 3, 2021
India and Mexico emerge as hotspots for attacks on Covid health workers
Len Rubenstein was quoted

The Baltimore Sun | March 2, 2021
Lack of eligibility check at Maryland’s mass COVID vaccination sites is a ‘double-edged sword,’ experts say
Jeffrey Kahn was quoted

USA Today | February 24, 2021
COVID-19 exposure warnings for iPhone, Android phones: Apps still await widespread adoption
Jeffrey Kahn was quoted

Associated Press | February 24, 2021
Health network allowed employees’ kin to skip vaccine line
Nancy Kass was quoted

NPR | February 22, 2021
The Line for the Shot: The Ethics of COVID-19 Vaccination
Nancy Kass was quoted

The Baltimore Sun | February 22, 2021
Kids already know ‘stop, drop and roll’ for fire emergencies; it’s time to teach ‘stop, wash and mask on’ for COVID-19
Megan Collins co-authored the commentary

The Atlantic | February 19, 2021
A Quite Possibly Wonderful Summer
Ruth Faden was quoted

VICE | February 18, 2021
Pain and Isolation Are Driving America’s Lockdown Overdose Surge
Travis Rieder was quoted

Politico | February 11, 2021
The science of school reopenings
Megan Collins is quoted

Marketwatch | February 11, 2021
Some hospitals are giving wealthy donors early COVID-19 vaccinations
Joseph Carrese is quoted

Washington Post | February 8, 2021
The best vaccination strategy is simple: Focus on Americans 65 and older
Ruth Faden co-authored the commentary

Wall Street Journal | February 6, 2021
With Covid-19 Vaccine Waiting Lists in the Millions, Some Skip the Line
Ruth Faden was quoted

NPR | February 6, 2021
Is It Ever OK to Jump Ahead in the Vaccine Line?
Ruth Faden was interviewed

National Geographic | February 5, 2021
Should you get the COVID-19 vaccine while you’re pregnant
Ruth Faden was quoted

Deutsche Welle | February 5, 2021
COVID-19 vaccines as ‘biological warfare’ in Middle East?
Leonard Rubenstein was quoted

Wall Street Journal | February 1, 2021
Covid-19 Vaccines Leave Pregnant Women in a Quandry
Ruth Faden was referenced

NPR’s “All Things Considered” | January 30, 2021
How States Are Prioritizing Limited Vaccine Supplies
Ruth Faden was the featured guest

New York Times | January 28, 2021
Pregnant Women Get Conflicting Advice on Covid-19 Vaccines
Carleigh Krubiner was quoted

Yahoo! News | January 27, 2021
Protections in place to stop the rich from cutting the vaccine line
Ruth Faden was interviewed

JHU Hub | January 25, 2021
Government leaders should not skip to the front of the COVID-19 vaccine line
Jeffrey Kahn and Mark Hughes were quoted

The Times (Beaver County) | January 24, 2021
The ethics of COVID-19 vaccinations – who gets it and when
Ruth Faden was quoted

New York Magazine | January 22, 2021
Amid a disastrous vaccine rollout, is it wrong to take advantage of technicalities and glitches?
Ruth Faden was quoted

“Good Morning America” | January 19, 2021
I’m pregnant and a doctor: This is why I got the COVID-19 vaccine
Ruth Faden was quoted

Los Angeles Times | January 15, 2021
Some workers don’t want a COVID-19 vaccine. Can their bosses make them get it anyway?
Ruth Faden was quoted

NPR | January 15, 2021
COVID-19 Supply Deal Lets Vaccine Maker Earmark Doses for Employees and Their Families
Ruth Faden was quoted

The Baltimore Sun | January 15, 2021
Maryland expands vaccine eligibility even as vaccines remain in short supply
Ruth Faden was quoted

New York Times | January 14, 2021
Johnson & Johnson Expects Vaccine Results Soon but Lags in Production
Ruth Faden was quoted

Inside Higher Ed | January 13, 2021
Higher Ed Workers Get in the COVID Vaccine Line
Ruth Faden was quoted

Medscape | January 12, 2021
Should People Be Paid to Get a COVID-19 Vaccine?
Nancy Kass was quoted

The Huffington Post | January 11, 2021
Experts Predict What School Will Look Like Next Fall
Megan Collins was quoted

The New York Times | January 10, 2020
At Elite Medical Centers, Even Workers Who Don’t Qualify Are Vaccinated
Ruth Faden was quoted

JHU Hub | January 6, 2021
Fighting food insecurity during a global pandemic
Jessica Fanzo was featured

The Baltimore Sun | January 4, 2021
A blue ribbon commission is needed to chart a path to reopening for schools
Megan Collins and Ruth Faden co-authored a commentary

The Washington Post | January 1, 2021
Pregnant women agonize over whether to get coronavirus vaccine
Ruth Faden was quoted

The Baltimore Sun | December 31, 2020
More babies could be delivered at home
Marielle Gross co-authored the commentary

USA Today | December 22, 2020
COVID-19 vaccine plan means some states will lag in getting shots to highest-risk groups
Jeffrey Kahn was quoted

New York Times | December 22, 2020
I’m a Pregnant Doctor. Should I Get the Covid Vaccine?
Ruth Faden was quoted

BBC | December 21, 2020
Will pregnant women receive the vaccine? It depends
Ruth Faden was quoted

NPR’s “All Things Considered” | December 20, 2020
The Ethics of Who Gets the COVID Vaccine and When
Ruth Faden was the featured guest

Wall Street Journal | December 18, 2020
Teachers Vie for COVID-19 Vaccine Priority
Ruth Faden was quoted

Washington Post | December 17, 2020
Debunked COVID-19 myths survive online, despite facts
Nancy Kass was quoted

Vox | December 15, 2020
How scarce will coronavirus vaccine be in the US?
Ruth Faden was quoted

Media contact for the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics: Jamie Smith at 410-245-1106 or jamie.smith@jhu.edu.