It’s a matter of scale. (Edward A. "Doc" Rogers/Library of Congress via AP

What’s the difference between pandemic, epidemic and outbreak?

Rebecca S.B. Fischer, Texas A&M University

From the neighborhood to the newsroom to the White House, nobody stays silent during a health emergency. These terms are often mixed up, and it matters who is using them and when.

Almost 150 U.S. companies make toilet paper. Studio Dagdagaz/Shutterstock.com

There’s plenty of toilet paper in the US – so why are people hoarding it?

Jay L. Zagorsky, Boston University

The new coronavirus outbreak has prompted panic buying in the US and around the world, even in products that are abundant.

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