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Step away from the screen: Short work breaks improve performance, mind

Zoom fatigue. Eye strain. Body aches. Working remotely can create challenges for your body and mind. Finding time to take breaks throughout the day can help alleviate stress, improve your mood and boost work performance. Lauren Weatherford, West Virginia University Extension Service Families and Health agent in Fayette and Nicholas counties, provides some tips on how to take effective breaks to improve focus and productivity.

Law enforcement violence in black communities will continue despite criminal justice system action in Minneapolis case

A West Virginia University expert on neighborhood dynamics and police procedures says that law enforcement actions in black communities will continue to be violent even if the officers involved in the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis are convicted and given a death sentence. Jim Nolan, professor and chair of the Sociology Department and former police officer, said police officers liken themselves to warriors who are focused on battle and are seeking an enemy.

WVU Extension provides general workplace safety guidance as businesses begin to reopen

As West Virginia moves forward with reopening plans, it is critical for businesses of all types to prepare their workplaces and employees for controlling and reducing the risk of transmission of the COVID-19 virus in the workplace. West Virginia University Extension Service Safety and Health Extension Professor Mark Fullen provides some general workplace safety guidelines for businesses as the state continues the reopening process. Recommendations and guidelines are being revised often, so it is important to check resources frequently as new information is learned.

Behind the mask with a WVU doctor: What to wear and whether face coverings should be mandated

“To mask or to not mask” is no longer the primary question dominating the COVID-19 public discourse. As states reopen amid the pandemic, the question now is, “Should face coverings be required in public?” Dr. Robert Gerbo, director of Occupational Medicine at West Virginia University, addressed that debate and unmasked his expertise on when and how to cover up.

WVU Army ROTC to host online commissioning ceremony

Twenty-three West Virginia University Army ROTC Mountaineer Battalion Cadets will commission as second lieutenants during the Annual Spring Commissioning Ceremony that will be conducted online because of the COVID-19 restrictions.

Billions of people could be invisible in COVID-19 contract tracing efforts utilizing smartphone apps

A West Virginia University consumer law expert says recent announcements by Apple and Google that they’re developing a system to enable widespread contact tracing in an effort to contain the COVID-19 pandemic raises significant questions beyond whether such a plan might even be effective. Jonathan Marshall, director of The Center for Consumer Law and Education, believes concerns over privacy and data security can be addressed but a potentially larger issue exists related to these smartphone technologies.

WVU engineering student balances course load with creating protective gear for health care workers

Logan Forquer, an upcoming junior studying mechanical engineering and student worker at the Innovation Hub, made the protective gear over the past month using a high-power Waterjet that cuts the components of the face shields from large sheets of polycarbonate. He rigged a GoPro above the WaterJet so he can watch a live view of the machine on an iPad while working in the next room. This allowed Forquer to assist other staff members in the Hub, do class work or study for his final exams.