Not a Doctor

Friends! We made it to Friday! Congratulations on another highly successful week. Time to celebrate! The cherry blossoms in my yard are blooming. Every time I look outside and see this tree, I remember how lucky I am to have beauty like this in my life, and also how lucky I am to have moments…

Twitter can be an amazing place for getting news as the pandemic unfurls — as long as you’re following people who know their stuff. Welcome to Not a Doctor, the only (free!) newsletter about health and science that encourages you to forget all about those New Year’s resolutions and log onto social media one more time,…

Does trying to go back to normal make economic sense? Welcome to Not a Doctor, the only (free!) newsletter about health and science that talks about sexy public health measures. I’m Melody Schreiber, a journalist and the editor of What We Didn’t Expect (Nov. 2020). I’m not a doctor, or a scientist, or really an expert of any kind. I just like…

And should I start sewing my own? Welcome to Not a Doctor, the only (free!) newsletter about health and science that tells you when to break out the sewing machine and go full-on Little House on the Prairie. I’m Melody Schreiber, a journalist and the editor of What We Didn’t Expect (Nov. 2020). I’m not a doctor, or a scientist,…

And does that mean you still need to be careful? Welcome to Not a Doctor, the only (free!) newsletter about health and science that tells you to please stop reading this if you’re already way too stressed about the coronavirus. Take a break, archive or delete this without reading — whatever you need to do. My…

An open thread to share your worries — and what’s working We made it through another week! Congratulations!!! What helped you this week? How are you feeling? Any strategies to share for surviving social distance, taming anxiety, and keeping your kids from burning down the house? What’s on your mind? Please share! Photo: YJ-Lee/Flickr

“My minor inconvenience is a big part of the solution.” Welcome to Not a Doctor, the only health and science newsletter that shamelessly shares cute dog photos. I’m Melody Schreiber, a journalist and the editor of What We Didn’t Expect (November 2020). I am not a doctor, or a scientist, or an expert of any kind. Except for…

How to help friends, neighbors and strangers during this pandemic Welcome to Not a Doctor, the only health and science newsletter that tells you to order lots of pizza. I’m Melody Schreiber, a journalist and the editor of What We Didn’t Expect (November 2020). I am not a doctor, or a scientist, or an expert of any…

Social distancing and curve flattening: what is it, how does it work, and why should I do it? Welcome to Not a Doctor, the only health and science newsletter that reminds you to call your mom. I’m Melody Schreiber, a journalist and the editor of What We Didn’t Expect, a book about premature birth that will…

Good morning and happy Friday. Today, I’d love for you to post questions, and I’d also love to hear answers from you. What are you doing to prepare? What do you do when the anxiety starts rising up? Or are you still not sure this is going to be a big deal, and want to…

Not unless you want to. But here’s what you really need for your hands. Welcome to Not a Doctor, the only (free!) newsletter about health and science that talks about hand grenades. I’m Melody Schreiber, a journalist, the editor of What We Didn’t Expect (out in November), and decidedly not a doctor. I am someone who…

China and Italy have restricted the movements of hundreds of millions of people. Will we? Welcome to Not a Doctor, the only free newsletter about health and science with an unlimited supply of asterisks. I know I promised an update involving vodka today, but then some ~news~ happened, and I wanted to break it down…

It involves more chocolate than you might expect Welcome to Not a Doctor, the only newsletter about health and science that reminds you to stock up on condoms — and it’s all for free. (The newsletter is free. Please pay for any and all safe sex items.) So, after yesterday’s update, you’re ready to prepare instead…

(okay I understand if you’re panicking a little) Welcome to Not a Doctor, a newsletter about health and science. These days, I’m pretty focused on COVID-19, so you’ll see plenty of news and personal reflection on the epidemic. But I also write about everything from mental health to climate change. Wait, who are you? My…

News and analysis on health and science, including epidemics, climate change, and more Welcome to Not a Doctor by me, Melody Schreiber. I’m a health and science journalist who has reported on nearly every continent, covering mental health, global health, climate change, and more. Right now, I’m writing primarily about the viral pneumonia, COVID-19 —…