Coronavirus News Digest

The constant stream of information about thenovel coronavirusand COVID-19 can cause a lot of anxiousness . Mental Floss created this weekly compilation so you may peruse the news at your own pace — without feeling overwhelmed .

28 December 2024

There ’s just no way to put a irrefutable spin on this . More than 500,000 Americans have perish of the coronavirus in just one year . The New York Timesmarked the devastating milestone with a front - pageboy computer graphic : one tiny smutty dotfor each individual who has pass away . Dr. Anthony Fauci called the bell “ stunning”—and avoidable . “ This is the worst matter that ’s happened to this country with regard to the health of the nation in over 100 long time , ” he toldReuters .

We ’re still processing the momentous change to our life from the preceding year , butThe Washington Postreports onsome of the habit and situations we acquired follow the offset of the pandemicin the U.S. Most people were suddenly expend many more wakeful hours at home , thePostsays . One thing we ’re doing a lot more of : Watchingtelevision . When people did n’t have to expend time commuting to employment , non - parent spent 24 percent of that clock time ( and parents 14 per centum ) partition out in front of the TV . Here aremore stats .

While we ’re on the subject , you may have noticed other change during the pandemic . Like yourhair fall out . Or that you ’ve beengrinding your teethin your nap . Both of these condition can be traced back to accent , but the good news is , they ’re often impermanent and/or treatable .

While somemuseumsand other public venues are easy reopening , the Louvre — theworld ’s most visit museum — remains closed in . But its curators are n’t idle;they’re   using the visitant - free time in lockdown to reevaluate the museum ’s painting and artifacts . Some pieces are arrest a trace - up , while others are being move or reframed . “ All of a sudden a painting seems too big ( or ) too small , or the physique does n’t fit with the ones nearby , " project manager Gautier Moyssettold CNN . " You have to listen to what the full treatment have to say . Sometimes they do n’t care each other and you have to separate them . "

24 March 2025

Coronavirus infection and death rate are dropping across the country . Though 27 million people have been infected and 470,000 have conk out in the pandemic just in the U.S. , the CDC report that the everyday contagion rate hasdecreased significantly . Since the record high of 314,093 cases on January 8 , 2021 , the day-by-day slip count has dropped by 69 pct . A total of 97,309 cases were tallied on February 11 . Some experts impute the declivity to continued masquerade - wearing , vaccinations , the virus ’s seasonal highs and lows , and — potentially — more case become undiagnosed , The Washington Postreports .

A field of study published inJAMA internet Openfound thatVitamin degree Celsius and atomic number 30 have zero burden on COVID-19 symptoms , concord to CNN . The randomized controlledstudycompared how well three group of go back COVID-19 patients , who receive one or both of the supplement , do against a control group that receive no supplement . “ There was no meaning difference in the duration of symptoms among the four groups , ” researchers wrote .

TheFederal Emergency Management Agency ( FEMA ) will lead off paying for funeral for mass who have passed away from COVID-19 , CNET describe . The Stafford Act [ PDF ] allows FEMA to make up for funeral services , burials , and cremation for citizenry who have died during national disasters or emergencies . Families can apply to obtain up to $ 7000 to overcompensate funeral expenses for demise that happen between January 20 and December 31 , 2020 , but many of the eligibility and app details are yet to be bring out . Here’smore .

On a lighter note , an app called I Miss My Bar allows user to replicate the ambience of their favorite lachrymation holeswhile they remain safely at home . Thesoundsof clinking glass cubes , conversation , and bartenders chopping limes might keep you troupe on this otherwise quietMardi Grasweek .

3 December 2024

Last declension ’s foretelling of a “ twindemic ” are apparently come to zip , according toThe Atlantic . Back then , public health officials feared a 2nd or third moving ridge of coronavirus contagion would be exacerbated by the typicalflu time of year , push hospitals and health care workers to the threshold . But that has n’t pass . One virologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester , Minnesota , told reporter Katherine J. Wu that he had run 20,000 influenza tests and not one had been positive . change of location ban , local and state lockdown , and mask - eating away are credibly the reason . Here’smore .

Once your parent and older congener get inoculate , is it secure to gossip them?NPR ’s Jane Greenhalgh require several infective disease specialists for their take . The answer seems to be “ not yet . ” One cause is because , while the vaccines are extremely efficacious against serious COVID-19 , the great unwashed over the eld of 65 or with weakened resistant systems may not take to them as well . There areother factor , too . Bottom strain : They recommend waitress until we reachherd immunity — whenever that will be — for normal family visits to resume .

A newpapersuggests a solution forkeeping some of the 130 billion disposable masquerade used each month out of landfills . engineer at RMIT University in Melbourne , Australia , run a series of experiment that showed tear up surgical masquerade could be used as an additive material in roadways . According toThe New York Times , the experiments indicated that about3 million rip up maskscould be fuse into material for lay a half - mile of two - lane road , and could even make the route more durable and flexible .

Finally , if you ’re like me , it ’s hard to ideate beingtooworried about the coronavirus . But those who may be feeling unnecessarily anxious about their true risk of infectioncould be experiencing symptoms of “ coronaphobia . ”During the pandemic , “ people with high health anxiety may misinterpret post - exercise muscle aches or a turn of cough as telltale signs that they ’re infected , which in turn increases anxiety and can impart on tenseness - related symptoms,”The Washington Postreports . Ways to cope with coronaphobia include maintaining a healthy dieting and sleep schedule , desist from checking your temperature or throb too much , and calming your nervous system with mystifying ventilation or meditation . Here are some more tips .

5 May 2025

The CDC has updated itsguidelines about requiring mask on public transportation — not because the grounds formasksslowing the spread of the coronavirus has changed , but because the young Biden administration has reverse the previous administration ’s stance . Pursuant to a new executive order , the agency will nowrequire“all traveller into , within , or out of the United States , e.g. , on airplanes , ships , ferry , caravan , subways , buses , cab , and ride - share ” to jade mask for the continuance of their travel . The new mandate also includes airports , autobus terminals , train Stations of the Cross , and other fare hub . People over the age of 2 who refuse to wear a masquerade over their nose and mouth will not be allow to enter travel expanse or vehicle , The Wall Street Journalreports .

Johnson & Johnsonannouncedthatits coronavirus vaccine was up to 72 pct efficient against COVID-19and , notably , prevented terrible disease call for hospitalisation and fatal disease 28 Day after study participants were inoculated , NPRreports . The vaccine was most effective in the U.S. It was less effective in South Africa , perhaps due to the SARS - CoV-2 variant circulating there . Johnson & Johnson ’s formula involve only one dig and does n’t need to be kept extremist - cold . Public health expert say that if you get the chance to be jabbed with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine , don’t waitfor Moderna ’s or Pfizer ’s variant , which have slightly higher potency .

Just because more vaccinum are becoming useable does n’t mean normal life is go to summarize immediately . ethnic music who see acat birthday partyin Chile found that out the hard way . harmonize toPeoplemagazine , all 10 of the attender were laterdiagnosedwith the coronavirus , and they infected another five people for a total of 15 case . The cat , however , was ok .

5 February 2025

The coronavirus vaccine rollout in the U.S. has been , in a word , chaotic . Theshortageof vaccinum in most res publica has led to prospicient waits , canceled appointments , and a vaccine - ration organisation that prioritizes people who are most at risk from stark disease . Butif you ’re offered a vaccinum , take it — even if you think others are more deserving . Writing inThe New York Times , Melinda Wenner Moyersaysthat people underestimate their own peril in all kinds of situations . And getting a vaccinum will not just help you ; it will also bring down the pace of transmission in your biotic community . So when the market store pharmaceutics ishanding out dosesthat would otherwise spoil , jump on it .

More on the double - mask argument : Dr. Anthony FaucitoldTODAY thattwo masque are probably better than oneat blocking the transmission of hunky-dory respiratory droplet . Though the CDC has not changed its mask - wearingrecommendations , Fauci tell , “ if you have a physical covering with one bed , you put another layer on , it just make common sense that it likely would be more effective . ”

Engineers at University of California San Diego are in the former stages of developinga wearable test for detecting COVID-19 contagion , according to anews dismissal . Since somewhere between20and60 percentof people with COVID-19 do n’t have symptoms , the experimental test could quick show when viral particle are present in a person ’s breathing spell . A exploiter would place a test strip on their face mask and breathe unremarkably , and then once they remove the mask , squeeze out an index fluid on the trial cartoon strip — kind of like a litmus tryout . enquiry go on .

Finally , theairline industry has institute a solution for all the excess wineit has on its hand . In normal times , passengerswould havedrunk it on flight , but those flights were canceled because of the pandemic . So American AirlineslaunchedFlagship Cellars , anat - menage wine-coloured distributorand subscription service , so consumer can have that first - class cabin experience without squeezing into a seat with their tray board in the good position . That ’s probably more restful than aflight to nowhere .

17 January 2025

This week marks theone - year anniversary of the first U.S. case of the fresh coronavirus . OnJanuary 21 , 2020 , the CDCannouncedthat a traveller from Wuhan , China , to Washington State had tested positive . By the time you read this , 400,000 Americans will havediedof the virus and more than 24 million Americans will have been infected . Here ’s arefresherof way to stay secure .

In the interest of public wellness , are two masks good than one?The New York Timeslooks into whetherdoubling upon facial covering offers substantially more protection . The takeaway : Wearing two masks can suppress the bed covering of infection , but “ wearing more than two mask , or layer up on mask that are already very good at filtering , will cursorily bring diminishing homecoming and make it much harder to rest unremarkably . ”

Now that vaccines for the coronavirus are here , are multitude going to get them ? AWashington Post - ABC Newssurveyfound that40 percent of Americans will get vaccinatedwhen they can , and another 23 per centum are be given toward it . But that leaves more than 30 percent of Americans shy or opposed , which could impede the ontogenesis ofherd immunity . Writing inThe Atlantic , Dartmouth College professor Brendan Nyhan wait at mode ofbuilding trustaround vaccines .

Some folkswillgo toextreme lengthsto get vaccinated , as Jacob Stern key out . Also pen forThe Atlantic , Stern hear thatgrocery - store pharmacies in Washington , D.C. were giving out extra coronavirus vaccinum dosesat the end of the business mean solar day because they would otherwise spoil and go to waste . He jaw the pharmaceutics and find epic queues with an advertising - hoc numbering organization , not unlike that of a deli counter , for those waiting in line .

8 May 2025

bookman , teacher , and parents have had to grapple withlearning from homeover the past class , and while it has n’t been easy for anyone , class that lack internet access or suitable machine have had an especially surd prison term . Local television place across the country have found a root byteaming up with teachers to offer moral on TV . accord toThe New York Times , one thousand of students miss Wi - Fi or laptops , but 96 percent of American base have a TV . Local teachers shoot the DIY lessons at their homes with their iPhones and tripod , and kid enjoy learn without proficient glitches or disruptions . Here’smore .

It ’s a new year , so it ’s a good time for aface masquerade party refresher . TheCDC ’s guide to using look masksincludes advice for properly choosing , wearing , taking off , washables , and reusing cloth masks . Pro point for wintertime : Wear a masquerade under your scarf joint or ski masquerade , since those cold - weather accessories are n’t substitutes for masks .

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park reported that at leasttwo of its gorillas have test positive for the coronavirus . Though the zoo closed December 6 to comply with California’sstay - at - home order of magnitude , officials consider that the primates caught the virus from an asymptomatic zookeeper who was wear down PPE . “ Aside from some congestion and cough , thegorillasare doing well , ” Lisa Peterson , the zoo ’s executive theatre director , toldKSWB . Last year several zoological garden cover that theirtigers and lionshad quiz positive .

Quebec has follow up a exacting curfew between the hours of 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. to curb the spread of the coronavirus — and it ’s led some occupant of the Canadian state to take originative measuring stick when breaking it . The BBCreportsthatpolice fined a woman for walk her husband on a leashoutside their dwelling at around 9 p.m. last weekend . She told officers that she was just out “ walk her dog , ” sincewalking dogsclose to home is one of the few sound ways to be outside past curfew .

11 April 2025

Happy raw class , we trust ! There area few disturbing developments in the pandemicto greenback : England is under anational lockdownagain , the coronavirus variant first spotted in the UK has made it toNew Yorkand three other states , and thevaccine rolloutin the U.S. has been much dumb than forestall .

The Washington Postpolled eight epidemiologists and public health officials for their take onwhen matter will get back to normal . The takeaway : At the current rate of vaccinations , it will take a very longsighted sentence to achieveherd immunityto the coronavirus . Emory University professor Carlos Del Rio said that if the U.S. can increase the vaccination charge per unit to 1 million mass a 24-hour interval , we ’re looking at “ belated August or early September ” before normality reappearance . Here’smore .

speak of anticipation , have you made yournew year ’s resolutionsyet ? It might feel like too much pressure to set goals and change things in your life while a pandemic rages — soThe New York Timesrecommends being aristocratical on yourself . Write downsmall , unsubdivided new class ’s resolutions that are realisticfor the world we ’re living in now , and you ’ll sense well when you reach them . Here are sometipsfor sticking to your goals .

Maybe you ’ve been feeling your Zoom - optimize bookshelf needs an upgrade , or you ’re just in the market for random indication material . InPolitico , Ashley Fetters uncovers aD.C.-area secretfor learned television backgrounds — aservice that sell Bible by the foot , literally calledBooks by the Foot . Customers can choose “ styles ” like vintage , modern , book by colour , Book by subject , “ bulk and ledge fillers , ” and much more to give the impression that they ’re exceedingly well - read .

Finally , check outMental Floss ’s most pop stories of 2020 , where there’ssomething for everyone — including the chronicle ofJuneteenth , facts aboutJohn Candy , and the reason why dogstwitch in their sleep .

26 January 2025

This demonic year is almost over , and it ’s time to excogitate on the events and experiences that made living through apandemicunforgettable . Washington Posttech columnist Geoffrey A. Fowlerruns down the listoftechnology we could n’t live without in 2020 . The Zoom app is at the top for make working from home a realness , while telemedicine allowed the great unwashed to see Dr. without needing to go to a clinic full of COVID . But Fowler remark that pandemictechhas its flaws — online school was a frustrating experience for students , and convenience apps like Instacart and DoorDash put workers in harm ’s way while paying depleted pay .

“ You ’re on deaf-and-dumb person ” was a musical phrase uttered in approximately 1000 per centum more business meetingsthis year compared to last year , harmonise to asurveyinThe New York Times . Other popular embodied lingo for the pandemic era included “ unprecedented times , ” “ new normal , ” and “ technical difficulty . ”

In a purposefully coronavirus - freelist , NPR collects itsfavorite global stories that you might have missedthis year . From the sapience of Inuit parenting panache to the narrative behind three Nigerian - Irish girl who make an award - winning app for dementia patients , the list offer some welcome perspective to the onslaught of domestic tidings in 2020 .

Speaking of perspective , The Guardianreportson the penning From Life Experience writers ' group in New York City , which encourages seniors , some in their upper 90s , toreflect on the tumultuous events of their life . They ’ve write about escaping Stalinist Russia to surviving the Liverpool Blitz during World War II , and at the same time , have been able to put the changes of this year in linguistic context — though the workshops are now through Zoom .

Finally , 2020 hasmade us value things that we antecedently necessitate for granted . Liketoilet paper . Andbucatini . To end our last digest of 2020 on a swooning , starchier note , Rachel Handler investigates asuspicious shortageof her favoritepasta shapefor Grub Street and takes a deep dive into the machinations of Big Pasta .

2 May 2025

word come out this week of anew variant of the coronavirus in the UK . Many outlet reported that the variant could be more easilytransmittedthan the coronavirus chance variable we ’ve all been dealing with for months . But wellness experts say muchmore research is neededto understand if the new discrepancy is more transmissable and to what extent . For now , they say there is no strong grounds it causes deadlier COVID-19 symptoms .

Because the strain was discovered in Britain , numerouscountries have enact travel bansagainst the UK . Public health officials toldThe Washington Postthat they may bepretty ineffective , since it ’s not clear whether the variantoriginatedin the UK — it may have just been discovered there , thanks to the UK ’s world - course monitoring and virusDNA sequencingprogram . And it may have already propagate to other countries . The New York Timeshas a quickexplainerabout what we have it away right now .

proletarian at a Chilean research al-Qaida recently came down withAntarctica ’s first cases of COVID-19 . Twenty - six US Army member and 10 upkeep staff tested positive for the coronavirus and wereevacutedto Punta Arenas in Chile for treatment . All scientific enquiry inAntarcticahas been defer during the pandemic , The Guardianreports .

Traditional Christmas festivity have been put on clench for most of Great Britain . Patients at a children ’s hospital in Leeds could n’t delight in - individual visit fromSanta Clausthis twelvemonth , but they got perhaps the next best thing . Santa chew the fat the Kid outside their windows , and even rode a cerise - picker to the infirmary ’s upper floors . “ Having Santa sojourn from the outside really is the icing the puck on the cake and will bringlots of smiles to these courageous little faces , ” Lauren Whelan , the hospital ’s deputy psyche of breast feeding , toldthe BBC .

at last , in a decision that should surprise no one , theAmerican Dialect Society has chosenCOVIDas its word of the yr . “ A year ago , the wordCoviddidn’t even survive , and now it hascome to defineour lives in 2020 , ” Ben Zimmer , the society ’s newwordscommittee chair and words columnist atThe Wall Street Journal , tell . “ The selection recognizes how ubiquitous the term has become , from the time that the name for the disease due to fresh coronavirus was dubbedCOVID-19by the World Health Organization back in February . That was quickly clipped toCOVID , which then come along in phrases likeCOVID crisis , COVID relief , andCOVID vaccine — and evenCOVID baking , COVID hair , andcovidiot . ” It has become a stand - in for the entire pandemic and the societal impacts that we ’ll be experiencing for years to come . ”

21 January 2025

Doses of thecoronavirus vaccinum began roll out across the U.S.after the FDA gave exigency use authority to the Pfizer / BioNTech drug last weekend . The firstrecipientsin this country will be healthcare proletarian and gamey - risk residents of breast feeding homes . When the vaccinum is distributed to a wide swath of the populace , states will decidewho stick it when . Wondering where you are in line?The New York Timesput together a quickinteractive toolthat let you input factors like your eld and whether you have underlying health risks to figure out when you might be eligible for the shot .

TheModerna - developed vaccine is probable to get emergency sanction from the FDAthis weekas well , increasing the number of choice for people seek vaccination .

With cases of the computer virus surging in Europe , North America , and Asia , many millions of hoi polloi are contending with new , restrictive lockdowns . Butone man in Scotland was n’t going to get quarantine rules blockade him from seeing his girl . She lives on the Isle of Man , and ferries from Scotland are not work . Sohe grease one’s palms a Jet Ski , get for four and a half hour over the jerky Irish Sea , and then walked 15 miles to her mansion . He was later on arrested and condemn to four weeks in jail for breaking the island ’s quarantine restrictions .

A recentsurveyfound that Black Americans are among the groups most reluctant to be vaccinated — distrustthat is in all likelihood related to the bequest of medical exploitation of African Americans , from theTuskegee syphilis studyto the unauthorized annexation ofHenrietta Lacks ’s immortal cell . Now , The Washington Post ’s Retropolis column looks at howthe conception of inoculation came to America from Africa , specifically by an enslaved gentleman’s gentleman call Onesimus . interpret the challenging historyhere .

3 December 2024

It ’s quintuplet - Day in the UK . The National Health Service isrolling out the world ’s first in full tested and approved vaccinum for the new coronavirusto people deemed most at peril from COVID-19 . Healthcare proletarian and the elderly are prepare to receive the first round of “ jabs . ” Coventry house physician Margaret Keenan , 90 , became thefirst recipient role — and in an extremely British turn of events , the 2nd recipient role was an 81 - year - one-time man literally namedWilliam Shakespeare .

on the face of it it ’s fairly well-off tocall up your local hospital and be inoculatedif you fall into one of the first grouping find the vaccine . wizard 91 - year - old Martin Kenyon phoned St. Thomas ’ Hospital in London and have the shot so he can claver his granddaughter before long and , just as important , not get the “ bloody bug , ” he told CNN :

Meanwhile , in the U.S. , the FDA substantiate that thePfizer and BioNTech vaccine — the one being administer in the UK now—“provides substantial protectionagainst COVID-19 within about 10 sidereal day of the first dose,”The New York Timesreports . The vaccinum advisory panel at the agency will vote on Thursday whether to approve it for potency .

Four lions at the Barcelona Zoo in Spain have tested posited for COVID-19 , Reutersreports . Two staffers there have also tested positive , and it ’s potential that the humans passed the virus to at least one of the vainglorious cats . to begin with this year , Panthera tigris at the Bronx Zoo also catch the virus and had respiratory symptom , but recoup .

13 March 2025

A newstudysuggests that thecoronavirus was circulating in the U.S. in mid - December 2019 , several weeks before public health functionary realize it was here . Researchers at the CDC and Red Cross take apart more than 7000 blood sample distribution collect in multiple states between December 13 and January 17 , theWall Street Journalreports . Coronavirus antibodies werepresentin 39 of the sample from Washington , Oregon , and California , and in 67 sample from northeastern and midwestern states . The information could shed young light on when the computer virus emerged as a planetary problem and the kinetics of its bed cover across the world .

To avoid the computer virus , many Americans have set up pod with kin fellow member or booster and limited their closelipped fundamental interaction to only those folk . Buthow do cod ( or bubbles ) oeuvre , exactly ? Rachel Gutman atThe Atlantictried to figure out the dependable figure of people and the good rules for establishing a seedpod , but found that there ’s small conformity between the cod of those she question — and no real steering from wellness functionary on what to do . Here’smore .

The New York Timesunveiled apersonalized COVID-19 trackertool formonitoring the relative incidence of the coronavirus in localities that are important to you . user can embark a county , commonwealth , or metro area and see the casual cases and deaths per 100,000 people , the pct remainder over a 14 - day period , and other visuals for tracking the pandemic over time .

at long last , a COVID-19 testing companybackpedaled on its determination to close a busy testing site in Los Angeles ’s Union Station so movie producers could use the siteto charge the remake of 1999 teenager rom - comShe ’s All That , titledHe ’s All That . Deadlinereportsthat Mayor Eric Garcetti interpose so more than 500 mass could keep their schedule testing appointments . The shoot will go on as planned .

8 December 2024

Another hebdomad , another round of bright vaccinum newsworthiness : On Monday , AstraZeneca announced that its vaccine , developed with Oxford University , was up to 90 percent effectivein a dosing regimen they discoveredby accident . Some participants in the study received a half - dose of the vaccine instead of a full dose , followed by a full dose a month later . Others aright received the two full doses a month apart . Researchers were surprised to find that the patient who received the wrong half - dose were actually well protected ; the two full doses result in only 65 per centum effectivity , fit in to the preliminary data . The New York Timesexaminesthis vaccine ’s pros and inmate .

AstraZeneca ’s experimental vaccinum , like those being develop by Pfizer and Moderna , function by telling the body to make a SARS - CoV-2 protein to trigger an resistant response . But unlike the latter two , which use messenger RNA to secern the eubstance what to do , AstraZeneca ’s vaccine habituate a snippet of DNA cede by a virus . NBC News looks athow both methods work .

One of COVID-19 ’s most obtrusive yet mysterious symptoms is the loss of aroma and taste . Now , scientists are beginning to read how the computer virus makes smell and taste sensation temporarily disappear , as well as how affected role retrieve them after recovery . Here’smorefromScientific American .

Thanksgiving is upon us , andpublic wellness officials are urging people to stay home and forefend holiday get - togethers . But if you do n’t heed whatDr . Fauci says , just look at Canada ’s example . Their Thanksgiving occurred on October 12 , and the land saw ajumpin cases two week by and by , likely lead from travelling and large vacation assemblage . alas , Americans do n’t seem to bring forth the content . Last Sunday , the TSA test more than amillionair passengers at U.S. airdrome , the highest figure since the pandemic began .

If youaretraveling for the vacation , do n’t blank out your masks . Here ’s arefresheron howmasks protect you and others .

23 January 2025

More good news program on the vaccine developing front : On Monday , pharmaceutical company Modernarevealedin a press release that itsexperimental coronavirus vaccinum is 94.5 percent good , according to early datum from itsPhase 3 trial . Like the one beingdevelopedby Pfizer , Moderna ’s vaccine uses messenger RNA to tell the body to originate make a coronavirus protein , which set off an immune response . The datum have not been peer - reviewed or published yet , but Moderna contrive to seek emergency use dominance from the FDA to start inoculating high - risk people as soon as possible . Fun fact : theworkis supported by theDolly PartonCOVID-19 Research Fund .

That does n’t have in mind the pandemic is over , though . You should still wear expression coverings to keep yourdropletsto yourself . If you get hold yourself wearing them inconsistently because they fall down your nose orfog up your glasses , neurosurgeon Dr. Daniel M. Heiferman has a root : a Band - Aid . On Twitter , he posted aselfiewitha Band - Aid dumbfound over the top of his surgical mask , solving both annoying problem at once .

Is getting together with relatives and admirer for Thanksgiving safe?Buzzfeedaskedseven infectious disease expert about what they are planning for next week’sholidayand advice for fete safely . The semi - short answer : The less you locomote and the fewer people you see , the better .

Ah , yes , a “ gargle kills coronavirus ” subject is trendingon societal media again . But do n’t get too excited . A Cardiff University field [ PDF ] found that an component in gargle kill the coronavirus in human saliva — in test tubes — within 30 seconds . But theresultshave not been equal - refresh , and the lab condition are n’t the same as a human being swishing some Listerine . Even if real - world exam show that the constituent does wipe out the virus in the great unwashed ’s saliva , mouthwash is n’t going to be a viable treatment for coronavirus infection because itnever reachesother parts of the body . A good idea ? Wash your hands often and do n’t touch your face .

23 December 2024

Some good coronavirus news for once ! Pfizer and BioNTechannouncedthat early results of the form three trial for theircoronavirus vaccinum show 90 percent efficaciousness against infection . The cogitation will go forward for another few weeks at least . If all goes according to architectural plan , the society will attempt emergency brake use potency from the FDA and potentially manufacture 50 million superman of the vaccine by the end of the year . Here’smore .

While Pfizer ’s news is promising , Los Angeles Timesbusiness columnist Michael Hiltzikexplainswhyyou should n’t throw by your masque just yet .

coincidently , Eli Lillyreceivedemergency utilize authorization for its monoclonal antibody treatmentfor mild or moderate COVID-19 on Monday . The drug , call bamlanivimab , was approved for patients at high risk of developing stern symptom . But there is presently ashortageof the drug , blunting its wallop for slow the pandemic , at least for now .

As coronavirus case continue tospikeacross the U.S. , masses are confront the panorama of protracted sentence at menage — or even another series of lockdown . And , apparently , a lot of them buying puzzles . NPRreportsa worldwide run on anxiety - solace puzzles , leave many companies with mountains of back rules of order . “ There ’s not a manufacturing plant on the planet that is not month behind on production,“Puzzle Warehouseco - owner Brian Way say . Here are a few moreoptionsfor whiling away the hours .

2 January 2025

It’sElection Day ! And the CDC has skilful news for voters who have late tested cocksure for the coronavirus : you’re able to still vote in person , even if you ’re in isolation . This seemingly counterintuitiveadvicewas published on the agency ’s web site Sunday . People who have been exposed to a mortal with the coronavirus , or who have tested positive for it , can still show up to polling places as long as they fag out mask , persist 6 feet away from other people , and wash their hand before and after voting , The Washington Postreports .

Citizens are steer to the polls amid the bad outbreak of coronavirus sheath thus far . NPR has an at - a - glancerundownof where case are spiking fastest . The acceleration of infections has led national hoarded wealth Dr. Anthony Fauci tosuggestwe may not be back to pre - pandemic normalcy until 2022 , according to CNN . If an effective vaccine is approved in the next several months , it could take six to eight months for a meaning number of Americans to be vaccinated , Fauci said .

A Galluppollin October 2020 found thatthe coronavirus is the most important non - economic takings look the United States today . Of those surveyed , 30 percent refer the coronavirus , compare to 23 percentage choosing “ the government / poor leaders ” as the next most pressing non - economical problem . A recent Pew Researchpollshowed the sharp divide in fear about the coronavirus pandemic among voter for each presidential candidate .

The International Coastal Cleanup , an annual volunteer effort to tidy up the world ’s beach , release it preliminary data from this yr ’s event — and it turns out thata lot of disposablemasks , gloves , gowns , and other PPE areending upin the ocean . According to CNN Business , people in 76 countries call for more than 1.6 million pound of refuse , including thousands of pounds of PPE .

20 January 2025

Last calendar week , the CDC updated its definition of “ close contact”when it comes to coronaviruscontact tracing . Now , anyone who spend atotalof 15 minutes within 6 feet of an septic person in a 24 - minute period is deliberate aclose impinging . Previously , anyone who spend 15consecutiveminutes within 6 feet of a person who examine positive would be a closelipped contact . The updated guideline will most likely have an wallop in place where people spend long stretches of time indoors , such as schools , storage , restaurants , andoffices .

A recentstudyfound that over - the - countermouthwashcan “ inactivate ” a type of human coronavirus that do colds — and set off an on-line debate about its power to kill SARS - CoV-2 , the virus that causes COVID-19 . Katherine J. Wu atThe New York Timesdebunksthe idea that mouthwash could foreclose COVID-19with the facts .

Small businessescontinue to feel the economic wallop of the pandemic . But when New York City ’s dear Strand bookstoreaskedcustomers to help it survive the fiscal crisis , readers place so many on-line orders that its websitecrashed .

After calendar month cooped up at home , perhaps you ’re quick for aworking holiday . The Washington Postlooks ateight country that presently provide American travelers to visit for remote workings . Most of the state are in the Caribbean region , but digital nomads could also agree out Estonia or Georgia for a modification of scenery .

23 April 2025

The British administration is about to startthe public ’s first coronavirus vaccine human challenge trials — a type of clinical run in which player are purposely exposed to the computer virus in a controlled setting . This method dissent from a common Phase 3 trial in that all participant receive one of several vaccines , and none receives a placebo as part of a control mathematical group . concord toThe New York Times , “ In the first stage of the field of study , scientists will attempt to determine the smallest doses of the computer virus required to infect people . The scientists will test gradually increasing doses of virus on up to 90 healthy volunteers from 18 to 30 years old until they touch a level that reliably taint them . Once they have decided on a dosage — potentially by late saltation , the government suppose — researcher will begin to compare a exercise set of coronavirus vaccine candidates by inoculate people and then purposely infect them . ” Human challenge trials keep open meter over the common Phase 3 method acting , but some bioethicists argue that it ’s not ethical to expose people to incurable sickness .

It was really only a matter of clip . TheSturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota in all probability seeded the current coronavirus outbreak across the Upper Midwest , The Washington Postreports . At the August event attend by 500,000 motorcycle buffs , few wear masks or practice social distancing . This month , North and South Dakota , Montana , and Minnesota led the U.S. in unexampled infections per capita . interpret the full storyhere .

Certain uninformed pol have claimed that coronavirus expiry are vastly overcounted , and that they actually summate far less than the current number in the U.S. ( which is221,000as of today ) . AnanalysisinScientific Americandebunks the coronavirus last overcount mythand explains how deaths are recorded and factored into the total . The final result is a numeral that places the coronavirus as thethird leading causa of deathin the U.S. , behind only heart disease and cancer .

Finally , 14 - year - old Anika Chebrolu , a middle shoal student from Frisco , Texas , wonthe prestigious 3 M Young Scientists Challenge for her project exploring a failing of the SARS - CoV-2 computer virus . Chebrolu project a computer model thatidentified a molecule that can bind to the spike protein on the virus , which could moderate to new drugs that can truss to and ruin it . “ How I build up this atom further with the helper of virologists and drug development specialiser will determine the success ” of her efforts to battle the pandemic , shetoldCNN .

6 April 2025

Johnson & Johnson put a irregular “ pause ” on its coronavirus vaccine trialafter one of chiliad of participant reported an unexplained malady , STATreveals . The party did n’t offer any detail about the nature of the malady . inauspicious events are a normal part of humanclinical trials , STATnotes , and it is not know whether the patient received a dose of the observational vaccine or the placebo .

The Lancet Infectious Diseasesreportedthefirst case of coronavirus reinfection in the U.S.A 25 - year - old Nevada military personnel test positive for the coronavirus in April and recuperate . He screen negative at two successive pointedness in time after his retrieval . But about two months later , he again test confident , and genetic analysis showed that the SARS - CoV-2 strains for the two infection were different . The journal said the valet de chambre ’s second bout was worse than the first , requiring supplemental oxygen and hospitalization insurance .

Multisymptom instigative syndrome in children ( MIS - C ) has now appeared in adults . TheKawasaki disease - like syndrome affiliate with active or retiring coronavirus infection has been documented in a minor number of grownup COVID-19 affected role . The CDC’sMorbidity and Mortality Weekly Reportannounced16 guinea pig in which grownup COVID-19 patient , run in eld from 21 to 50 , had symptoms include febrility , cardiac irregularities , GI effects , and roseola . Ten of the 16 patients parade “ pulmonaryground glass opacities ” indicate potential lung accidental injury , though they reported minimal respiratory symptom .

Let ’s end on a eminent bank bill , shall we?The Washington Posttellsthe tarradiddle of Jesse Katayama , a Nipponese pugilism trainer whose life goal was to visitMachu Picchuin Peru . But he arrived in the South American country just as the government exit the web site due to the pandemic . rather of flying back to Japan , he waitress , hire a room and teaching local kids boxing to pass the time . The locals implored the government to reopen Machu Picchu for Katayama — andonlyfor Katayama — so he could visit before returning to Japan . This week , he got his compliments .

12 March 2025

A newstudyin theProceedings of the National Academies of Sciencefound that simplyspeaking can release “ vortical puffs ” of melodic line capable of shoot dropletsup to 3 foundation per puff . The paper suggest that certain sounds , such as the “ phosphorus ” in “ puff , ” utter in a 30 - second current of manner of speaking , could carry respiratory droplets 6 feet from utterer ’s mouth . The findings bespeak to the importance ofwearing masksto prevent the spread of the coronavirus .

What does “ clean ” really mean these days?We’ve catch businesses , eating house , and airline wiping down surfaces to disinfect eminent - dealings sphere ( campaign which some have calledcomfortingbut not really deserving it ) . Public wellness campaigns have implored people towash their hands(and that really does avail slow the spread of microbe ) . NPR spoke with James Hamblin , author ofClean : The New Science of Skin , about what it imply tobe hygienicnow .

About9 per centum of Americans have antibody against the coronavirus in their blood , harmonise to a newpaperinThe Lancet . Researchers sampled lineage from more than 28,000 patient at 1300 dialysis center across the U.S. Seroprevalence for the antibodies was in high spirits in the Northeast , where the majority of coronavirus face emerge betimes in the pandemic , and higher among Black and Latino patients , who are atgreater riskof contagion than whites .

And finally , we hate to cease on a grim note , but theglobal phone number of death from the coronavirus has passed 1 million . The Washington Posthas amultimedia examinationof this terrible and unnecessary milestone .

4 February 2025

Once an faultless source for evidence - found health entropy , theCDC is now facing literary criticism over two incident involving its steering for containing the coronavirus . The New York Timesreportedthat entropy callingaerosolsthe primary fashion of transmittance ( which most public wellness officialsbelieve is reliable ) was post to the website , then removed without an official account . Thekey updates : The CDC said that the coronavirus may be able to circularize in the atmosphere far than six feet from an infected mortal and that right indoor external respiration is essential to annihilate airborne particles . The mystery echoes the previous calendar week ’s scandal in which political appointees bypassed CDC officials in release new coronavirus examination guidelines and meddle in the CDC’sMorbidity and Mortality Weekly Report , the government agency ’s public health bulletin . Confused?Wear a mask , avoid the great unwashed , and hope for the best .

With many of their traveling plans still stall , tourists are snapping up tickets for “ flights to nowhere,”The Washington Postsays . Some major air hose are provide trips that depart and make it at the same aerodrome , just to give folks the chance to squish into a seat , gaze out the windowpane , andenjoy a Bloody Mary . Australian airline QantastoldReuters that its seven - hr flight from and to Sydney aviate over the groovy Barrier Reef andUluruwith no layovers . “ It ’s probably the fastest merchandising flight of stairs in Qantas chronicle , ” a spokesperson said .

straightaway admonisher : Get your flu shot ! Public wellness official have been warning about potentially battle a “ twindemic ” this fall of COVID-19 andthe flu . A waving of influenza pillowcase would put more pressure on our already maxed - out health care system , so it ’s of import to get your flu vaccinum ASAP . Here are a few up - to - datefacts about the flu shot .

16 April 2025

new kid are spread out the new coronavirus to adults . In a newMorbidity and Mortality Weekly Report , the CDCsaysthat 12childrenunder the age of 10 at two Utah day care adeptness acquired COVID-19 and carry the virus to at least 12 hoi polloi who were not link with the 24-hour interval forethought . Some of the minor were asymptomatic . The bureau said that “ testing of contact of research laboratory - confirmed COVID-19 case in child care options , including nestling who might not have symptom , could ameliorate control of contagion from child care meeter to family members . "

Two Ph.D. candidates in Poland put together anonline calculator to regulate how many lives you could save by have on a face mask , Popular Mechanicsreports . In an effort to battle misinformation aboutmask efficacy , Joanna Michałowska and Dominik Czernia plan the free putz to consider your conjectural masquerade stuff as well as the figure of people around you who are wearing masks right . Try it outhere .

People who prove positive for COVID-19 were doubly as probable to have visit an indoor restaurant or barin the old two week compared to those who tested negative . NPRfindsthat the CDCanalyzed314 diagnostic adults who search testing ; 154 test positive and 160 tested negative . After questioning each participant about his or her activities , researchers concluded the main ingredient associated with higher incidence of COVID-19 wasdining out , possibly because masks ca n’t be wear out while rust and imbibition .

Speaking of dining out , a peck of us have been ordering takeout or else of hold up to our best-loved restaurants . Have you ever wonder aboutall the extra trash render by our internal takeout trend?The Washington Postfood critic Tom Sietsema did , andgatheredall the containers , lids , and utensils — down to the midget condiment cups — from three weeks ’ Charles Frederick Worth of his stock - out meals . Though the sight of disposable was alarming , he discovered that restaurants are get down to find ways of reducing takeout’senvironmental impact .

Finally , we know wearing mask to prevent the spread of the coronavirus is annoying . But please , do n’t uselive reptilian as face coveringswhen you ride the double-decker , likeone bloke didin Manchester , England .

23 December 2024

With the number of deaths from COVID-19 nearing 190,000 in the U.S. alone , some have remarked on the surprisingabsenceofpublic memorialsandcollective lamentation . But at least one undertaking is cover the need for remembrance . In Uruguay , the architecture firm Gómez Platero recently unveiled its conception forthe world ’s first large - scale memorial to pandemic victims and survivor . Looking a footling like a flying saucer touching down on Earth , the structure is meant to prompt citizenry that “ human beings are subordinate to nature , and not the other way around , ” the architect said in a statement reported byArch Daily .

Oh cervid : scientists havediscoveredthatthe deer black eye , an abundant North American rodent , can trip up and propagate the coronavirus(at least in a lab setting ) . Pre - peer - reviewedresearchdemonstrated that one group of mouse contracted the virus after being exposed and then passed it on to a 2nd group . Whether deer mice will end up being a major vector for coronavirus — as they are forhantavirus — or whether they canspread it to humansremains to be go out . In semi - related news program , the computer virus has also beendocumented in minks , but there ’s no grounds to paint a picture minks can extend the virus to humans ( it ’s more likely the beast at an unnatural farm sign up itfromhumans ) .

Researchers in Hong Kong banknote thatpoop may be a more important agent in the spread of the coronavirus than antecedently known . An earlier discipline found that flush pot can produceplumes of vaporise fecal matterthat can impart the computer virus , and thattesting wastewaterat sewerage treatment plants can forebode which communities may experience outbreaks . Bloomberg report that the current studyexaminedpoop sample from 15 affected role who had test disconfirming after a COVID-19 contagion . In seven of the patients , the virus remained alive in the gut ( with or without gastrointestinal symptoms ) , indicating that infection continued even after net other systems in the body .

Last week we mentioned a superspreader event in rural Maine . Now , NPRreportsthat yetanother mass assemblage — the annual bike mass meeting in Sturgis , South Dakota — is the source of outbreaks in at least 12 states . A squad of German economists analyzed anon. mobile phone “ pings ” from rallygoers along with public wellness data during and after the 10 - day issue . They forecast more than266,000 cases , or 19 percentage of the 1.4 million new face in the U.S. between August 2 and September 2 , may be join to the rally [ PDF ] .

11 March 2025

With the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. entering its seventh calendar month , The Atlantic ’s Amanda Mullrevealswhy she seems to have become markedly clumsier since the crisis begin . She looks at how stress and anxiousness make us drop things , bump into stuff and nonsense , and misstep over ourselves , and finds thatthe decreased spatial awareness — not impaired motor science — that accompanies stress is reach us more doltish .

You know what ’s also reasonably nerve-racking ? judge to last ahurricane , derecho , orwildfireduring a pandemic . But that ’s on the button what residents inLouisiana , Iowa , andCaliforniaare faced with right now . WABCofferstips for educate to void and hunker down at a shelter during a born disaster : For illustration , along with the usual parking brake supply in your go - bag , you ’ll involve hand sanitizer , disinfect wipe , and face masks . Here ’s to expectaccording to the Red Cross .

A recent wedding in rural Maine has become the modish superspreader upshot , The Washington Postreports . The event in early August , held in a lakeside cabin in Millinocket , featured about 65 guests and few mask , and has resulted in 87 case of COVID-19 . The wedding echo another superspreader event early in the pandemic , a biotech conference withstand in Boston in February . According to WBUR , a new genic analysisrevealedthat infection from that league spread far and wide , eventually account for 40 per centum of all coronavirus case in the Boston area as of July 1 .

Finally , last hebdomad we mentioned the first known case of coronavirus reinfection . Now , STATlooksatwhat immunologists say it entail for understanding post - infection immunity .

15 May 2025

The first confirmed character of coronavirus reinfection was documentedby research worker in Hong Kong , The New York Timesreports . In April , the affected role test positive for the refreshing coronavirus and had meek symptom . This calendar month , the patient prove positive again and had no symptoms . The researcher confirmed that it was a reinfection , and not just prolonged shedding of viral particles , because the genome of the viruses causing the two infections were unlike . The finding suggests that for some people , granting immunity may last only a few months come after infection — but more enquiry is needed .

A squad of researcher in the Netherlands has found antibody in the boob milk of charwoman who recuperate from COVID-19 . But they did n’t stop there . In apress vent , chemist Albert Heck said that the next step to discovering whethersuch antibody might prevent transmission in others is to freeze tit milk into ice cubes . By licking the cubes , test subject will theoretically place the antibody in prolonged liaison with their oral fissure and nasal passage , the area where contagion is think to pass off .

Acoronavirus outbreak occur at the world ’s largest nudist resortlast week . About 100 people havetested positiveat Cap d’Agde on France ’s Mediterranean coast , a localeThe Guardiancalls “ hugely democratic among naturists ” and where vacationers can eat on , workshop , and sunbathe in the villagesans vêtements . Ironically , mask arerequired .

talk of masks , there are still a hatful ofmythsand misconception around wearing themto prevent the paste of the coronavirus . Business Insider debunks a fewhere . We have more tips about choosing theright typeand making them ascomfortableas potential .

17 May 2025

A newstudyin the journalNature Communicationsfinds thatinfluenza computer virus can be overspread by microscopical dust subatomic particle — raising question about the ability of coronaviruses to do the same . In an experimentation using wop pigs , researchers from the University of California , Davis and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai painted live grippe virus on the creature ’ fur and then let them run around their cages . molecule counter revealed that the virus became airborne and was able to infect other Numida meleagris copper . The resultant show that the virus could be transmitted by particles other than respiratory droplets . Of of course , more research into this chemical mechanism is necessitate to understand its import for the refreshing coronavirus .

Seven months after the first appearance of the novel coronavirus in human beings , what have we learned so far?The infectious disease account team atSTATNewsbreaks downthe severely - won lessons and the questions that still need answers .

One question on nearly everyone ’s psyche : How long does unsusceptibility last after you recover from COVID-19?Several fresh preliminary studies have find oneself that “ disease - fighting antibodies , as well as immune cells call B cells and T cells that are capable of recognizing the virus , seem to persist month after infection have adjudicate — an encouraging replication of the body ’s enduring response to other viruses,”reportsKatherine J. Wu atThe New York Times . masses who have had even soft cases of COVID-19 and recovered seem to show “ strong , lasting immunity . ” In addition , the CDC issued newguidancesuggesting that people who have find from COVID-19 may have immunity forat leastthree calendar month after recovery and do not need to be retested within that clip flow .

5 April 2025

infective disease newsperson Helen Branswell published a sobering call to action inSTATNews , tell apart lector thatthe window for getting a grip on the out - of - control condition pandemic is shut . Branswell notes that the social adaptations that have made lifesomewhat more normaldespite the pandemic , such as outdoor dining and stumble to the parking area or beach , will disappear with the approaching of winter . And we are not prepared — particularly when we addcold and fluseason to the position . “ Unless Americans apply the dwindle week between now and the attack of ‘ indoor weather ’ to pack down transmission in the country , this wintertime could beDickensianlybleak , ” Branswell compose . Read morehere .

On the inquiry front , the focusing has been on why some COVID-19 patients becomesickerthan others . But some scientists are beginning to bet at the estimated 40 percent ofCOVID-19 patients who show no symptoms as a key to empathise how the virus operate . As Ariana Eunjung ChawritesinThe Washington Post , “ a segment of the earth ’s universe may have fond aegis thanks to ‘ memory ’ T cells , the part of ourimmune systemtrained to recognize specific invaders . This could grow from crisscross aegis derived from standard childhood vaccination . ” Another source of security could be former exposure to similar coronaviruses , like the one that causes the common cold .

A recently published MITstudyhasquantified the misinformation about the coronavirus pandemicthat is floating around the internet . researcher find 2311 news report of misinformation ( which , honestly , seems low ) that settle into three main category : rumors ; stigma , like blame sure people for spread out the virus ; andconspiracy theories . Yasmin Tayag has thestoryin the Medium Coronavirus Blog .

talk ofmisinformation , Russian authoritiesannouncedtheapproval of the worldly concern ’s first vaccineagainst the coronavirus today — before human clinical tribulation were completed . The Benjamin Rush to produce a vaccine has prompted concerns among U.S. researchers that Russian institute are cutting nook when it comes to drug safety and efficaciousness . Vladimir Putin say it cultivate “ effectively enough , ” concord toThe New York Times .

19 February 2025

In last week ’s Coronavirus Digest , we mentioned several possible vaccines against COVID-19 that were entering human trials as part of the federal government ’s OperationWarp Speed . Now , MIT Technology Reviewhas astoryabout a group ofscientists develop DIY vaccines even faster than major pharma company — and testing them on themselves . ( Do n’t try this at dwelling . )

Another onebites the dust : the parent company ofthe body politic ’s erstwhile department computer storage , Lord & Taylor , has filed for bankruptcy . It joins a get list of other iconic brands like Brooks Brothers , J.C. Penney , and Neiman Marcus that have lodge for Chapter 11 following pandemic - relate loss .

If you ’re planning a coronavirus - favorable vacation this year , a road trip may be your best betfor a socially distanced getaway . Here aresome expert tipsfor protect yourself and your household while traveling and rubber-necking . We do n’t require to remind you towear a maskandwash your men , right ?

Speaking of mask , need for masquerade party with clear venire is increase . For the more than 10,000 masses in the U.S. who are try - impaired or indifferent , unintelligible cloth mask create abarrierto communicating — and the same go for children or the elderly , NPR reports . Clear - panel masks allow citizenry to see a speaker ’s facial construction or take their lips , making it easier to intercommunicate while forestall the spread of the computer virus .

5 April 2025

The potential coronavirus vaccinum being developed by the pharmaceutical company Moderna and NIH entered a Phase 3 trialyesterday . In this phase , research worker willtestthe vaccinum ’s effectiveness against coronavirus infection — premature stage examine its safety — in 30,000 healthy volunteers . Some participant will receive two doses of the vaccine and others a placebo . resolution of thethree - month studymay be available before the ending of the class . If you would care to volunteer , clickherefor info .

Meanwhile , Pfizer and BioNTech SEannouncedthat theU.S. will buy 100 million doses of their likely vaccinefor about $ 2 billion . It ’s set to get in a Phase 2b/3 trial to test safety and efficaciousness soon , and may be available by the goal of the year if it ’s shown to be effective and gets approved by the FDA .

Everyone should be wearingface coveringsin indoor spaces ( and anywhere in public , frankly ) to protect others from yourpotentially infectiousdroplets . Now , new enquiry is showing thatface masks do propose some shelter for the wearerafter all , reportsThe New York Times . People who wear masks may inspire fewer viral particles from the air , thereby lessening the severity of any resulting coronavirus infection .

Until we have avaccineto keep us safe from the coronavirus , we haveSwedish knights . A group ofmedieval reenactors fromTorneamentum , a knights ’ association , will enforce social distancingamong tourist on the Swedish island of Gotland . “ For usknights , it is a matter of course to stand up when tariff calls , and we really look forward against take on the task , ” say Lennart Borg , one of the knights .

eventually , what on the button is a COVID surcharge?As restaurants and other businesses reopen in some state , consumers are seeing more “ COVIDfees ” contribute to their bill . NBC Newslooks intothe practice .

22 April 2025

Dr. Anthony Fauci , a noted Washington Nationalssuperfan , has shown his love for the D.C. baseball game squad by wearing grimace masks blazon with the Nats logo to his hearings on Capitol Hill . Now , the infectious disease specializer will throw out thefirst pitchat the Nats ’ dwelling openeragainst the New York Yankees on Thursday night . While no fan will be there to cheer him on , the team ’s official financial statement tell it all : “ Dr. Fauci has been a unfeigned champion for our commonwealth during the COVID-19 pandemic and throughout his distinguished calling , so it is only fitting that we respect him as we complain off the 2020 time of year and support our World Series Championship title . ” We know Dr. Fauci was ahigh school basketball game star , but how ’s histhrowing branch ?

CDC data released today show thatvast number of coronavirus cases are still hold out unreported , The New York Timesreports . The transmission rate is believe to be two to 13 sentence higher than the official tally in unlike parts of the country , driven in the main by pre - symptomatic or symptomless carriers .

With the U.S. still fight to ascertain the virus ’s cattle ranch , the Bahamas has joined heaps of other countries in ban American tourists . The country ’s prime minister say that COVID-19 cases have spiked since the Bahamas reopened to international travelers on July 1.The Miami Heraldhasdetails .

Public wellness experts arewarning the great unwashed against wearing “ valve masks”—those font mask withlittle valvesin front to let the wearer expire more comfortably . The valve defeats the whole use of wearing a mask in the current pandemic : it may filter some of the tune you inhale , but does n’t filter out any air that ’s exhaled — including infectious droplet — so it wo n’t protect those around you . Acloth maskis better at preserve your droplets to yourself . Here are some fancy ones you’llactually savor wear out .

24 March 2025

Governor Gavin Newsom orderedall 58 of California ’s counties to shut indoor bars and restaurantsto curb the spread of the coronavirus , theSan Francisco Chroniclereports . In the most thickly settled county , gym , beauty salon , barbershop , malls , houses of worship , and offices are also being narrate to close . The number of COVID-19 cases in California has risen since Memorial Day and the state has averaged 8000 new cases per day over the last week . Florida and Texas , where the issue of young subject isskyrocketing , are finally believe reinstatinglockdownmeasures as well .

Meanwhile , New York — once the center of the U.S. coronavirus pandemic — reportedno COVID-19 death on Saturday , July 11 . It mark the first 24 - hr full point since March 11 with no coronavirus - colligate fatality . In on the button four month , New York Cityclaimed23,323 confirmed and likely COVID-19 death . Washington , D.C. also celebratedfourconsecutive days with no coronavirus deaths , the longest span of time since the city ’s first demise occurred on March 20 .

New York ’s Governor Andrew Cuomo wants to keep the state’scurve flattenedand institutedquarantine requirements for traveler occur from more stateswhere the pandemic is growing . Now , visitant from19 statesneed to self - quarantine for two weeks upon arriving in New York . Cuomo also put out an Holy Order allowing officials to find traveller ’s addresses and personal entropy at airports .

lastly , forgoing holiday has n’t been easy during the pandemic , but thebookson theWashington Post ’s list oftravel - disaster tale will go a long way towards check your enthusiasm for adventure . We highly recommendThe Worst Journey in the World , one of the include Book , for its unparalleled descriptions ofself - induced misery .

12 February 2025

About those aerosol container … theWorld Health Organization update its guidanceon Thursday in reply to anopen letterfrom 239 investigator , harbinger that coronaviruscan be spreadvia very bantam , airborne droplets . The WHO maintains that the elemental mood of transmittal is through larger respiratory droplets , which can be partly corralled byface coverings . NPR hasmoreon the written report .

Speaking of face coverings , Starbucks announced that it willrequire all customers to wear masks in storesbeginning July 15 . The company is thefirstU.S. eatery range to do so , but with daily case counts setting records in several states , more may follow . wear down a mask is so important , in fact , thatBill Nye the Science Guycame out of retirement torecorda TikTok about it .

One of the biggest questions about the coronavirus is what its foresighted - terminal figure effect will be in mass who have recovered from COVID-19 . A smallstudyfrom University College London researchers , published in the journalBrainand reported by Reuters , adds to thegrowing organic structure of evidence that COVID-19 can cause “ temporary brain disfunction , strokes , nerve damage , or other serious learning ability effects . ”The New York Timesrecentlyreportedon COVID-19 patient role experiencing terrifying hallucination and delirium while in the ICU .

On that note , some radio stations are trying tocheer uplisteners byplaying Christmas music in July — as if the concept of metre in 2020 could n’t get any weirder .

11 December 2024

A team of researcher in Germany hasfoundthatwe inherit genes associated with higher susceptibleness to COVID-19 from Neanderthals . Modern homo and Neanderthalsinterbredat least 60,000 yr ago , and today , Neanderthal genes make up about2 percentof European and Asian people ’s DNA . incisively why this section of transmitted stuff seem to increase the risk of severe coronavirus - bear on unwellness is still a enigma .

In the market for mask ? Pay tending to the fine photographic print . The CDC is describe thatsome online retail merchant are falsely promote face mask as being approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH ) . NIOSHissues approval numbersto producer who must follow strict guidepost when making masque to check their protective integrity . Most of thefraudulent face masksare make up in China and are printed with fake NIOSH approval Book of Numbers . Here are sometipsto consider before you buy .

More than 200 scientists signalize aletterto the World Health Organization presenting grounds thatthe coronavirus virus can be transmit by petite airborne droplet . The WHO has keep that large respiratory droplet are the main mode of transmission , but the signatories debate that theaerosolscan not only channel the computer virus but linger in the air , especially indoors . TheNew York Timeshas thebad news .

One of the essence factor in a potential coronavirus vaccinum get along from an unconvincing source : horseshoe crabs . The ancient marine invertebrate ’s copper color - plentiful blood is the only natural source of limulus amebocyte lysate , a subject matter that can point if vaccines , drugs , or other aseptic aesculapian materials are contaminated with a dangerous bacterial toxin . National Geographiclooks intowhat the current pandemic means for the species .

14 January 2025

Testing is one of the most of import tools public wellness officials have to beat back the pandemic . NPR looks intohow much testing is needed to get a handle on the record outbreaksin numerous U.S. nation and findsefforts are falling alarmingly shortsighted . At the same time , the supply range for examination is already struggle to fill orders , which may reduce the number of run that are usable and prolong the wait time between ingest the test and receiving outcome . The Atlantichasmore .

Spanish newspaperEl Paísbreaks downthree type studiesanalyzingsuperspreader event . In each character , a single soul with the coronavirus infect multiple citizenry in an enclosed surround . Researchers who compiled the data point pointed toprolonged exposure to infected someone as the main gadget driver of contagion , along with recirculated air from air conditioning systems .

With many traditional movie theaters shut , drive - insare making a retort across the country . Walmartannouncedthat it ’s turning160 of its Supercenter parking lots into pop - up driveway - ins this summer , the Vergereports . From August to October , audience members can continue in their cars while enjoy a series of films chosen by Tribeca Enterprises , the mathematical group behind the Tribeca Film Festival . Here are sometraditional parkway - insto arrest out too .

Finally , it ’s almost theFourth of July . Backyard cookouts andfireworkswill finger a mickle unlike this yr ( if the celebrations are hap at all).The New York Timeshas a fewsuggestionsforspending the July quaternary holiday in a masked and socially - distance mode , while the Red Cross offers reminders about more typicalsafety concerns , such as do n’t barbeque inside and do n’t swim in beach field without lifeguard .

17 April 2025

TheCDC updated its inclination of conditions that may increase your peril for severe COVID-19if you become septic with the coronavirus . Previously identify comorbidities admit cardiovascular disease , case 2 diabetes , and corpulency . Now , the list of malady with the potential to compound COVID-19 symptoms let in those three , plus chronic kidney disease , continuing impeding pneumonic disease ( COPD ) , any immunosuppressing condition , sickle cell disease , and a story of electric organ transplants . The agencyannouncedthe updates last Thursday , June 25 .

Remdesivir is the only antiviral drug that has been shown to reduce COVID-19 patients ’ clip in the hospital , and now its manufacturer , Gilead , hasset a priceon it . STATreports that the companywill chargethe U.S. government$390 per ampule of remdesivir , totaling $ 2340 for a six - vial , five - day row of treatment . Private insurers will be charged $ 520 per ampoule , or $ 3120 for a five - day class . A recentstudyshowed the drug may abbreviate the ordinary time of some patients ' hospital stays by four days . In demarcation , four days in a U.S. hospitalcostsabout $ 12,000 , according toThe New York Times .

Withcoronavirus font reaching unprecedented daily highsin several states , The Atlanticexplainswhy it ’s happeningwith charts that show the awful toll . In an consultation with CNN andreportedby Politico , Dr. Anthony Fauci scolded Americans who have vacate masquerade party - wearing and social distancing , say “ it ’s a recipe for disaster . ” And NBC has a refresher course on the right path to fall apart a masquerade for actually protect others from yourdroplets — and it ’s not thereverse Batman .

lastly , United Airlines , Spirit Airlines , and American Airlinesannouncedtheywill start booking all seats on their planesJuly 1 and do off with any attempt at societal distancing ( which , permit ’s present it , is n’t leisurely when seat are less than17 inches wide ) . The letter carrier had been keep on the in-between seats empty to place passengers out as much as possible . American is admit passengers to rebookwithout a feeif their flight is too full for consolation , but they will need to pay the difference in transportation , and other limitation apply . Here are somehacksfor cautiously planning your next trip .

13 February 2025

The governor of Texas orderedall bars in the land to closeto reduce the astounding rate of new coronavirus cases , especially among young mass . On Wednesday , Texasannounceda Modern casual luxuriously in the act of raw infection at 6584 . Florida report more 8933 new cases on Thursday [ PDF ] .

The Justice Department issued awarningaboutfake permit that exempt the pallbearer from wear face masque , which have been pop up on social media . One fakecardsuggests anyone who insist on the bearer wear out a face mask could be fined under the Americans with Disabilities Act , though the law ’s name is misspelled on the card .

AWashington Post - Ipsos survey hasfoundthat31 percent of Black Americans bang someone who has drop dead of the coronavirus , compared to 17 per centum of Hispanic Americans and 9 pct of clean Americans . Epidemiologists attribute the disparity to socioeconomic inequality : “ This pandemic has really unearthed — shine a real bright light on — the ways these disparity should not be accepted and are not tolerable , ” Joseph Betancourt , vice Chief Executive and primary fairness and inclusion officer at Massachusetts General Hospital , told thePost .

This twelvemonth nock the fiftieth anniversary of New York City’sfirst Pride march , but many Pride festivities around the domain have been invalidate because the pandemic . Much of the LGBTQ community will be observe indoors this year , sokick back with theseessential LGBTQ moviesavailable to pour now .

16 March 2025

The U.S. now accounts for 20 percent of new coronavirus infections worldwide , The New York Timesreports . New infections in states that reopen without meet benchmarks for stop the pandemic are continuing to climb . One infectious disease specialisttoldThe Timesthat the spread is “ like a timberland fire . ” See the datahere .

On the other hired hand , states that imposed strict lockdowns and saw the number of new cases drop are beginning to reopen with mask and social distancing rules in place . New York City , once the nation ’s COVID-19 hot spot , began form 2of its reopening process yesterday . Phase 2 provide city barbershops and hair salon to reopen with precautions , and many werebooked solid .

The FDA issued awarningabout handwriting sanitizersmanufactured in Mexico . Some products may contain wood spirit , a potentially fatal substance that causes sickness , vomiting , headaches , vision problems , and nervous organization damage , The Washington Postreports .

In coronavirus - adjacent news , 1993’sJurassic Parktopped the boxed officelast weekend , 27 years after its debut . Its resurgence is due to many studios ’ hesitancy to turn new films while most U.S. moving-picture show field of operations remain closed . And another classical megahit is having a mo : 1975’sJawscame in second behind the dinosaur thriller . Here are some moreflicksthat might hand No . 1 in your living room .

18 January 2025

Antibodies may give you someimmunity against a coronavirus reinfection — but it may only last for a few months , concord toThe New York Times . A small study of 37 people inNature Medicinefound that those infect with coronavirus but who showed no symptom may be onlytemporarily protectedfrom reinfection , but researchers are continue to investigate .

Across the U.S. , local and State Department lawgiver arefighting ordinancesto want occupier to wear face covering in public , andindividual resistanceto wearing masks has grown — all at a time when coronaviruses cases areskyrocketingin Texas , Arizona , Oklahoma , and other land . We should n’t have to say this now , butwear a masquerade party , for cry out aloud — it couldsave your lifeand the aliveness of people you bang .

Finally:7 - 11canceledits annual 7 - 11 Day , a Slurpee game show that celebrates the chemical chain ’s birthday on July 11 , due to the pandemic . If you ’re craving a summer treat , try some uniquely flavoredice creaminstead .

29 April 2025

TheFDA withdrew its emergency - use approval of the malaria drugs hydrochloroquineand chloroquine after bailiwick show itoffered no benefitfor COVID-19 patient role . Though touted as a bright discourse by some uninformed persons in governing , hydrochloroquine ’s “ possible benefits for such use do not outweigh its known and possible risks , ” Denise Hinton , the FDA ’s chief scientist , wrote in a letter [ PDF ] to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services this week .

While the hunting for COVID-19 treatments continues , the estimable direction to foreclose the spread of the new coronavirus is stillwearing masksand societal distancing , according to public wellness official . Many states that have begun phased reopenings , however , are seeingbig spikesin the phone number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations . Some official are nowthreateningto lock down their cities and states againif people do n’t fall out the rules .

Tonight , the PBS seriesFrontlinewill premiereThe Virus , anew documentary examining how the new coronavirus emerged and spread rapidlyacross the world . The movie maker also look at the inconsistent state and Union response to the pandemic in the U.S. Check your local listings for show times .

Finally , make - your - own waffles and other ego - service kickshaw athotel breakfast buffets may become thing of the pastdue to coronavirus - related health precaution , theWashington Postreports . Console yourself by understand up on the fascinatinghistory of waffles .

18 March 2025

Two fresh studies in the journalNatureestimate howlockdowns prevented millions of coronavirus infection and decease . In onestudy , researchers psychoanalyze 1717 quarantine policies in six countries — China , South Korea , Italy , Iran , France , and the U.S.—with models usually used to measure out economic growth . Theysuggestthe contagion - struggle measures prevented about 530 million infections . The secondstudylooked at the identification number of COVID-19 deaths across 11 European area andestimatedan additional 3.1 million people would have break from the coronavirus if quarantine policies had not been follow out .

Meanwhile , coronavirus slip are increase significantly in some U.S. body politic . The New York Times ’s tracker showsupticksin 14 states as a event of more widespread examination , whileThe Washington Postreportsincreasesin hospitalization since Memorial Day , when some states commence toloosen stay - at - home plate restrictions .

All this mean that facemasksare here to stay . Recently , two Swiss research institute developed a way to make surgical masks less noticeable for all . pill pusher created a transparent , biodegradablepolymerformasks that allow patients to see healthcare worker ’ facial expressionswhile preventing the transfer of infectious droplet . They may be on the grocery store for medical professional by next year .

Finally , Google Maps has inclose an update that shows coronavirus - related restrictionson public transportation and some name and address . Perhaps most helpful is the app ’s power to state you in veridical time if trains or stations are too crowded to safely societal - space . Take a lookhere .

3 January 2025

The World Health Organizationannouncedthat transmission of the coronavirus by symptomless carriers may be “ very rarified . ” Then , health journalist and scientists take to Twitter to toughness expectations : it turns out thatpre - diagnostic carriers , who may show symptom at a later clip , are still conceive to transmit the virus in about half of COVID-19 case . Researchers go on to investigate the size of it of the role pre - diagnostic and symptomless people play in the pandemic . Disease ecologistA. Marm Kilpatrick , biological science professorCarl T. Bergstrom , and physicianEric Topolposted Twitter threads breaking down the latest info .

Here ’s some ripe news : Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern said New Zealand has no bed coronavirus guinea pig , Axiosreports . The country went into strict lockdown since February 28 , and finally ensure 1154 cases with 22 death . almost 300,000 test were performed , and no Modern cases have been report for the past 18 twenty-four hours .

For many , one of the toughest parts of the pandemic has been not being able tohug love oneswho are n’t members of your immediate household . The New York Timeshas an adorableillustrated guide for when we ’re able to hug Friend and family again .

Finally , you ’ve heard ofmaskne — the unpleasant cutis reaction to the wet and heat generated by wearing face mask all 24-hour interval . But you may not realize that the back of your ear might be get , too . The pliant bands on some face masque can cause chafing where they loop around your ear , sohereare someeasy tip for soothing back - of - pinna - irritation .

30 January 2025

A study that found COVID-19 patient who took hydrochloroquine had an increased endangerment of end has beenretracted , NPR report . Originally published inThe Lancet , the study instigate the World Heath Organization to halt its own subject field of the malaria drug for treating COVID-19 . But researchers raise questions about the accuracy of the study ’s patient data point , which do from a individual company call in Surgisphere and whose founding father is listed as one of the study ’s authors . More from NPRhere .

mouth of studies , scientific discipline journalist Carl Zimmerdivesintothe account of scientific journal and how raw inquiry gets release — an important priming for the current outpouring of breaking coronavirus news .

People in Zambia speak more than 70 languages , and most mouth a Bantu dialect . But public health alerts about prevent the spread of coronavirus were delivered in English , the state ’s prescribed speech communication , causing many to miss the message . Sister Astridah Banda , a Catholic nun buoy , had a solution : shestarted a receiving set program to pass around wellness advice in multiple languages , and it became a hit . NPR ’s Goats and Soda hasmore .

Finally , summertime is almost here , though that may behard to believe . Here are a fewpractical tipsforwearing masks — which can trap heat and sweat on your face — more comfortably in warm weather .

31 December 2024

Researchers around the world are still try on to cypher out what make the raw coronavirus so communicable and so deadly . Early on , physicians think the computer virus was in the first place a respiratory virus feign thelungs . But with other symptoms beginning to come out — parentage clots , “ Covid toe , ” and a syndrome in children resemblingKawasaki disease — some researchers are begin to remember thatCOVID-19 is a disease of the descent vesselsinstead . Mediumexplains .

If you ’ve had COVID-19 and present antibodies , does that mean you ’re immune from another infection ? How long does unsusceptibility last ? What is immunity , just ? Katherine J. Wu , who has a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunobiology from Harvard , breaks downthe complicated ways our resistant organisation protects us from pathogens .

pharmaceutic caller Eli Lilly has startedthe first human trial of a COVID-19 treatment found on antibody . According to CNN , the Phase 1 trial will try out the safety of a lab - engineeredmonoclonal antibodytherapy that was based on antibodies try from COVID-19 survivors . Results of the randomized , double - unsighted , placebo - controlled trial will be know later this month .

Finally , Dr. Anthony FaucitalkswithSTAT ’s Helen Branswell aboutthe state of “ warp fastness ” coronavirus vaccine researchand other red-hot topics in a characteristically straight-from-the-shoulder consultation .

16 January 2025

Japan declare a national emergency in early April to combat the bedcover of coronavirus . Now , a few day before the edict was mark to perish , Prime Minister Shinzo Abe islifting the state of emergency in all buteightof Japan ’s 47 prefecture . See how public wellness exploit to root out “ clusters ” of COVID-19 contained the disease inthisSciencearticle .

Many Americans are still waiting to take in their stimulus payments from the government , anda few whohavereceived the input funds have mistaken the letter for scams or junk chain armor . The Washington Postdescribesthe anonymous envelopes and debit cards linked to the “ Money internet Cardholder Services of Omaha , Nebraska ” come in mailboxes with small meter reading they ’re actually from the U.S. Treasury . The IRS has posteda FAQwith information about the stimulus defrayal debit entry card , and if you ’ve received one , here are someanswersabout activate and using it .

Businesses and business office around the world are begin to reopen , which necessitatescreative solutionsfor maintaining social distancing among employee and customers . The CDC has just issuedguidelinesforredesigning situation spaces in the pandemic , some of which seem doable ( such as adding light divider between closely - space desk ) and some that seem well - nigh unimaginable ( keeping mass six infantry apart in elevator andgetting disembarrass of communal coffee berry makers ) . And in France , a designer has come up with a interchangeable tool for restaurant patron : thesegiant Plexiglass “ lampshades”that carapace wearer from other people’sdroplets .

Finally , it ’s Friday , and most of us are still gravel at home . Now would be a capital prison term to adopt the Swedish custom ofFredagsmys , loosely translated as “ Taco Friday . ” Swedesgather together on Friday night to eat taco and see movieswith their families , and really , is that so different from what we may already be doing ? Here are a few recommendations forawesome heist flicksto begin your own Taco Friday .

2 May 2025

Coronavirus travel limitation havetrapped a Bolivian orchestra at a German palace since mid - March , CNNreports . When the Orquesta Experimental de Instrumentos Nativos depart South America , Bolivia had register no cases of COVID-19 and Germany was still accepting international flight . But days after their comer , the player failed to get on one of the last flight out of Germany before Bolivia close its border . Since then , they ’ve been continue in the guesthouse atRheinsberg Palace , a rococo - panache palace surrounded by picturesque grounds in northeasterly Germany . We can retrieve of worse places to be quarantine .

More cities and states are allowing sure business to reopen during the continuing coronavirus pandemic . The New York Timeshas afrequently updated , state of matter - by - nation guideto the fresh pattern .

Just FYI , rats are becoming more strong-growing in their search for solid food . The Washington Postreportsthat theurban rodentsare take in a hard time with bar and restaurants closed , since they ’re not producing the garbage and intellectual nourishment garbage the rats would normally junket upon . In extreme suit , rats are even flex tocannibalism . Here are the CDC’snew guidelinesfor keeping them forth from your chalk cans .

mouth of nature , a newarticleinScientific Americanlooks into howthe environs willrecord the coronavirus pandemic . In a late instance , scientists see Alpine ice cores see that the amount of lead defilement in the atmosphere decreased suddenly only once in 2000 long time : between 1349 and 1353 , when theBlack Deathengulfed Europe . In the time to come , tree hoop and icing cores might show a remarkabledecrease in greenhouse gas emissionsin other 2020 .

17 April 2025

In two new studies published in the journalScience , researchers at Boston ’s Beth Israel Deaconness Medical Center reportpromising results in battling the newfangled coronavirus . For thefirst experiment , nine rhesus macaque were unwrap to the young coronavirus and come down with COVID-19 . After they recovered , researchers again exposed them to the virus , and the monkeys did not get grisly — suggesting that they get antibody that protect them from reinfection . In thesecond survey , researchers gave six experimental vaccine to 25 scallywag , then expose those animals and 10 command monkeys to the computer virus . The vaccinated discipline usher “ a solid degree of aegis , ” one of the researcherstoldReuters . bombastic studies and human subjects will be the likely next step .

“ Oh sh*t,”tweetedone virologist when she sawthis studyconfirmingthe presence of infective coronavirus particles inhuman low-down . It gets unsound : The survey authors paint a picture that more research into “ faecal - unwritten or faecal - respiratory transmission ” of the coronavirus is warranted . And in a possibly bear on maturation , fatbergsmay submit another problem for treating coronavirus - contaminate sewage .

Memorial DayWeekend is here , though it still seems like mid - March because time and blank space are nonmeaningful now . If you happen to beplanning a summerroad tripfor 2020 , followthese tipsfromThe Washington Post , which suggest that vacations will be masked and sanitized for the foreseeable future . Here are afew more ideas .

Finally , if your summertime vacation is pass away to be pass at place , see outthese goodsfor afun backyard flick Nox .

17 December 2024

Rememberthe plight of the USSTheodore Roosevelt , the naval aircraft carrier whose captain plead with authorities to deliver his coronavirus - infected crew ? ( And then the captain wasfired , and then the guy who fired him wasfired , and then the captain was rehired in adifferent role ? ) It ’s finally leave port wine and head backout to ocean .

Speaking of aircraft , are planes good than a car for travel these days ? Mediumtalksto experts and finds that it really comes down to how tightly the vehicle is packed with non - related to masses .

And now that airlines and many other entities are requiring people to wear masks in populace , you ’ll need thesetipsforproperly launder your fabric brass coverings .

Finally , a potential coronavirus vaccine from the pharmaceutic company Modernahas shown somepositive resultsin a preliminary test . The Phase 1 test in eight volunteers showed the vaccine at low doses was safe for use , but did not gauge its effectiveness or final dosage . The New York Timesreportsthat the participant had a strong resistant reaction to the vaccine and create antibodies . Much larger Phase 2 and 3 trials scheduled to begin the summer will evaluate thevaccine ’s efficacy .

24 December 2024

A French dairy trade group isurgingcheese lover in France tofromagissons — basically , “ let us move forcheese!”—to help Farmer during the coronavirus pandemic . Citizens can do their part by scarf down cheesefrom the regions of Saint - Nectaire , Reblochon , Cantal , andCamembertthat would otherwise go to wastefulness . BRB , moving to France …

Quarantine fatigue duty is swing the commonwealth . Inversetalks to three expertsabout what this special case of fatigue looks like and offers some options for pose through it .

One way to battle quar enervation that seems to be working for us : Looking at theseadorable baby animals tolerate during the pandemic . CNN has thescoopon a newborn zebra at Disney ’s Animal Kingdom theme parking area in Florida , twoblue penguin chicksat the Bronx Zoo , and baby bison at Custer State Park in South Dakota . in person , I ’m in love with Sami the porcupette and her mamma , Samantha , who were rescued by proletarian atNewhouse Wildlife Rescuein April .

ostensibly , a segment of the male universe is not o.k. with assume brass mask , despite numerous cities and land mandatingmasksin public to slow the spread of COVID-19 and statistics bear witness men are more susceptible to the disease . accord to a non - peer - reviewedpaperon PsyArXiv , men more than woman were likely to view wear a masquerade as “ shameful , not nerveless , a sign of weakness , and a stigma . ” You know what ’s also a mansion of impuissance ? Not being capable to emit because your lung are fulfill with fluid !

And one more cautionary tarradiddle to take you into the weekend : a womanhood in Italy found out the hard way of life thatdrinking manus sanitizer does not protect you from coronavirus infection . The unidentified woman sip two teaspoons ofalcohol - based sanitizerevery day for more than three weeks , then had to go to the emergency room for utmost abdominal pain . Doctor found “ mordant wound ” to her digestive system . A good melodic theme : lave your hands .

18 January 2025

A fresh , freeonline coursefrom Johns Hopkins University teaches the basics of contact trace — which involves interviewing COVID-19 patients and determine whom they ’ve been around . It ’s one of the most of import tools for stop the spread of the new coronavirus . Once they ’ve earned their certification of course pass completion , student will be primed to put on for one of the thousand of touch tracer jobs in U.S. metropolis . The Washington Postreportsthat up to 100,000 contact tracers will be demand to fight the pandemic , with as many as 10,000 require in New York City ( and there , the gig pay up $ 57,000 a class [ PDF ] ) .

If you experience in New York , Maryland , or another state that has ask the great unwashed towear cheek coveringsin world , perhaps you ’ve noticed the extreme form in mask style — from surgical masks to bandanas tohomemade masksto hazmat respirator . NBC hassome tipsfor prefer and buy a typeface mask , but the main thing to remember is that they wo n’t keep you completely safe from the new coronavirus . You still havewash your handsand practice societal distancing if you take to go forth home .

Last hebdomad , houseplant boutiqueThe Sillteamed up withFrontline Strong Reliefand the orchid brandJust Add Icetodonate 10,000 orchids to healthcare workersin New York City ’s Mount Sinai Hospital connection . Noting the mood - boosting power of plants , The Sill founding father and CEO Eliza Blank enjoin the talent is their way of life of thanking the city ’s substantive workers as well as celebrating Mother ’s Day in the midst of a global crisis .

sealed segments of the net have beenswooningover Dr. Anthony Fauci ’s no - frill manipulation of the coronavirus crisis , but a muggy 1991 romance novel calledHappy Endingswas there first . Famed D.C. hostess and source Sally Quinn based herhandsome NIH scientist who has an amour with the widowed first ladyon Fauci , just as Fauci was at the NIH developing treatments for AIDS.Washingtonianhas thedetails .

at last , as if it did n’t already feel like we ’re living in a skill fiction dystopia , tick off outthe bestsci - fi movieson Netflix right now .

22 February 2025

The FDA break hand brake - use approval to a raw CRISPR - based test that can name COVID-19 in one time of day , much quicker than the six to eight hours of some current tests , Emily Mullinreportsin Medium . CRISPR is agene - editing technologythat uses a molecular “ template ” to chance and target DNA andremove itfrom its succession . In the new trial , get by Sherlock Biosciences , the molecular guidebook is send to find the novel coronavirus ’s genetic signature in a nose or pharynx swab . If it locates the signature , the guide releases a signal indicating a positive result . Its developer say the test can be run using stock lab equipment .

Last workweek , several news outlets report some younger COVID-19 patient role developing seriousblood clotsor even having strokes while being otherwise intelligent . It change state out thatblood clot may not be such an unusual symptom of infectious disease , Roxanne Khamsiwritesin WIRED . As far back as 1903 , physicians observe the presence of clotted rakehell vas in hoi polloi with typhoid fever or bacterial disease . So why is it so surprising now in COVID-19 patients ? “ It may be on account of our success at treat such [ bacterial ] infections , ” Khamsi aver .

The military is temporarily banning recruit who have been hospitalized with COVID-19from joining any of the armed force , accord to a Pentagon memoreportedbyThe New York Times . Military officials may reconsider the steering in the future , once more fact are experience about the virus ’s long - term issue in patient role .

Let ’s end on a positive bill , shall we?The World Naked Bike Ride will go on , despite the pandemic — at least in Portland , Oregon . While other cities have canceled the consequence , Portland ’s labor organizer areencouraging nude cycliststo participate on June 27 while maintaining proper societal distancing .

29 March 2025

With so many families ineffectual to inspect know one in hospitals and nursing homes , somefolks are getting creative with their means of connection . When his mother could n’t visit her 95 - class - honest-to-goodness father in a Toronto infirmary , Avi Minkowitz ask his booster to push back his cherry red - selector motortruck to the quickness . His mom got into the bucket and was hoisted up three stories so she could see her dear pappa outside his third - storey window . learn more in thisheartwarming essay .

New York City officials began distributing 7.5 million free masksto residents last weekend after the mayor said hospitals and health care workers were adequately supplied with PPE . People canpick up the masksin parking lot , schools , and food distribution centers ( checkherefor a map of giveaway points in parks ) . All New Yorkers are required to wear a face underwrite in public , especially in scenario where social distancing is difficult .

Tracy Wilk need to help out on the front agate line of the coronavirus pandemic , but she ’s a chef , not a doctor . So she launched a drive , Bake It Forward , while furloughed from her job as an teacher at theInstitute of Culinary Education . Wilk createsbatches of delicious cooky and give them to nurse , physicians , and hospital staffwho require a minuscule peck - me - up . “ A lot of those health care workers have been work overtime . I ’ve done those days before in the kitchen , ” WilktoldGood Morning America . “ A cookie is n’t going to change it , but it ’s going to help worker on the front lines , and those short bits of delight are what do the day best . ”

As we instruct more about the novel coronavirus,“COVID toes ” is emerge as a potential novel symptom . Some people have display reddish lesionson their toesand then tested positive for COVID-19 without showing the typical signs of contagion , such as a feverishness or dry cough . According to theCleveland Clinic , those with “ COVID toe ” or unexplained rashes should contact their doctor and search a coronavirus test .

last , are you feeling cooped up?Commiseratewith the casts of these single - position movies(like my favourite on the tilt , Alfred Hitchcock’sRope ) .

29 April 2025

multitude quarantining at household arefeeding their sugared tooths(or is it tooth ? ) . Sales of Kellogg’sbreakfast cereals , which admit Special K , Frosted Mini - Wheats , Pop Tarts Cereal , and many more , increased3 percentin its latest earnings report thanks to the pandemic , the fellowship enunciate . Frozen food sales jump 9 per centum .

Stressed - out , home - bound parent are turn toZoom babysitterswhen they demand a break from working , teaching , and child care . One sitter toldThe Washington Postthat the most difficult part of the job was get kids back in front of the screen when they wander off .

An NIH study of more than 1000 COVID-19 patients show that the antiviral drugremdesivir reduced infirmary stays to average of 11 dayscompared to 15 24-hour interval for patients who received a placebo . The destruction rate was not slenderize importantly . While the results of the study were modest , Dr. Anthony Faucitold reportersthat “ it is a very important cogent evidence of construct , because what it has show is that a drug can jam this virus . ”

Could motor - in movie theaters make a comeback?With traditional cinemas closed across the country , thrust - ins declare oneself the thrill of a summer blockbuster in the sanitized safety of your vehicle , with a dash of mid - century nostalgia thrown in . About 300 still exist , including the Family Drive - In Theatre near Winchester , Virginia , which has recently sold out its weekend shows ofSonic the Hedgehog .

Finally , if you ’re bored with your cereal - based closing off diet , plug in your Instant Potand essay making thesenine concoctions .

9 April 2025

The CDC added six symptoms to its list of common preindication of potential COVID-19 infection . Along with pyrexia , coughing , and abruptness of breath , thenew listincludes chills , repeat shaking with pall , muscle pain , concern , sore pharynx , and loss of smell or gustation . NPR reports that the expanded list of symptoms might allowmore the great unwashed to qualifyfor coronavirus testing , since the great unwashed loosely need to show sign of infection to be tested . One scarey likely symptom is not yet include : blood clots that are leading to stroke in younger , otherwise mildly diagnostic COVID-19 patients . The Washington Posthas thatstory .

Preliminary results from an Oxford University - based endeavor to developa vaccinum against the new coronavirus are promising , The New York Timesreveals . Six rhesus macaque monkeys were give an experimental vaccinum , give away to copious sum of the virus , andremained healthy . Human trials are next .

N95maskshave been in short provision since the pandemic begin , so a group of Boston - based researchers go down about findinga bare way to decontaminate masque for reuse . In a not - yet - peer - reviewedpaperappearing on the preprint server medRxiv , they intimate that steaming a mask in the microwave oven over a knockout of atomic number 1 hydrogen peroxide effectively take away viral corpuscle . While the method has n’t been tested on a large scale , it could present a way for individual healthcare workers to reprocess previously haggard masks .

If yourwedding has been scaled back or cancel due to the coronavirus pandemic — and if you really , really love Miller High Life — have we got a contest for you . The beer stigma is giving away “ doorstep ” weddings to three couple , which include the services of an officiant and photographer and $ 10,000 for a sometime - in - the - futurity honeymoon . See the company’swebsitefor inside information about entering .

We ’re still forebode the return of throne newspaper publisher to store shelves . Now , Business Insiderreportsthat the supplying of antimicrobial wipes and othercleaning products might not come back to pre - pandemic levels until belated summer . clash up on these tips fordisinfecting your homewhile you hold back .

Finally , if you ’re running out of ways to entertain — I meaneducate — your kids at home , try these fun and informativescience experiments .

31 January 2025

doctor and nurses haveself - isolatedinRVsand hotel rooms to forefend land the new coronavirus into their own kinsfolk . But one physician in Texas may be induce a slightly more fun metre that most in quarantine : He ’s camping out in his sons ’ treehouse , conveniently locate within shouting distance of his actual home . ER medico Jason BarnestoldtheCorpus Christie Caller Timesthat his wife fix meal for him and leaves them on a tabular array outdoors , where he “ [ grabs ] it before the weenie can get it . ”

You might be wearing your mask incorrect . If yourmaskonly covers your mouth or hangs around your neck opening while you talk on the telephone , you ’re not using it the right way . The Huffington Post has sometipsto get the most out of your cloth face cover — and also offer intimation about thebest fabricsfor make your own . And , NPRreportson a not - yet - compeer - reviewedstudythat propose wearing a nylon stocking over your cloth mask keeps the mask pie-eyed on your brass and more effective at restraining your saliva .

Walmart and grocery stores areputting one - waytraffic signsin their aisles to serve shopper move in a exclusive directionthroughout the stores , which is meant to encourage social distancing . At least two Mental Floss editor have recently find very little bond to the rule , though . possibly the depot need to employ crossing guard .

Astudyhighlighted last week in this compilation base that qat were more susceptible to the virus than other mammals and birds . Now , the USDA isreportingthattwo petkittiesin unlike areas of New York State have test positive for the coronavirusafter visiting their veterinary surgeon with respiratory symptom . There is still no grounds that multitude can undertake COVID-19 from their pet . Fortunately , the two cats are gestate to make a full recovery .

Finally , you may be sit on a hoard on quarantine - connect nonperishables right now , butthose canned goods wo n’t last forever and a day . Just await at what befall tothis one .

9 March 2025

You may be feeling excite - crazy after a few week of home quarantine , but you have probably had it prosperous thansix touristsin India who were found ego - isolating in a cave . The visitors — from France , Turkey , Nepal , Ukraine , and the U.S.—had run out of money for their hotel rooms . Officials took them to a nearby ashram and told them to quarantine for another two weeks .

Schoolkids in Britain cantake a virtualgeographyclass with natural scientist extraordinaire Sir David Attenborough . The dulcet - vocalise storyteller ofBlue Planet IIandSeven Worlds , One Planetwill learn pupils about mapping , animate being conduct , and oceanology on the BBC’sBitesize Daily .

Should you disinfect your deliveries?The New York Timesoffersuseful tipson when or if to treat vulgar surface , like cardboard boxes , your shoes , and your hair , with antiviral resolution . Bonus : TheTimes ’s how - to channelise forwashing your clothesat home .

There are many things we still do n’t have it away about the fresh coronavirus , including how well it is spread by different method acting . Holy Scripture likeairborneandaerosolget thrown around a lot , but their substance are n’t always clear . Check out thisexplaineron somecoronavirus language you should know .

in conclusion , a Colorado indie bookstore is assist readers discover new novel and writer during lockdown . For $ 50 , Trident Booksellers and Cafe in Boulder willdeliver amystery bagof four to six books(plus a packet of Camellia sinensis or coffee dome ) based on the customer ’s preferred literary genre . Here are somemore waysto help local bookstores stay put flooded .

20 May 2025

A 99 - year - previous World War II stager in Britain vowed toraise moneyfor the UK ’s National Health Service ( NHS ) by walk 100 lap around his garden . On April 16,Captain Tom Moorecompleted his mission andraised a banging £ 13 million ( $ 16 million ) for the public wellness service . Moore had started out on April 8 with a goal to invoke £ 1000 — but when supporter donated £ 70,000 in the first 24 hours , he up his aim to £ 1 million . AsThe Guardianreports , Moore complete the last 25 laps on live television attach to by a guard of pureness from the 1st Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment , Moore ’s own regiment in the warfare . Now , his garter are askingQueen Elizabeth IIto give him a special commendation . And heturns 100on April 30 !

Another enterprising senior , quarantined 93 - twelvemonth - old Pennsylvania occupant Olive Veronesi , puta plea in her window : “ I need morebeer!”Coors Light answer the call and right away delivered 150 cans . “ I was on my last 12 cans , I have a beer every Nox , you bang what , beer has vitaminsin it , it ’s good for you , as long as you do n’t overdo it , ” Veronesi toldKDKA . Similarly , 82 - year - former Ontarian Annette Muller implore her daughter to run to the storage with asignin her windowpane reading “ need more wine . ”

In more feel - in effect news , a Michelin - starred Copenhagen eating place that usually features a $ 700 tasting menuisfeedingthe city ’s roofless populationinstead .

An anonymous donorbought each of the 549 households in Earlham , Iowa , $ 150 in gift cardsto spend at local businesses — a present totaling more than $ 82,000 . “ I do n’t believe ‘ give thanks you ’ is a boastful enough word , ” Mayor Jeff LillietoldThe Washington Post .

Finally , Facebook isdirecting userswho have interact with postal service bear coronavirus misinformationto site with facts from the World Health Organization . A Facebook official said in ablog postthat 2 billion user have been directed and 350 million have clicked through to the factual web site . Here are some other companiesdoing their partduring the crisis .

28 November 2024

The coronavirus pandemic has hit the U.S. economy hard , but somesmall job owner are devising creative ways to help oneself their staff . The proprietor of a Tybee Island , Georgia , streak spent three days un - stapling one dollar bill bills — totaling more than $ 3000 — from the walls and ceilingto give to her workers .

Speaking of worker : Some fresh unemployed and furloughed folks are creatingonline community of interests to help their peersget through the labyrinthof province labor web site and unemployment benefit .

The Great Toilet Paper Shortage retain , but apparently some mass are finding it atWalmart . The troupe ’s CEO , Doug McMillon , told NBC ’s Savannah Guthrie on April 10 that Walmart consumersboughtenough privy newspaper publisher in five days to give every American a roll . ( That ’s about 328 million roll , or 328 billion individual square if every roll had 1000 shroud . )

cat can capture coronavirus . A Chinesestudyin the journalSciencefound that the novel coronavirus replicates easily incatsand ferrets ( which often stand in for humans in respiratory studies ) , but not as well indogs , pigs , volaille , or ducks . More research is call for , though .

By now you ’ve credibly heard your metropolis ’s or state ’s recommendations forusing aface coveringor maskwhen you ’re outside — and methamphetamine hydrochloride wearer have surely key their lenses fogging up while wear one . Here surface area few tipsfor wearing a mask and glasses at the same time .

19 April 2025

Thetoilet composition shortageis real — but your credit visiting card company might be able-bodied to helpyou thrust the Charmin . Finder.comreportsthat high-pitched - remnant reference cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the MasterCard Gold Card pass concierge services to serve cardmembers make dinner party reservations , travelling arrangements , and other transactions . In a small experiment , three Finder.com staffers need their card company ’s concierge to find the nearest stock with sewer paper on the shelves . Two concierges were able to call around and unearth thewhite gold .

A Marine stager did n’t let the coronavirus pandemic interrupt her 104th birthday jubilation , accord toWMC Action News 5 in Memphis , Tennessee . Ruth Gallivan , conceive to be one of the oldest female Marines , attend to in World War II . The veterans ’ organization Honor Flight surprised her by putting together a ram - by auto parade and wish her many happy returns .

Wondering how you may aid essential workers during the pandemic , besides just staying home?Buy a repast for a aesculapian professionalduring the pandemic throughFeed the Frontlines , base by a New York City restauranter to make and deliver meal to hard - working doctors , nurses , and infirmary staff ( and to keep restaurants in business ) . you could alsodonate directlyto NYC Health + Hospitals , where so many COVID-19 patients receive handling .

Finally , yourpantry staplesmight be function a little crushed after a calendar month on lockdown . If you ’re planning a test to the market store , come thesesimple precautionsto reduce the chance of play home the coronavirus along with your bread anddry beans .

16 December 2024

Almost 24 million the great unwashed watchedQueen Elizabeth II deliver a personal televisedmessageabout the coronavirus pandemic on Sunday , April 5 . Thequeenthanked health care workers and those staying at nursing home for their continued drive in combat the irruption , and said this address prompt her of her very first telly broadcast in 1940 , when she bid a message to child who had been sent overseas for their own safety at the beginning of World War II . " We should take comfort that while we may have more still to die hard , good days will return , " the queensaid . " We will be with our friends again . We will be with our families again . We will meet again . " The pansy rarely gives televised speech aside from her annual Christmas message — this programme was only her 5th in her 68 - class reign .

Atigerat theBronx Zooin New York City test confident for COVID-19 , the disease triggered by the raw coronavirus . The zoological garden ’s chief vet Paul Calletweetedthat Nadia , a 4 - year - old Malayan Panthera tigris , had tests confirmed at the USDA ’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory after show respiratory symptom . Three other tigers exhibit the same symptom , and menagerie officials trust the big cats were expose to the virus by an asymptomatic zoo employee . The Wildlife Conservation Society , which function the Bronx Zoo , carry all the true cat tofully recuperate . In apress release , the USDA say it ’s unconvincing that your favorite cat could transmit the computer virus to you , but if you feel sick , it ’s good to stay away from Fluffy as long as you have symptoms .

Oscar - win actor and University of Texas at AustinprofessorMatthew McConaugheyhosted bingo night(via Zoom ) for a mathematical group of residents atThe Enclaveat Round Rock , a senior live biotic community in a suburb of Austin . Along with his wife , mom , and kid , McConaughey called out the bit while the quarantined elder played along at home .

Should you be wearing a masquerade when you go outside?The answer iscomplicated , but New York City ’s mayor has begin urging resident to wear afabric face coveringto reduce the chance the computer virus could spread out through external respiration or spill . Recentresearchsuggests preclinical people could transmit the coronavirus more easily throughaerosolsthan previously thought .

And finally , you may have a hard time findinghand sanitizerin stores these days , but if you do , check out itsexpiration date .