Masks
How Some Parents Changed Their Politics in the Pandemic
ORINDA, Calif. — They waved signs that read “Defeat the mandates” and “No vaccines.” They chanted “Protect our kids” and “Our kids, our choice.” Almost everyone in the crowd of more than three dozen was a parent. And as they protested on a recent Friday in the Bay Area suburb of Orinda, Calif., they had […]
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Omicron BA.5 Surge: 5 Ways to Stay Safe
The United States is in the midst of another coronavirus surge, this time thanks to the Omicron subvariant BA.5. Scientists warn that the new subvariant appears to be the virus’s most transmissible version to date, and it is reinfecting people who have already dealt with previous variants once or twice, sometimes as recently as a […]
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Deep in a Covid Wave, Europe Counts Cases and Carries On
ROME — Customers in the Rome bookstore paid no attention to the circular stickers on the floor instructing them to stamp out Covid by maintaining “a distance of at least 1 meter.” “These are things from the past,” said Silvia Giuliano, 45, who wore no mask as she browsed paperbacks. She described the red signs, […]
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Covid Rises Across U.S. Amid Muted Warnings and Murky Data
CHICAGO — Covid-19 is surging around the United States again in what experts consider the most transmissible variant of the pandemic yet. But something is different this time: The public health authorities are holding back. In Chicago, where the county’s Covid warning level was raised to “high” last week, the city’s top doctor said there […]
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A Clunky, Reusable Mask May Be the Answer to N95 Waste
“Elastomerics for us really were a game changer,” Dr. Chalikonda said. “When I think of all the millions of dollars wasted on N95s and then trying to reuse them makes you realize how much elastomerics are a missed opportunity.” Federal health officials say they are moving as fast as possible to produce stronger guidance on […]
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C.D.C. Dismisses Airborne Transmission of Monkeypox. Some Experts Disagree.
Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday pushed back against the idea that the monkeypox virus can spread through the air, saying the virus is usually transmitted through direct physical contact with sores or contaminated materials from a patient. The virus may also be transmitted by respiratory droplets expelled by an […]
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Monkeypox Can Be Airborne, Too
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidance last week for travelers wishing to protect themselves against monkeypox. This was one of its recommendations: “Wear a mask. Wearing a mask can help protect you from many diseases, including monkeypox.” Late Monday night, that recommendation was deleted. “C.D.C. removed the mask recommendation from the […]
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As Covid Threat Grows, Officials Say Americans Should Consider Masks
Dr. Jha said the current incidence of severe disease would be worse if not for Paxlovid, an oral treatment developed by Pfizer that helps prevent severe illness if taken soon after symptoms develop. Doctors are prescribing Paxlovid pills to about 20,000 patients a day, he said. That may help explain why the rates of hospitalization […]
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How Australia Saved Thousands of Lives While Covid Killed a Million Americans
MELBOURNE, Australia — If the United States had the same Covid death rate as Australia, about 900,000 lives would have been saved. The Texas grandmother who made the perfect pumpkin pie might still be baking. The Red Sox-loving husband who ran marathons before Covid might still be cheering at Fenway Park. For many Americans, imagining […]
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