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☆ Long Covid Poses Special Challenges for Seniors
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Paula Span | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The dozens of symptoms collectively known as long Covid, or post-Covid, can sideline anyone who has been infected. About 11 percent of American adults have developed long Covid after an infection, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last month, down from the almost 19 percent recorded from June 2022 to June 2023. People over age 60 actually have lower rates of long Covid overall than those aged 30 to 59. That might reflect higher vaccination and booster rates among older Americans, or more protective behavior like masking and avoiding crowds. Though knowledge of long Covid has increased, she added, much remains unknown about the illness.

Persons: ”, Akiko Iwasaki, Anderson Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, Yale School of Medicine

☆ It may be time to break out the masks against Covid, some experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

“And since the masks that are most effective are N95 that are now readily available, that’s the kind of mask you should wear,” he added. But the agency doesn’t make a broad recommendation for everyone to adopt masks. Morris Brown College in Atlanta announced a return to mandated physical distancing and masks just one week after classes started in August. And pediatricians are poised for the typical return-to-school surge in all kinds of respiratory illness, whether colds, flu or Covid. “The virus is always lurking, waiting for openings, so I think Covid is just going to be a bit of a roller coaster, probably forever,” Wachter said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Jonathan Reiner, “, ” Reiner, Biden, ”, Reiner, Eric Topol, ” Topol, ” What’s, Robert Wachter, ” Wachter, haven’t, Peter Chin, Topol, Dr, Sara Bode, Bode, It’s, ‘, ” Chin, Hong, You’ve, you’ve, Amanda Musa, Brenda Goodman, Deidre McPhillips, Meg Tirrell Organizations: CNN, George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences, US Centers for Disease Control, CDC, Scripps, Research, Covid, Department of Medicine, University of California San, University of California, Morris Brown College, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, American Academy of Pediatrics ’, School Health, Internal Locations: Covid, Florida, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, Atlanta, Columbus , Ohio, Washington

☆ How Hip-Hop Changed the English Language Forever
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Miles Marshall Lewis | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +16 min

We unpacked five words — dope, woke, cake, wildin’ and ghost — that show rap’s unique linguistic influence. Please import it manually on src/routes/(pages)/$PAGE/+page.svelte and add it to the body loop referencing a name on the Google Doc. Please import it manually on src/routes/(pages)/$PAGE/+page.svelte and add it to the body loop referencing a name on the Google Doc. Please import it manually on src/routes/(pages)/$PAGE/+page.svelte and add it to the body loop referencing a name on the Google Doc. Please import it manually on src/routes/(pages)/$PAGE/+page.svelte and add it to the body loop referencing a name on the Google Doc.

Persons: vibrancy, Dave, — Slick Rick, “, ”, �, Homer Simpson, Rihanna, “ FourFiveSeconds ”, wilding, Erykah Badu, Megan Thee, Spoonie Gee, Lil Wayne, Spivey’s, “ It’s, Pharrell Williams, Shameik Moore, Zoë Kravitz, ” “, Lana Del Rey, Joe, Marcus Garvey, Lauryn Hill, Marcus Garvey intoned, Ramblin ’ Thomas, William Melvin Kelley’s, presciently, Badu’s, repopularized “, Badu, ” — Childish Gambino, “ Redbone ”, Donald J, Kendrick Lamar’s, Joey Bada, Lil Durk’s, Ron DeSantis, Elon Musk, Sir, they’ve, Munch, Red’s, ” Megan Thee, Patty, Nicki Minaj, “ Heard, Jay, Stackin, Al Pacino, Tony Montana, Morton, wildin, illin, killin, “ Buck Whylin ’, Chuck D, “ Buck Whylin ’ ”, Tonya Harding, Nick Cannon’s, “ wilding ”, Barry Michael Cooper, “ Wilding, Donald Trump’s, Wildin, “ Stylin, — Bruno Mars, Greg Nice, “ Swayze, Patrick Swayze’s, Guy, ghosting, Glock, I’m Swayze, Jared Seay Organizations: Daily News, src, Google, Oxford English, Queens, MTV, New York Times, Trump, Republican, Hulu, WAP, raunch, “, Morton Music, Public, The Daily News, Central Park, Oxford, ”, Adidas, Royce Locations: Oxford, Ethiopia, Africa, Florida, America, U.S

☆ In-N-Out bans mask wearing for employees in some states
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Beginning August 14, employees that want to wear masks amid Covid-19 must have a “valid medical note exempting him or her from this requirement,” an email to workers said. A policy for its California and Oregon restaurants, where it can’t ban employees from wearing masks, said that they have to wear a company-provided N95 mask. Employees that have to wear masks, like in the “patty room” or lab technicians,” are exempted. However, the memo said that its new policies are in “compliance with evolving health guidelines.” The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends employees wear masks, however. Although statewide mask mandates have disappeared, health experts recommend that vulnerable individuals might still want to wear masks in crowded indoor spaces, such as restaurants.

Persons: ”, ’, Joe Biden Organizations: New, New York CNN, Employees, Safety, Health Administration, Contra Costa county Locations: New York, Arizona , Colorado , Nevada , Texas, Utah, California, Oregon, Contra Costa, San Francisco

CNN —Over 80 million people from the Midwest to the East Coast are under air quality alerts as smoke from the Canadian wildfires sweep across the US border Tuesday, prompting beach closures, warnings about reduced visibility and calls to stay indoors. Chicago and Detroit had the worst air quality in the world Tuesday night. Detroit’s air at one point reached a “very unhealthy”Air Quality Index of 203, before dropping below 200 to the “unhealthy” level, according to IQAir. Chicago registered an Air Quality Index of 175 late Tuesday. “The most protective option when air is unhealthy for you is to stay indoors with air conditioning, reduce strenuous activities and limit outdoor activities.

Persons: Copernicus, –, “, Kathy Hochul Organizations: CNN, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, National Weather Service, . Chicago, Chicago Public Schools, Facebook, Drivers, Mackinac Bridge Authority, Michigan Department of Health, Human Services, Indianapolis, ., New, ”, New York State, Coordinating Agency, Centers for Disease Control Locations: Midwest, East, Canada, Iowa , Wisconsin , Illinois , Indiana , Michigan, Delaware, Maryland, Kansas , Missouri, Minnesota , Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia, Chicago, Detroit, IQAir, Evanston , Illinois, Michigan, Mackinac, . New York, New York City, New, ” In Ohio, NY, Cleveland, Ohio

☆ The Top Products to Deal With Poor Air Quality From Wildfire Smoke
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Jon Bitner | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

From choosing the right air purifier to modifying your HVAC system, here’s some expert insight on how to handle excessive wildfire smoke. Wildfire smoke and your HVAC systemAir purifiers are one way to deal with wildfire smoke, but they’re not the only weapon in your smoke-fighting arsenal. Other ways to cope with wildfire smokeRunning your HVAC system and air purifier with the right filters is the key to coping with wildfire smoke. These work by surrounding a traditional box fan with air filters, turning it into a surprisingly great air purifier. Wildfire smoke can exacerbate seasonal allergies, though medications such as Claritin, Allegra, Zyrtec and Xyzal can help provide nearly immediate relief.

Persons: Jon, Karen Bartlett, Shelly Miller, they’re, Zachary Rubin, Miller, Corsi, Rosenthal, Rubin, Allegra, Zyrtec Organizations: School, Population, Public Health, University of British, University of Colorado, Products, CDC Locations: New York City, Los Angeles, University of British Columbia, University of Colorado Boulder

☆ Central banks to Wall Street: More pain is coming
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —Market euphoria in early June, spurred on by a pause in interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve, is well behind us now. What’s happening: It’s been just over a week since the Federal Reserve paused its 14-month regimen of interest rate hikes to fight inflation. The Bank of England, meanwhile, surprised investors by raising interest rates in the UK by an outsized half of a percentage point. Central banks had been making smaller interest rate moves as inflation began to ease off of recent highs. Elsewhere in Europe, central banks in Norway and Switzerland also hiked rates to decade-high levels on Thursday.

Persons: We’re, It’s, Jerome Powell, ” Powell, Stocks, Scott Wren, Wells, ”, Samantha Delouya, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Musk, Zuckerberg, Hanna Ziady, Alex Heath, “, Paddy Power Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Federal Reserve, Central Bank, Nasdaq, Senate, Financial Services, The Bank of England, Bank of England, Fed, Commonwealth, 3M, WWE, Tech, Twitter, Meta, “ Locations: New York, Europe, Norway, Switzerland, ” Switzerland, United States, Wells Fargo, Las Vegas

☆ 3M agrees to pay $10.3 billion to settle 'forever chemicals' lawsuits
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —3M announced Thursday that it had reached an agreement to settle lawsuits that claimed that toxic “forever chemicals” had contaminated water supplies in the United States. The company — which produces Post-It notes, Scotch Tape, and n95 masks, among other industrial products — said it would pay up to $10.3 billion over 13 years to fund public water suppliers in the US that have detected these chemicals in drinking water. Polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), known as “forever chemicals,” have been found in hundreds of household items, including makeup and carpeting, and are used to make coatings that repel water, grease, and oil. The settlement comes after 3M faced thousands of lawsuits for the last two decades over its manufacturing of products containing PFAS. These lawsuits allege that 3M knew PFAS caused cancer, developmental defects and other health problems, and that the chemicals contaminated US drinking water systems.

Persons: 3M’s, ”, Mike Roman Organizations: CNN — 3M, 3M, Chemours, DuPont, US Environmental Protection Agency Locations: United States

☆ New Yorkers are wearing Dyson's $1,000 'air purifying' mask-cum-headphones in the haze, but TikTok users are skeptical that it works
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Marielle Descalsota | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

New Yorkers are wearing the Dyson Zone headphones as masks in the haze. TikTok users are skeptical of the headphones' "air purifying" claims. But users on TikTok aren't so sure, as some are skeptical if it really works. Several New Yorkers posted videos on TikTok showing off their Dyson Zones, with one user, Eric Goldie, likening it to "wearing clean air." Another New Yorker, Kate Kozuch, said in a TikTok that people made fun of her for wearing her Dyson Zone.

Persons: Dyson, Eric Goldie, Goldie, Bob Dillan, Kate Kozuch, Kozuch, Kozuch's TikTok, Nick Graham, Dillan Organizations: Morning, Canada —, Dyson, Yorker Locations: New York City, Canada, New York

☆ Opinion | On the Smoke Crisis, New York City’s Mayor Chokes
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Mara Gay | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

He could have coordinated with the governor to use the subway system announcements to communicate about the smoke with residents. The mayor could have worked quickly to distribute high-quality N95 masks — and critically, information — to New Yorkers, especially in the city’s most vulnerable communities. The city’s Fire Department, which reports to the mayor, finally said on Twitter Thursday it would have masks available at certain locations. The city could have opened designated clean air centers, deploying air purifiers to school gyms or libraries, offering vulnerable New Yorkers a similar refuge during the smoke crisis. He could have led by example by clearly directing city workers to do the same, if their job allowed.

Persons: Adams, Kathy Hochul Organizations: Yorkers, Gov, Fire Department, Twitter, of Education Locations: New Yorkers

☆ Wildfire Smoke Boosts N95 Mask Demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( John Keilman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/wildfire-smoke-boosts-n95-mask-demand-7bb93c8c

Persons: Dow Jones

As of Thursday morning, air filters were the top gainers in sales for tools and home improvement products on Amazon over the past 24 hours. Searches on Google for air purifiers have increased 16 fold since Monday, according to Google trends. Johnson Controls, which has a number of air filters on the market, has also seen its stock price soar. The air purifier market is poised to grow as climate change increases air pollution and exacerbates breathing difficulties. Climate change will worsen existing air pollution and lead to more dangerous air quality days like the current one in the Northeast.

Persons: humidifier, Johnson Organizations: New, New York CNN, Google, United States, Carrier Global, Johnson Controls, Economic Co, Environmental Protection Agency Locations: New York, United States, “

Smoke from wildfires in Quebec has settled over southern Ontario and travelled into the United States, disrupting flights and sending people indoors. On Wednesday mask supplier United Canada sent out an email with "Wildfire Season Safety Tips" that included an N95 mask. It's "a little disheartening" to be wearing a mask again, she said, but "that's what you have to do. Hume-Beardall added she hopes the spectre of smoky air "is a little bit of a wakeup call to people around the environment." Studies in people have linked wildfire smoke with higher rates of heart attacks, strokes, and cardiac arrests, increases in emergency room visits for respiratory conditions, and weakened immune defenses.

Persons: Canada Strong, Rivi Hume, Hume, Beardall, Samantha Green, Green, Marietta Haberer, Anna Mehler Paperny, Diane Craft Organizations: TORONTO, United Canada, Reuters, Unity Health, Toronto . Studies, Thomson Locations: Canada, Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario, United States, Toronto

☆ New York is choking on smog. But for these cities, it’s just another day
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Hong Kong CNN —For days, images of New York choking in smoke have stunned the United States, as residents struggle to deal with the unfamiliar challenge of severe air pollution. That means its people are exposed to high levels of fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, a widely used indicator of harmful air pollution. It culminated in the infamous 2013 “air-pocalypse,” when the air quality index hit 755, smashing what was supposed to be the top of the scale at 500, according to the US Embassy in Beijing that kept a daily air quality monitor. In 2021, Beijing recorded its best monthly air quality since records began in 2013; photos now show mostly blue skies in the city. It’s an encouraging sign, and evidence that the right policies and investment can help fix air quality.

Persons: smothers, Andrew Kelly, Sanchit Khanna, Chiang Mai, Nicolas Asfouri, Justin Trudeau, Joe Biden, ”, Lucky Tran Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Rockefeller Center, Reuters, Hindustan Times, Embassy, Canadian, United Nations, East Coasters Locations: Hong Kong, York, United States, Canada, Coast, West Coast, California, Asia, New York, India, New Delhi, Southeast Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Beijing, AFP, –, China, It’s, South Carolina, Quebec, Yorkers

☆ N95 Masks Helped Protect Against the Coronavirus. They Also Work Against Wildfire Smoke.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Claire Moses | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

As smoke from wildfires in Canada drifts over large parts of the United States, the best thing to do to prevent breathing in pollutants on Wednesday is to stay indoors. So if you do have to brave the outdoors, putting on a mask is the next best thing. But beware, not all masks work equally well. N95 masks can filter tiny particles that are less than 0.3 micrometers. Instead, use N95 face masks (you may still have some of those left from the pandemic), or respirator masks, which you can find in hardware stores or online.

Locations: Canada, United States

☆ From Wildfire Smoke to Covid, Air Quality Is the Issue of Our Time - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Linsey Marr | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Those who are paying attention and have the resources can take steps to improve their air quality and protect their health. Indoors, the portable air filtration unit that some people used to scrub viruses from the air will also remove smoke particles. Air pollution, including wildfire smoke, causes symptoms like coughing, burning eyes, headaches and difficulty breathing in the short term. Furthermore, poor air quality is linked to increased absences from school and work and worse academic performance and cognitive function. The White House held the Summit on Improving Indoor Air Quality, and the Environmental Protection Agency issued the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge.

Organizations: Environmental Protection Agency

☆ Explainer: What are the health risks from wildfire smoke?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Nancy Lapid | Thomson Reuters | Nancy Has Been A Health News Editor At Reuters For More Than A Decade. Previously She Was A Writer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

More toxic than normal air pollution, wildfire smoke can linger in the air for weeks and travel hundreds of miles. Along with particles of soil and biological materials, wildfire smoke often contains traces of chemicals, metals, plastics and other synthetic materials. New data from California also show an increase in fungal infections in the months following wildfire smoke exposure, likely due to fungal spores in the smoke. But the health effects of wildfire smoke exposure over multiple seasons are not yet clear. Doug Brugge, who chairs the Department of Public Health Sciences at UConn School of Medicine, said wildfire smoke can be deadly.

Persons: Kent Pinkerton, Davis, Keith Bein, Doug Brugge, Nancy Lapid, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Center for Health, University of California, UC, Davis . Studies, Environment, UC Davis, U.S . Environmental Protection Agency, of Public Health Sciences, UConn School of Medicine, Thomson Locations: United States, Canada, New York City, California, U.S

☆ Face masks are still a good idea at the doctor’s office, study says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Jen Christensen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

But they remain in many medical offices, and a study published Monday says they might still be a good idea. The study, published in the journal the Annals of Internal Medicine, also found that there wasn’t a significant difference in protection between surgical masks and N95 respirators in a health care setting. Because gold standard evidence about their protectiveness is not available, they say, masks for patients and health care personnel should be considered a good safety measure. Lab studies show that surgical masks and respirators are good at limiting the spread of aerosols and droplets from people who are sick with the flu, coronaviruses and other respiratory viruses. “We all realize the importance and utility of a mask,” Madad said.

☆ Do Masks Work To Prevent Covid? - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Jennifer B. Nuzzo | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

‌There is good evidence that masks can protect ‌‌people who use them correctly and consistently. Other studies show that higher-quality masks, such as N95 respirators, are better able to keep the virus out than less well-fitting surgical masks or cloth masks. ‌And according to that limited evidence, masking at the population level did not have a clear impact on reducing infections. To address the quality issue of these studies, the Cochrane review looked only at randomized trials evaluating the effectiveness of masking. ‌‌Many of the studies that the Cochrane review included looked at the spread of influenza.

☆ Dr. Fauci Looks Back: ‘Something Clearly Went Wrong’
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( David Wallace-Wells | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +55 min

Dr. Fauci Looks Back: ‘Something Clearly Went Wrong’ In his most extensive interview yet, Anthony Fauci wrestles with the hard lessons of the pandemic — and the decisions that will define his legacy. But when people say, “Fauci shut down the economy” — it wasn’t Fauci. But somehow or other, the general public didn’t get that feeling that the vulnerable are really, really heavily weighted toward the elderly. We also had a public-health system that we thought was really, really good. But it was really, really antiquated.

☆ Why I signed up to live on a cruise ship for three years
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Francesca Street | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —When Sharon Lane heard about a cruise company offering a three-year-long voyage around the world, she immediately started fantasizing about life on board. While it’s long been Lane’s dream to live on a cruise ship full time, the steep cost has always been a barrier. I don’t know, the sky’s the limit.”Preparing for a new lifeSharon Lane will spend three years living on the MV Gemini cruise ship, pictured here. The 130-square-feet cabin has no window, but guests have been promised a screen that will broadcast live footage from outside the ship. Lane won’t disembark the ship in certain destinations, like Antarctica, where the cold air might aggravate her lungs.

☆ What is a red flag warning? What to know as fire weather conditions affect more parts of the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Chris Panella | Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Here's what to know when you see a red flag warning in your area, and how to protect yourself. Red flag warnings indicate dry, arid weather and strong wind conditions that increase the possibility of dangerous wildfires. One map shared on Twitter by climate reporter Dave Levitan shows the latest range of red flag warnings stretching from New Mexico to Massachusetts. Be careful with cigarettes during a red flag warning. Lastly, the NWS has some basic guidelines to avoid igniting fires during a red flag warning:

☆ Three Years Into Covid, We Still Don’t Know How to Talk About It
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Jon Mooallem | Photographs Ashley Gilbertson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +53 min

It will play out and reverberate for years or decades, Hagen told me. “The pathological normal,” Hagen calls it: a patchwork of homespun, bespoke realities, each one invested in a different story about what exactly happened when Covid ruptured the story of our lives. garb.”More than once, life seemed to be attaining “an uncanny resemblance to normal life,” as one man put it. But because we don’t totally understand where that experience has delivered us, we don’t know the right gloss to give it. “The days are strange,” one public-school teacher told Milstein toward the end of his first interview, in May 2020.

☆ New York and L.A. meet CDC criteria for masking in public. How much will masks help this winter?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Aria-Bendix-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Aria Bendix | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

The Philadelphia school district announced Wednesday that students and staff will be required to wear masks indoors for two weeks in January in an effort to slow transmission after the holidays. The New York City Department of Education issued a letter this week strongly encouraging students and staff to wear a well-fitting mask indoors. After three years of Covid, however, experts recognized that few people are inclined to wear masks as often as they had previously while in public spaces. But Luby said he still wears a mask in public, even when others around him do not. “I find myself in that situation a lot — I’m the only person in the room wearing a mask," he said.

Hong Kong CNN —James Cameron’s “Avatar: The Way of Water” has premiered in China, 13 years after the original film took the country by storm. A poster of film 'Avatar: The Way of Water' is seen at a cinema on December 11, 2022 in Beijing, China. I immersed myself in the plot and enjoyed an unprecedented audio-visual feast.”Shot in the armThe “Way of Water” is expected to buoy China’s pandemic-depressed box office. By mid-December, China’s box office reached only 28.8 billion yuan ($4.1 billion), down nearly 40% from last year. The “Way of Water” accounted for 80% of screenings scheduled for Friday, the Maoyan data showed.

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