Washington Post – “Years of underinvestment in public health infrastructure left the United States “unprepared” for the coronavirus pandemic — the country’s greatest public health crisis in 100 years — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield said during an interview with WebMD on Wednesday. At least 163,000 people in the U.S. have… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: August 2020
‘Green’ household cleaners and coronavirus: What you need to know
Washington Post – “In recent years, some Americans concerned about the effects that harsh cleaners have on the environment and on the human body have switched to household products marketed as green, eco-friendly, nontoxic or natural. The concern is not unwarranted — the chemicals in some cleaning products can cause eye, skin or respiratory irritation… Continue Reading
Face masks with valves or vents do not prevent spread of the coronavirus
Washington Post: “In guidance updated late last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned against wearing masks with exhalation valves or vents, a type of face covering made for hot and dusty construction work that has become a popular pandemic accessory because of its seemingly high-tech design. “The purpose of masks is to… Continue Reading
When and how to vote in all 50 states
Axios: “Millions of Americans who normally vote in person on election day will turn to early voting or mail-in ballots this fall — but that only works if you understand your state’s election rules, deadlines and how to ensure your vote is counted. Driving the news: Axios is launching an interactive resource, built on research by RepresentUs,… Continue Reading
Hate your internet provider? Here’s why you might be stuck with them
Fast Company: “Ever wish you could ditch your ISP for one with higher speeds and lower costs? Too bad. According to a new report from the Institute for Local Self Reliance, a local community economic development advocacy group, tens of millions of Americans have no real choice in who their Internet service provider is…” Continue Reading
PowerOutage.us
“PowerOutage.us is an on going project created to track, record, and aggregate power outages across the United States. Find out more on our About page. Click on a state to see more information. Data is updated site wide approximately every ten minutes. PowerOutage.US collects, records, and aggregates live power outage data from utilities all over the… Continue Reading
Why stores need to pay more attention to the air we breathe
CNN – “During the coronavirus pandemic, supermarkets and retail stores have added a variety of safety features. Workers have been required to mask up and, more recently, most customers too. But most have yet to tackle what could be another important safety measure — changes to the systems that keep the stores hot and cold,… Continue Reading
The Other Way Trump Could Destroy the Next Presidency
The Atlantic [paywall] – via MSN [no paywall]: “…Presidential transitions are the connective tissue of the American political process. Past presidents and members of Congress have recognized the importance of a smooth transition through legislation and norms established in past handovers. Outgoing President George H. W. Bush underlined this point in his valedictory note to… Continue Reading
Do you really have to wash your mask after every use?
Vox – Short answer: Yes. Masks have become a necessity. Here’s how to pick the right one, and wash it. “…“It’s definitely recommended to wash that mask every day,” said Dr. Ravina Kullar, an infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist. Dr. Kullar points out that the purpose of the mask is to prevent the virus from… Continue Reading
COVID-19 Testing: Frequently Asked Questions
CRS report via, LC – COVID-19 Testing: Frequently Asked Questions. August 11, 2020 “…This CRS report provides answers to numerous questions related to COVID-19 testing, including types of testing available and their reliability; testing capacity and infrastructure; delivery of testing, including the settings where testing is available; payment for testing, including the provision by federally… Continue Reading
What We Know (and Don’t) About Russia’s Supposed COVID-19 Vaccine
Lifehacker: “Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, much of the optimism that “we’ll get through this” and be “back to normal” sometime soon has been pinned to the development and approval of an effective vaccine against the novel coronavirus. Major pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and Moderna have been conducting clinical trials for multiple formulations… Continue Reading
Something fundamental has changed about the ways Americans vote
The Atlantic: “Although it is slowly dawning on the press and the electorate that Election Day will be more like Election Week or Election Month this year, thanks to coronavirus-related complications, the blue shift remains obscure. But the effect could be much larger and far more consequential in 2020, as Democrats embrace voting by mail… Continue Reading
