| AstraZeneca announces its vaccine is effective, pharmaceutical and manufacturing companies work on "ultra-cold" distribution solutions, and Ad Council begins a campaign to boost vaccine trust. Here's what you should know: Headlines AstraZeneca's vaccine is effective, and cheaper and easier to transport than its competitors AstraZeneca announced Monday that its Covid-19 vaccine is effective, according to interim analysis of its Phase III trial. The trial tested two different dosing regimens, one of which was 90 percent effective and the other 62 percent effective, making the shot's average efficacy rate 70 percent. Unlike the other two effective vaccines, AstraZeneca's can be stored and transported at normal fridge temperatures. At about $2.50 a dose, it's also cheaper than its competitors. Distributing Pfizer and Moderna's ultra-cold vaccines to rural communities will be a challenge The FDA has scheduled its final review of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for December 10. If they are granted emergency use authorization, distribution could begin within hours. But both vaccines quickly lose potency if they aren't stored and transported at "ultra-cold" temperatures, which will make distributing them to small and isolated rural areas—where many vulnerable Americans live—a delicate operation. Pharmaceutical companies and other packaging manufacturers are working on tech solutions to bridge that gap. Ad Council begins an ambitious advertising campaign to encourage Americans to get vaccinated In preparation for the arrival of a vaccine, the Ad Council, a nonprofit advertising group, is working on a $50 million campaign to persuade Americans to get vaccinated. The group was also responsible for a campaign to encourage getting vaccinated against polio in the 1950s. This will be one of its largest public education efforts ever, at a time when many distrust vaccines. According to a survey conducted by the Covid Collective, a group of experts collaborating on the campaign, only a third of Americans plan to get vaccinated, and fewer than 20 percent of Black Americans think the vaccine will be safe and effective. Daily Distraction Researchers recently used a low-cost 3D printer to make a human heart that feels like the real deal. It's an exciting step towards making printed flesh and blood a reality. Something to Read "Thirty minutes ago, I was still at work, processing blockchain claims, drinking coffee, and thinking about what Avi and I might order for dinner. Heat lingers on the pavement as machines begin to whir. I'm alive, aren't I?" Check out the latest installment of WIRED's fiction series on the future of work. Sanity Check 2020 has been the year of the reluctant home chef. If you're sick of prepping the same meals day in and out, here are a few of the year's best cookbooks to help spruce things up. One Question How much does mask-wearing reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2? Last week, a prestigious medical journal published the results of a 6,000-person trial that, according to some headlines, found that wearing a mask doesn't offer any clear protection from coronavirus. This is a mischaracterization, but ultimately it would be profoundly difficult to conduct any kind of study that discerns the extent to which masks and mask mandates have reduced the toll of the pandemic. Still, an absence of strong evidence doesn't mean masks have no positive impact. We may never be able to quantify the impact of masks and mask mandates. What we do have is a collection of pieces of evidence that, taken together, prove that masks are somewhat effective at the very least, and wearing them is most definitely worthwhile. Covid-19 Care Package ❓ From social distancing to viral spread to staying sane, here's everything we know and advise about the coronavirus. 📦 The Covid-19 virus can linger on objects for as little as a few hours or as long as a couple of days, depending on the surface. Here's an updated look at the research. 😷 If you're planning to go out in public anytime soon, you're going to need a mask. Here are the best ones you can buy, or how to make one at home. 🧼 It's not just your hands that need washing—your gadgets, clothes, and home need it too. Here's how to properly disinfect your stuff. 💻 Some of you are work-from-home pros, but if you're new to it, here's how to stay productive without losing your mind. 😔 It's hard not to be anxious about a global pandemic, but here's how you can protect yourself and your family without spiraling and how to not hate the loved ones you're quarantined with. ✂️ It may still be a while before you can see your hairstylist, so here's how to cut your hair at home, plus other ways to keep yourself lookin' fresh. 🦠 Read all of our coronavirus coverage here. | 
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