| Mastercard Foundation steps in to aid African vaccine distribution, US traffic patterns shift post-lockdown, and the Delta variant gains traction in the US. Here's what you should know: Headlines Mastercard Foundation pledges $1.3 billion to Africa vaccine efforts On Tuesday the Mastercard Foundation announced that it will donate $1.3 billion to boost vaccine manufacturing and distribution in Africa in partnership with the continent's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So far, vaccination efforts in Africa have been sputtering at best, even as infections are on the rise. In Nigeria, its most populous country, only 0.1 percent of people are fully vaccinated. That rate is even lower in Kenya. And in at least five countries, no doses have been administered to date. Traffic is on the rise again, but rush hour may look different than it did pre-pandemic US vehicles traveled approximately 20 percent more miles in March 2021 compared with the same month in 2020, indicating that people are starting to move more freely. But traffic patterns in cities look very different now than they did pre-pandemic. In many big US cities where there was once a big morning rush, traffic is now building slowly throughout the day, with a peak in the afternoon. These new rhythms could be the result of telecommuting, or a byproduct of the slow return to mass transit. The Delta variant accounts for an increasing number of cases in the US According to the CDC, the Delta variant of Covid-19, which was first detected in India, now accounts for over 6 percent of cases in the US, and potentially more than 18 percent of cases in some parts of the country. In the UK, it's responsible for more than 60 percent of cases, a situation Anthony Fauci said the US is keen to avoid. That said, a new study coming out of England indicated that vaccines are still highly effective against the variant. And, promisingly, daily case counts in the US remain the lowest they've been since the early days of the pandemic. Daily Distraction For a growing and devoted group of hobbyists online, building custom keyboards is an all-consuming pastime. Here's how they get started. Something to Read For years, Google nurtured and grew its ethical AI team. But last December, researcher Timnit Gebru was ousted from the company for refusing to retract a paper that shed light on the biases and pitfalls of AI models. "To researchers, it sent a dangerous message," WIRED's Tom Simonite writes. "AI is largely unregulated and only getting more powerful and ubiquitous, and insiders who are forthright in studying its social harms do so at the risk of exile." Sanity Check June is Adopt a Cat month—why not celebrate by treating your feline friend to a present? One Question How do I make work friends when everything is remote? It's tough to feel truly connected to anyone else from behind a screen, least of all brand new coworkers. The key to bridging that gap is pretty simple: Put yourself out there and talk to people! It'll feel awkward at first to suggest virtual coffee or follow new colleagues on Instagram, but when (or if) you do return to the office, you'll have a new crew ready to go.
Covid-19 Care Package 📦 To end this pandemic and prevent future ones, we'll need a good way to track and surveil emerging diseases. Here's a look at the latest efforts. 😷 If you're planning to go out in public, you're still likely to need a mask for some time to come. Here are the best ones you can buy, or how to make one at home. 💉 The data is in, and the vaccines are working. Here's how to get an appointment in your area. 💻 Whether or not you're a work-from-home pro, 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. ✂️ Here are some ways to keep yourself lookin' fresh after over a year at home. 🦠 Read all of our coronavirus coverage here. | 
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