| A new Covid pill seeks FDA approval, Sydney emerges from lockdown, and unvaccinated patients risk moving down transplant waitlists. Here's what you should know: Headlines Merck asks the FDA to authorize what could be the first pill for treating Covid-19 This morning, drugmaker Merck and its partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutic asked the FDA to authorize its antiviral pill for treating adults with mild to moderate Covid-19 who are at risk of developing severe disease. If cleared for emergency use, this will be the first pill used to treat the illness. Earlier this month Merck said that its pill halved hospitalizations and deaths in patients with early symptoms—results that were strong enough for independent experts to recommend stopping the trial early. After more than 100 days, lockdown eases in Sydney, Australia On Monday, vaccinated residents of Sydney, Australia were finally able to emerge from lockdown after more than 100 days. People who have received both shots can now move freely around the city, host up to 10 fully vaccinated adults at home, and visit restaurants, gyms, shops, places of worship, and more, albeit under reduced capacity. When lockdown first began amid a surge in cases thanks to the Delta variant last June, Australia's vaccine rollout was moving slowly. But three months later, nearly 75 percent of adults in New South Wales, of which Sydney is the capital, had received both shots. US health facilities are factoring vaccination status into organ transplant waitlists More and more medical facilities in the US are factoring Covid-19 vaccination status into deciding who receives organ donations. It's not new to consider odds of survival when figuring out who will get donated organs, or to require vaccinations against other diseases, not least because transplant recipients need to take immunosuppressant drugs to keep their bodies from rejecting new organs. The hospitals in question have cited these as reasons for the new protocols, saying unvaccinated recipients are at risk of developing severe Covid-19 and wasting life-saving organs. Daily Distraction Urban streets and buildings have a tendency to absorb the sun's energy during the day and release it at night. As the planet warms, that means that cities are baking at hotter temperatures—and their residents are heating up with them. Something to Read Years of research, a recent congressional hearing, and an abundance of anecdotal evidence all indicate that Instagram makes many of its users feel bad about their bodies. How do you unlearn seeing your body as an object after spending time online? Writer Eleanor Cummins has a novel suggestion: "Cancel corporeality. Find ways to perceive, and be perceived, less." Sanity Check If you've finally reached your Facebook breaking point after last week's whistleblower hearings, here's how to permanently delete your account. One Question What will it take to convince people to get vaccinated? Researchers have been working to figure out what kinds of incentives, rules, and messaging will be necessary to encourage those who are still hesitant to get vaccinated. For example, the polling company Civis recently released data showing that emphasizing certain things, like protecting kids, did result in some saying they're more likely to get vaccinated. But other safety and deathbed messages actually caused a backlash. Another study found that the only thing that moved the needle was reminding people of the personal benefits of getting a shot. And, of course, we know now that mandates often seem to work. But none of these is a surefire way to get the rest of the population vaccinated. As for what that will take, no one really knows. 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. 😷 Masks may not be mandatory where you live, but they're still recommended for many situations. Here are the best masks you can buy, and how to make one at home. 💉 Vaccines are the most effective way to protect yourself and others against Covid-19. 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. 💼 As employers increasingly require workers to return to the office, the routines you built during the pandemic may be thrown into disarray. Here are some tips to help you make the adjustment smoothly. 👋 So you're fully vaccinated! Congrats. Here are some ways you can let others know. 🦠Read all of our coronavirus coverage here. | 
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