PLUS: The Covid-19 headlines you need to know, a distraction, and something to read.
By Eve Sneider | 04.14.22 | Pfizer says its booster for younger kids works, Shanghai cases hit a new record, and the pandemic declines in Africa. But first, here's this week's big story: |  | Both the World Health Organization and the US Department of Health and Human Services reaffirmed this week that the Covid-19 pandemic remains a public health emergency. The former cited high case counts in parts of Asia and Europe. And US officials have extended the country's emergency declaration for another 90 days. The Biden administration also announced yesterday that its mask mandate on planes and other transit, which was set to expire after April 18, will stay in place through May 3. Earlier this week, Philadelphia reimposed its own indoor mask mandate, the first major American city to do so as cases trend upwards in parts of the country. With case counts likely to increase in the coming weeks, it's important to be conscious of when and how you should test yourself for the virus. It's also worth thinking about how we talk about contracting Covid, Amy Gajda writes for WIRED Ideas. While it's important to share if you've tested positive with any close contacts, she says, social norms on sharing this information widely could have ramifications for medical privacy down the line. | | Pfizer announced today that in clinical trials a third booster dose of its Covid-19 vaccine, given six months after the first two doses, led to a significant increase in antibody levels in children ages 5 to 11. (NBC News) Cases in Shanghai set another record today, and while President Xi Jinping recently said the country needs to stick with its pandemic restrictions, more residents have taken to social media to vent frustrations about food access and quarantine conditions. (Reuters) Cases and deaths in Africa have fallen to their lowest levels since the start of the pandemic, according to the WHO. But with winter coming to the southern hemisphere, the agency warns that the trend might not continue. (Al Jazeera) UK prime minister Boris Johnson announced on Tuesday that he had paid a fine issued by the police after he attended a party during lockdown. He is the first recorded person in his position to have broken a law. (New York Times) New Zealand took its first step toward opening to international travel on Wednesday, when vaccinated Australians and permanent residents were allowed to enter with proof of a negative test. (The Guardian) | | There's a new trend afoot in dystopian movies, where characters are speaking in a dispassionate, flat tone. Call it Sad-Voice Sci-Fi. | | In California, climate change has made droughts drier and floods more extreme, leaving many farmers in a tough position. But one, Don Cameron, is asking a game-changing question: "What if you could capture one disaster and use it to mitigate the other?" | | April showers bring May flowers. But for the time being, here are our favorite umbrellas to help you stay dry. | |
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