| New outbreaks in Missouri and Arkansas, England's reopening, and cases among Olympians. Here's what you should know: Headlines Parts of Missouri and Arkansas are seeing a shocking surge in cases Southwest Missouri and northern Arkansas are now home to the country's largest Covid-19 outbreak, thanks to a combination of low vaccination rates and the rapid spread of the Delta variant. The seven-day new case average is up 150 percent from a month ago in Missouri, and 287 percent in Arkansas; hospitalization rates are as high as they were last winter. Though Missouri's governor has gotten vaccinated and encouraged residents to do the same, he has also been a strong proponent of people's right to not get vaccinated and limited local governments' ability to put public health restrictions in place last month. England reopens even as cases rise and Boris Johnson goes into self-isolation Today England lifted mask mandates, allowed nightclubs and sporting events to fill to capacity, and relaxed almost all other pandemic restrictions. The country has pressed ahead with its reopening plans even as case levels rise to the highest they've been since January, though deaths have stayed low by comparison. On Sunday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson himself went into self-isolation after he was exposed to someone with Covid. More than half of Britain's total population is now fully vaccinated, but medical experts have criticized this reopening, saying it could help vaccine-resistant variants develop. Olympians are diagnosed with Covid just days before the Opening Ceremony in Tokyo On Sunday, an alternate on the USA Olympic gymnastic team tested positive for Covid-19, the first positive case among members of Team USA in Japan. Over the weekend, tennis star Coco Gauff also announced that she had tested positive and would not be competing in Tokyo. The Olympics are set to kick off on Friday, and polling shows that the overwhelming majority of residents are skeptical about the safety of holding the event. Weekly average new cases have jumped more than 45 percent in Tokyo in the last week. Daily Distraction When users customize an avatar, they get to try out different versions of themselves. But what happens to those alternate personas when you grow up? Something to Read During his time in the White House, Donald Trump cut the nation's cybersecurity agencies way back. Now, the Biden administration has the opposite problem. Highly qualified candidates have filled five overlapping roles at the top of the org chart, and there could be too many cooks in the kitchen. Sanity Check Planning to get out into nature this summer? We rounded up some of our favorite tents to keep you comfortable in the great outdoors. One Question How has the pandemic changed the pet industry? Over the past 18 months, animal adoption rates have gone through the roof as Americans sought out pets to keep them company during lockdown. And where there are more customers, startup growth is soon to follow. Sales on Chewy, a popular online retailer, rose 51 percent in Q4, and subscribers to Barkbox, which sells personalized boxes of dog treats and toys, increased 72 percent year-over-year during the same period. Beyond existing companies, there are now businesses hitting the market with new ideas about what animals need, like Barklyn, a "dog wellness" company that raised $9 million Series A in April, and Small Door, which calls itself "OneMedical for pets." 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 no longer be mandatory where you live, but it's still a good idea to have a few around. Here are the best masks you can buy, or 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. 🚗 Itching for a vacation but not quite ready to get on a plane? Hit the road instead. Here's everything you need to plan a post-pandemic road trip. 👋 So you're fully vaccinated! Congrats. Here are some ways you can let others know. 🦠Read all of our coronavirus coverage here. | 
