Plus: The Covid-19 headlines you need to know, a distraction, and something to read.
By Eve Sneider | 02.07.22 | Canada contends with protests, Olympians struggle with quarantine, and drugstores improve rapid test supply. Here's what you should know: |  Headlines Ottawa declares a state of emergency in response to pandemic protesters (ABC News) On Sunday, the mayor of Ottawa declared a state of emergency in the Canadian capital after 10 days of pandemic protests, which haven't turned violent but have effectively paralyzed activity downtown. The demonstrations in Ottawa and other cities across Canada started with truckers opposing a new rule that requires them to be vaccinated in order to cross the US-Canada border. Protesters are now speaking out against other pandemic restrictions and broader political issues, like disapproval of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Olympic athletes complain of difficult quarantine conditions in Beijing (NPR) Olympians who test positive for Covid-19 after arriving in Beijing are required to isolate themselves in special facilities until they have two consecutive negative PCR tests, at which point they can go back to the Olympic Village to train and compete. But athletes currently in isolation are voicing serious complaints about the conditions of their quarantines. These have included little to no internet, bad food, and no access to athletic equipment, a serious impediment to preparing for the games. CVS and Walgreens remove cap on rapid test purchases (New York Times) Starting this week, shoppers at CVS and Walgreens will be allowed to buy as many at-home rapid test kits as they would like. The two chains announced that this change is possible because they have increased their inventory. Back in December, both drugstores capped the number of tests people could buy to six per person at CVS and four at Walgreens. | | Joe Rogan's podcast is a Spotify mainstay, but it's come under fire for spreading misinformation, and so has the platform. What does this mean for everyday users? WIRED's Kate Knibbs has thoughts. | | The 2022 Beijing Olympics couldn't feel more different from the games held there in 2008, and not just because of all those Covid precautions. Fourteen years ago, WeChat hadn't been invented, most transactions were in cash, and foreigners didn't need to worry about surveillance. This year's games drive home the way that China has become sanitized and closed off to the rest of the world. | |
