Plus: The Covid-19 headlines you need to know, a distraction, and something to read.
By Eve Sneider | 05.02.22 | China continues to battle outbreaks, Amazon ends paid time off for Covid, and the unvaccinated no longer make up the vast majority of US deaths. Here's what you should know: |  Headlines Shanghai and Beijing continue to battle new cases (Reuters) Today, 58 new cases were reported outside of locked-down areas in Shanghai, yet another hitch in the country's response to the latest pandemic surge. Officials say the situation in China's commercial capital is improving, though images and dispatches on social media have painted a less rosy picture of the city's lockdowns. Meanwhile, Beijing has not yet locked down, and officials are trying instead to contain the pandemic with the help of mass testing and tightened restrictions during this week's national holidays. Amazon ends paid Covid leave for US front-line workers (CNBC) Starting today, Amazon will no longer offer paid leave for front-line US workers who come down with Covid-19. The company announced this change on Saturday, adding that these employees will get up to five days of excused, unpaid leave and that they can also use their sick time off if needed. Earlier in the pandemic, Amazon offered two weeks of paid leave for workers who tested positive or needed to quarantine, reduced to one week last January. And because rapid tests are now readily available, the company is also saying it will no longer offer excused time off for employees waiting on test results. Vulnerable, vaccinated Americans make up an increasing share of Covid deaths (Washington Post) Since the advent of vaccines, the vast majority of Covid-19 deaths in the US have been among the unvaccinated. But new data indicates that as vaccines weaken over time, particularly among elderly and immune-compromised people, the unvaccinated no longer make up an overwhelming share of fatalities. According to an analysis by the Washington Post, nearly two-thirds of people who died during the Omicron surge in the US were 75 and older; and while most Americans in this age group are vaccinated, not all have received boosters, and these shots become less effective over time. | | Elon Musk has referred to Twitter as a town square. But to understand its many facets, you—and he—would do better to think of the platform as a city. | | WeWork's dramatic 2019 collapse spawned books, podcasts, and even a TV series—cautionary tales for future coworking ventures. Still, the company has had an indelible impact on American office life. | |
