Health

Health
U.S. government seizes over 10M phony N95 masks in COVID probe
Federal agents have seized more than 10 million fake 3M brand N95 masks in recent weeks, the result of an ongoing investigation into counterfeits sold in at least five states to hospitals, medical facilities and government agencies.
Explainer: How will we know we've reached herd immunity?
Health officials around the world are racing to vaccinate enough people to stop the spread of COVID-19 — but what qualifies as “enough” is still an open question. Many experts say at least 70 percent of the population needs to be protected. Health officials will watch infection trends as vaccinations roll out. And restrictions are likely to begin relaxing long before herd immunity is reached.
UN chief urges global plan to reverse unfair vaccine access
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sharply criticized the “wildly uneven and unfair” distribution of COVID-19 vaccines on Wednesday, saying 10 countries have administered 75 percent of all vaccinations and demanding a global effort to get all people in every nation vaccinated as soon as possible.
Vaccinating homeless patients against COVID-19: 'All bets are off'
A community health center is now immunizing the local homeless population. But vaccination logistics, already complex, are compounded by the additional barriers in communication and transportation.
Is it safe enough for kids to return to the classroom?
The CDC says it’s safe to reopen schools, as long as certain conditions are met. Parents greeted the news with sighs of relief. But many educators are wary.
COVID-19 causes surge in food shelf visits among older Minnesotans
As the COVID-19 pandemic bore down on the state, the number of older adults seeking food assistance swelled across Minnesota. The state’s largest increases in food shelf use over the last year happened in the Twin Cities metro areas. But in some rural places, there has been a more than fivefold increase in visits among people who are 65 or older.
Walz: Students can return to middle, high school buildings Monday
The decision follows new federal protocols on how schools should operate during the pandemic. “It’s time to get our students back in school, and we can do that now safely,” the Minnesota governor said.