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Face coverings are required in many places around the US to protect people from coronavirus infections.
I tried wearing a face shield instead of a face mask for about a week, and fell in love.
The shield is easily cleaned, easy to see through, simple to breathe and talk in, and provides a physical barrier that protects both the wearer and others from infection.
There is no solid evidence about whether a shield is superior to a mask, protection-wise, but experts say there’s no reason to think that face shields are necessarily inferior viral barriers.
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I’m just going to say it: I hate wearing my face mask.

Homemade face masks are uncomfortable, sweaty, difficult to breathe in, difficult to talk in, fog up glasses, and require regular washing.

Plus, they’re imperfect viral barriers, especially if you’re taking them on and off all day to talk, breathe, eat, and drink.

Luckily, I’ve found something far better.

I’ve been wearing a rigid plastic face shield — a protective barrier against disease made of plastic — that covers my eyes, nose, and mouth, in place of a makeshift face mask. I’ve been using it for about two weeks now as I walk around my neighborhood in New York, where face coverings are required in public to help protect people from catching the coronavirus.

The results have been delightful.

So before you brave another trip to the grocery store or the park in your Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-recommended homemade mask, hear me out.

Wearing a mask in addition to a shield is the most iron-clad form of virus protection.

But, “if you just need some pretty good protection, and especially if you’re just really worried about preventing you from giving someone else COVID, then the shield does actually protect you really well,” said industrial designer Stephen Chininis, a professor at Georgia Tech and advisor to the Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners, where he 3D prints shields.

Chininis and other inventors and manufacturers have started making shields that attach to a baseball cap, which anybody can wear.

They don’t require the elastic bands that healthcare workers often use for their shields, which have been in short supply.

“I mean, I can’t wear a mask for very long,” Chininis said. “In certain situations, it’s just really difficult.”

He said if you do use a shield, it’s important to ensure whatever plastic barrier you use …read more

Source:: Business Insider

University of Utah Health’s Isabella Lesa, Shelly Archuleta-Boyce and Chris Larsen try to cool off and stay hydrated while administering free COVID-19 tests in the 90-degree weather at Victor’s Event Center in West Valley City on Friday, May 29, 2020. The Consulate of Mexico in Salt Lake City, in collaboration with Victor’s Event Center, the Utah Department of Health and the University of Utah Wellness Bus collaborated for the event. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

SALT LAKE CITY — The data on coronavirus in Utah is good enough that a local commission believes the state should move into a “smart green” risk phase, allowing nearly all Utah businesses to open.

But it wouldn’t mean everything is back to normal, and it still requires approval from the governor.

“Utah is and will remain in a state of emergency, the lower risk level does not indicate that our state is back to normal,” a letter from Utah’s Public Health and Economic Emergency Commission issued Tuesday states.

The commission, made up of health and government officials as well as business and community representatives, unanimously voted on Tuesday that a “smart green level” would require continued social distancing and wearing masks in public.

“The commission encourages individuals to wear a mask as a mark of common respect for the high-risk population.”

Its decision, which has been referred to Gov. Gary Herbert for consideration, involves “key data indicators” that support the transition, the commission states. The state is currently practicing protocols outlined in the yellow phase of the state’s recovery plan, Utah Leads Together.

Those indicators include hospitalization rates, transmission rates and overall spread of disease.

“The commission will continue to review data to safely take our state to a new phase and allow our economy to move forward,” said Maj. Gen. Jefferson Burton, co-chairman of the commission and acting director of the Utah Department of Health. “I encourage all Utahns to maintain social distancing, wear face coverings and practice good hygeine that has allowed our state to get to this point.”

As of June 2, hospitals in Utah have yet to be overwhelmed by the pandemic, averaging a 61% capacity in the intensive care units for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients in the past 14 days. Beds occupied by COVID-19 patients have not exceeded 11% of total capacity for the last two weeks as well.

The transmission rate in the state has been below 1.2 for 22 consecutive days, meaning …read more

Source:: Deseret News – Utah News

Google will hold a period of silence in memory of the death of George Floyd and other black lives that have been lost.
“Our Black community is hurting, and many of us are searching for ways to stand up for what we believe, and reach out to people we love to show solidarity,” wrote CEO Sundar Pichai in a memo to staff.
Pichai also said that the company would give $12 million in funding to organizations working to address racial inequities.
Do you work at Google? Contact this reporter securely using encrypted messaging app Signal (+1 628-228-1836) or email (hlangley@businessinsider.com).
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Google CEO Sundar Pichai said the company would hold a moment of silence on Wednesday in recognition of the death of George Floyd and other black lives that have been lost.

In an email sent to employees and shared on the company’s blog, the Google and Alphabet chief said that there would be a moment of silence at 1 pm PDT lasting 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the amount of time that George Floyd was held under the knee of a police officer before he died.

“Our Black community is hurting, and many of us are searching for ways to stand up for what we believe, and reach out to people we love to show solidarity,” wrote Pichai, who said he met with a group of black leaders at the company to discuss how Google could contribute.

Pichai also said that the company would give $12 million in funding to organizations working to address racial inequities.

The company recently launched an internal giving campaign, too, which Google says has now raised $2.5 million and which Google will match.

Pichai also recognized the protests and the current political situation in the US during the company’s annual stockholder call.

“The senseless deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and others have compounded the grief people are already feeling,” he said.

On Tuesday this week, Youtube and YouTube Music employees were encouraged to take the day to reflect on the protests across the US, make donations, and take part in internal activism programs, insiders say.

However, Google’s own diversity efforts have been put into question, following an NBC report that the company scaled back its diversity and inclusion programs.

SEE ALSO: Google’s Europe chief called for solidarity with US colleagues in leaked email: ‘It’s been devastating to watch what’s happened over the weekend and the …read more

Source:: Business Insider

A prayer vigil was held today for Las Vegas Metropolitan Police officer Shay Mikalonis.

Mikalonis, 29, is in a critical condition after being shot in the head outside Circus Circus Casino on the Las Vegas Strip yesterday.

A suspect, 20-year-old Edgar Samaniego was arrested by police in relation to the crime and appeared in court today, June 3, on one count of attempted murder and two counts of discharging a gun where a person might be endangered. The judge in the Las Vegas Justice Court ordered that he be held without bail.

Speaking at a news conference this morning, Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman joined Metro Police and faith leaders in calling for peace.

“We are a family of people … any color, any faith, any belief in anything, we are a family of one people,” Goodman said, in reference to the actions of the Las Vegas officers at yesterday’s shootings.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=588518981773318&ref=external

Fox5 reported that the community was praying for Mikalonis today while he remained in a critical condition at UMC Hospital:

Everett Wilson, a Christian who came to UMC to pray for the Mikalonis family, told 3LV News there had been “So many tears shed … we need to go to the creator of all of us to bring us back together.”

Looted Kentucky Kroger Store Rebuilds

While Vegas was lifting up Mikalonis in prayer, a looted Kentucky grocery store was slowly rebuilding their shattered lives following a series of destructive riots in the city.

And they believe they have one person to thank for it – God.

Moving video shows the moments the Kroger store on 2710 block of West Broadway in Louisville, Kentucky, reopens with praises following devastating looting of their store on Tuesday morning:

HAPPENING NOW: A prayer service at 28th and Broadway Kroger hit by looters early Tuesday morning. The Kroger reopened today and crowds are gathering for a faith service. @WDRBNews pic.twitter.com/fS8ACXQPcz

— Jessica Bard (@JessBardReports) June 3, 2020

The store was looted early yesterday morning, June 2, during protests for George Floyd, a black man who died while in police custody last week.

WLKY’s Marvis Herring reported that the store has “bounced back quickly” and was operating on reduced hours:

OPEN FOR BUSINESS:@kroger on W. Broadway bounces back quickly after early Tuesday morning looting destroyed this store.

I talked to grateful residents as the …read more

Source:: Heavy.com