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Health

Should you wear a mask if you’re vaccinated? Experts disagree

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Whether vaccinated people should wear masks is a question for many, including major health agencies. 


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For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites.

You’re vaccinated against COVID, so isn’t it safe to get rid of your mask now? It depends. The World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have different recommendations for vaccinated individuals for different reasons. The conflicting guidance comes as the highly contagious delta variant continues to dominate new cases around the world, including in the US. 

Last month, WHO officials repeated their longstanding recommendation that everyone should wear masks to stem the spread of the virus. Meanwhile, the CDC continues to uphold its guidance that fully vaccinated Americans no longer need to wear masks indoors or maintain social distancing. On Sunday, White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci said that those who’ve had two doses of the vaccine should still “go the extra step” to wear a mask when traveling to places with low vaccination rates. 

Both the WHO and CDC agree that people who aren’t vaccinated should continue to wear face masks. But given the high rate of protection that vaccinated people have against the delta variant and other COVID strains, why are some medical experts in conflict about a barrier over your nose and mouth? Does the dispute come down to legal liability, politics or science? This story has been updated.

Why are experts at odds over masks for vaccinated people?

A few days after the WHO recommendation that people who received the COVID-19 vaccine should continue wearing a face mask, Dr. Fauci explained why the advice differs from the CDC’s. “There’s a reason for that,” Fauci said in a virtual White House press briefing. “The WHO is responsible for the planet as a whole. It’s different in the world in general from here in the United States.”

So, while the WHO is monitoring the pandemic around the world, with a majority of people unvaccinated, the CDC is commenting on the situation in the US, where the vaccines have been shown to work quite effectively against hospitalization from the delta variant. Only 23.7% of the global population is fully vaccinated, according to vaccine tracker site Our World in Data. The US nearly doubles that number: 47% of Americans are considered fully vaccinated as of June 30, according to the Mayo Clinic. 

For Fauci and the CDC, the urgency is less about wearing a face mask after vaccination and more about getting a greater number of Americans vaccinated in the first place. On July 4, Fauci said that 99.2% of COVID-related deaths last month involved unvaccinated people. 

Dr. Anthony Fauci used data in this slide to explain why differences in global and US vaccination rates resulted in two very distinct mask-wearing recommendations.


Screenshot by CNET

WHO guidance: Fully vaccinated should still wear masks

Wearing a mask consistently continues to be important, even for people who are vaccinated, a WHO official said during a press briefing in late June. “People cannot feel safe just because they had the two doses. They still need to protect themselves.”

Wearing masks in public places is essential to help people from inhaling particles that will cause them to become sick, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, an American infectious disease epidemiologist, said during that same briefing.

While the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are showing robust protection against variants, “breakthrough” infections may still sporadically occur. In an early case in June, a fully vaccinated woman in Napa, California, died from COVID-19. She was over 65 and was reported to have underlying medical conditions.


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CDC guidance: Fully vaccinated can go maskless

The CDC’s current guidance on mask wearing remains the same for fully vaccinated people. The guidelines say those who are fully vaccinated can “resume activities without wearing masks or physically distancing” except where required, such as in planes and businesses. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky stuck to that guidance on NBC’s Today show on June 30, saying fully vaccinated people are protected from the delta variant.

The CDC warned CNN that there’s still a small chance fully vaccinated people can become infected with the new variant if they’re exposed. We’ve asked the CDC for comment.

Why is the coronavirus delta variant serious?

The delta variant is the latest of new coronavirus variants and is the most contagious of the variants identified so far, according to the WHO. The delta variant has been identified in 85 countries so far and is spreading among the unvaccinated population, the organization said during the press conference.

“The delta variant is currently the greatest threat in the US to our attempt to eliminate COVID-19,” Fauci said during a White House press briefing on June 22.

Some countries are returning to lockdowns to curb the spread.


Sarah Tew/CNET

Will there be more mask mandates or stricter restrictions?

Some countries have already begun tightening COVID-19 restrictions. For instance, four cities across Australia have returned to lockdown, including Sydney’s state of New South Wales. In the US, Los Angeles County is strongly recommending face masks indoors, regardless of whether someone has been vaccinated, though masks aren’t required in most places. Some countries within Africa and Asia — for instance, South Africa and Malaysia — have also moved into lockdown due to the delta variant spreading.

Some places never loosened mask mandates, such as airports and airlines. In the US, other public transportation facilities require masks, such as buses and trains.

For more information, here’s what you need to know about “long COVID” and how it’s treated. Also, read up on these COVID-19 vaccine side effects and important dos and don’ts for getting your COVID-19 vaccine.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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Health

Wear a mask if you’re vaccinated? Why the WHO and CDC don’t have the same guidance

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Even fully vaccinated people should wear masks, according to the WHO.


Sarah Tew/CNET
For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites.

Should masks be tossed for those who are vaccinated against COVID? It depends who you ask. In the case of the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are entirely different recommendations for masks for vaccinated individuals for entirely different reasons. The dispute also comes down to legal liability or politics. 

On June 25, WHO Assistant Director General Dr. Mariângela Batista Galvão Simão caused alarm when he recommended that vaccinated people should continue to wear masks, even if they received two doses of a vaccine such as Pfizer or AstraZeneca. Days later, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky appeared to contradict the WHO’s advice, citing the high rate of protection that vaccinated people have against the delta variant and other COVID strains.

The conflicting advice comes as the highly contagious delta variant continues to dominate new cases around the world, including in the US. Both the WHO and CDC agree that people who are not vaccinated should continue to wear face masks, but why are they at odds about a barrier over your nose and mouth? This story has been updated with new information.

Why do the WHO and CDC disagree on face masks for vaccinated people?

A few days after the WHO recommendation that people who received the COVID-19 vaccine should continue wearing a face mask, Dr. Anthony Fauci, a leading authority on US infectious disease (and adviser to seven presidents) explained why the advice differs from the CDC’s.

“There’s a reason for that,” Fauci said in a virtual White House press briefing with Walensky. “The WHO is responsible for the planet as a whole. It’s different in the world in general from here in the United States.”

Only 23.7% of the global population is fully vaccinated, according to vaccine tracker site Our World in Data. The US nearly doubles that number: 47% of Americans are considered fully vaccinated as of June 30, according to the Mayo Clinic.

For Fauci and Walensky, the urgency is less about wearing a face mask after vaccination and more about getting a greater number of Americans vaccinated in the first place. To back up his point, Fauci cited findings that show two doses of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines are 90% or more effective against hospitalization from the delta variant.

Fauci used data in this slide to explain why differences in global and US vaccination rates resulted in two official mask-wearing recommendations that seemed at odds.


Screenshot by CNET

WHO’s guidance: Vaccinated people should wear face masks

Wearing a mask consistently continues to be important, even for people who are vaccinated, WHO Assistant Director General Simão said during a press briefing on June 25. “People cannot feel safe just because they had the two doses. They still need to protect themselves.”

Wearing masks in public places is essential to help people from inhaling particles that will cause them to become sick, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, an American infectious disease epidemiologist, said during that same briefing.

While the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are showing robust protection against variants, “breakthrough” infections may still sporadically occur. In an early case in June, a fully vaccinated woman in Napa, California, died from COVID-19. She was over 65 and was reported to have underlying medical conditions.


Now playing:
Watch this:

Your phone might be a powerful tool to help stop the…



1:34

CDC’s guidance: Vaccinated people can go maskless in the US

The CDC’s current guidance on mask wearing remains the same for fully vaccinated people. The guidelines say those who are fully vaccinated can “resume activities without wearing masks or physically distancing” except where required, such as in planes and businesses.

Walensky, the agency’s director, stuck to that guidance on NBC’s Today show Wednesday, saying fully vaccinated people are protected from the delta variant.

The CDC warned CNN on Saturday that there’s still a small chance fully vaccinated people can become infected with the new variant if they’re exposed. We’ve asked the CDC for comment.

Why is the coronavirus delta variant important?

The delta variant is the latest of new coronavirus variants, and is the most contagious of the variants identified so far, according to the WHO. The delta variant has been identified in 85 countries so far and is spreading among the unvaccinated population, the organization said during the press conference.

“The delta variant is currently the greatest threat in the US to our attempt to eliminate COVID-19,” Fauci said during a White House press briefing on June 22.

Some countries are returning to lockdowns to curb the spread.


Sarah Tew/CNET

Will there be more mask mandates and lockdowns?

Some countries have already begun tightening COVID-19 restrictions. For instance, four cities across Australia have returned to lockdown, including Sydney’s state of New South Wales. In the US, Los Angeles County is strongly recommending face masks indoors, regardless of whether someone has been vaccinated or not, though masks aren’t required in most places. Some countries within Africa and Asia — for instance, South Africa and Malaysia — have also moved into lockdown due to the delta variant spreading.

Some places never loosened mask mandates, such as airports and airlines. In the US, other public transportation facilities require masks, such as buses and trains.

For more information, here’s what you need to know about “long COVID” and how it’s treated. Also, read up on these COVID-19 vaccine side effects and important dos and don’ts for getting your COVID-19 vaccine.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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World

DeSantis spars with ’60 Minutes’ over vaccine rollout: ‘What you’re saying is wrong’

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantisRon DeSantis Parts of Florida county evacuated amid fears of wastewater reservoir collapse More GOP-led states risk corporate backlash like Georgia’s Overnight Health Care: CDC says fully vaccinated people can safely travel | Biden bemoans those acting as though COVID-19 fight over | Will vaccine passports be the biggest campaign issue of 2022? MORE (R) sharply shot down reporting by “60 Minutes” alleging he funneled the state’s coronavirus vaccines to rich communities and privatized the vaccine rollout to benefit donors while many minorities in the state struggle to obtain access to an inoculation. 

CBS reporter Sharyn Alfonsi presented a far-ranging report for “60 Minutes” Sunday evening critical of Florida’s vaccine rollout. Among other allegations, Alfonsi said DeSantis gave a contract to distribute coronavirus vaccines to the grocery store chain Publix after Publix made a $100,000 donation to his political action committee.

DeSantis declined a request for an interview, Alfonsi said, but she caught up with him at an event south of Orlando. 

“Publix as you know donated $100,000 to your campaign and then you rewarded them with the exclusive rights to distribute the vaccine in Palm Beach,” Alfonsi told the governor. 

“So first of all what you’re saying is wrong,” DeSantis replied. “That’s a fake narrative .. I met with the county mayor. I met with the administrator. I met with all the folks in Palm Beach County and I said, ‘here’s some of the options. We can do more drive-thru sites. We can give more to hospitals. We can do the Publix.’ And they said, ‘We think that would be the easiest thing for our residents.'”

Alfonsi pressed DeSantis, saying his critics say the inequitable vaccine distribution and awarding of the contract to the grocery store to distribute the vaccine amounts to a “pay for play” scheme. 

“It’s wrong, it’s a fake narrative,” DeSantis said. “I just disabused you of the narrative and you don’t care about the facts because obviously I just laid it out for you in a way that is irrefutable. So clearly it’s not.” 

Alfonsi attempted to chime in again, but DeSantis shouted over her: “No no no you’re wrong you’re wrong you’re wrong.” 

Publix told “60 Minutes” there is no connection between the supermarket chain’s campaign contributions and its partnership with the state to administer the vaccine.

State Rep. Omari Hardy (D) told “60 Minutes” DeSantis’ decision to privatize the vaccine rollout has not worked for people of color in the state. 

She pointed to one low-income community without a Publix, meaning its residents, including elderly residents, would need to travel almost 30 miles to get a vaccine.

“Before, I could call the public health director. She would answer my calls. But now if I want to get my constituents information about how to get this vaccine I have to call a lobbyist from Publix? That makes no sense,” Hardy said. “They’re not accountable to the public.” 

The accusations regarding Publix come as DeSantis is already under fire for Florida’s vaccine rollout. He’s been accused of funneling vaccine doses to wealthy, white communities and steering pop-up vaccine sites to communities associated with political donors.



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Health

If You’re Overdoing This Supplement, Your Heart Is at Risk, Doctors Say

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Even if we don’t always completely stick to it, most of us know that balance and moderation are key to a healthy diet, and that includes incorporating vitamins and minerals into our daily routine. However, it’s also worth bearing in mind that it’s possible to have too much of a good thing—and in the case of one mineral, that is particularly true. Research has shown that, in excess, calcium supplements have the potential to damage your heart. Keep reading to find out why less may be more in the case of calcium, and for another vitamin you may need to dial back, check out If You Take Too Much of This Vitamin, It Could Be Toxic, Experts Say.

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The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases stresses the importance of calcium for your overall health. “Calcium is needed for our heart, muscles, and nerves to function properly and for blood to clot,” they explain.

It’s also key for bone health. Low calcium levels lead to low bone mass and high fracture rates. “Most people are not getting the calcium they need to grow and maintain healthy bones,” the experts at the National Institute explain. “Inadequate calcium significantly contributes to the development of osteoporosis.”

They advise that men aged 51 to 70 need 1,000 mg per day, while women require slightly more at 1,200 mg. Sex aside, anyone over 70, they say, should aim to get 1,200 mg per day. And for more on supplements, check out The One Vitamin You Should Never Take, Doctors Say.

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The National Osteoporosis Foundation warns that many people think the wrong way about bones and imagine them to be a hard, solid mass, rather than living, growing tissue that needs nutrition. Along with regular exercise and limiting smoking, they recommend getting enough calcium and vitamin D as “essential to building strong, dense bones when you’re young and to keeping them strong and healthy as you age.”

In response to this advice, many people take extra calcium supplements. Johns Hopkins Medicine estimates that “more than half of women over 60 take calcium supplements—many without the oversight of a physician—because they believe it will reduce their risk of osteoporosis.” And for the signs you’re lacking in certain vitamins and minerals, check out 20 Surprising Signs You Have a Vitamin Deficiency.

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In a 2016 report published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, Johns Hopkins researchers analyzed 10 years of medical tests covering more than 2,700 patients to examine the causes of heart disease. They concluded that taking calcium in the form of supplements “may raise the risk of plaque buildup in arteries and heart damage.”

However, the problem seemed specifically connected to consuming the mineral as an additional tablet as opposed to a naturally occurring element in food, as “a diet high in calcium-rich foods appears be protective.” Good food sources of calcium include dairy produce, oily fish like sardines, and dark leafy greens.

“When it comes to using vitamin and mineral supplements, particularly calcium supplements being taken for bone health, many Americans think that more is always better,” study co-author Erin Michos, MD, current director of Women’s Cardiovascular Health at Johns Hopkins, said in a statement. “But our study adds to the body of evidence that excess calcium in the form of supplements may harm the heart and vascular system.” And for more news on vitamins you could be deficient in, If Your Gums Tend to Bleed, You May Be Lacking This Vitamin, Study Says.

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The researchers looked at the effects of calcium supplements on the heart and vascular system because of suggestions from previous research that when taken in this way, it didn’t make it to the skeleton, but also wasn’t fully expelled through urination, meaning that it was likely to be accumulating somewhere in the body’s soft tissues.

“As a person ages, calcium-based plaque builds up in the body’s main blood vessel, the aorta and other arteries, impeding blood flow and increasing the risk of heart attack,” the experts at Johns Hopkins explain. While it remains to be seen why the body processes supplemental calcium in this way, theories include the presence of calcium salts in tablets, or simply that such a large concentrated dose can’t be processed as it can when it’s consumed via food.

Michos concludes that while “there doesn’t seem to be any harm in eating a heart-healthy diet that includes calcium-rich foods … patients should really discuss any plan to take calcium supplements with their doctor to sort out a proper dosage–or whether they even need them.” And for one source of calcium to steer clear of, check out If Your Milk Carton Doesn’t Say This, the CDC Says Don’t Drink It.

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Business

If you’re self-employed, don’t file your taxes without taking advantage of these two new tax breaks

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We are well into tax season. But if you’re a busy self-employed sole proprietor, partner, or LLC member, you might not have gotten around to filing your 2020 Form 1040. If so, you are forgiven. The good news: if you’ve stayed on the sidelines so far, it could actually turn out in your favor — because there are some new tax breaks that you may be blissfully unaware of. Here’s the story on two important ones. Take advantage if you can.

Defer some self-employment tax

If you’re self-employed, you know that the self-employment (SE) tax can take a big bite out of your wallet every year. Ouch. Thankfully, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) allows you to defer half of your 2020 liability for the 12.4% Social Security tax component of the SE tax for the deferral period. The deferral period began on 3/27/20 and ended on 12/31/20. You must then pay the deferred SE tax amount in two installments:

  • Half by 12/31/21
  • The remaining half by 12/31/22

If you’re cash-strapped, this can be a very helpful deal, and you should take full advantage.

If you owe the maximum $17,075 for the 2020 Social Security tax portion of the SE tax, it works out that you can potentially defer up to half of that amount, or $8,537. You would then pay in $4,268.50 by 12/31/21 and the remaining $4,268.50 by 12/31/22.

Tax-saving tip: Fill out Part III of Schedule SE to calculate the exact amount that you can defer. Then carry the deferred amount to Schedule 3 of Form 1040 where it’s treated as a credit that reduces your 2020 federal income tax liability on page 2 of your return. Done.

Claim tax credits for COVID-19-related sick leave and family leave taken last year

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) granted two separate 2020 federal tax credits to small employers to cover: (1) mandatory payments to employees who took time off between 4/1/20 and 12/31/20 under the FFCRA’s COVID-19-related emergency sick leave provisions and (2) mandatory payments to employees who took time off between those dates under the FFCRA’s emergency family leave provisions.

Somewhat surprisingly, equivalent tax credits are available to you as a self-employed individual if you took days of qualified sick leave or qualified family leave between 4/1/20 and 12/31/20. In effect, you can claim credits for amounts that you paid to yourself for: (1) qualified sick leave days and (2) qualified family leave days. Nice. Here’s what you need to know to cash in.

Sick leave credit details

The sick leave credit is allowed for sick leave days that you took between 4/1/20 and 12/31/20. The daily sick leave credit equals: (1) 100% of the daily sick-leave equivalent amount plus (2) 67% of the daily sick-leave equivalent amount if you took leave to care for a sick person or to care for an under-age-18 son or daughter following the closing of the child’s school or place of care or because the childcare provider for the child was unavailable due to COVID-19 precautions.

The daily sick-leave equivalent amount equals the lesser of: (1) your average daily self-employment income or (2) $511 per day for up to 10 sick days (up to $5,110 in total) to care for yourself or $200 per day for up to 10 days (up to $2,000 in total) to care for another sick person or to care for an under-age-18 son or daughter for any of the aforementioned reasons.

Average daily self-employment income means your net self-employment earnings for 2020 divided by 260.

Family leave credit details

The separate family leave credit is allowed for family leave days that you took to care for an under-age-18 son or daughter between 4/1/20 and 12/31/20 following the closing of the child’s school or place of care or because the childcare provider for the child was unavailable due to COVID-19 precautions.

You can claim the family leave credit for a maximum of 50 days. The allowable credit equals the number of qualified family leave days multiplied by the lesser of (1) $200 or (2) your average daily self-employment income.

The maximum total family leave credit is $10,000 (50 days × $200 per day).

Once again, average daily self-employment income means your net self-employment earnings for 2020 divided by 260.

Keep documentation

You should maintain documentation to establish your eligibility for these credits. According to the IRS website:

  • If you took sick leave days for yourself based on a quarantine order or advice to self-quarantine, document the name of the governmental entity ordering quarantine or the name of the health care professional who advised self-quarantine. If you took sick leave days to care for another person who was subject to quarantine or advised to self-quarantine, document the other person’s name and relationship to you.
  • If you took family leave days to care for an under-age-18 son or daughter due to a school closing or child care facility closing or child care provider unavailability, document the name and age of the child; the name of the school, summer camp, summer enrichment program, or other summer program that was closed; or the child care facility that was closed; or the child care provider who was unavailable. Be prepared to state that no other person cared for the child during the days you took family leave.

Tax-saving tip: These two credits are so-called refundable credits. That means you can collect them even if you don’t have any federal income tax liability for 2020. But you must file your 2020 Form 1040 to cash in. First, calculate the credits on new IRS Form 7202 (Credits for Sick Leave and Family Leave for Certain Self-Employed Individuals). Then carry the credits to Schedule 3 of Form 1040 where they are treated as refundable credits on page 2 of your Form 1040.

Another tax-saving tip: You can elect to use your 2019 net self-employment earnings to calculate your average daily self-employment income for purposes of calculating these credits. Do that if it would result in bigger credits. To make the election, simply enter the larger 2019 amount of net earnings from self-employment on Form 7202.

The bottom line

The COVID-19 pandemic, its economic fallout, and available federal income tax relief can make your 2020 Form 1040 a whole new ballgame. This column addresses two important considerations for self-employed individuals, but there are more. Your tax professional can work with them to optimize your tax-saving results for a year we would all like to forget.

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Technology

New iPhone feature will alert you if you’re being stalked

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Slatestone Wealth chief market strategist Kenneth Polcari discusses today’s markets and which stocks he sees as bargains.

A new feature, discovered in the iOS 14.5 beta, will warn Apple users when an unknown item traveling with them is being tracked through the Find My app. The Find My app is available through iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac devices.

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The setting, known as Item Safety Alerts, appears to be an attempt to prevent stalking with AirTags, according to iOS developer and Apple blogger Benjamin Mayo.

“If someone secretly hides a tag in your possessions, your phone will notice and warn you about it,” Mayo tweeted. “The setting is on by default which makes sense, but the fact you can turn it off at all probably means that this fires false positive alerts in some circumstances.”

Users who choose to turn the setting off will be given a warning that the owner of an unknown item will be able to see their location and that they will no longer receive notifications when an unkown item is found moving with them.

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Though not yet officially released, AirTags have been rumored to be in development by Apple since at least April 2019, when Mac Rumors released screenshots of the potential project. According to the report, AirTags, codenamed “B389”, are small keychain-sized devices that could be attached to everyday items. The items were originally set to debut with iOS 13.

If an item with an AirTag attached is misplaced, Apple users can reportedly place the tag in “Lost Mode.” Then, if another ‌iPhone‌ user comes across the lost item, they will be able to view contact information for the item’s owner and contact them by phone or text message.

AirTags would rival Samsung’s Galaxy SmartTag and Tile’s upcoming ultrawideband tracker, according to the Verge. Tile devices have previously been misused for stalking in the past. ABC 13 reported that a Houston woman was repeatedly stalked by her ex using a Tile device in July 2018. In addition, a former beauty queen told ABC News in April 2016 that a stalker was allegedly able to hack into her phone using a similar Tile device.

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The new feature comes as Apple is planning to expand the Find My app for use with third-party accessories.

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A spokesperson for Apple did not immediately return FOX Business request for comment.

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Sports

‘You’re gonna have to give me a second to choose a new team and city’

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We’ve all been there on a food app scrolling endlessly with no end in sight. It can be an exhausting task.

Watt has previously noted “free agency is wild,” presumably because his options are far-ranging.

Despite the interest in the game-wrecking defensive lineman, Watt might have to wait until after the salary cap is officially set, so clubs know precisely how much money they’re working with in 2021. We know the cap won’t dip below $180 million, but much of the league business ahead of the new league year on March 17 has been delayed until it’s officially set.

After his request to be released from Houston, Watt will take his wears to a new city for the first time in his professional career. The decision will come soon enough. Until then, Watt will keep scrolling through his options.



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Sports

Kyrie Irving tells James Harden, ‘You’re the point guard, and I’m going to play shooting guard’ as Brooklyn Nets settle on roles

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As the Brooklyn Nets ‘big three’ of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving continue to work on building their on-court chemistry, Irving and Harden had a brief conversation at practice this week to clarify their roles.

“We established that maybe four days ago now,” Irving said after the Nets’ 134-117 win over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. “I just looked at him, and I said, ‘You’re the point guard, and I’m going to play shooting guard.’ That was as simple as that.”

Irving described the conversation as concise and matter-of-fact.

“It’s not a mystical conversation that we had,” Irving said.

In Saturday’s game against the Warriors, Harden had 16 assists, raising his 11.3 assist per game average since joining the Nets in mid-January. It’s the most assists he has dished out since the 2016-17 season, when he led the league with 11.2 assists per game for the Houston Rockets.

“He’s been taking control of the responsibilities and doing an incredible job,” Irving said. “It just makes my job easier to just go out and play free and just make plays.”

When Harden — a multitime scoring champion — was added to the Nets’ mix, an overriding question was: Is one basketball going to be enough?

Harden had discussed with head coach Steve Nash his willingness to play whatever role necessary upon his arrival from Houston.

On Saturday against the Warriors, Harden, Irving and Durant scored or assisted on 100 points for Brooklyn. Saturday marked the seventh game the trio played together — including last week’s matchup with the Toronto Raptors, during which Durant was yanked from the floor early because of the league’s coronavirus protocols.

Their record together is 5-2, including the loss to the Raptors that Durant was unable to finish.

“I came to this team knowing that they have two special scorers on this team,” Harden said. “Obviously, I score when I need to, but as long as I’m getting everybody involved and Ky (Irving) is getting the shots that he wants, KD is getting the shots that he wants, it’s pretty efficient. Offensively is not the problem for us, we can score in bunches; it’s defensively. It seems like we’re getting a rhythm as of late. We just got to keep it up.”

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Technology

If Twitter’s dark mode has recently changed for you, you’re not alone

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The feeling of opening Twitter and noticing that something’s off probably isn’t a new one, but it usually isn’t related to the site’s color scheme. Yet some users (and Verge staff) are now seeing that Twitter’s desktop dark mode has gotten darker, or worse, been changed to light mode.

Twitter tells The Verge that the change from blue to black was intentional — it’s part of an update to make the Twitter website respond to the light and dark modes on your OS. Of course, if you miss the dark blue, you can bring it back by going to Twitter’s display settings and choosing Dim mode (instead of the inky black Lights Out or the bright Default), and the site should remember that preference.

If your Twitter switched from dark mode to light, though, the company says that wasn’t supposed to happen. That was caused by a bug, and could’ve happened to you if you had Twitter set to Dim or Lights Out mode but had your OS in light mode. Head to your display settings to change that back, if you want.

Twitter should remember your color and background settings after you choose one.

While you’re there, you can also choose an accent color, if you’re tired of blue.



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Health

If This Sounds Like You, You’re at Risk for Severe COVID, Says Doctor 

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One of the most curious aspects of COVID-19 is that when infected, some people remain completely asymptomatic, while others end up hospitalized and unable to breathe. Since the start of the pandemic, health experts and researchers have been studying the highly infectious virus in hopes of understanding why the type of infections varies so dramatically on a person-by-person basis. According to one infectious disease expert, it boils down to three factors. Read on to find out the three most common factors that influence the type and severity of COVID symptoms—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had Coronavirus. 

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The first and only controllable part of the equation is how the individual is infected and the dose of the virus they receive, says Carlos R. Oliveira, MD, Ph.D., Yale Medicine pediatric infectious disease doctor. “For example, if an individual infected with COVID-19 coughs directly on you, you will likely get a much higher dose of the virus than if you are infected by touching a contaminated surface,” he points out. “A higher infectious dose usually leads to more rapid onset and more severe symptoms.” 

This is a prime example of why wearing a mask and social distancing is so crucial in protecting yourself and others. Multiple studies have concluded that masks are effective in preventing tiny, infected viral particles from transmitting from person-to-person. While they might not stop all of them, they will certainly help reduce the viral load, likely resulting in a less serious infection. 

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Another crucial factor in determining the type and severity of COVID symptoms is “the health status at the time of infection,” according to Dr. Oliveira. Early on in the pandemic, it became clear that people with certain pre-existing conditions were more prone to severe infection than others. 

According to the CDC, anyone who is suffering from cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), Down Syndrome, heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies, an immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant, obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but < 40 kg/m2), severe Obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2), sickle cell disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, are pregnant, or a smoker, are at the highest risk of severe infection. 

“It is especially important for people at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and those who live with them, to protect themselves from getting COVID-19,” the CDC warns. 

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Age is also a very important factor, according to Dr. Oliveira, influencing not only the severity of the virus but the symptoms it can manifest. “Several studies (including Agyeman, Mayo Clinic, 2020) have shown that in adults, loss of smell is a common early manifestation, occurring in up to 40-60% of infections. It may also be the only manifestation of infection in some adults,” he points out. 

In contrast, loss of smell is rarely seen in children, he adds, citing the COVID Symptom Study. “In fact, gastrointestinal symptoms, like abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and diarrhea, are frequent initial manifestations in children, occurring in about 1 in 3 cases.”

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“As is the case for many infectious diseases, the progression of discernible symptoms can be quite variable,” Dr. Oliveira says.

RELATED: 7 Tips You Must Follow to Avoid COVID, Say Doctors

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Due to the fact that asymptomatic spread is a common characteristic of COVID, taking precaution even when you feel healthy is crucial in order to prevent the spread of the virus. So follow Dr. Anthony Fauci‘s fundamentals and help end this surge, no matter where you live—wear a face mask, social distance, avoid large crowds, don’t go indoors with people you’re not sheltering with (especially in bars), practice good hand hygiene, get vaccinated when it becomes available to you, and to protect your life and the lives of others, don’t visit any of these 35 Places You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID. 

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