livescience--2020-11-10--Evictions would raise COVID-19 risk for everyone

Stopping evictions could play a critical role in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic , a new study shows .
Without eviction moratoriums , case counts would rise as those evicted from their homes sought shelter elsewhere , the study suggests .
And the effects of that displacement spill over to people who have n't been evicted .
Record levels of unemployment have left many U.S. residents unable to pay rent during the pandemic .
To prevent a surge of evictions , individual states and local jurisdictions issued moratoriums earlier in the year , according to ; but some of these policies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early September , the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) at the federal level `` to prevent the further spread of . ''
The CDC issued this moratorium under the , which grants the agency authority to `` make and enforce such regulations as ... are necessary to prevent the introduction , transmission , or spread of communicable diseases , '' such as COVID-19 .
However , landlords and lobbyists are currently challenging the order in court , .
Related : 20 of the worst epidemics and pandemics in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any level , would make the still-raging pandemic harder to control , according to the new model , posted Nov. 1 to the preprint database .
The study has not yet been peer-reviewed , but experts told Live Science that the model is `` very well thought-out '' and highlights the threat evictions pose to public health during a .
`` Across a wide set of scenarios , the researchers found that evictions could lead to significant increases in COVID-19 infections in U.S. cities , '' said Kathryn Leifheit , a social epidemiologist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ School of Public Health , who was not involved in the study .
These high infection rates not only affected evicted households and those who took those people in , but they also rippled through the city at large , author Alison Hill , an assistant professor at the Institute for Computational Medicine at Johns Hopkins University , said in an email to Live Science .
`` Preventing evictions helps everyone — not just those who might experience evictions themselves , '' Hill said .
In a previous study , posted to in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role of household structure and size in COVID-19 outbreaks .
At the time , social-distancing measures had begun to relax in some places , and the idea of fusing multiple households into a single `` quarantine bubble '' emerged .
But the team found that creating these extended bubbles would be safe only in places where case counts were steadily declining , and where all members of a household could minimize their outside contacts .
`` In situations where infection levels had stabilized but were barely declining , forming bubbles always led to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which returned to or exceeded peak levels , '' the authors wrote in the study .
`` We realized that evictions were going to create a lot of fused bubbles that would n't be able to unfuse — even more dangerous still , '' study author Michael Levy , an associate professor of Epidemiology in Biostatistics and Epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania 's Perelman School of Medicine , told Live Science in an email .
from studies and government reports suggests that the majority of evicted households double-up with others immediately after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large bubble .
With COVID-19 spreading like wildfire in the U.S. , mass evictions could create a double-disaster , Levy said .
The new model illustrates how this scenario might unfold .
Related : Going viral : 6 new findings about viruses The team used a so-called SEIRD model , which categorizes people based on the stage of infection they 're in , from `` susceptible '' to `` exposed '' to `` infected and infectious , '' and finally , to `` recovered '' or `` deceased . ''
The authors assumed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would mimic early outbreaks seen in metropolitan areas like Boston , Chicago , New Orleans and Seattle : A large early peak would be followed by lockdown measures and falling infection rates , and then cases would rise as the lockdown relaxed .
Using this framework , the team modeled how infections would ripple through social networks in a city of 1 million people ; these chains of infection changed in response to different citywide rates of eviction , ranging from 0.1 % to 2 % of households per month .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead to significant increases in COVID-19 cases , with anywhere from [ approximately ] 1,000 to 100,000 excess cases attributable to evictions depending on the eviction rate and the infection rate during evictions , '' the authors wrote .
The relative risk of infection was highest for evicted individuals and those they doubled-up with ; however , across all scenarios , the risk of infection also rose for those who were neither evicted nor part of merged households , the authors noted .
'Second waves ' are the worst scenario At first , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the theoretical city would have an equal chance of being evicted , and afterwards , would have an equal chance of doubling-up with any other household in the area .
They found that , at a 0.25 % eviction rate , 0.7 % more of the population would catch COVID-19 by the end of 2020 than would have if no evictions occurred .
This 0.7 % increase amounts to about 7,000 excess COVID-19 cases per million residents .
At a 2 % eviction rate , these excess cases rose more than 6 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slightly when the authors instituted a `` second lockdown '' in their model , but the rate still exceeded the baseline rates .
Infection rates were worst in cities that experienced a substantial second wave of infection without a second lockdown , the authors found ; in these scenarios , a 1 % eviction rate meant 5 % more of the population would catch COVID-19 , above baseline , while a 2 % eviction rate propelled infections more than 11 % above baseline .
This scenario of rising infection rates and no lockdowns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are under those circumstances in many places in the United States , '' said Hilary Godwin , dean of the University of Washington School of Public Health and a professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences , who was not involved in the study .
The model suggests that `` now is an important time for us to maintain those eviction moratoriums and not to reverse them , '' she said .
Although evictions clearly drove COVID-19 transmission in their generic city , the authors `` worried that these simplifications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Hill said .
For instance , in reality , different neighborhoods experience different eviction rates , as well as different rates of COVID-19 infection .
Poorer neighborhoods face more evictions and infections , because residents often hold essential jobs and therefore ca n't practice effective social distancing , Hill noted .
To better capture this reality , the authors devised a different city — one with a mix of poorer and wealthier neighborhoods , based on the socioeconomic status ( SES ) of the residents .
In this scenario , instances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the poorer neighborhoods .
But due to `` spillover effects , '' the relative risk of infection rose in wealthy neighborhoods , too , and infection rates across the whole city surpassed the model where everyone had an equal chance of eviction .
For instance , in the scenario where lockdowns lift and case counts rise but do n't mount into a huge second wave , a 0.25 % eviction rate results in a 1 % increase in infections in the adjusted model .
In the `` equal chance '' model , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 2 % eviction rate , infections rose 9 % in the adjusted model , but only 6 % in the equal chance model .
Reality could be even worse The authors then applied their model to a real city : Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , where COVID-19 infection rates tend to be higher in poorer neighborhoods with a history of racial segregation , , which has not been peer-reviewed .
To capture this disparity , the authors divided the city by zip code and categorized neighborhoods as high- , moderate- or low-SES .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ double compared with pre-pandemic levels , an additional 1 % of the city 's population would catch COVID-19 by year 's end .
And some studies suggest that without moratoriums , evictions could skyrocket even more than that .
`` With a 5-fold increase in evictions , predicted by some economic analyses , this would increase to 2.6 % or [ approximately ] 41,000 extra infections , '' the authors wrote .
As in their previous model , the relative risk of infection rose across all neighborhoods , not only in low-SES zip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great because it grounds a study which may seem very theoretical in reality , '' Leifheit told Live Science .
What 's more , `` the city-specific estimates make a really powerful case for extending [ and ] reinstating eviction moratoriums in Philadelphia , specifically . ''
Although the model already makes a compelling case , Hill said that , in reality , the effect of widespread evictions could be even worse than they estimate .
That 's because not every evicted household would be able to find shelter with others in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who can not find housing would likely come into contact with more people than the average housed person , whether in homeless shelters or on the street .
Therefore , the risk of COVID-19 transmission would be driven higher , she said .
Alternatively , rather than finding nearby housing , some evicted households may travel elsewhere to find shelter , raising the risk of catching and transmitting COVID-19 on the way , Godwin said .
`` The other alternatives to that of moving into that house with another family , locally , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transmission standpoint , '' she said .
In addition to the new modeling study , data from early in the pandemic also suggests that pausing evictions helps control viral spread .
For instance , Leifheit and her colleagues have been studying the observable effects of moratoriums instituted in the early months of the pandemic .
Early results suggest that states that lifted their moratoriums experienced higher COVID-19 infection rates and mortality , compared with states that kept evictions on hold , she said .
In observational studies , however , the effect of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that of other policies , such as stay-at-home orders , social distancing guidelines and mask mandates , and how well people adhere to all those rules , Godwin noted .
Models are useful because they can zoom in on one variable — like evictions — and illustrate how viral spread changes as rates go up or down , Godwin said .
And as the new model suggests , when evictions go up , infections go up .
Of course , to keep eviction moratoriums in place , both tenants and landlords may need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Without new relief packages , debt will likely continue to pile up on both sides as the moratoriums persist , The Post reported .
But that does not change the take-home message : that eviction moratoriums are key to slowing COVID-19 transmission , regardless of whether you are personally at risk of losing your home .
`` We all need to have some interactions with others in our community , and to reduce our own risk , we need to make sure everyone is able to keep themselves safe , '' Hill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controlling a contagious disease , we 're all in this together . ''

Stopping evictions could play a critical role in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study shows. Without eviction moratoriums, case counts would rise as those evicted from their homes sought shelter elsewhere, the study suggests.
And the effects of that displacement spill over to people who haven't been evicted.
Record levels of unemployment have left many U.S. residents unable to pay rent during the pandemic. To prevent a surge of evictions, individual states and local jurisdictions issued moratoriums earlier in the year, according to The Eviction Lab at Princeton University ; but some of these policies have now begun to expire. In early September, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a four-month eviction moratorium at the federal level "to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 ."
The CDC issued this moratorium under the Public Health Service Act , which grants the agency authority to "make and enforce such regulations as ... are necessary to prevent the introduction, transmission, or spread of communicable diseases," such as COVID-19. However, landlords and lobbyists are currently challenging the order in court, The Washington Post reported .
Related: 20 of the worst epidemics and pandemics in history
But overturning eviction moratoriums, at any level, would make the still-raging pandemic harder to control, according to the new model, posted Nov. 1 to the preprint database medRxiv . The study has not yet been peer-reviewed, but experts told Live Science that the model is "very well thought-out" and highlights the threat evictions pose to public health during a pandemic .
"Across a wide set of scenarios, the researchers found that evictions could lead to significant increases in COVID-19 infections in U.S. cities," said Kathryn Leifheit, a social epidemiologist and postdoctoral researcher at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, who was not involved in the study.
These high infection rates not only affected evicted households and those who took those people in, but they also rippled through the city at large, author Alison Hill, an assistant professor at the Institute for Computational Medicine at Johns Hopkins University, said in an email to Live Science. "Preventing evictions helps everyone — not just those who might experience evictions themselves," Hill said.
A double-disaster
In a previous study, posted to medRxiv in June, the study authors modeled the role of household structure and size in COVID-19 outbreaks. At the time, social-distancing measures had begun to relax in some places, and the idea of fusing multiple households into a single "quarantine bubble" emerged. But the team found that creating these extended bubbles would be safe only in places where case counts were steadily declining, and where all members of a household could minimize their outside contacts.
"In situations where infection levels had stabilized but were barely declining, forming bubbles always led to at least some resurgence of cases, which returned to or exceeded peak levels," the authors wrote in the study.
"We realized that evictions were going to create a lot of fused bubbles that wouldn't be able to unfuse — even more dangerous still," study author Michael Levy, an associate professor of Epidemiology in Biostatistics and Epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine, told Live Science in an email.
Available evidence from studies and government reports suggests that the majority of evicted households double-up with others immediately after losing their homes, essentially forming one large bubble. With COVID-19 spreading like wildfire in the U.S., mass evictions could create a double-disaster, Levy said. The new model illustrates how this scenario might unfold.
Related: Going viral: 6 new findings about viruses
The team used a so-called SEIRD model, which categorizes people based on the stage of infection they're in, from "susceptible" to "exposed" to "infected and infectious," and finally, to "recovered" or "deceased." The authors assumed that an epidemic in the modeled city would mimic early outbreaks seen in metropolitan areas like Boston, Chicago, New Orleans and Seattle: A large early peak would be followed by lockdown measures and falling infection rates, and then cases would rise as the lockdown relaxed.
Using this framework, the team modeled how infections would ripple through social networks in a city of 1 million people; these chains of infection changed in response to different citywide rates of eviction, ranging from 0.1% to 2% of households per month.
"We found that in all scenarios, evictions lead to significant increases in COVID-19 cases, with anywhere from [approximately] 1,000 to 100,000 excess cases attributable to evictions depending on the eviction rate and the infection rate during evictions," the authors wrote. The relative risk of infection was highest for evicted individuals and those they doubled-up with; however, across all scenarios, the risk of infection also rose for those who were neither evicted nor part of merged households, the authors noted.
'Second waves' are the worst scenario
At first, the team assumed that all households across the theoretical city would have an equal chance of being evicted, and afterwards, would have an equal chance of doubling-up with any other household in the area. They found that, at a 0.25% eviction rate, 0.7% more of the population would catch COVID-19 by the end of 2020 than would have if no evictions occurred. This 0.7% increase amounts to about 7,000 excess COVID-19 cases per million residents. At a 2% eviction rate, these excess cases rose more than 6% above the baseline.
Excess infections fell slightly when the authors instituted a "second lockdown" in their model, but the rate still exceeded the baseline rates. Infection rates were worst in cities that experienced a substantial second wave of infection without a second lockdown, the authors found; in these scenarios, a 1% eviction rate meant 5% more of the population would catch COVID-19, above baseline, while a 2% eviction rate propelled infections more than 11% above baseline.
This scenario of rising infection rates and no lockdowns isn't just imaginary. "We are under those circumstances in many places in the United States," said Hilary Godwin, dean of the University of Washington School of Public Health and a professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, who was not involved in the study. The model suggests that "now is an important time for us to maintain those eviction moratoriums and not to reverse them," she said.
Although evictions clearly drove COVID-19 transmission in their generic city, the authors "worried that these simplifications might not represent a more realistic scenario," Hill said. For instance, in reality, different neighborhoods experience different eviction rates, as well as different rates of COVID-19 infection. Poorer neighborhoods face more evictions and infections, because residents often hold essential jobs and therefore can't practice effective social distancing, Hill noted.
To better capture this reality, the authors devised a different city — one with a mix of poorer and wealthier neighborhoods, based on the socioeconomic status (SES) of the residents.
In this scenario, instances of eviction, doubling-up and infection clustered in the poorer neighborhoods. But due to "spillover effects," the relative risk of infection rose in wealthy neighborhoods, too, and infection rates across the whole city surpassed the model where everyone had an equal chance of eviction.
For instance, in the scenario where lockdowns lift and case counts rise but don't mount into a huge second wave, a 0.25% eviction rate results in a 1% increase in infections in the adjusted model. In the "equal chance" model, infections only increased 0.7%. At a 2% eviction rate, infections rose 9% in the adjusted model, but only 6% in the equal chance model.
Reality could be even worse
The authors then applied their model to a real city: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where COVID-19 infection rates tend to be higher in poorer neighborhoods with a history of racial segregation, according to a recent analysis , which has not been peer-reviewed.
To capture this disparity, the authors divided the city by zip code and categorized neighborhoods as high-, moderate- or low-SES. They found that, if eviction rates double compared with pre-pandemic levels, an additional 1% of the city's population would catch COVID-19 by year's end.
And some studies suggest that without moratoriums, evictions could skyrocket even more than that.
"With a 5-fold increase in evictions, predicted by some economic analyses, this would increase to 2.6% or [approximately] 41,000 extra infections," the authors wrote. As in their previous model, the relative risk of infection rose across all neighborhoods, not only in low-SES zip codes.
"The Philadelphia example is great because it grounds a study which may seem very theoretical in reality," Leifheit told Live Science. What's more, "the city-specific estimates make a really powerful case for extending [and] reinstating eviction moratoriums in Philadelphia, specifically."
Although the model already makes a compelling case, Hill said that, in reality, the effect of widespread evictions could be even worse than they estimate. That's because not every evicted household would be able to find shelter with others in the area.
Related: 14 coronavirus myths busted by science
For instance, evicted people who cannot find housing would likely come into contact with more people than the average housed person, whether in homeless shelters or on the street. Therefore, the risk of COVID-19 transmission would be driven higher, she said. Alternatively, rather than finding nearby housing, some evicted households may travel elsewhere to find shelter, raising the risk of catching and transmitting COVID-19 on the way, Godwin said.
"The other alternatives to that of moving into that house with another family, locally, are actually much worse from a disease transmission standpoint," she said.
In addition to the new modeling study, data from early in the pandemic also suggests that pausing evictions helps control viral spread. For instance, Leifheit and her colleagues have been studying the observable effects of moratoriums instituted in the early months of the pandemic. Early results suggest that states that lifted their moratoriums experienced higher COVID-19 infection rates and mortality, compared with states that kept evictions on hold, she said.
In observational studies, however, the effect of moratoriums can be difficult to separate from that of other policies, such as stay-at-home orders, social distancing guidelines and mask mandates, and how well people adhere to all those rules, Godwin noted. Models are useful because they can zoom in on one variable — like evictions — and illustrate how viral spread changes as rates go up or down, Godwin said. And as the new model suggests, when evictions go up, infections go up.
Of course, to keep eviction moratoriums in place, both tenants and landlords may need more financial relief from the government, The Washington Post reported . Without new relief packages, debt will likely continue to pile up on both sides as the moratoriums persist, The Post reported.
But that does not change the take-home message: that eviction moratoriums are key to slowing COVID-19 transmission, regardless of whether you are personally at risk of losing your home.
"We all need to have some interactions with others in our community, and to reduce our own risk, we need to make sure everyone is able to keep themselves safe," Hill said. "When it comes to controlling a contagious disease, we're all in this together."
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-11-10--Denmark halts plan to cull 17 million mink over coronavirus infections

Last week , the Danish government announced plans to cull all farmed mink in the country to prevent spread of the novel ; now , legislators have dropped this plan , according to news reports .
Danish health authorities were initially concerned that a mutated version of SARS-CoV-2 could spread from mink to humans and render less effective , .
The State Serum Institute , the Danish government 's public health and infectious disease arm , did find evidence that the virus mutated in mink and then got transmitted to humans , but that 's not enough evidence to say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccines ineffective .
`` It ’ s almost never the case that it ’ s such a simple story of one and all your vaccines stop working , '' Emma Hodcroft , a molecular epidemiologist at the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine in Bern , Switzerland , .
Related : 20 of the worst epidemics and pandemics in history Experts from Denmark and abroad expressed similar doubts that the new mutation would undermine a human , .
Meanwhile , some legislators and law experts argued that the Danish government can not legally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many people make their livelihoods from mink farming .
At this point , the Danish government has stopped trying to pass emergency legislation to cull the mink , according to The Guardian .
But others argue that culling remains the best option , both for public health and animal welfare .
`` If mink on a farm are infected , suffering respiratory problems and are not being culled , their welfare will also be seriously compromised , '' Joanna Swabe , a policy adviser for Humane Society International , told The Guardian .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the unnatural living conditions , experience severe respiratory distress before dying , '' the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association .
And life and death on a mink farm is no picnic even without COVID-19 , .
SARS-CoV-2 infections have been reported in mink around the world , including in the Netherlands , Spain , Sweden and the United States .
Some infected minks show no symptoms , while others can develop nasal discharge , difficulty breathing and even pneumonia , .
Just like older humans , older mink are more likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a .
Due to outbreaks on farms worldwide , thousands of mink have died from the infection itself , and thousands more have been culled to prevent further spread , Live Science previously reported .
But despite attempts to spot and snuff out the infection , mink farm workers and their contacts may still be catching SARS-CoV-2 from the animals at high rates .
In a new study , published Nov. 10 in the journal , researchers surveyed 16 mink farms in the Netherlands for coronavirus infections among people .
They tested 97 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus and found that 66 , or 68 % , of those tested had evidence of infection .
Scientists analyzed the genetic sequence of the virus in some of these people .
`` In most cases , these human sequences were near-identical to the mink sequences from the same farm , '' but different from the variants spreading in the same region , the authors wrote .
All that suggests people are catching the virus from infected mink .
While this mink-to-human spread may not affect how well vaccines work , in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pool of nonessential animals that could pose a risk to public health , '' Swabe told The Guardian .
In general , factory farming , illegal wildlife trafficking , and the farming and consumption of wild animals create the perfect conditions for diseases to spread , mutate and then spill over into human populations , .
Mink pose a similar risk , but unlike other animals , they are n't farmed for food .
`` So far it ’ s just luck that we are talking about mink rather than food animals , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we get a zoonotic disease that affects pigs in the next pandemic ?
Or chickens ?
Mink can easily be culled , they are non-essential .
It ’ s going to be harder to do that with food-animals . ''

Last week, the Danish government announced plans to cull all farmed mink in the country to prevent spread of the novel coronavirus ; now, legislators have dropped this plan, according to news reports.
Danish health authorities were initially concerned that a mutated version of SARS-CoV-2 could spread from mink to humans and render COVID-19 vaccines less effective, Live Science previously reported . The State Serum Institute, the Danish government's public health and infectious disease arm, did find evidence that the virus mutated in mink and then got transmitted to humans, but that's not enough evidence to say the virus changed in ways that would make vaccines ineffective.
"It’s almost never the case that it’s such a simple story of one mutation and all your vaccines stop working," Emma Hodcroft, a molecular epidemiologist at the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine in Bern, Switzerland, told Stat News .
Related: 20 of the worst epidemics and pandemics in history
Experts from Denmark and abroad expressed similar doubts that the new mutation would undermine a human vaccine , The Guardian reported . Meanwhile, some legislators and law experts argued that the Danish government cannot legally order the mass killing, noting that many people make their livelihoods from mink farming.
At this point, the Danish government has stopped trying to pass emergency legislation to cull the mink, according to The Guardian. But others argue that culling remains the best option, both for public health and animal welfare.
"If mink on a farm are infected, suffering respiratory problems and are not being culled, their welfare will also be seriously compromised," Joanna Swabe, a policy adviser for Humane Society International, told The Guardian. "Mink, who are already stressed from the unnatural living conditions, experience severe respiratory distress before dying," the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association wrote in a statement . And life and death on a mink farm is no picnic even without COVID-19, according to National Geographic .
SARS-CoV-2 infections have been reported in mink around the world, including in the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United States. Some infected minks show no symptoms, while others can develop nasal discharge, difficulty breathing and even pneumonia, Science Magazine reported . Just like older humans, older mink are more likely to die from the infection, according to a statement from the American Veterinary Medical Association .
Due to outbreaks on farms worldwide, thousands of mink have died from the infection itself, and thousands more have been culled to prevent further spread, Live Science previously reported.
But despite attempts to spot and snuff out the infection, mink farm workers and their contacts may still be catching SARS-CoV-2 from the animals at high rates. In a new study, published Nov. 10 in the journal Science , researchers surveyed 16 mink farms in the Netherlands for coronavirus infections among people. They tested 97 workers and their close contacts for the virus and found that 66, or 68%, of those tested had evidence of infection. Scientists analyzed the genetic sequence of the virus in some of these people.
"In most cases, these human sequences were near-identical to the mink sequences from the same farm," but different from the variants spreading in the same region, the authors wrote. All that suggests people are catching the virus from infected mink.
While this mink-to-human spread may not affect how well vaccines work, in the long-term, mink farms represent "a pool of nonessential animals that could pose a risk to public health," Swabe told The Guardian.
In general, factory farming, illegal wildlife trafficking, and the farming and consumption of wild animals create the perfect conditions for diseases to spread, mutate and then spill over into human populations, Live Science previously reported . Mink pose a similar risk, but unlike other animals, they aren't farmed for food.
"So far it’s just luck that we are talking about mink rather than food animals," Swabe said. "What if we get a zoonotic disease that affects pigs in the next pandemic? Or chickens? Mink can easily be culled, they are non-essential. It’s going to be harder to do that with food-animals."
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-11-10--SpaceX set to launch first fully-crewed ISS mission Saturday

We 're likely just days away from the first fully-crewed launch .
Elon Musk 's company has launched two people into space to date : NASA astronauts Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken , who rode to the International Space Station May 30 aboard a Crew Dragon capsule mounted on a Falcon 9 rocket .
That test flight , termed DEMO-2 , marked the first-ever commercial crewed launch , and the first launch from American soil since the end of the Space Shuttle program in 2011 .
But it was a test flight , with just two astronauts aboard , lasting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time in zero- spent on the International Space Station ( ISS ) .
On Nov. 14 , if all goes according to plan , four astronauts will take a Crew Dragon to the ISS and remain on the space station for six months .
It will mark the beginning of the era of practical commercial spaceflight .
The mission , termed CREW-1 , will deliver four of the seven members of Expedition 64 to the ISS : NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins , Victor Glover and Shannon Walker , as well as Japanese astronaut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ term for this 64th group of people to inhabit and work on the ISS long term .
The four began quarantining Oct. 31 , a standard pre-launch move with added significance in the age of COVID-19 , and arrived at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral , Florida , for final preparations Nov. 8 .
Related : Here 's every spaceship that 's ever carried an astronaut into orbit Expedition 64 will last until April 18 , 2021 , and it will grow the usual ISS occupancy from six to seven .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , docked to the ISS , the entire time . )
The astronauts will have work to do outside the station : spacewalks to turn on a suite of currently inactive scientific instruments attached to the outside of the station .
The Crew Dragon capsule has completed at least one successful launch of astronauts into orbit .
But some concerns about the equipment remain .
A SpaceX rocket — part of a fleet that 's been used for years with good results — aborted seconds before launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ type of rocket that 's set to carry CREW-1 's Crew Dragon capsule into space .
The aborted rocket , as Space News , was supposed to launch a GPS satellite .
But a red `` masking lacquer '' used to protect engine components had blocked a relief valve in a SpaceX Merlin engine used on the Falcon 9 , rendering it dangerous to use .
Tests of other Merlin engines revealed similar problems , including two intended for the CREW-1 engine and another intended for a now-delayed Nov. 10 ocean science satellite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as the GPS 3 launch engines .
The GPS 3 satellite , indicating that the replacement engines did their job .
Still , CREW-1 will now be just the second launch since the Merlin engine problem .
All indications are that it will go forward without a hitch at 7:49 p.m. EST Saturday , Nov. 14 ( 12:49 a.m. GMT Nov. 15 ) , and reach the ISS 8.5 hours later .
If weather delays the Nov. 14 launch to Nov. 15 , NASA has said it will then take 27.5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ISS .

We're likely just days away from the first fully-crewed SpaceX launch.
Elon Musk's company has launched two people into space to date: NASA astronauts Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken, who rode to the International Space Station May 30 aboard a Crew Dragon capsule mounted on a Falcon 9 rocket. That test flight, termed DEMO-2, marked the first-ever commercial crewed launch, and the first launch from American soil since the end of the Space Shuttle program in 2011. But it was a test flight, with just two astronauts aboard, lasting just 64 days with most of that time in zero- gravity spent on the International Space Station (ISS). On Nov. 14, if all goes according to plan, four astronauts will take a Crew Dragon to the ISS and remain on the space station for six months. It will mark the beginning of the era of practical commercial spaceflight.
The mission, termed CREW-1, will deliver four of the seven members of Expedition 64 to the ISS: NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover and Shannon Walker, as well as Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi. Expedition 64 is the term for this 64th group of people to inhabit and work on the ISS long term.
The four began quarantining Oct. 31, a standard pre-launch move with added significance in the age of COVID-19, and arrived at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, for final preparations Nov. 8.
Related: Here's every spaceship that's ever carried an astronaut into orbit
(The other three Expedition 64 members, Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, as well as NASA astronaut Kathleen Rubins, are already aboard the ISS, having arrived Oct. 14 in a Russian Soyuz capsule.)
Expedition 64 will last until April 18, 2021, and it will grow the usual ISS occupancy from six to seven. (The Crew Dragon capsule will hang around, docked to the ISS, the entire time.) The astronauts will have work to do outside the station: spacewalks to turn on a suite of currently inactive scientific instruments attached to the outside of the station.
CREW-2's biggest question
The Crew Dragon capsule has completed at least one successful launch of astronauts into Earth orbit. But some concerns about the equipment remain.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket — part of a fleet that's been used for years with good results — aborted seconds before launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base on Oct. 2. That's the same type of rocket that's set to carry CREW-1's Crew Dragon capsule into space.
The aborted rocket, as Space News reported , was supposed to launch a GPS satellite. But a red "masking lacquer" used to protect engine components had blocked a relief valve in a SpaceX Merlin engine used on the Falcon 9, rendering it dangerous to use.
Tests of other Merlin engines revealed similar problems, including two intended for the CREW-1 engine and another intended for a now-delayed Nov. 10 ocean science satellite launch. SpaceX replaced those engines, as well as the GPS 3 launch engines. The GPS 3 satellite launched successfully Nov. 5 , indicating that the replacement engines did their job.
Still, CREW-1 will now be just the second launch since the Merlin engine problem. All indications are that it will go forward without a hitch at 7:49 p.m. EST Saturday, Nov. 14 (12:49 a.m. GMT Nov. 15), and reach the ISS 8.5 hours later.
If weather delays the Nov. 14 launch to Nov. 15, NASA has said it will then take 27.5 hours for the Crew Dragon to reach the ISS.
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-11-10--Coronavirus outbreak: Live updates

Coronavirus outbreak: Live updates

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90-year-old woman in the UK receives first dose of Pfizer vaccine, FDA review confirms vaccine is safe and effective A 90-year-old woman (who will turn 91 next week) became the first in the world to be given Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine outside of clinical trials, according to the BBC. Margaret Keenan, who is originally from Northern Ireland, was given the vaccine at the University Hospital in Coventry, England. She received the first of 800,000 doses expected to be administered in the U.K. in the coming weeks, according to the BBC. "I feel so privileged to be the first person vaccinated against Covid-19," Keenan said, according to the BBC."It's the best early birthday present I could wish for because it means I can finally look forward to spending time with my family and friends in the new year after being on my own for most of the year." "My advice to anyone offered the vaccine is to take it. If I can have it at 90, then you can have it too," she added. Up to four million doses of Pfizer's vaccine is expected to be given to people in the U.K. by the end of the month. Meanwhile, a 53-page Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review published Tuesday (Dec. 8) confirmed that Pfizer's vaccine is safe and effective, according to The Washington Post.
Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine starts to work just 10 days after 1st dose Pfizer's new COVID-19 vaccine starts to protect people from the novel coronavirus just 10 days after the first dose, according to new documents from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The documents were released on Tuesday (Dec. 8), two days before a meeting of the FDA's vaccine advisory panel, which will vote on whether to recommend authorization of the vaccine in the U.S, Live Science reported . The FDA analyzed data from Pfizer's phase 3 clinical trial, which included some 44,000 people in the United States, Brazil, Argentina, Germany and Turkey, about half of whom received the vaccine while the other half received a placebo. Both groups received two shots, 21 days apart. About 10 days after the first dose, there was a noticeable drop-off in new COVID-19 cases in the vaccine group compared with the placebo group, indicating that even one dose provides some protection, the report said. However, scientists don't know how long the protection from a single dose will last, so it will still be important for people to receive two shots, according to The New York Times . Overall, the vaccine was 52% effective after the first dose and 95% effective after the second dose, the report said.
People with significant allergies should avoid Pfizer vaccine, UK warns The U.K.'s Regulatory Agency is advising people with a history of "significant" allergic reactions to avoid Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine, after two National Health Service members developed severe allergic reactions to it on Tuesday (Dec. 8), Live Science reported. "As is common with new vaccines the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) have advised on a precautionary basis that people with a significant history of allergic reactions do not receive this vaccination after two people with a history of significant allergic reactions responded adversely yesterday," Stephen Powis, the national medical director for England's National Health Service said in a statement on Wednesday (Dec. 9). Both workers have a history of severe allergies and carry adrenaline auto injectors (such as EpiPens) around with them, according to The Guardian. Shortly after receiving the vaccine, both NHS workers developed anaphylaxis-like symptoms, or severe allergic reactions, but have recovered after receiving treatment. The MHRA will investigate further and Pfizer and BioNTech will support their investigation, according to Reuters. "Allergic reaction occurs with quite a number of vaccines, and perhaps even more frequently with drugs. So it is not unexpected," Stephen Evans, a professor of pharmacoepidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said in remarks to journalists published by Britain's Science Media Center. “What would be wise, as the MHRA have already advised, would be for anyone who has known severe allergic reaction such that they need to carry an EpiPen, to delay having a vaccination until the reason for the allergic reaction has been clarified," he said. For the general population this does not mean that they would need to be anxious about receiving the vaccination, he added. "One has to remember that even things like marmite [a quintessential British food spread] can cause unexpected severe allergic reactions.”
Canada approves Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine Canada has authorized Pfizer's new COVID-19 vaccine, with the first doses expected to be administered there as early as next week. Health Canada, the country's health regulatory agency, said in a statement on Wednesday (Dec. 9) that it had determined that the vaccine "meets the Department's stringent safety, efficacy and quality requirements for use in Canada," according to CTV News . "We expect vaccines to arrive maybe as early as Monday [Dec. 14]. It takes time to prepare the vaccine," said Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, the top military general leading the vaccine rollout for the Public Health Agency of Canada, according to CTV News. The first doses could be administered by the middle of next week, he said. Canada is the third country in the world to authorize the Pfizer vaccine, following the United Kingdom and Bahrain. The country should receive up to 249,000 doses of the vaccine by the end of December, and has purchased 20 million doses total, with the option to purchase more, CTV News reported.
Daily COVID-19 death toll in the U.S. reaches record-high, surpassed 9/11 On Wednesday (Dec. 9), the U.S. recorded 3,124 new COVID-19 deaths, the highest daily death toll to date, according to CNN . In comparison, 2,977 people were killed in the 9/11 attacks. The U.S. has now recorded 280,488 deaths related to the virus, according to The COVID Tracking Project . A forecast from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts that the total death toll can increase to between 332,000 and 362,000 by January 2, according to CNN. There are currently 106,671 people hospitalized with the virus in the U.S.; 20,903 of them are currently in the ICU and 7,621 are currently on a ventilator, according to the COVID Tracking Project. On Thursday (Dec. 10), the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee is set to meet to discuss an emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine.
FDA panel recommends authorization of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine A panel of experts for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended that the agency authorize Pfizer's new COVID-19 vaccine in the United States. On Thursday (Dec. 10), the panel voted 17 to 4 to recommend that the vaccine receive emergency use authorization (EUA) for people ages 16 and older, according to The New York Times . The FDA typically follows the advice of its panels, and so today's vote is an important step towards the vaccine's authorization. It is anticipated that the agency will officially authorize the vaccine on Saturday (Dec. 12), the Times reported. Several countries have already authorized Pfizer's vaccine, including Canada, the United Kingdom and Bahrain.
Vaccine approval could come this weekend, as U.S. continues to record high daily death tolls On Thursday (Dec. 10), the U.S. recorded another 2,902 COVID-19 deaths, a day after the country set a record of 3,253 deaths, according to Reuters . “Probably for the next 60 to 90 days, we’re going to have more deaths per day than we had on 9/11 or we had at Pearl Harbor,” Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told the Council on Foreign Relations on Thursday, according to Reuters. "The reality is the vaccine approval this week is not going to really impact that, I think, to any degree for the next 60 days." On Thursday, the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee discussed, voted and recommended that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should grant an emergency use authorization for Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine has already been approved in the U.K. and in Canada, and FDA approval for use in the U.S. could come this weekend.
Australia abandons local COVID-19 vaccine after it caused false-positive HIV tests An Australian COVID-19 vaccine that had shown promising results in early trials is being abandoned after researchers found that the shot caused false-positive results on HIV tests. On Friday (Dec. 11), Australian officials said they had canceled an order for some 51 million doses of the vaccine, which was being developed by The University of Queensland and CSL Ltd., a local biotech company, according to The New York Times . In an early trial with 216 participants, the vaccine appeared to be safe and to produce a robust immune response against COVID-19, according to a statement from CSL . But some volunteers falsely tested positive for HIV, which officials feared would undermine trust in the vaccine, the Times reported. The vaccine contained small fragments of an HIV protein, which helped stabilize the vaccine. Some of the participants developed antibodies against these fragments, and these antibodies triggered false positive results on some HIV tests. It's important to note that there is no way for the vaccine to cause an HIV infection, because it contains harmless fragments of the virus.
ICU nurse in New York becomes first person in the US to receive a coronavirus vaccine outside of clinical trials New York, the worst-hit state at the start of the pandemic, just became the first to administer a coronavirus vaccine outside of clinical trials, kicking off a long, massive effort to vaccinate the American people, Live Science reported. Around 9 a.m. E.T. on Monday (Dec. 14), the very first dose of Pfizer and BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine was given to Sandra Lindsay, an intensive care nurse in Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens, New York, according to The New York Times. This comes as the U.S. continues to battle a massive wave of the virus that has more than 109,000 people currently hospitalized, according to The COVID Tracking Project. Since the start of the pandemic, New York has recorded more than 780,000 cases of COVID-19 and more than 35,100 deaths, according to The Times. "This vaccine is exciting because I believe this is the weapon that will end the war," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said during a live broadcast of the first vaccination. "It's the beginning of the last chapter of the book, but now we just have to do it."
FDA analysis confirms Moderna's vaccine is safe and effective, emergency authorization is likely to come Friday A new briefing document from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released on Tuesday (Dec. 15) confirmed that Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective, according to NPR . Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine is 94% effective and has "a favorable safety profile," according to the document. A panel of experts is set to meet on Thursday (Dec. 17) to discuss the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine and vote on whether or not the FDA should grant emergency approval to the vaccine. Last week, the same panel voted that the FDA should grant emergency approval to Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine; the authorization came a day late and the first doses were given on Monday (Dec. 15). The FDA will likely approve Moderna's vaccine for emergency use on Friday (Dec. 18), according to The New York Times .
FDA authorizes first over-the-counter COVID-19 test The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the first over-the-counter COVID-19 test, which can be done at home and does not need a prescription. The test, made by the Australia-based company Ellume, provides results in as little as 20 minutes, according to a statement from the FDA . It is a "lateral flow antigen test," meaning it works in a similar way to a home pregnancy test, by running a "liquid sample along a surface with reactive molecules," the FDA said. The test works in conjunction with a smartphone app. Users take a nasal swab and place their sample in an analyzer, which communicates to the smartphone app via Bluetooth. The results are delivered through the app, and also reported to public health authorities (based on a user's zip code) through a secure cloud connection, the company said . Ellume is ramping up production of its test, and expects to produce three million tests in January 2021, and 20 million within the first half of 2021.
A wild mink tested positive for the coronavirus, it may be the first wild animal to have a confirmed case A wild mink in Utah may be the first "free-ranging, native wild animal" confirmed to be infected with SARS-CoV-2, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Live Science reported. The mink was found near a mink farm and likely picked up the infection from the farmed mink. There's no evidence that the virus spread to other minks or wild animals; but if the virus does begin circulating in wild animals, it could pick up mutations that COVID-19 vaccines may not protect well against if it spreads back to humans, according to the report. "If it does [establish a reservoir], then we've got a long-term issue here, where this virus has the potential to be with us for millennia," Sarah Olson, associate director of the health program at the Wildlife Conservation Society, told Vox. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has screened other animal species for the virus near mink farms in Utah, Michigan and Wisconsin, but all of them have tested negative so far, according to a statement.
An FDA advisory panel will meet today to vote on whether to recommend Moderna's coronavirus vaccine for emergency approval On Thursday (Dec. 17), a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee will meet to determine whether to recommend that Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine for emergency approval, according to The New York Times . This panel, composed of independent experts, will vote on whether to recommend the vaccine after hearing from the company, FDA scientists and the public, according to The Times. Last week, the same panel of experts met to discuss Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine and voted to recommend emergency authorization; the authorization came the next day. There have now been more than 16.9 million cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and more than 307,000 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins dashboard . There are currently 113,090 people hospitalized across the country with more than 21,900 of them in the ICU and 7,778 on a ventilator, according to The COVID Tracking Project .
California becomes new epicenter of COVID-19 in U.S. California, once praised for its early pandemic response, is now the new U.S. hotspot for COVID-19 infections. The state has reported an alarming surge in cases, breaking previous records for daily cases. On Thursday (Dec. 17), the state reported some 50,000 COVID-19 infections in 24 hours, and nearly 100,000 in 48 hours, according to The Washington Post . That's more than the daily cases reported in many countries, including India, Germany and Britain, the Post reported. The state also set a record for daily deaths on Thursday, with 379 fatalities reported, up from the previous high of 293. Capacity in intensive care units has also dropped dramatically, with hospitals in Southern California reporting zero percent capacity on Thursday. "I want to be very clear: Our hospitals are under siege, and our model shows no end in sight," said Christina Ghaly, director of Los Angeles County's Department of Health Services, the Post reported.
FDA expected to authorize Moderna's vaccine on Friday The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to authorize Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine on Friday (Dec. 18). Once authorized, it will be the second coronavirus vaccine to get the green light from the agency in just a week, with Pfizer's vaccine gaining authorization on Dec. 11. Moderna is expected to begin shipping 5.9 million doses of its vaccine on Sunday (Dec. 20), with the first deliveries arriving Monday (Dec. 21), according to The New York Times . Unlike the Pfizer vaccine, Moderna's vaccine does not require storage in extremely cold temperatures, and states are hoping to distribute the vaccine to rural hospitals and community health centers, the Times reported.
COVID-19 cases continue to surge across the U.S. There have now been more than 17 million cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and more than 300,000 deaths, according to The COVID Tracking Project . There are currently 114,237 people hospitalized across the country and 21,900 people in the ICU. California is facing a massive surge in cases; the state reported 41,012 new COVID-19 cases and 300 new deaths on Thursday (Dec. 17), according to the state's COVID-19 dashboard . By comparison, at the start of November, California was reporting a seven-day average of 4,183 cases, compared to an average of 38,774 on Thursday, according to CNN . "We're experiencing an explosive and very deadly surge," Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Los Angeles County Public Health Director said, according to CNN. Intensive care unit beds are rapidly filling up across the state; there are only 1,234 ICU beds left available in California, according to the dashboard. Current closures across California are impacting around 98% of the state's population, according to CNN.
London and southeast England are under an emergency lockdown Following concerns of a new version of the coronavirus that might be more transmissible, London and most of southeast England are now under an emergency lockdown, according to The New York Times . Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the lockdown on Saturday (Dec. 19) citing concerns that the mutated virus — which was detected a couple of weeks ago in southeast England — may be as much as 70% more transmissible than previous versions, according to the Times. The new version of the coronavirus is detected in more than 60% of new infections in London and have also been detected in several other countries, according to the Times. But it's not yet clear if this coronavirus version is any more infectious than the last and thorough analyses will need to be conducted before conclusions are made, scientists cautioned. In South Africa, a similar version of the virus has been found in up to 90% of new cases detected since mid-November, according to The Times . It's common for viruses to mutate, and this particular coronavirus has mutated many times since the start of the pandemic. But experts told The Times that it would take years for the virus to mutate enough such that it would make the current vaccines developed to fight COVID-19 ineffective.
Biden gets Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine President-elect Joe Biden received a dose of Pfizer's new COVID-19 vaccine on Monday (Dec. 21), according to The New York Times . He received the shot on camera at the Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware. "I'm doing this to demonstrate that people should be prepared when it's available to take the vaccine. There's nothing to worry about," Biden said.
Antarctica has its 1st COVID-19 outbreak The first COVID-19 cases have been reported in Antarctica , meaning the disease has now spread to every continent in the world. On Tuesday (Dec. 22), Chilean officials reported an outbreak of 36 COVID-19 cases at the Chilean research base General Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme on the Antarctic Peninsula, according to the BBC . Of these, 26 cases were military personnel and 10 were maintenance workers, the BBC reported. All of these cases have been evacuated from Antarctica to Punta Arenas, Chile, according to The Guardian . Antarctica had been COVID-19 free up until the current outbreak. The continent has no permanent residents, but about 1,000 people, including scientists and other workers, stayed there this past winter, The Guardian reported.
Live updates will continue in 2021!


livescience--2020-11-11--Asteroid Apophis is speeding up as scientists recalculate odds of 2068 impact

Astronomers say they 'll have to keep an eye on the to see how much of a danger the space rock poses to our planet during a close pass in 2068 .
But do n't panic : The chances of an impact still seem very low .
Under certain circumstances , the sun can heat an asteroid unevenly , causing the space rock to radiate away heat energy asymmetrically .
The result can be a tiny push in a certain direction — an effect called Yarkovsky acceleration , which can change the path of an through space .
Since astronomers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apophis before , they did n't take it into consideration when calculating the threat the asteroid poses to us in 2068 .
Those previous calculations showed a tiny impact probability — .
Now , a new study shows the asteroid is drifting away from its previously predicted orbit by about 557 feet ( 170 meters ) a year due to the Yarkovsky effect , lead author and University of Hawaii at Manoa astronomer David Tholen said during a press conference on Oct. 26 .
`` Basically , the heat that an asteroid radiates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he explained during a virtual meeting of the American Astronomical Society 's Division for Planetary Sciences .
You can find the .
It begins at the 22-minute mark .
`` The warmer hemisphere [ of the asteroid ] would be pushing slightly more than the cooler hemisphere , and that causes the asteroid to drift away from what a purely gravitational orbit would predict , '' Tholen said .
Showing the orbit for the 1,120-foot-wide ( 340 m ) Apophis , he indicated that astronomers thought they had enough observations of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its discovery in 2004 — to more or less rule out an impact in 2068 .
Those calculations , however , were based on an orbit not affected by the sun 's energy .
Ultimately , this means we ca n't yet rule out Apophis being a threat in 2068 , Tholen said .
`` The 2068 impact scenario is still in play , '' Tholen said .
`` We need to track this asteroid very carefully . ''
Fortunately , the asteroid will make a close ( yet still safe ) approach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ground-based telescopes — including the Arecibo Observatory 's powerful radar dish — to get a more detailed look at the asteroid 's surface and shape .
Apophis will be so close it will be visible with the naked eye , at third magnitude — about as bright as the .
`` Of all dates , Friday the 13th in April , April 13 [ 2029 ] , is when the flyby will occur , '' Tholen said.
, `` Obviously , the 2029 close approach is critical .
We 'll know after that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was as it passed the Earth , and that will make it much easier for us to predict future impact scenarios . ''
Tholen 's team made the discovery after four nights of observation in January and March with the Subaru Telescope , a Japanese optical-infrared telescope on the summit of Maunakea , Hawaii .
The researchers collected 18 exposures of the asteroid at a very high precision , with an error of only 10 milliarcseconds in each observation .
( A milliarcsecond is a thousandth of an arcsecond , an angular measurement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the position of this asteroid extremely well , '' Tholen said .
`` That was enough to give us a strong detection of the , which is something we 've been expecting to see now for a while . ''
Tholen noted that Apophis has been troublesome for astronomers , with `` numerous impact scenarios '' predicted ( and then largely ruled out ) since it was first found in 2004 .
For example : Initially , scientists calculated a 3 % chance of Apophis slamming into our planet in 2029 , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after more observations showed the true path of the little world .
If there 's any threat of an impact , astronomers will know long before 2068 how to approach the problem .
Engineers around the world are developing ideas about how to deflect dangerous asteroids from our planet , concepts that range from gravitational tugs to `` kinetic impactors '' that would knock an incoming rock off course .
A joint European-NASA mission will also test and observe asteroid deflection at a space rock called Didymos , starting in 2022 .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slam into `` Didymoon , '' the moon orbiting Didymos .
The European Space Agency will then launch the Hera mission in 2023 or 2024 and reach Didymos two years later , to see how well the kinetic impactor did in moving the moon from its previous orbit .
NASA has a dedicated that collects asteroid observations from a network of partner telescopes , and which runs through scenarios with other U.S. agencies for asteroid deflection or ( in the worst case ) evacuating threatened populations from an incoming space rock .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no imminent asteroid or comet threats to our planet .
Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @ howellspace .
Follow us on Twitter @ Spacedotcom and on Facebook .

ESA’s Herschel Space Observatory captured asteroid Apophis in its field of view during the approach to Earth on January, 5-6, 2013. This image shows the asteroid in Herschel’s three PACS wavelengths: 70, 100 and 160 microns.
Astronomers say they'll have to keep an eye on the near-Earth asteroid Apophis to see how much of a danger the space rock poses to our planet during a close pass in 2068. But don't panic: The chances of an impact still seem very low.
Under certain circumstances, the sun can heat an asteroid unevenly, causing the space rock to radiate away heat energy asymmetrically. The result can be a tiny push in a certain direction — an effect called Yarkovsky acceleration, which can change the path of an asteroid through space.
Since astronomers hadn't measured this solar push on Apophis before, they didn't take it into consideration when calculating the threat the asteroid poses to us in 2068. Those previous calculations showed a tiny impact probability — around 1 in 150,000 .
Related: Potentially dangerous asteroids (images)
Now, a new study shows the asteroid is drifting away from its previously predicted orbit by about 557 feet (170 meters) a year due to the Yarkovsky effect, lead author and University of Hawaii at Manoa astronomer David Tholen said during a press conference on Oct. 26.
"Basically, the heat that an asteroid radiates gives it a very tiny push," he explained during a virtual meeting of the American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences. You can find the press conference on YouTube here . It begins at the 22-minute mark.
"The warmer hemisphere [of the asteroid] would be pushing slightly more than the cooler hemisphere, and that causes the asteroid to drift away from what a purely gravitational orbit would predict," Tholen said.
Showing the orbit for the 1,120-foot-wide (340 m) Apophis, he indicated that astronomers thought they had enough observations of the asteroid — collected over the years after its discovery in 2004 — to more or less rule out an impact in 2068. Those calculations, however, were based on an orbit not affected by the sun's energy. Ultimately, this means we can't yet rule out Apophis being a threat in 2068, Tholen said.
"The 2068 impact scenario is still in play," Tholen said. "We need to track this asteroid very carefully."
Fortunately, the asteroid will make a close (yet still safe) approach to our planet in 2029, allowing ground-based telescopes — including the Arecibo Observatory's powerful radar dish — to get a more detailed look at the asteroid's surface and shape. Apophis will be so close it will be visible with the naked eye, at third magnitude — about as bright as the binary star Cor Caroli .
"Of all dates, Friday the 13th in April, April 13 [2029], is when the flyby will occur," Tholen said., "Obviously, the 2029 close approach is critical. We'll know after that occurs exactly where it [Apophis] was as it passed the Earth, and that will make it much easier for us to predict future impact scenarios."
Tholen's team made the discovery after four nights of observation in January and March with the Subaru Telescope, a Japanese optical-infrared telescope on the summit of Maunakea, Hawaii. The researchers collected 18 exposures of the asteroid at a very high precision, with an error of only 10 milliarcseconds in each observation. (A milliarcsecond is a thousandth of an arcsecond, an angular measurement that helps scientists measure cosmic distances .)
"We really nailed the position of this asteroid extremely well," Tholen said. "That was enough to give us a strong detection of the Yarkovsky effect , which is something we've been expecting to see now for a while."
Tholen noted that Apophis has been troublesome for astronomers, with "numerous impact scenarios" predicted (and then largely ruled out) since it was first found in 2004. For example: Initially, scientists calculated a 3% chance of Apophis slamming into our planet in 2029, a prediction Tholen said was quickly ruled out after more observations showed the true path of the little world.
If there's any threat of an impact, astronomers will know long before 2068 how to approach the problem. Engineers around the world are developing ideas about how to deflect dangerous asteroids from our planet, concepts that range from gravitational tugs to "kinetic impactors" that would knock an incoming rock off course.
A joint European-NASA mission will also test and observe asteroid deflection at a space rock called Didymos, starting in 2022. If all goes to plan, NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft will slam into "Didymoon," the moon orbiting Didymos. The European Space Agency will then launch the Hera mission in 2023 or 2024 and reach Didymos two years later, to see how well the kinetic impactor did in moving the moon from its previous orbit.
NASA has a dedicated Planetary Defense Coordination Office that collects asteroid observations from a network of partner telescopes, and which runs through scenarios with other U.S. agencies for asteroid deflection or (in the worst case) evacuating threatened populations from an incoming space rock. So far, decades of observations have found no imminent asteroid or comet threats to our planet.
Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.


livescience--2020-11-11--Mysterious 'gene within a gene' found in the coronavirus

Researchers have uncovered a mysterious gene in the genetic code of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 – a segment virtually hidden from view in the virus 's genome , and largely overlooked until now .
The newly identified gene – called ORF3d – is an example of what 's called an overlapping gene : a kind of 'gene within a gene ' that 's effectively concealed in a string of nucleotides , because of the way it overlaps the coded sequences of other genes .
`` In terms of genome size , SARS-CoV-2 and its relatives are among the longest RNA viruses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nelson from the American Museum of Natural History .
`` They are thus perhaps more prone to 'genomic trickery ' than other RNA viruses . ''
Viruses are actually quite prone to hosting overlapping genes , so it 's not exactly a shocking discovery .
Whether ORF3d truly represents genomic trickery remains to be seen , but in any case , it 's certainly tricky to see .
Overlapping genes are difficult to identify in genetic sequences , as genomic scan systems can often miss them when running through strings of genetic code @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but not necessarily seeing overarching instructions shared between the nucleotides of adjacent genes in a sequence .
In the context of viruses like SARS-CoV-2 , that could make for a serious blind spot .
Scientists have been racing to understand as much as possible about this devastating virus since early this year , and while some aspects of its genetic make-up have been elucidated ( including the firm consensus that it was not 'made in a lab ' ) , much remains that we just do n't know yet .
`` Missing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overlooking important aspects of viral biology , '' Nelson says .
`` Overlapping genes may be one of an arsenal of ways in which coronaviruses have evolved to replicate efficiently , thwart host immunity , or get themselves transmitted . ''
As for ORF3d , there 's much yet to learn about why it 's there , lurking in the genome and straddling other genes .
Scanning through genomic databases , the researchers found the gene has been identified before , but only in one variant of coronavirus that affects pangolins ( found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has also previously been misclassified as an unrelated gene , ORF3b – which is present in other coronaviruses , including SARS-CoV – but they are not actually the same thing .
`` The two genes are unrelated and encode entirely different proteins , '' Nelson says .
`` This means that knowledge about SARS-CoV ORF3b should not be applied to SARS-CoV-2 ORF3d . ''
One thing we do know about the mysterious gene , based on previous blood work with human COVID-19 patients , is that ORF3d does elicit a strong antibody response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be triggered – or what other viral purposes the overlapping ORF3d might have – we 're still in the dark .
It might be relatively benign .
It might not be .
`` We do n't yet know its function or if there 's clinical significance , '' Nelson says .
`` But we predict this gene is relatively unlikely to be detected by a T-cell response , in contrast to the antibody response .
And maybe that has something to do with how the gene was able to arise . ''
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus that only has about 15 known genes , the discovery of another one – let alone an overlapping gene – is a significant development .
Just how significant , scientists will now try to find out .
The findings are reported in eLife .
This article was originally published by ScienceAlert .
Read the original article here .

Researchers have uncovered a mysterious gene in the genetic code of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 – a segment virtually hidden from view in the virus's genome, and largely overlooked until now.
The newly identified gene – called ORF3d – is an example of what's called an overlapping gene: a kind of 'gene within a gene' that's effectively concealed in a string of nucleotides, because of the way it overlaps the coded sequences of other genes.
"In terms of genome size, SARS-CoV-2 and its relatives are among the longest RNA viruses that exist," explains bioinformatician Chase Nelson from the American Museum of Natural History.
"They are thus perhaps more prone to 'genomic trickery' than other RNA viruses."
Viruses are actually quite prone to hosting overlapping genes, so it's not exactly a shocking discovery. Whether ORF3d truly represents genomic trickery remains to be seen, but in any case, it's certainly tricky to see.
Overlapping genes are difficult to identify in genetic sequences, as genomic scan systems can often miss them when running through strings of genetic code: programmed to pick up individual genes, but not necessarily seeing overarching instructions shared between the nucleotides of adjacent genes in a sequence.
In the context of viruses like SARS-CoV-2, that could make for a serious blind spot. Scientists have been racing to understand as much as possible about this devastating virus since early this year, and while some aspects of its genetic make-up have been elucidated (including the firm consensus that it was not 'made in a lab'), much remains that we just don't know yet.
"Missing overlapping genes puts us in peril of overlooking important aspects of viral biology," Nelson says.
"Overlapping genes may be one of an arsenal of ways in which coronaviruses have evolved to replicate efficiently, thwart host immunity, or get themselves transmitted."
As for ORF3d, there's much yet to learn about why it's there, lurking in the genome and straddling other genes.
Scanning through genomic databases, the researchers found the gene has been identified before, but only in one variant of coronavirus that affects pangolins (found in Guangxi, China).
It has also previously been misclassified as an unrelated gene, ORF3b – which is present in other coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV – but they are not actually the same thing.
"The two genes are unrelated and encode entirely different proteins," Nelson says. "This means that knowledge about SARS-CoV ORF3b should not be applied to SARS-CoV-2 ORF3d."
One thing we do know about the mysterious gene, based on previous blood work with human COVID-19 patients, is that ORF3d does elicit a strong antibody response.
As for whether T-cells would also be triggered – or what other viral purposes the overlapping ORF3d might have – we're still in the dark. It might be relatively benign. It might not be.
"We don't yet know its function or if there's clinical significance," Nelson says.
"But we predict this gene is relatively unlikely to be detected by a T-cell response, in contrast to the antibody response. And maybe that has something to do with how the gene was able to arise."
One thing's for sure. In a virus that only has about 15 known genes, the discovery of another one – let alone an overlapping gene – is a significant development. Just how significant, scientists will now try to find out.
The findings are reported in eLife.
This article was originally published by ScienceAlert. Read the original article here.


livescience--2020-11-11--Primeval Greenland lake found buried beneath a mile-thick slab of ice

Scientists have discovered an ancient lakebed buried under more than a mile of ice that may hold secrets to Greenland 's past climate .
The lake formed when northwest was ice-free , sometime between hundreds of thousands or even millions of years ago .
Given Greenland 's rapid melt today , the lake could reveal something about the Arctic 's future as the ice caps shrink .
`` This could be an important repository of information , in a landscape that right now is totally concealed and inaccessible , '' Guy Paxman , a postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're working to try and understand how the Greenland ice sheet has behaved in the past .
It 's important if we want to understand how it will behave in future decades . ''
Paxman and his colleagues discovered the lake using data from instruments that use radar to penetrate beneath the ice surface to measure topography ; much of the data came from .
The lake basin sits 1.1 miles ( 1.8 kilometers ) below the surface of the ice and stretches over 2,700 square miles ( 7,100 square km ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ combined .
At its deepest point , the lake would have extended about 800 feet ( 250 meters ) down .
The researchers also mapped 18 streambeds that would have flowed into the lake from the north , as well as an outlet that would have drained the lake to the south .
Today , this ancient water system is nothing but sediment , and scientists do n't know when it last held water .
According to , Greenland 's ice has advanced and retreated at various points over the last million years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stretches going back over the past 30 million years , according to the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory .
The depth of the sediments in the lake suggests it is between hundreds of thousands and millions of years old , Paxman said .
To get more specific than that , scientists would have to drill beneath the ice into the lake sediments to study them directly .
The lake may have been formed when an ancient fault pulled the Earth apart , creating a depression , the researchers said , or it may have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ glacier .
Drilling into the lakebed might also provide clues to the future .
The lakebed may contain traces of certain chemicals or fossils that could reveal more about Greenland 's past climate .
Scientists could then compare these past conditions with the changing conditions in the Arctic today .
There are no current plans to drill into the lakebed , but such a feat would be possible .
In 2003 , researchers drilled 1.9 miles ( 3,085 m ) beneath the ice surface in Greenland .
A project set to launch in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bedrock at several sites in northern Greenland to determine when and for how long portions of the region were ice-free in the past .
Paxman and his colleagues reported their findings online Oct. 28 online in the journal .

Scientists have discovered an ancient lakebed buried under more than a mile of ice that may hold secrets to Greenland's past climate.
The lake formed when northwest Greenland was ice-free, sometime between hundreds of thousands or even millions of years ago. Given Greenland's rapid melt today, the lake could reveal something about the Arctic's future as the ice caps shrink.
"This could be an important repository of information, in a landscape that right now is totally concealed and inaccessible," Guy Paxman, a postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, said in a statement . "We're working to try and understand how the Greenland ice sheet has behaved in the past. It's important if we want to understand how it will behave in future decades."
Related: Images of melt: Earth's vanishing ice
Buried in ice
Paxman and his colleagues discovered the lake using data from instruments that use radar to penetrate beneath the ice surface to measure topography; much of the data came from NASA's Operation IceBridge .
The lake basin sits 1.1 miles (1.8 kilometers) below the surface of the ice and stretches over 2,700 square miles (7,100 square km), the size of Rhode Island and Delaware combined. At its deepest point, the lake would have extended about 800 feet (250 meters) down.
The researchers also mapped 18 streambeds that would have flowed into the lake from the north, as well as an outlet that would have drained the lake to the south. Today, this ancient water system is nothing but sediment, and scientists don't know when it last held water. According to previous research , Greenland's ice has advanced and retreated at various points over the last million years. There may have also been ice-free stretches going back over the past 30 million years, according to the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.
Past and future
The depth of the sediments in the lake suggests it is between hundreds of thousands and millions of years old, Paxman said. To get more specific than that, scientists would have to drill beneath the ice into the lake sediments to study them directly.
The lake may have been formed when an ancient fault pulled the Earth apart, creating a depression, the researchers said, or it may have been a bowl carved out by a retreating glacier.
Drilling into the lakebed might also provide clues to the future. The lakebed may contain traces of certain chemicals or fossils that could reveal more about Greenland's past climate. Scientists could then compare these past conditions with the changing conditions in the Arctic today.
There are no current plans to drill into the lakebed, but such a feat would be possible. In 2003, researchers drilled 1.9 miles (3,085 m) beneath the ice surface in Greenland. A project set to launch in 2021 called GreenDrill will aim to drill into the bedrock at several sites in northern Greenland to determine when and for how long portions of the region were ice-free in the past.
Paxman and his colleagues reported their findings online Oct. 28 online in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters .
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-11-11--Restaurants and gyms drove COVID-19 transmission this spring

Restaurants , cafes , and gyms acted as `` superspreading '' sites for last spring , accounting for the majority of new infections in large U.S. cities , according to a new study .
The findings , published today ( Nov. 10 ) in the journal , also suggest that reducing maximum occupancy at these venues may be more effective for curbing COVID-19 spread than blanket lockdowns , the authors said .
`` Our work highlights that it does not have to be all or nothing , '' study senior author , Jure Leskovec , a computer scientist at Stanford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ created a model to mimic the spread of COVID-19 in 10 major U.S. cities : New York , Los Angeles , Chicago , Dallas , Washington , D.C. , Houston , Atlanta , Miami , Philadelphia and San Francisco .
The model not only took into account standard factors in the spread of an infectious disease ( such as how many people are susceptible , exposed , infected and immune to the virus ) , but also drew on real data that showed how often people came into close contact with others .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on people 's behavior using anonymized cellphone data from 98 millions Americans , tracking their movements from their neighborhoods to about 553,000 public locations between March 1 and May 2 .
They also obtained the square footage of these venues to calculate the number of people per square foot in each of these locations at a given time .
.
They found that their model could accurately predict daily COVID-19 case counts in these cities .
The researchers then estimated the number of infections that occurred at each of the public locations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occurred at just a small number of `` superspreading '' venues .
For example , in Chicago , 10 % of venus accounted for 85 % of the predicted infections , the authors found .
What 's more , when the researchers modeled the risk of reopening venues after lockdowns , some venues — particularly — posed a much higher risk than others in terms of the number of new infections that would occur upon reopening .
`` Restaurants were by far the riskiest places , about four times riskier than gyms and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Leskovec said in a news conference , according to the Times .
The researchers hypothesized these venus were more risky because they tended to have a high density of people who stayed for long periods .
Some of the less risky venues including car dealerships , gas stations and hardware stores , the study found .
Overall , the researchers found that limiting venue occupancy to 20 % of maximum capacity reduced predicted infections by more than 80 % , while only reducing overall visits to these venues by 42 % .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ minority and low-income populations have been .
During lockdowns , people in lower-income neighborhoods did not reduce their mobility as much as those in more affluent neighborhoods , likely because they had jobs that did not allow them to work from home .
In addition , venues such as in lower-income areas had higher COVID-19 transmission rates because these venues were smaller and more crowded , and people stayed there longer , compared with similar venues in more affluent areas , the study found .
These findings suggest ways for policymakers to reduce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example , with occupancy caps to reduce crowding , in addition to improved paid leave policies so workers can stay home when sick , the authors said .
`` Our results suggest that infection disparities are not the unavoidable consequence of factors that are difficult to address in the short term , like differences in preexisting conditions ; on the contrary , short-term policy decisions can substantially affect infection outcomes by altering the overall amount of mobility allowed and the types of [ venues ] reopened , '' the authors said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all public locations , in particular it did not include schools or offices .
In addition , because the study used data from the beginning of the pandemic , the findings do not necessarily apply to COVID-19 transmission today .
For example , people are more likely to practice social distancing and wear masks at restaurants today compared with March .
And health officials have noted that many new outbreaks in the U.S. are being driven by small gatherings in people 's homes .
Still , the researchers hope their findings can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They are currently working on a tool to make their model accessible for policymakers and public health officials .

Restaurants, cafes, and gyms acted as "superspreading" sites for COVID-19 transmission last spring, accounting for the majority of new infections in large U.S. cities, according to a new study.
The findings, published today (Nov. 10) in the journal Nature , also suggest that reducing maximum occupancy at these venues may be more effective for curbing COVID-19 spread than blanket lockdowns, the authors said.
"Our work highlights that it does not have to be all or nothing," study senior author, Jure Leskovec, a computer scientist at Stanford University, told The New York Times .
Related: 14 coronavirus myths busted by science
Risky venues
The study researchers created a model to mimic the spread of COVID-19 in 10 major U.S. cities: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Houston, Atlanta, Miami, Philadelphia and San Francisco. The model not only took into account standard factors in the spread of an infectious disease (such as how many people are susceptible, exposed, infected and immune to the virus), but also drew on real data that showed how often people came into close contact with others. To do so, they incorporated information on people's behavior using anonymized cellphone data from 98 millions Americans, tracking their movements from their neighborhoods to about 553,000 public locations between March 1 and May 2. They also obtained the square footage of these venues to calculate the number of people per square foot in each of these locations at a given time. .
They found that their model could accurately predict daily COVID-19 case counts in these cities.
The researchers then estimated the number of infections that occurred at each of the public locations, and found that the majority of infections occurred at just a small number of "superspreading" venues. For example, in Chicago, 10% of venus accounted for 85% of the predicted infections, the authors found.
What's more, when the researchers modeled the risk of reopening venues after lockdowns, some venues — particularly restaurants — posed a much higher risk than others in terms of the number of new infections that would occur upon reopening.
"Restaurants were by far the riskiest places, about four times riskier than gyms and coffee shops, followed by hotels," Leskovec said in a news conference, according to the Times. The researchers hypothesized these venus were more risky because they tended to have a high density of people who stayed for long periods.
Some of the less risky venues including car dealerships, gas stations and hardware stores, the study found.
Overall, the researchers found that limiting venue occupancy to 20% of maximum capacity reduced predicted infections by more than 80%, while only reducing overall visits to these venues by 42%.
Coronavirus disparities
The study findings also help explain why minority and low-income populations have been hit particularly hard by COVID-19 .
During lockdowns, people in lower-income neighborhoods did not reduce their mobility as much as those in more affluent neighborhoods, likely because they had jobs that did not allow them to work from home. In addition, venues such as grocery stores in lower-income areas had higher COVID-19 transmission rates because these venues were smaller and more crowded, and people stayed there longer, compared with similar venues in more affluent areas, the study found.
These findings suggest ways for policymakers to reduce disparities in COVID-19 infection rates, for example, with occupancy caps to reduce crowding, in addition to improved paid leave policies so workers can stay home when sick, the authors said.
"Our results suggest that infection disparities are not the unavoidable consequence of factors that are difficult to address in the short term, like differences in preexisting conditions; on the contrary, short-term policy decisions can substantially affect infection outcomes by altering the overall amount of mobility allowed and the types of [venues] reopened," the authors said.
The authors note their model did not include all public locations, in particular it did not include schools or offices. In addition, because the study used data from the beginning of the pandemic, the findings do not necessarily apply to COVID-19 transmission today. For example, people are more likely to practice social distancing and wear masks at restaurants today compared with March. And health officials have noted that many new outbreaks in the U.S. are being driven by small gatherings in people's homes.
Still, the researchers hope their findings can be used by policymakers to help guide reopenings. They are currently working on a tool to make their model accessible for policymakers and public health officials.
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-11-11--Coronavirus outbreak: Live updates

Coronavirus outbreak: Live updates


livescience--2020-11-11--Wearing a cloth face mask protects you and others from getting COVID-19, CDC says

Cloth face masks offer two-way protection , benefitting both the wearer and those around them , according to from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) .
Previously , the CDC had emphasized the role of cloth in blocking the release of infectious virus particles when the wearer coughs , sneezes or talks , thus protecting others from someone who has COVID-19 .
But this week , the agency updated its guidelines to say that cloth masks also provide `` filtration for personal protection , '' meaning the masks can filter out potentially infectious droplets from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The CDC notes that the effectiveness of cloth masks at filtering particles has varied widely across studies , but masks with multiple layers of cloth and higher thread counts have shown superior protection compared with those that have a single layer and low thread count .
In some cases , cloth face masks have been shown to filter nearly 50 % of very small particles ( less than 1 micron ) from the air , the agency said .
( Fine droplets , also known as , are no bigger than 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , potentially carrying infectious particles . )
In the new guidance , the CDC cited numerous studies suggesting the two-way benefit of masks .
For example , in a study of a COVID-19 outbreak on the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier , use of face masks on board was tied with a 70 % reduction in infection risk .
In addition , several studies have found that state and local in public are tied with significant reductions in new cases .
The CDC concludes that the overall benefit of masking increases as more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Adopting universal masking policies can help avert future lockdowns , especially if combined with other non-pharmaceutical interventions such as social distancing , hand hygiene and adequate ventilation , '' the agency said .

Cloth face masks offer two-way protection, benefitting both the wearer and those around them, according to updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Previously, the CDC had emphasized the role of cloth face masks in blocking the release of infectious virus particles when the wearer coughs, sneezes or talks, thus protecting others from someone who has COVID-19.
But this week, the agency updated its guidelines to say that cloth masks also provide "filtration for personal protection," meaning the masks can filter out potentially infectious droplets from the air, and thus protect the wearer.
The CDC notes that the effectiveness of cloth masks at filtering particles has varied widely across studies, but masks with multiple layers of cloth and higher thread counts have shown superior protection compared with those that have a single layer and low thread count. In some cases, cloth face masks have been shown to filter nearly 50% of very small particles (less than 1 micron) from the air, the agency said. (Fine droplets, also known as aerosols , are no bigger than 10 microns and are released when people talk, potentially carrying infectious particles.)
In the new guidance, the CDC cited numerous studies suggesting the two-way benefit of masks. For example, in a study of a COVID-19 outbreak on the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier, use of face masks on board was tied with a 70% reduction in infection risk.
In addition, several studies have found that state and local mandates for wearing masks in public are tied with significant reductions in new cases.
The CDC concludes that the overall benefit of masking increases as more people in the community wear masks.
"Adopting universal masking policies can help avert future lockdowns, especially if combined with other non-pharmaceutical interventions such as social distancing, hand hygiene and adequate ventilation," the agency said.
Originally published on Live Science.