February 11, 2021 As the coronavirus pandemic has played out, evidence has grown that masking is an easy, inexpensive and effective way to reduce transmission rates, experts say. In fact, Dr. Abraar Karan, a physician at Harvard Medical School, recently told CNN that if everybody wore an N95 mask for four weeks in “risky” indoor settings, it “would stop the pandemic.” That’s not possible right now: The global supply of N95 masks remains problematic. That said, many experts say getting the public to wear higher-quality masks -- and wear them consistently and properly -- could help further reduce COVID-19 transmission rates, especially with the looming threat of new, more contagious variants. Here is some up-to-date information you should know about masks: MORE ►Michigan's Dr. Joneigh Khaldun picked for national COVID-19 task force Sub-zero temperatures have hit Michigan, making the outdoors a dangerous place. But fresh snow is likely to call to winter sports enthusiasts. While getting outside for snowboarding, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, sledding or any other winter pastime may seem like a good idea, hypothermia will be a real threat. During this deep winter freeze, it’s good to know the warning signs and tips to stay safe before heading outside, especially if the outdoor adventures include children, older adults and pets. READ MORE When Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s budget is unveiled today, it will include a per-pupil increase of $82-164 for K-12 schools and a 2% increase for the state’s universities, Whitmer told MLive in an interview this week. For K-12 students, a concern that looms large is students who experience learning loss after time away from being physically present in a classroom. “There’s no question that our kids’ needs are going to be great, and that the schools are going to need to have the kind of support so that they can work to meet the needs of our kids,” Whitmer said. MORE Much has been said about Detroit’s new coaching staff coming equipped with 958 games of NFL playing experience, but not much about how it came together or why. The Lions introduced four of their new coaches virtually Wednesday, with each making it clear new head coach Dan Campbell and the passion he brings is a large part of why they’re headed to Detroit. Campbell’s staff features former NFL players like Duce Staley (pictured here). So how did Campbell create a team with so much experience on the field? READ IT HERE Wow! You need to see this. If you've visited the World of Winter Festival in Grand Rapids, you know that there are some really cool visuals to check out. It gets even more exciting to view at night, when some of these outdoor art installations light up. But even if you've hung out in downtown Grand Rapids since the installations arrived, you haven't seen them from this view. MLive's Neil Blake and Hope Davison teamed up to create this fantastic video, including drone footage that lets you see it all from high above the Earth. Check it out: WATCH Get your local news 24/7 Connect with MLive To ensure receipt of our emails, please add newsletters@update.mlive to your address book or safe sender list. |