| CDC releases new mask guidance, vaccine scams spread on Facebook and Telegram, and Chicago prepares to reopen schools. Here's what you should know: Headlines CDC releases new research on mask-wearing amid the spread of new variants The CDC released new research today demonstrating that wearing a cloth mask over a medical mask significantly boosts protection against Covid-19. Researchers found that tying knots on the ear loops of a medical mask and tucking in the sides, which pulls it closer to the face, also helps. In a lab experiment using dummies, both of these methods reduced exposure to potentially infectious aerosols by more than 95 percent. This new guidance highlights the importance of proper mask-wearing as more contagious variants continue to spread across the US. Covid-19 vaccine scams spread under Facebook and Telegram's watch A new report from internet safety nonprofits Digital Citizens Alliance and the Coalition for a Safer Web details how scammers are using Facebook groups and Telegram chats to attempt fraudulent vaccine sales. The researchers say they looked for comparable activity on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube but didn't find anything. Similar scams have gained traction on the dark web, but the fact that they're now appearing on mainstream social media networks creates much greater potential for harm. Chicago Teachers Union strikes deal with the district to begin reopening schools After six weeks of tense negotiations between the Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools, the country's third-largest school district, over pandemic health and safety standards, the city's teachers are set to start returning to classrooms later this week. Pre-K and special education students will return Thursday, and elementary and middle schoolers in March. The agreement also bumps in-school staff with vulnerable family members to the front of the vaccine line and sets strict guidelines for when schools and classrooms should close. Daily Distraction The subscription model is on the cusp of transforming video games. But for independent developers, this could spell an uncertain future. Something to Read "When the two planes didn't come in straight for the attack, a collective silence fell over the crew, like a breath sucked in … Why didn't they strike? Why didn't they drop their ordnance and finish the job?" Thus begins the third installment of 2034, titled "One Left to Tell the Tale." The geopolitical thriller has been publishing serially on WIRED's site. Read on to find out what happens next. Sanity Check Listening to music doesn't have to be a solitary activity, even in quarantine. Here are some tips for making your song streaming a little more social. One Question How is the pandemic changing the art world? In the time of social distancing, both selling and viewing art have largely gone virtual. Sotheby's had a banner year after it took its auctions online, recording more than $1.5 billion in private sales in 2020. But for artists, especially those who work in mediums less conducive to internet displays, the switch has been more of a challenge. Going digital does have its advantages though. The internet is more accessible than a gallery, and it presents new opportunities to create work using technology, like "paintings" that use data and change over time. In addition, the shifting landscape of cities during this time has created new possibilities for public art. Covid-19 Care Package 📦 The Covid-19 virus can linger on objects for as little as a few hours or as long as a couple of days, depending on the surface. Here's a look at the research. 😷 If you're planning to go out in public anytime soon, you're going to need a mask. Here are the best ones you can buy, or how to make one at home. 🧼 It's not just your hands that need washing—your gadgets, clothes, and home need it too. Here's how to properly disinfect your stuff. 💻 Whether or not you're a work-from-home pro, here's how to stay productive without losing your mind. 😔 It's hard not to be anxious about a global pandemic, but here's how you can protect yourself and your family without spiraling and how to not hate the loved ones you're quarantined with. ✂️ It may still be a while before you can see your hairstylist, so here's how to cut your hair at home, plus other ways to keep yourself lookin' fresh. 🦠Read all of our coronavirus coverage here. | 
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