The Life Care Center in Kirkland, Washington, had the first known COVID-19 outbreak in a U.S. nursing home. In Massachusetts, one-third of nursing homes now have more than 30 COVID-19 cases. Jason Redmond/AFP/Getty Images

Failure to count COVID‑19 nursing home deaths could dramatically skew US numbers

The government doesn’t know how many people have died of COVID-19, in part because it didn’t require nursing homes to report cases to the CDC. In some states, over half of deaths are in nursing homes.
The guidance on masks appears to be shifting, but social distancing is still the key step people can take. Muhammad Fayyaz Rub/Shutterstock.com

Should we wear masks or not? An expert sorts through the confusion

The CDC is reconsidering its policy about the widespread public’s use of masks, as is the World Health Organization. Here are the facts about when it’s appropriate to wear a mask – and what kind.

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