If you have symptoms but get a negative home test result, you may need to keep taking precautions and test again (and again).What does a negative result on a home Covid-19 test really mean?That’s the question that has confounded many people who have reached for a home test because they have a sore throat, cough or runny nose. After swabbing their nose and waiting an anxious 15 minutes, the result is negative.While there’s relief in getting a negative result, there’s also uncertainty. Am I really free of Covid? Or did the test just not detect it? Should I test again? Can I spend time with other people?The confusion is justified, say testing and public health experts. It stems from a lack of understanding about how the tests work. Rapid home antigen tests look for pieces of viral proteins from a swab of your nose, and they are designed to identify whether you have an infectious level of the virus. But a negative test is not a guarantee you don’t have Covid.It could be that your symptoms are an immune response signaling the arrival of Covid or another invader. The harder your immune system is working to tamp down the virus, particularly an immune system supercharged by vaccine antibodies, the more likely you are to get an early negative result on a rapid test, even if you’re infected.“It may be that the virus in your body is having a tug of war with your immune system,” said Dr. Michael Mina, chief science officer for eMed, a company that helps rapid test users get treatment from home. “If you test negative and you have symptoms, don’t assume you’re negative. Assume that the virus has not had an opportunity to grow up yet. The symptoms might mean your immune system is just triggering a very early warning.”Dr. Mina advises people to take a rapid test on the first day of symptoms. A positive result means you almost certainly have Covid. If the result is negative and your symptoms continue, you should still take precautions, wear a mask and avoid close contact with other people. If you can’t test daily, then wait 48 hours and test again. If you’re still negative but your symptoms persist or are getting worse, you should take another test on Day 4. Or you may want to go to a testing center to take a P.C.R. test, which can sometimes detect Covid a little sooner than a home test, although you may have to wait a day or two for the results.Experts say that if you have symptoms and continue to get negative results on home tests, it may be that your immune system is doing a good job beating the virus. Or it could be that you have another illness. Either way, you should try to avoid infecting others.“If you have symptoms and continue to test negative, the chances that you’re infectious with Covid have gone down a lot,” said Dr. Robert Wachter, the chair of the medicine department at the University of California, San Francisco. “But you probably should wear a mask that day because you have something.”And, remember, the result of your home test is just one piece of information. If you haven’t left the house in weeks, your negative result after a few tests is probably accurate. If you have symptoms and you’ve been spending time in bars or a family member has been exposed to Covid, you should be more cautious, even if the initial results are negative. It may be that you tested too early and that your viral load isn’t high enough to be detected.When Dr. Jillian Horton, an internal medicine doctor in Winnipeg, started feeling ill, she was pretty sure she had Covid. Her husband had been exposed and had symptoms, too. She decided to conduct an experiment of one, testing herself several times over the course of a few days to track the dynamics of the virus. “With my husband testing positive and myself very symptomatic, I was sure I had Covid,” Dr. Horton said. “I was curious to see what I could pinpoint in terms of when I might flip positive.”Dr. Horton’s husband became ill on a Friday night, and that evening she tested negative. On Saturday, she began to feel sick and tested herself three times throughout the day. All three results were negative.By Sunday morning, she woke up and was feeling worse. At 6 a.m. she tested and saw a faint line on the test — what she called a “weak positive.” She took two more tests on Sunday and both were negative.On Monday morning, she tested again, and the test rapidly turned positive.What is notable about Dr. Horton’s experiment is that if she had tested at a different time on Sunday, she may never have discovered the weak positive. Her immune system was clearly battling the virus, as evidenced by her two negative test results later in the day.Dr. Horton noted that testing at the right time to catch a high viral load was similar to putting a net in a stream. If the fish aren’t there, you won’t catch anything. But if you time it so that the fish are plentiful, you’ll catch your dinner.Dr. Horton said she was concerned that too many people think the tests aren’t working when, in fact, they are a useful tool if you understand how to use them. They are ideal for “ruling in” Covid, but you have to consider more information when evaluating a negative test.“So often I hear people say, ‘The test is useless,’” Dr. Horton said. “What my experience illustrated is that when you have symptoms, the tests are really ‘rule-in’ tests. I think of those two days when I was so symptomatic. I had one positive test and five negative tests. There was only one moment in there where I was more infectious.”Linsey Marr, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech and one of the world’s leading experts on viral transmission, said she assumed her daughter had Covid even after a rapid test came back negative. The child had a fever and sore throat, and she had been exposed to Covid through her gymnastics team.But testing proved useful for knowing that her daughter wasn’t highly contagious, which helped Dr. Marr’s family know how to manage the risk. “We knew we needed to be careful,” Dr. Marr said. “But we didn’t have to totally put her in jail. The test told us that the viral load was not high enough that we had to lock her in her room and be that worried about all of us getting it.” Instead, the family wore masks and opened windows to improve ventilation.Kristina Kasparian, who works from home in Montreal, believes she may have gotten Covid from her husband, who is a schoolteacher. They disagreed on whether a home test he took showed a faint positive. But a few days later she woke up with tightness in her chest and a sore throat. Her test was positive, and her husband has continued to test negative.“It’s great to have this tool, but it’s such a variable snapshot in time,” she said.Dr. Mina said that despite the limitations, people would benefit from frequent testing any time they suspect they have been exposed, have symptoms or want to be sure they are not infectious before spending time with a person at high risk. He also recommends testing after you recover to be sure you’re not still infectious when you start interacting with others.“These are tools that have massive benefit during a pandemic like this,” Dr. Mina said. “They will catch you when you’re most infectious. They will even catch you most of the time when you’re just slightly infectious. They will catch almost everyone when they have a high enough viral load to spread. But it won’t be perfect.”

It’s not always easy to change your eating habits, but mindfulness can help you improve the quality of your daily diet, without food restrictions.As a chronic dieter for most of my life, it hasn’t been easy to kick the dieting habit.I grew up in a home where food was so restricted that my siblings and I learned to “sneak” snacks and sips of soda. My mother was on and off diets for as long as I can remember, a habit she unknowingly passed on to me.I loved my mom dearly, but one of our last conversations was about dieting. She was in hospice, and I was on Jenny Craig. I remember when my brother brought a bowl of microwave popcorn into the hospital room and I reached for it, and my mom gently chided me for breaking my diet. “Tara, you’re being bad,” she said. I know those weren’t her last words to me, but it’s what I remember.Since then I’ve tried many different weight loss approaches — intermittent fasting, cutting carbs, Whole30 and, most recently, Noom — all of which have felt like restrictive diets wrapped up in different marketing packages. “Diet culture has been so shape-shifting that even diet companies now are saying, ‘We’re not a diet,’” said Evelyn Tribole, a registered dietitian and a co-author of the popular book “Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Anti-Diet Approach.” “But yes, they are.”Now there’s mounting scientific evidence to suggest that restrictive dieting makes you want to eat more, slows your metabolism and makes it even harder to lose weight in the future.Tired of the dieting roller coaster, I made the decision about a year ago to never diet again. I put my energy into practicing mindfulness, learning to meditate and enjoying cooking.The science of mindful eatingNo restrictive diets have ever been proven to result in sustainable, long-term weight loss for the majority of people who try them. To be sure, there is only limited research on the effectiveness of so-called nondiet approaches, often called mindful eating, intuitive eating or attuned eating.What all these approaches have in common is that they don’t restrict foods, but instead focus on paying attention to internal cues, like hunger, fullness and cravings. But it takes practice. In one study, it took participants at least 10 to 15 tries — and for many people it took 38 or more attempts — to begin to reshape their eating behaviors through mindfulness.A Brown University study of 104 overweight women found that mindfulness training reduced craving-related eating by 40 percent. Another review by scientists at Columbia University found that training in mindful eating often resulted in at least one benefit for metabolic or heart health, such as better glucose levels, lower cholesterol or improved blood pressure. A 2014 review of 20 mindful eating interventions showed improvements in psychological health, including less depression, better self-esteem and improved quality of life.Success doesn’t always mean weight lossAlthough some people who practice mindful eating may end up losing weight over time, proponents say it’s best to start by listening to your body and bringing awareness to how foods make you feel.“Just focus on paying attention as you eat,” said Dr. Judson Brewer, an associate professor in behavioral and social sciences at the Brown University School of Public Health.Traci Mann, a University of Minnesota psychologist and author of “Secrets From the Eating Lab,” advises people to set new health goals unrelated to weight loss.“Maybe the goal is to eat more vegetables, because that carries all the healthy stuff our bodies need,” said Dr. Mann. “If the outcome is reducing personal shame or guilt, getting you to stress less about your diet or getting you to not diet, those are all excellent goals. That will make you healthier even if it doesn’t make you thinner.”Dr. Rudolph Leibel, a professor of medicine at Columbia University’s Institute of Human Nutrition, said he encourages his patients to focus on the metabolic benefits of healthful eating and small amounts of weight loss, rather than their appearance. “More modest reductions are easier to sustain than the ones people often go after for cosmetic reasons,” said Dr. Leibel.Lessons from the Eat Well ChallengeAsking myself the simple question, “How will eating this make me feel?” has helped me improve the quality of my diet without the perils of food restriction. To my surprise, I’ve even lost a little weight, albeit very slowly. While I’m still overweight, it has been liberating and even joyful to stop dieting and start eating mindfully.Ms. Tribole said one of the biggest challenges for chronic dieters is to stop restricting foods and listen to their bodies instead. “There’s a tendency to become rule-based when you come from diet culture,” said Ms. Tribole. “Dieting is such a profound disruption between you and your body and trusting your body.”This month, we’ve heard from hundreds of readers who texted us their own lessons for reshaping their eating habits. For the final installment of the Eat Well Challenge, I’m sharing tips from readers about mindful eating.Eat on a fancy plate!I love this tip for turning an everyday meal into a celebration. Creating a colorful and appetizing plate of food and reveling in the joy of cooking and eating are all ways to practice mindful eating. Studies suggest that the health benefits of Mediterranean-style eating, which includes an abundance of vegetables, olive oil and seafood, are likely enhanced by the tendency of people in the region to enjoy and savor their food and to turn every meal into a celebration with friends and family.No more multitasking while eating.Many readers have discovered they have a habit of looking at their phones, reading, doing work or watching television while eating. While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying your food while watching the Super Bowl or during family movie night, mindful eating is best achieved when your focus is on the meal.“My biggest aha moment so far: slowing down and really being present while I eat,” shared a reader. “I put my phone or book elsewhere and just focus on the taste, smell, texture, look of my food. I enjoy the food so much more when I savor it!”Put the fork down.A number of readers shared this advice, noting that once they became more aware of their eating habits, they noticed that they had a tendency to scoop a new forkful of food before they even finished chewing. Learning to put the fork down between bites helped them focus on the taste and texture of their food, rather than the next bite. A consistent theme I heard from readers is that mindful eating also helped them to slow down at the dinner table, and made them realize how fast they had been gobbling down their food, a habit often learned in childhood.Use smaller plates.A number of readers have told us that using smaller dishes has helped them serve smaller portions and tune in to their body’s hunger and satiety signals. With smaller plates, seconds are still an option if you’re still hungry.“American dinnerware is huge, and it’s really easy to fill the plate,” shared a reader. “Many of us were also trained by our parents to clean our plates, and so we don’t stop eating when we’re full.”Never grocery shop while hungry.Paying attention to hunger signals helped readers notice that it’s better not to shop for food while they’re hungry. Studies show that when people shop on an empty stomach, they don’t buy more food — they buy higher-calorie, less healthful food. This happens because our brains are more reactive to “rewarding” sweet and salty foods when we’re hungry.Ride the wave of food cravings.For many readers, accepting that food cravings are normal has been a revelation. Evan Forman, a psychology professor at Drexel University in Philadelphia and the director of the university’s Center for Weight, Eating and Lifestyle Science, teaches his clients to “ride the wave” of food cravings by identifying the craving, noticing how you feel and accepting it, rather than trying to suppress it.“The simple visual concept of ‘riding the wave’ has been amazingly helpful for me,” said a reader. “I used it three times last night to overcome post-dinner snacking. Worked like a charm!”Just add vegetables.Some readers suggested adding more vegetables to meals — rather than restricting other foods. “I vowed never to diet after having a daughter but rather eat healthfully and be active,” shared a reader who has focused on eating more vegetables. “I didn’t want her to obsess like my friends, sisters and I did.”Get more sleep.Mindful eating made several readers more aware of a tendency to snack at night and to snack more when they stayed up late. A number of studies show that foods can affect our sleep, and lack of sleep can affect our eating patterns.

The fast-spread of the infectious Omicron variant has prompted many people to try to upgrade to a higher-quality medical mask. But that’s easier said than done.Anyone who has shopped for a mask online or in stores has discovered a dizzying array in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Knowing which mask to pick and making sure it’s not a counterfeit requires the sleuthing skills of a forensic investigator. And once you choose one, it’s still a gamble; many people discover they’ve ordered a mask that’s too big or too small for their face or just doesn’t fit right.“No one has made this easy, that’s for sure,” said Bill Taubner, president of Bona Fide Masks, the exclusive distributor in the United States for both Powecom and Harley KN95 masks, which are from China. “A lot of people end up doing a lot of research.”Unlike cloth masks, high-quality medical masks — called N95s, KN95s and KF94s — are made with layers of high-tech filtering material that trap at least 94 to 95 percent of the most risky particles. Under a microscope, the filters look like dense forests of tangled fibers that capture even the hardest-to-trap particles that can bounce around and escape the fibers of cloth masks. High-grade medical masks also have an electrostatically charged filter that helps attract and trap particles.Early in the pandemic, high-quality medical masks were in short supply. Now the problem is there are so many different masks for sale, it’s tough to know which ones have been tested and certified by government agencies, and which are counterfeit. We interviewed mask manufacturers, importers, public health officials and independent researchers for advice on choosing a medical mask. Here’s a guide.Choose your mask style.Masks come in different shapes and sizes. You’ll find “cup” style masks, “duck bill” masks and “flat-fold” masks. The best mask is the one that fits snugly against your face and is comfortable. Start by ordering in small quantities and try different styles to find the best one for your face. Many masks are described as “one size fits most.” But some come in small or larger sizes. “You’re not getting the full benefit of a respirator if you put it on and it’s not forming a seal to your face,” said Nicole Vars McCullough, vice president for personal safety at the 3M Company, a global mask manufacturer.N95 respiratorThe WellBefore N95 mask.Sarah Kobos/WirecutterThe N95 respirator mask is regulated by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Almost all N95 masks use head straps — two elastic bands that wrap behind the head. If a mask claiming to be an N95 has ear loops, it’s most likely a fake. The C.D.C. has a guide for spotting fake N95s.KN95 respirator4CAir AireTrust Nano mask.Sarah Kobos/WirecutterThe KN95 is similar to the N95, but it has ear loops and is made to meet Chinese standards for medical masks. Some people prefer them for comfort, and because they come in smaller sizes. While you can find legitimate KN95 masks, the supply chain is riddled with counterfeits and there’s little regulation or oversight of the product. One study found that 60 percent of the supply of KN95s in the United States are counterfeit. Keep reading for ways to spot them.KF94Kyungin Flax KF94Sarah Kobos/WirecutterThe KF94 is a high-quality mask that folds flat and is made in Korea. It is designed specifically for the consumer market. The KF stands for “Korean filter,” and the 94 means it filters 94 percent of particles. The masks are heavily regulated in Korea, which lowers the risk of counterfeits. However, some fake masks made in China may be labeled KF94, so shoppers still need to do their homework.Masks for childrenThe mask market is particularly tricky for parents trying to find masks for children. No N95 mask has been approved for children, so any mask that claims to be an N95 for kids is a fake. However, N95s do come in S/M sizes that might work for some older children. KN95 and KF94 masks have styles made for children, so once you find one, you need to go through the same vetting process that you would use for an adult mask, using the links below.Buy from a reputable supplier.Big retailers like Home Depot and Lowes typically work directly with manufacturers approved by NIOSH or their distributors, so if you find an N95 mask in a major retail store you can be confident you’re getting the real thing. It’s a good idea to check manufacturer websites to see where they sell their products and who their authorized distributors are, Dr. McCullough said. 3M has a dedicated spot on its website to help consumers spot fake masks.Finding a reliable mask on Amazon is trickier because you’ll see legitimate masks mixed in with counterfeits, although the differences won’t alway be obvious. If you must use Amazon, try to shop directly in the on-site stores of mask makers like 3M or Kimberly-Clark. (You can usually find a link to a maker’s online store right below a product name.)If you’re buying a KF94 on Amazon, look closely at the packaging to make sure it’s made in Korea and includes the required labeling (see below for more details). Aaron Collins, an engineer who routinely tests masks and who has gained a YouTube following as “Mask Nerd,” recommends buying KF94s from Korean beauty product importers like Be Healthy or KMact. Once you learn the names of a few KF94 manufacturers, you can try to find their websites to learn where they are sold. For instance, Happy Life lists its five U.S. distributors on its home page.You can sometimes find N95 and KN95 masks for sale directly on the website of a mask maker, like Demetech and Armbrust USA. You can also look for companies that are exclusive distributors of KN95 masks, like Bona Fide Masks. The nonprofit site Project N95 is also a reliable place to shop.Check labels and printing.Legitimate N95s and KN95s are required to have specific text stamped on the front of the mask. Although you may find one in a fun color, masks that are printed with fancy designs or don’t have text stamped on them are probably fake.Your N95 should be stamped with “NIOSH,” as well as the company name, the model and lot numbers, and something called a “TC approval” number, which can be used to look up the mask on a list of approved ones. The C.D.C. has created an infographic showing you the printing to look for on your N95.KN95 and N95 masks are required to have specific text stamped on the front. Charlie Rubin for The New York TimesA legitimate KN95 should also be stamped with text, including the name of the manufacturer, the model, and “GB2626-2019,” which is a reference to a quality control standard approved by the Chinese government.The KF94 won’t be stamped with text, but the package should say “Made in Korea” and include the product name, manufacturer and distributor name. The package will also have an expiration date and a lot number printed on it. (Medical masks that carry an electrostatic charge all have expiration dates.) If your mask comes from a Korean importer, the information on the package will be in Korean, but many companies have begun to create English-language packaging.Use trusted sources.A number of resources have sprung up to help people navigate the mask-buying process. Project N95 is a nonprofit known for vetting its mask suppliers. Mr. Collins, the Mask Nerd, has created a number of lists and resources for mask buyers. You can check out his Twitter feed, his YouTube channel and a spreadsheet he has created of nearly 450 different masks and how they performed in his tests.Mr. Collins may be best known for his list of children’s masks. While there is no N95 mask for kids approved in the United States, mask makers in China and Korea have created KN95s and KF94s for children, including some with child-friendly colors and prints. Mr. Collins created a video “primer for parents” about finding a high-quality mask for kids that has more than 100,000 views.“I had retired from mask testing,” Mr. Collins said, noting that he doesn’t receive any compensation for his work. “But I came out of retirement to do the kids video. The only place I’ve seen a list of test data is unfortunately me.”Wirecutter, a product review site owned by The New York Times, has a guide for buying medical masks, one for buying children’s masks and a list of 12 red flags that might signal your mask is a counterfeit.Do your research.It’s not easy, but the C.D.C. has a few lists you can use to confirm a mask has been vetted. A note of caution: If you don’t find a particular mask, make sure you’ve looked it up the correct way. For instance, a Gerson N95 mask won’t be found under the letter “G.” It’s listed under “L” because the full name of the company that makes it is Louis M. Gerson.For N95 masks, go to the C.D.C.’s alphabetical list of NIOSH-approved respirators. You can also look up the TC approval number using the certified equipment list.For KN95 masks, you can use two checklists from the Food and Drug Administration. The F.D.A. created these lists early in the pandemic, when the agency issued an emergency use authorization that allowed health workers to use KN95 masks because of a shortage of N95s. Now that the N95 supply is adequate, the agency has revoked the authorization for these workers, but other people can still use KN95s. While the list is now a bit outdated, finding your mask on it adds reassurance that it’s less likely to be counterfeit — with the caveat that there’s no longer official U.S. oversight for any of these firms.Use this F.D.A. list to find KN95 masks made in China, and this list for KN95 masks made in other countries.

For the Eat Well Challenge, mindfulness techniques like “urge surfing” can help curb overeating without banning favorite foods.Food cravings are a normal part of the human experience; studies show that more than 90 percent of people have them. (In fact, who are those unicorns who’ve never had cravings?)But how we deal with cravings can vary widely. Some people eat what they want and don’t worry about it, whereas others feel controlled by cravings and end up bingeing on favorite foods.When people surrender to a food craving, they often blame it on a lack of self control. But cravings are caused by a complex interplay of neurons in the brain’s reward center, appetite hormones, behavioral conditioning and easy access to tasty, pleasurable foods that reinforce the craving cycle.The power of cravings can be fueled by the senses, like the smell of fresh bread when we walk by a bakery, as well as situations and emotions. After a stressful day at work, for example, we might seek comfort by pulling up to a fast-food window. Good times can trigger cravings, too, like wanting popcorn or candy at the movies. And studies show that so-called “hyperpalatable” foods that offer a tantalizing combination of fat, sugar, salt and carbohydrates can interfere with brain signals so that we keep craving them even when we’re full.So what’s the solution for people who struggle with cravings?It turns out many people are dealing with cravings the wrong way by trying to restrict, avoid and distract themselves from tempting foods. They skip dessert when everyone else is eating it, walk away if a colleague brings doughnuts to the office and try to ignore their craving for the ice cream in the freezer.But increasingly, studies show that constant restriction and attempts at distraction can actually backfire for people who struggle with cravings and binge eating. Now scientists are studying surprising new strategies to cope with cravings based on brain science. These include accepting that food cravings are normal and inevitable and using mindfulness techniques to acknowledge and become more aware of your cravings and wait them out, rather than trying to ignore them.“It’s about understanding that these kinds of cravings are a natural part of being a person; we’re engineered this way,” said Evan Forman, a psychology professor at Drexel University in Philadelphia and the director of the university’s Center for Weight, Eating and Lifestyle Science. “You don’t have to make cravings go away, but you also don’t have to eat because of them. It’s accepting rather than pushing away or suppressing them.”How Dieting Can Make Cravings WorseOne of the earliest studies to show a link between food restriction and cravings was conducted in the 1940s by the diet researcher Ancel Keys. In what is often referred to as a “starvation study,” Dr. Keys asked 36 men, who had been eating about 3,500 daily calories, to cut their food intake to about 1,600 calories a day. (By today’s standards, that calorie count is just another diet.) The restriction triggered a notable psychological change in the men, who became preoccupied with food.“They stopped doing anything except laying in their beds, talking and thinking about foods,” said Traci Mann, who heads the health and eating laboratory at the University of Minnesota. She notes that the men even planned food-related careers like opening a grocery store or restaurant, and they stayed preoccupied with food long after the study ended. “These are men in the 1940s who probably never cooked a meal in their entire life,” Dr. Mann noted. “And they started cutting recipes out of the newspaper.”More recently, Dr. Mann and her colleagues used a tempting box of chocolates to study the effect of food restriction. The research included 142 chocolate lovers, half of whom were told to eat their regular diet while the other half went on a restricted diet. In a seemingly cruel twist, everyone in the study was given a box of chocolates and instructed not to eat it until after the 10-day study. But to make sure every participant was consistently tempted by the chocolate, the participants had to open the box daily to find specific instructions.After 10 days, everyone was asked to send a photo of their chocolate box. The dieters had pilfered significantly more of the chocolates than those who weren’t counting calories.“The dieters’ control over their eating failed,” Dr. Mann said. “There are lots of studies that look at the thinking processes that dieters have, and you see the same thing. Dieters are more likely to notice food, have a harder time removing their attention from food and they crave food more.”Currently, Dr. Mann is studying how quickly obsessive food thoughts begin after a person starts restrictive dieting. “We’re still crunching the data,” Dr. Mann said. “But it seems to start up pretty quickly, within about 10 days.”Acceptance vs. DistractionAt Drexel University, Dr. Forman conducted a similar study, but this time with transparent boxes of Hershey’s Kisses that subjects were required to carry at all times for two days. The researchers added a twist, advising some participants to ignore their cravings while instructing another group to notice and accept their cravings as something normal. A control group received no advice. At the end of the study, about 30 percent of participants in the control group had eaten the candy compared to 9 percent of people in the group instructed to ignore cravings. But among the participants taught to acknowledge and accept cravings, nobody ate the chocolate.In 2019, Dr. Forman published the follow-up results of a larger randomized controlled trial of 190 people, which found that participants who practiced acceptance and mindfulness strategies were twice as likely to have maintained a 10 percent weight loss after three years compared to those who focused primarily on resisting temptations and suppressing thoughts of food.“Surprisingly, there was a large benefit in people’s quality of life that was somewhat unexpected,” Dr. Forman said. “It benefited their well-being and emotional state, too.”How to Cope With CravingsFor this week’s Eat Well Challenge, try these acceptance and mindfulness techniques to focus on food cravings. (Times subscribers can sign up for the Eat Well Challenge through the Well newsletter and receive extra advice by texting the word “Hi” to 917-810-3302 for a link to join.)Practice “urge surfing.”Cravings are ephemeral, and some research suggests they peak around 5 minutes. “Urge surfing” means “riding the wave” of your thoughts, feelings and cravings rather than acting on them, and it’s a successful strategy often used to treat substance use. Follow these four steps.Identify your craving. Use the phrase, “I’m having the urge to eat …” and fill in the blank,.Observe it. Notice how you feel as you crave the food. Do you feel it in your stomach? Are you distracted? Anxious? Do you feel the need to move or keep visiting the kitchen?Be open. Don’t try to suppress or get rid of your craving. Accept the experience.Pay attention to what happens next. Notice the urge as it rises, crests, falls and subsides. Note the intensity of a craving. “I’m having the urge to eat potato chips. It started as a 5, but now it’s a 7.” “Our cravings inevitably rise and fall, just like waves in an ocean,” Dr. Forman said. “Trying to fight that wave will never work. It doesn’t work if you are wishing for the craving to go away. You are accepting that it’s there, and even that it’s supposed to be there, and you are coexisting — surfing — with it.”Ask: How little is enough?There’s nothing wrong with eating a food you crave unless it becomes a problem for you. Dr. Judson Brewer, an associate professor at the Brown University School of Public Health, who created a mindfulness app called Eat Right Now, told the story of a patient who routinely ate a full bag of potato chips while watching a favorite TV show with her daughter.Instead of discouraging her from eating the chips, Dr. Brewer advised her to pay attention to every single chip she ate and to notice how many chips it took to feel satisfied. Just a few weeks later, the woman reported she had slowly reduced her chip habit, and now her craving was satisfied after the second potato chip.“She could eat two and be done,” Dr. Brewer said.Dr. Brewer said mindfulness can help people cope with food cravings without having to give up a favorite food entirely. “It’s not that we can’t ever have a chocolate chip cookie,” Dr. Brewer said. “But when I eat one, I really pay attention. I enjoy it, and I ask myself, ‘Do I need more?’”Find a bigger, better offer.Another strategy to deal with a craving is to focus on how a food tastes and makes you feel, and then replace a problem food with a higher-quality food that satisfies the same urges. Dr. Brewer calls this “finding a bigger, better offer.”Dr. Brewer said he used to be “addicted” to gummy candy. To break the craving, he began to focus on how the candy really tasted, and noticed it was sickly sweet. He looked for a better food to feed his craving and chose blueberries, which he discovered gave him even more pleasure than the candy.“Cutting ourselves off is not the way to go,” Dr. Brewer said. “We don’t want to live this austere life of not enjoying foods that taste good.”On Mondays in January, the Eat Well Challenge will focus on the latest science to help you reshape your eating habits. Sign up for the Well newsletter to receive it in your inbox. You can also sign up for weekly texts with coaching and tips. Text the word “Hi” (or any word) to 917-810-3302 for a link to join. Message and data rates may apply.

From labeling your feelings to exercise snacks, here’s a roundup of some of Well’s best advice for better living.What good things did you do for yourself in 2021?This year on Well, we suggested a number of small habits that can make life just a little better. It’s not too late to try them, and pick a few you’d like to continue. Here are nine of our favorites.Give the best hours of your day to yourself. What time of day do you feel your best? For some people, we may feel most energetic during the first few hours of the morning. For night owls, evening might be our best time of day. Now ask yourself, “Who gets those hours?” Do you spend your best hours checking emails, catching up on work or doing tasks for your family? Try giving that time to yourself instead. Use it to focus on your priorities, rather than someone else’s. You can use that hour or two for anything you want — it might be for a hobby, a project that you feel passionate about, time with your children or even to volunteer and help others. Setting aside your best hours to focus on personal goals and values is the ultimate form of self-care.Enjoy exercise snacks. Too often we think of exercise as a formal activity we have to do for an hour at the gym each day. But a number of studies show that short bursts of exercise several times a day lead to meaningful gains in fitness and overall health. Just as you might grab a handful of chips or nuts to break the monotony of your day, an exercise “snack” is a quick movement break. Get up and pace when you’re on the phone. Do jumping jacks, lunges, a wall sit or walk the stairs for 20 seconds. My go-to exercise snack is 10 wall push-ups.Take a gratitude photo. If a gratitude journal isn’t your thing, make a plan to take one photo a day of something special in your life. It can be a cute picture of your dog, a sunset or a delicious meal. Take a moment to study the photo, sit with your feelings of gratitude, and then share it with a friend or post it on social media. When we make an effort to notice our surroundings or show appreciation for the people, places or things that make us happy, it’s called “savoring.” Scientists know that savoring exercises can lead to meaningful gains in overall happiness and well-being.Print a “feelings” list. Every day when you brush your teeth or make your coffee, ask yourself: How are you, really? Think of a word that describes exactly what you’re feeling. Unsettled? Energetic? Delighted? Frazzled? (Avoid standard answers like “good,” “fine” or “OK.”) This simple labeling activity is surprisingly effective for calming stress and taking the sting out of negative thoughts. Studies show that when we label our feelings, it helps turn off the emotional alarm system in our brain and lowers our stress response. Click the link for a list of words, from the Hoffman Institute, to describe how you’re feeling and put it on your refrigerator or your bathroom. Ask your kids to pick a word from the list every day too. It can be a surprisingly fun family routine.Do a five-finger meditation. This is an easy way to calm yourself, no matter where you are. Use the index finger of one hand to trace the outline of the opposite hand. As you trace up a finger, breathe in. As you trace down, breathe out. Continue finger by finger until you’ve traced your entire hand. Now reverse directions and do it again, making sure to inhale as you trace up, and exhale as you trace down. (Click on the link for a simple animation showing how it’s done.) I’ve used this method on airplanes, before getting my Covid vaccine shots and during stressful meetings, and it works every time.Make it easy: In the scientific study of habit formation, the thing that makes it harder for you to achieve your goal is called friction, which typically comes in three forms — distance, time and effort. The friction-free habits you’ll keep are those that are convenient, happen close to home and don’t take much time or effort. For example, one of my goals this year was to cook more and stop ordering take out or buying expensive grocery-prepared foods. I hated going to the grocery store, and I found it difficult to cook for one person. Then I read a Wirecutter article on the best meal kit delivery services and realized I could make home cooking a lot easier on myself. I started using the Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon meal kits, and it was like having my own personal sous chef. By removing the friction, cooking is now fun, easy and delicious.Watch the jellyfish. One of the best mindfulness tips I came across this year was from Cord Jefferson, the television writer who thanked his therapist on national television when he won an Emmy Award. Mr. Jefferson told me he struggled with traditional meditation, but he enjoys watching the feed from a web camera showing the jellyfish at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Bookmark the jelly-cam on your phone or laptop browser and get lost in the gentle pulses of the jellyfish for a short mindfulness break during your workday.Find a health buddy. Choose a friend who shares your health goals and make a plan. Meet each other once or twice a week for a walking date. Or it could be a daily text check-in to see how you’re doing on a diet, or a Zoom call to work together on a decluttering project. Studies show we’re more likely to reach our goals when we bring a friend along for the journey.More from the Well newsletterWhen grief doesn’t go awayProlonged grief disorder is a syndrome in which people feel stuck in an endless cycle of mourning that can last for years or even decades, severely impairing their daily life, relationships and job performance.The disorder was recently added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Symptoms of P.G.D. can include emotional numbness; intense loneliness; avoidance of reminders the person is not there; feeling that life is meaningless; difficulty with reintegration into life; extreme emotional pain, sorrow or anger; a sense of disbelief about the death; and a feeling that a part of oneself has died.In the immediate aftermath, or “acute” phase of a death, such feelings are considered normal. But when three or more of these symptoms persist nearly every day for a year after the loss in adults, or for six months in children and adolescents, grief counselors say it can be a worrisome sign of prolonged grief disorder.The disorder, which was previously known as complicated grief and persistent complex bereavement disorder, isn’t new. But before it was listed in the D.S.M. as a condition for further study. Preliminary studies suggest that it affects around 7 percent of those in mourning, though estimates vary. With the coronavirus claiming nearly 800,000 lives so far in the United States alone, grief counselors are concerned about the ongoing fallout. Each Covid death is projected to leave a ring of nine bereaved: That’s roughly seven million grieving parents, children, siblings, grandparents and spouses. And the losses cast a shadow over many more.Read more:As Covid Deaths Rise, Lingering Grief Gets a New NameThe Week in WellHere are some stories you don’t want to miss:Gretchen Reynolds explains why 9 cents can motivate you to exercise.Roni Rabin tallies the pandemic effect on blood pressure.Jane Brody explores the health toll of poor sleep.And of course, we’ve got the Weekly Health Quiz.Let’s keep the conversation going. Follow me on Facebook or Twitter for daily check-ins, or write to me at well_newsletter@nytimes.com.Stay well!

Health officials approved mix-and-match Covid booster shots, but didn’t say whether it’s better to switch vaccines or stick with your original shot.Deciding which booster shot to get can feel a lot like a choose-your-own-adventure book — you’ve got three options, but don’t have a clue which one leads to the best outcome.The Food and Drug Administration recently authorized a mix-and-match booster shot strategy that now allows eligible adults to pick a booster from one of three Covid-19 vaccines — Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson — even if it’s different from the one they initially received.But many people are confused about whether they should switch vaccines for the booster dose or stick with the one they know. And if they do decide to mix and match, which one should they choose?Public health officials have declined to recommend a specific shot, leaving it up to individuals to decide. So what should you do? Here’s a look at the science behind mix-and-match boosters and some advice from the experts to help you decide.Why did the experts approve mixing and matching of booster shots?One reason is convenience. Since the goal is to get as many people vaccinated as possible and help vulnerable people get boosters quickly, the expert committees authorized the mix-and-match strategy. This means if you’ve had Johnson & Johnson or Moderna, but the local pharmacy is only offering Pfizer, you can get whatever shot is available without delay.But the committee was also following the science. Early studies have shown the mix-and-match strategy not only is safe and effective, but that mixing vaccines also can sometimes create a broader, more potent response than getting multiple doses of a single vaccine.Why isn’t a specific booster shot recommended?The scientific studies didn’t show a clear winner, but did show that all the booster shots offered strong antibody response no matter what the combination.“Part of the beauty of the mix and match is it enables people no matter where they are — rural or in the city — to have a choice,” said Dr. Kirsten E. Lyke, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine who presented early results of a booster shot trial to the F.D.A. vaccine panel. “They’re all safe, they’re all going to give you a boost, and they’re all going to protect you against severe disease and death.”So what did the studies show?It depends on which set of studies you consider. In June, the National Institutes of Health began its own study looking at what happens when people fully vaccinated with Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson get a booster of the same vaccine or switch to a new one. The study looked at nine different combinations of vaccines and boosters, with 50 volunteers in each group.Early results looked at neutralizing antibodies, which are the specific antibodies that stop the virus and protect you from getting sick. All the booster shots stimulated a neutralizing antibody response, but there were differences. Those who received the Moderna vaccine for their first two doses and Moderna as a booster had the highest antibody levels. Second place went to people who got two doses of Pfizer, followed by Moderna.But it’s important to note that the small study groups weren’t designed to compare which shot was best, and the first studies used a full dose (100 micrograms) of Moderna, and not the half dose that has been approved. It’s possible that differences in the study subjects led to the difference in results. And while the difference in antibody levels sounds impressive, it’s probably not all that meaningful in terms of protecting you in the real world.The biggest differences in antibody levels were seen in the Johnson & Johnson recipients, who showed a fourfold rise in neutralizing antibodies after the J.&J. booster, but had a 76-fold rise after the Moderna booster and a 35-fold increase after a Pfizer booster.Does that mean if I had Johnson & Johnson, I should definitely switch to Moderna or Pfizer?Not necessarily. For J.&J. recipients, who initially would have received a single dose, there’s another study to consider. This one included 30,000 people and didn’t measure antibodies. Instead it looked at overall protection from the coronavirus. That study found that a second dose of J.&J., at least two months after the first, resulted in 94 percent protection against mild to severe cases of Covid-19.What’s intriguing about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is that it appears to trigger a different part of the immune system, stimulating not just neutralizing antibodies but also T cells, possibly resulting in more durable protection. The N.I.H. study will eventually look at T-cell response following the various booster shot combinations, but the data aren’t available yet.So how should I decide which one to pick?All the booster shots stimulate the immune system, so the answer about which shot to get depends on your priorities and personal risk. Here are some examples to help you decide.Talk to your doctor: Depending on your personal health circumstances — whether you have underlying health problems, or are prone to blood clots or heart problems, or have been undergoing cancer treatment — your physician might have an opinion about which shot is best for you. Different vaccines, for example, have different possible side effects.Convenience: If you just want convenience, pick the shot that’s easiest to get. My 80-year-old mother-in-law, who lives in New Mexico, originally got the Johnson & Johnson shot because that’s what was offered in the small village where she lives. Her plan is to get whatever is offered by her local provider because finding a different shot would require a long drive. My advice to her is to get whatever shot she can as soon as she can. It’s probably going to be a J.&J. booster, which I know will give her more protection than she has now..css-1kpebx{margin:0 auto;font-family:nyt-franklin,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-weight:700;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.3125rem;color:#121212;}#NYT_BELOW_MAIN_CONTENT_REGION .css-1kpebx{font-family:nyt-cheltenham,georgia,’times new roman’,times,serif;font-weight:700;font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.625rem;}@media (min-width:740px){#NYT_BELOW_MAIN_CONTENT_REGION .css-1kpebx{font-size:1.6875rem;line-height:1.875rem;}}@media (min-width:740px){.css-1kpebx{font-size:1.25rem;line-height:1.4375rem;}}.css-1gtxqqv{margin-bottom:0;}.css-k59gj9{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;width:100%;}.css-1e2usoh{font-family:inherit;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;-ms-flex-pack:justify;justify-content:space-between;border-top:1px solid #ccc;padding:10px 0px 10px 0px;background-color:#fff;}.css-1jz6h6z{font-family:inherit;font-weight:bold;font-size:1rem;line-height:1.5rem;text-align:left;}.css-1t412wb{box-sizing:border-box;margin:8px 15px 0px 15px;cursor:pointer;}.css-hhzar2{-webkit-transition:-webkit-transform ease 0.5s;-webkit-transition:transform ease 0.5s;transition:transform ease 0.5s;}.css-t54hv4{-webkit-transform:rotate(180deg);-ms-transform:rotate(180deg);transform:rotate(180deg);}.css-1r2j9qz{-webkit-transform:rotate(0deg);-ms-transform:rotate(0deg);transform:rotate(0deg);}.css-e1ipqs{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.5rem;padding:0px 30px 0px 0px;}.css-e1ipqs a{color:#326891;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-e1ipqs a:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1o76pdf{visibility:show;height:100%;padding-bottom:20px;}.css-1sw9s96{visibility:hidden;height:0px;}.css-1in8jot{background-color:white;border:1px solid #e2e2e2;width:calc(100% – 40px);max-width:600px;margin:1.5rem auto 1.9rem;padding:15px;box-sizing:border-box;font-family:’nyt-franklin’,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;text-align:left;}@media (min-width:740px){.css-1in8jot{padding:20px;width:100%;}}.css-1in8jot:focus{outline:1px solid #e2e2e2;}#NYT_BELOW_MAIN_CONTENT_REGION .css-1in8jot{border:none;padding:10px 0 0;border-top:2px solid #121212;}What to Know About Covid-19 Booster ShotsThe F.D.A. has authorized booster shots for millions of recipients of the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Pfizer and Moderna recipients who are eligible for a booster include people 65 and older, and younger adults at high risk of severe Covid-19 because of medical conditions or where they work. Eligible Pfizer and Moderna recipients can get a booster at least six months after their second dose. All Johnson & Johnson recipients will be eligible for a second shot at least two months after the first.Yes. The F.D.A. has updated its authorizations to allow medical providers to boost people with a different vaccine than the one they initially received, a strategy known as “mix and match.” Whether you received Moderna, Johnson & Johnson or Pfizer-BioNTech, you may receive a booster of any other vaccine. Regulators have not recommended any one vaccine over another as a booster. They have also remained silent on whether it is preferable to stick with the same vaccine when possible.The C.D.C. has said the conditions that qualify a person for a booster shot include: hypertension and heart disease; diabetes or obesity; cancer or blood disorders; weakened immune system; chronic lung, kidney or liver disease; dementia and certain disabilities. Pregnant women and current and former smokers are also eligible.The F.D.A. authorized boosters for workers whose jobs put them at high risk of exposure to potentially infectious people. The C.D.C. says that group includes: emergency medical workers; education workers; food and agriculture workers; manufacturing workers; corrections workers; U.S. Postal Service workers; public transit workers; grocery store workers.Yes. The C.D.C. says the Covid vaccine may be administered without regard to the timing of other vaccines, and many pharmacy sites are allowing people to schedule a flu shot at the same time as a booster dose.Concerns about risk: People who are particularly anxious about Covid-19 may decide to base decisions about booster shots on preliminary research and pick Moderna, because of the early research showing it stimulates a higher level of neutralizing antibodies.Familiarity: Some people may make decisions based on the experience they had with their first shot. They already know their body handled the first dose with no complications, so they may be inclined to pick the same vaccine for the booster shot.Dr. Asaf Bitton, executive director of Ariadne Labs at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said he’s received a number of questions from patients about which shot to get. For patients who received Johnson & Johnson, he advises them to mix and match with Moderna or Pfizer, based on the preliminary study data showing a higher antibody response. But for patients who have received Moderna or Pfizer, which are mRNA vaccines, he suggests sticking with what you know if you didn’t have any complications with the first two doses.“The pragmatic side of me says if you got Pfizer and you did fine with that, then getting a booster of the same one makes sense,” said Dr. Bitton. “To track down that pharmacy that has Moderna instead of Pfizer — is it worth it? I’m not convinced yet with the data we have that it is. Unless you find yourself only able to get one particular kind, I’d say stick with what you’ve got in the mRNA family.”Does it matter that the Moderna booster is only half a dose?The N.I.H. study of booster shots is looking at whether there’s a difference in response between those who received 100 microgram boosters of Moderna and those who received a 50 microgram dose. Those results aren’t available yet, but it seems unlikely there will be much of a difference, if any, say experts.How long does the booster last? Will I need another one soon?There’s not an answer to that question yet, but we’ll find out in the coming months as scientists continue to study large groups of people who have been vaccinated and received boosters.What if I’m not eligible for a booster yet?Depending on how the current guidelines for boosters are interpreted, roughly 85 percent of the adult population already may be eligible. But while the evidence is clear that people who are older or immune-compromised can benefit from additional shots, the original vaccine doses are still doing a good job protecting people from serious illness and hospitalization. And it’s important to remember that booster shots alone will not end the pandemic.“The question is to what extent will this whole booster mania really affect this pandemic,” said Dr. Paul A. Offit, the director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “Probably not much. If you’re hospitalized with this virus it’s not because you haven’t gotten a third dose; it’s because you haven’t gotten any dose.”

When my daughter returned to school this fall, I sent a care package that was perfect for a college student living through a pandemic. It included cookies, a coffee mug — and a pulse oximeter.A pulse oximeter is a small device that clips on your finger and measures your blood oxygen levels. Even though my daughter and her friends are all vaccinated against Covid-19, I wanted her to have the device handy just in case she got a breakthrough infection.Many people first learned about a pulse oximeter in the early days of the pandemic, after doctors warned that some patients with Covid-19 develop a form of oxygen deprivation called “silent hypoxia,” which occurs when blood oxygen levels drop so slowly that a patient doesn’t notice anything is wrong. Often these patients are so ill by the time they get to the hospital that they need to be put on a ventilator.New research from South Africa shows that using a pulse oximeter to check oxygen levels after a Covid diagnosis really does save lives. For the study, 8,115 high-risk patients were given a pulse oximeter to use at home after Covid-19 was diagnosed. The study focused on the highest-risk patients, including older people, those who were pregnant or those with chronic illnesses like heart disease, hypertension or diabetes.After a Covid diagnosis, the patients were given a pulse oximeter and received a follow-up call to make sure they were using it correctly. They were asked to record their oxygen saturation and heart rate twice a day, and instructed to call a doctor if the reading started to drop below 95 percent.If the reading fell below 90 percent, they were instructed to go to the emergency room. And all the patients were told to seek emergency care if they had difficulty breathing, regardless of the number on the device.The study group was then compared with about 30,000 patients in the general population who were seen by doctors across the country between March and October of 2020. During the study period, 544 people (out of 38,660 patients) died from Covid-19, including 49 in the study group.But the risk of dying was 52 percent lower among the patients who had been instructed to monitor their oxygen at home. Based on the overall mortality rate, it was expected that 95 people in the study group would have died. But using a pulse oximeter appears to have saved the lives of 46 people.“I think it’s important to know that a pulse oximeter makes a difference,” said Shirley Collie, an author of the new study and chief health analytics actuary at Discovery Health, a large managed care administrator in South Africa. “You’re monitoring your oxygen because the timing of when you get to the hospital makes a huge difference on your clinical outcome.”The magnitude of the benefit startled even some of the staunchest supporters of home oxygen monitoring. Dr. Richard Levitan, an emergency room doctor who sounded the alarm about silent hypoxia in a guest essay for The Times, called the findings “astounding.”“It’s exceedingly rare in medicine to show such a huge difference in treatment, particularly with such a complicated disease,” said Dr. Levitan, who practices at Littleton Regional Healthcare in New Hampshire. “All of this happened with different management, in different hospitals, while the pandemic was unfolding. To have a 50 percent mortality difference is phenomenal. We almost never see a benefit as large as that.”Aileen Son for The New York TimesThe researchers said the difference in mortality between the two groups appeared to be explained by the fact that people monitoring their oxygen levels at home sought medical care sooner in the course of their illness. Among the patients who went to the hospital, those who had used a pulse oximeter at home had lower levels of inflammation, as measured by a C-reactive protein (CRP) test.In addition to helping patients know when to seek medical care, a pulse oximeter can lower anxiety after a Covid-19 diagnosis. Ms. Collie said she experienced the benefit firsthand after experiencing a breakthrough infection this summer, despite being fully vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. She had a cough and tightness in her chest and regularly monitored her oxygen levels at home. “It does give a lot of comfort in terms of checking where you’re at,” she said. “This monitoring can modify your risk of a really bad outcome. I think it’s hugely empowering.”To use a pulse oximeter, press the device open as you would press a clip or clothespin, and place your finger snugly inside. The device beams different wavelengths of light through your finger. It’s targeting hemoglobin, a protein molecule in your blood that carries oxygen. Your pulse oximeter will give you a numerical reading — a percentage that indicates the level of oxygen saturation in your blood. Within seconds, it lights up with numbers indicating your blood oxygen level and heart rate.Most healthy people will get an oxygen reading around 95 to 99 percent. Some people with existing health conditions may have a lower normal reading. In general, doctors say you should seek medical advice if the number drops rapidly or falls below 94.But the accuracy of the device can vary, particularly in patients with dark skin. One study found that the result wasn’t accurate in one in 10 Black patients. A person with dark skin can still use the device, but doctors say it’s important to pay attention to any downward trend in oxygen readings, rather than fixating on a particular number. If you’re sick at home with Covid-19 and your normal reading drops by four points or more, that’s a good reason to call your doctor.The South Africa study was conducted before vaccines were available, and vaccinated people have a far lower risk of serious illness or being hospitalized for Covid-19. But some vaccinated people, particularly those in high-risk groups, can still develop severe illness. Dr. Levitan said that even if you are vaccinated and at low risk of serious illness, you should use a pulse oximeter after a Covid-19 diagnosis.“Your odds of getting seriously ill are low, but I’ve hospitalized patients with Covid pneumonia who are vaccinated,” Dr. Levitan said. “Across all of medicine, with earlier treatment people do better. If you come in early and spend three to five days in the hospital, that’s very different than coming in late and landing in the I.C.U.”

If I’m the only person wearing a mask in a store or other indoor location, am I really protected from infection?It’s true that masks work best when everyone in the room is wearing one. That’s because when an infected person wears a mask, a large percentage of their exhaled infectious particles are trapped, stopping viral spread at the source. And when fewer viral particles are floating around the room, the masks others are wearing would likely block those that have escaped.But there is also plenty of evidence showing that masks protect the wearer even when others around them are mask-free. The amount of protection depends on the quality of the mask and how well it fits. During a hotel outbreak in Switzerland, for instance, several employees and a guest who tested positive for the coronavirus were wearing only face shields (with no masks); those who wore masks were not infected. And a Tennessee study found that communities with mask mandates had lower hospitalization rates than areas where masks weren’t required.“Health care workers, scientists who work with nasty pathogens, and workers who may be exposed to hazardous airborne particles on the job rely on specialized masks like N95s for protection, so we know that properly-fitted, high-efficiency masks work,” said Linsey Marr, a Virginia Tech engineering professor and one of the world’s leading experts on viral transmission.A number of laboratory studies have also documented that a mask protects the person who is wearing it, though the level of that protection can vary depending on the type of mask, the material its made from, the experimental setup and how particle exposure was measured. But the bottom line of all the studies is that a mask reduces the potential exposure of the person wearing it. Here are some of the findings.One study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that a standard surgical mask only protected the wearer from about 7.5 percent of the particles generated by a simulated cough. But knotting the loops and tucking in the sides of the medical mask reduced exposure by nearly 65 percent. (Watch this video to see the “knot and tuck” method.) Covering the surgical mask with a cloth mask, a technique known as double masking, reduced exposure to the simulated cough particles by 83 percent.A Virginia Tech study looked at how well homemade masks, surgical masks and face shields protected the wearer, based on particle size. The research showed that most masks could block very large particles, like those from a sneeze. But when the researchers looked at smaller aerosol particles that are hardest to block, protection ranged from near zero with a face shield to about 30 percent protection with a surgical mask. (The percentages in the study can’t be directly compared to the C.D.C. knot-and-tuck study because the testing methods were different.) Based on the findings, Dr. Marr and her colleagues concluded that a two-layer cloth mask made of flexible, tightly-woven fabric, combined with a filter material (like a coffee filter or surgical mask), could offer good protection, reducing 70 percent of the most penetrating particles and trapping 90 percent or more of the larger particles. They also found that head straps or ties created a better fit than ear loops.A study from Tokyo tested how well different types of masks protected the wearer from actual coronavirus particles. The study showed that even a simple cotton mask offered some protection (17 to 27 percent) to the wearer. Medical masks performed better, including a surgical mask (47 to 50 percent protection), a loose fitting N95 (57 to 86 percent protection) and a tightly sealed N95 (79 to 90 percent protection).While many lab studies test masks using mannequin heads, a 2008 study used real people to measure how well masks could protect the wearer against a respiratory virus. The study subjects wore different kinds of masks fitted with special receptors that could measure particle concentration on both sides of the masks. In this study, cloth masks reduced exposure by 60 percent, surgical masks by 76 percent and N95 masks by 99 percent.Getty ImagesWhile the lab studies all show a mask can protect the wearer, how well the masks perform in the real world depends on a number of variables, including how consistently people use them, whether a person is in high-risk situations and the rate of infection in the community. A Danish study of 6,000 participants, half of whom were told to wear masks, didn’t show a benefit to mask wearing, but the study has been widely criticized for its poor design. The laboratory studies showed that a high-quality medical mask, like an N95, KN95 or KF94, works best. While vaccination is the best protection against Covid-19, even vaccinated people are advised to avoid crowds or large groups indoors when the vaccination status of others isn’t known. Given that the Delta variant is far more contagious than other variants, Dr. Marr also recommended wearing the highest-quality mask possible when you can’t keep your distance or be outdoors — or when nobody around you is masking up.“If I’m in a situation where I have to rely solely on my mask for protection — unvaccinated people may be present, it’s crowded, I don’t know anything about the ventilation — I would wear the best mask in my wardrobe, which is an N95,” said Dr. Marr. “Because Delta has proved to be so much more easily transmitted and because vaccinated people can transmit, we need to wear the best masks possible in high-risk situations.”

If you’re vaccinated, you should think about a number of variables, including your overall health, where you live and the risks you take.Many people are seeking definitive answers about what they can and can’t do after being vaccinated against Covid-19. Is it OK to travel? Should I go to a big wedding? Does the Delta variant make spending time with my vaccinated grandmother more risky?But there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to those questions because risk changes from one individual to the next, depending on a person’s overall health, where they live and who they spend time with. The bottom line is that vaccines are highly protective against serious illness, and, with some precautions, will allow people to return to more normal lives, experts say. A recent study in Los Angeles County showed that while breakthrough infections can happen, the unvaccinated are 29 times as likely to end up hospitalized from Covid-19 as a vaccinated person.Experts say anxiety about breakthrough infections remains pervasive, fueled in part by frightening headlines and unrealistic expectations about the role of vaccines.“There’s been a lot of miscommunication about what the risks really are to vaccinated people, and how vaccinated people should be thinking about their lives,” said Dr. Ashish K. Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health. “There are people who think we are back to square one, but we are in a much, much better place.”While the Delta variant is causing a surge in infections in various hot spots around the country, including Florida and Louisiana, there will eventually be an end to the pandemic. Getting there will require ongoing precautions in the coming months, but vaccinated people will have more freedom to enjoy life than they did during the early lockdowns. Here are answers to some common questions about the road ahead.What’s my risk of getting Covid if I’m vaccinated?To understand why there is no simple answer to this question, think about another common risk: driving in a snowstorm. While we know that tens of thousands of people are injured or killed each year on icy roads, your individual risk depends on local conditions, the speed at which you travel, whether you’re wearing a seatbelt, the safety features on your car and whether you encounter a reckless driver on the road.Your individual risk for Covid after vaccination also depends on local conditions, your overall health, the precautions you take and how often you are exposed to unvaccinated people who could be infected.“People want to be told what to do — is it safe if I do this?” said Dr. Sharon Balter, director of the division of communicable disease control and prevention at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. “What we can say is, ‘These are the things that are more risky, and these are the things that are less risky.’”Dr. Balter’s team has recently collected surveillance data that give us a clearer picture of the difference in risk to the vaccinated and unvaccinated as the Delta variant surged from May 1 through July 25. They studied infections in 10,895 fully vaccinated people and 30,801 unvaccinated people. The data showed that:The rate of infection in unvaccinated people is five times the rate of infection in vaccinated people. By the end of the study period, the age-adjusted incidence of Covid-19 among unvaccinated persons was 315.1 per 100,000 people over a seven-day period compared to 63.8 per 100,000 incidence rate among fully vaccinated people. (Age adjustment is a statistical method used so the data are representative of the general population.)The rate of hospitalization among the vaccinated was 1 per 100,000 people. The age-adjusted hospitalization rate in unvaccinated persons was 29.4 per 100,000.Older vaccinated people were most vulnerable to serious illness after a breakthrough infection. The median age of vaccinated people who were hospitalized for Covid was 64 years. Among unvaccinated people who were hospitalized, the median age was 49.The Delta variant appears to have increased the risk of breakthrough infections to vaccinated people. At the start of the study, before Delta was dominant, unvaccinated people became infected 10 times as often as vaccinated people did. By the end of study period, when Delta accounted for almost 90 percent of infections, unvaccinated people were five times as likely to get infected as vaccinated people.What’s the chance of a vaccinated person spreading Covid-19?While unvaccinated people are by far at highest risk for catching and spreading Covid-19, it’s also possible for a vaccinated person to become infected and transmit the illness to others. A recent outbreak in Provincetown, Mass., where thousands of people gathered in bars and restaurants, showed that vaccinated people can sometimes spread the virus.Even so, many experts believe the risk of getting infected from a vaccinated person is still relatively low. Dr. Jha noted that after an outbreak among vaccinated and unvaccinated workers at the Singapore airport, tracking studies suggested that most of the spread by vaccinated people happened when they had symptoms.“When we’ve seen outbreaks, like those among the Yankees earlier in the year and other cases, almost always people are symptomatic when they’re spreading,” Dr. Jha said. “The asymptomatic, pre-symptomatic spread could happen, but we haven’t seen it among vaccinated people with any frequency.”Another study from Singapore looked at vaccinated and unvaccinated people infected with the Delta variant. The researchers found that while viral loads in vaccinated and unvaccinated workers are similar at the onset of illness, the amount of virus declines more rapidly in the vaccinated after the first week, suggesting vaccinated people are infectious for a shorter period of time.Is it still safe to gather unmasked with vaccinated people?In many cases it will be safe, but the answer depends on a number of variables. The risk is lower with a few close family members and friends than a large group of people you don’t know. Outdoor gatherings are safer than indoor gatherings. What’s the community transmission rate? What’s the ventilation in the room? Do you have underlying health issues that would make you vulnerable to complications from Covid-19? Do any of the vaccinated people have a fever, sniffles or a cough?“The big question is can five people sit around a table unmasked if we know they’re all vaccinated,” Dr. Jha said. “I think the answer is yes. The chances of anybody spreading the virus in that context is exceedingly low. And if someone does spread the virus, the other people are not going to get super sick from it. I certainly think most of us should not fear breakthrough infections to the point where we won’t tolerate doing things we really value in life.”For larger gatherings or even small gatherings with a highly vulnerable person, rapid antigen testing using home testing kits can lower risk. Asking people to use a test a few days before the event, and then the day of the event, adds another layer of protection. Opening windows and doors or adding a HEPA air cleaner can also help.How can unvaccinated children go to school safely?Children under 12 probably will not be eligible for vaccination until the end of the year. As a result, the best way to protect them is to make sure all the adults and older kids around them are vaccinated. A recent report from the C.D.C. found that an unvaccinated elementary schoolteacher who didn’t wear a mask spread the virus to half of the students in a classroom.Studies show that schools have not been a major cause of Covid-spreading events, particularly when a number of prevention measures are in place. A combination of precautions — masking indoors, keeping students at least three feet apart in classrooms, keeping students in separate cohorts or “pods,” encouraging hand washing and regular testing, and quarantining — have been effective. While many of those studies occurred before the Delta variant became dominant, they also happened when most teachers, staff and parents were unvaccinated, so public health experts are hopeful that the same precautions will work well this fall.Dr. Balter noted that masking in schools, regular testing and improving ventilation will keep children safer, and that parents should be reassured by the data..css-1xzcza9{list-style-type:disc;padding-inline-start:1em;}.css-3btd0c{font-family:nyt-franklin,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:1rem;line-height:1.375rem;color:#333;margin-bottom:0.78125rem;}@media (min-width:740px){.css-3btd0c{font-size:1.0625rem;line-height:1.5rem;margin-bottom:0.9375rem;}}.css-3btd0c strong{font-weight:600;}.css-3btd0c em{font-style:italic;}.css-w739ur{margin:0 auto 5px;font-family:nyt-franklin,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-weight:700;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.3125rem;color:#121212;}#NYT_BELOW_MAIN_CONTENT_REGION .css-w739ur{font-family:nyt-cheltenham,georgia,’times new roman’,times,serif;font-weight:700;font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.625rem;}@media (min-width:740px){#NYT_BELOW_MAIN_CONTENT_REGION .css-w739ur{font-size:1.6875rem;line-height:1.875rem;}}@media (min-width:740px){.css-w739ur{font-size:1.25rem;line-height:1.4375rem;}}.css-9s9ecg{margin-bottom:15px;}.css-16ed7iq{width:100%;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-box-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;justify-content:center;padding:10px 0;background-color:white;}.css-pmm6ed{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;}.css-pmm6ed > :not(:first-child){margin-left:5px;}.css-5gimkt{font-family:nyt-franklin,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.8125rem;font-weight:700;-webkit-letter-spacing:0.03em;-moz-letter-spacing:0.03em;-ms-letter-spacing:0.03em;letter-spacing:0.03em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#333;}.css-5gimkt:after{content:’Collapse’;}.css-rdoyk0{-webkit-transition:all 0.5s ease;transition:all 0.5s ease;-webkit-transform:rotate(180deg);-ms-transform:rotate(180deg);transform:rotate(180deg);}.css-eb027h{max-height:5000px;-webkit-transition:max-height 0.5s ease;transition:max-height 0.5s ease;}.css-6mllg9{-webkit-transition:all 0.5s ease;transition:all 0.5s ease;position:relative;opacity:0;}.css-6mllg9:before{content:”;background-image:linear-gradient(180deg,transparent,#ffffff);background-image:-webkit-linear-gradient(270deg,rgba(255,255,255,0),#ffffff);height:80px;width:100%;position:absolute;bottom:0px;pointer-events:none;}.css-uf1ume{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;-ms-flex-pack:justify;justify-content:space-between;}.css-wxi1cx{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-align-self:flex-end;-ms-flex-item-align:end;align-self:flex-end;}.css-12vbvwq{background-color:white;border:1px solid #e2e2e2;width:calc(100% – 40px);max-width:600px;margin:1.5rem auto 1.9rem;padding:15px;box-sizing:border-box;}@media (min-width:740px){.css-12vbvwq{padding:20px;width:100%;}}.css-12vbvwq:focus{outline:1px solid #e2e2e2;}#NYT_BELOW_MAIN_CONTENT_REGION .css-12vbvwq{border:none;padding:10px 0 0;border-top:2px solid #121212;}.css-12vbvwq[data-truncated] .css-rdoyk0{-webkit-transform:rotate(0deg);-ms-transform:rotate(0deg);transform:rotate(0deg);}.css-12vbvwq[data-truncated] .css-eb027h{max-height:300px;overflow:hidden;-webkit-transition:none;transition:none;}.css-12vbvwq[data-truncated] .css-5gimkt:after{content:’See more’;}.css-12vbvwq[data-truncated] .css-6mllg9{opacity:1;}.css-qjk116{margin:0 auto;overflow:hidden;}.css-qjk116 strong{font-weight:700;}.css-qjk116 em{font-style:italic;}.css-qjk116 a{color:#326891;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;-webkit-text-decoration-color:#326891;text-decoration-color:#326891;}.css-qjk116 a:visited{color:#326891;-webkit-text-decoration-color:#326891;text-decoration-color:#326891;}.css-qjk116 a:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}“The level of illness in children is much less than adults,” she said. “You do weigh all these things, but there are also a lot of consequences to not sending children to school.”Can a vaccinated person visit with an elderly vaccinated person indoors without a mask?In many cases it will be relatively safe for vaccinated people to spend time, unmasked, with an older relative. But the risk depends on local conditions and the precautions the visitor has taken in the days leading up to the visit. In areas where community vaccination rates are low and overall infection rates are high, meeting outdoors or wearing a mask may be advised.If you’re vaccinated but have been going to restaurants, large gatherings or spending time with unvaccinated people, it’s a good idea to practice more social distancing in the days leading up to your visit with an older or vulnerable person. Home testing a few days before the visit and the day of the visit will add another layer of protection.Gregg Gonsalves, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health, said he recently visited his 87-year-old mother and did not wear a mask. But that is because both of them are vaccinated and he still works mostly from home, lives in a highly vaccinated area and has low risk for exposure. He is also investing in home testing kits for reassurance that he is not infectious.“If I just came back from a big crowded gathering, and I had to go see my mom, I would put on a mask,” he said.Is it safe to work in an office?The answer depends on the precautions your workplace has taken. Does the company require proof of vaccination to come into the office? Are unvaccinated people tested regularly? What percentage of people in the office are unvaccinated? What steps did your company take to improve indoor air quality? (Upgrading the filters in ventilation systems and adding stand-alone HEPA air cleaners are two simple steps that can reduce viral particles in the air.)Offices that mandate vaccination will be safer, but vaccination rates need to exceed 90 percent. Even an 85-percent vaccination rate is not enough, Dr. Jha said. “It’s not going to work because one of those 15-percent unvaccinated is going to cause an outbreak for every single person in that room,” he said. “You do not want a bunch of unvaccinated people running around your offices.”Should I get a booster shot, and will it help protect me against Delta?The people who have the most to gain from booster shots are older people, transplant patients, people with compromised immune systems or those with underlying conditions that put them at high risk for complications from Covid. People who received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine may also be good candidates for a second dose.But many experts say healthy people with normal immune systems who received a two-dose mRNA vaccine from Pfizer or Moderna won’t get much benefit right now from a third shot because their vaccine antibodies still offer strong protection against severe illness. That said, the Biden administration appears to be moving ahead with offering booster shots to the general public starting as soon as the week of Sept. 20.

Is all yogurt created equal? Does it matter if the kimchi is spicy? And what if my kombucha has sugar? Your questions answered.This is a preview of the Well newsletter, which is reserved for Times subscribers. Sign up to get it in your inbox weekly.I was fascinated by a recent story about fermented foods by my colleague Anahad O’Connor. The story explains the science of how six servings a day of fermented foods can lower inflammation and improve the diversity of your gut microbiome, which may lower your risk of chronic disease. But I wanted to know how to put the advice into practice. I asked Anahad, the smartest food science reporter I know, for more details. Here’s our conversation:TPP: Can you explain a little about what fermentation is? AO: To put it simply, fermentation occurs when microorganisms like bacteria, yeast and mold convert the starches and sugars in food into alcohol, lactic acid, carbon dioxide and other compounds. Known as probiotics, these live microorganisms that are found in fermented foods can produce vitamins, and other healthful nutrients as well. Probiotic-rich foods have long been considered beneficial for gut health, and the latest study that I wrote about suggests that they may also reduce inflammation.TPP: Where can I find a list of fermented foods? Should I just eat those used in this study?AO: There are probably thousands of different types of fermented foods consumed around the world. But the authors of the new study focused on five in particular: yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha and kefir. These foods are chock-full of live microorganisms, known as probiotics, and they are widely available at grocery stores, supermarkets and farmers’ markets. You can find a wide variety of other fermented foods as well, like miso, cottage cheese, Gouda cheese and some types of apple cider vinegar. People who took part in the new study also consumed a lot of probiotic-containing “gut shots,” which are small bottles of fermented beverages, usually about two ounces in size, sold in many grocery stores. If you are the adventurous type, you could also make your own fermented foods at home. Erica and Justin Sonnenburg, two Stanford microbiologists who are married and co-authored the new study, ferment their own homemade kimchi, kefir, kombucha and pickles. One of the simplest fermented foods to make is sauerkraut. Here’s a quick recipe. To get started, all you need is a head of cabbage, salt and a Mason jar.TPP: How should I shop for fermented foods?AO: If you’re like me, and you prefer to buy fermented foods, there are some important things to look for. Not all foods that are made through fermentation contain live microorganisms when they reach store shelves or your kitchen table. The dough that is used to make sourdough bread, for example, is fermented by bacteria (hence the sour flavor), but the microbes are destroyed during baking. Wine is made by fermenting grape juice. But commercial wines are filtered and processed to get rid of most of the live microbes.Dr. Justin Sonnenburg said that to ensure the fermented foods you are buying actually contain probiotics, read the packaging and look for statements like “contains probiotics” or “contains live cultures.” Some packages might simply say “naturally fermented.” And some foods, like yogurt and kefir, will often list the probiotic strains that they contain on their label. You will typically find these fermented foods in refrigerated aisles at grocery stores.TPP: Kimchi is too spicy for me. Is the spicy sauce part of the benefit?AO: According to Dr. Sonnenburg, kimchi is exceptional because it’s relatively complex for a fermented food. “It has a lot of ingredients, and in some cases it even includes fish sauce or soy sauce, which are also fermented foods.” It’s possible that some of the spices in kimchi confer health benefits, he added. But the benefits seen in the new study were likely a result of more than just the spicy component of kimchi.Most fermented foods contain fewer ingredients than kimchi, and it’s easy to find ones that are not spicy at all, including yogurt, kefir, kombucha and sauerkraut. But there are many recipes for kimchi, and you might be able to find some online that are on the milder side, said Christopher Gardner, a co-author of the new study and director of nutrition studies at the Stanford Prevention Research Center.TPP: There are so many different kinds of yogurt with varying levels of sugar and processing. Is all yogurt created equal? What should I look for?AO: The starter cultures used to make yogurt are pretty standardized. But often manufacturers will add additional probiotic strains. Every yogurt manufacturer uses its own cocktail of probiotics. The key is to look on the label for statements like “contains live and active cultures.” But Dr. Sonnenburg stressed that you should be careful not to buy flavored yogurts that contain a lot of added sugar. “Most yogurts are probably fairly equivalent except for the yogurts that contain as much sugar as soda,” he said. “At that point, the huge amount of sugar they contain is probably more than negating any positive effects from the fermented foods.”Kombucha, a type of fermented tea, is another food that can contain a lot of added sugar, which manufacturers often add to the drink before they bottle it to mask its sour flavors. Some brands of kombucha are also pasteurized, which destroys their probiotics. Look for brands that are low in added sugar and that say things like “contains live organisms” on the label.TPP: Did the people in the study feel any different after trying fermented foods? Or was the difference seen only in the microbiome data?AO: A lot of the participants enjoyed adding the fermented foods to their diets and continued eating them after the study ended. In general, though, they did not report feeling any different when they were surveyed about things like fatigue, focus and their overall quality of life during the study, said Dalia Perelman, a co-author of the study and a research dietitian at Stanford. A few of the participants did say that they had fewer cravings for sweets during the study, but that was anecdotal, she added.TPP: Has this study changed your eating habits?AO: Yes, definitely. I’ve always tried to include fermented foods in my diet because I had reason to believe they were good for your health based on what we know about probiotics. Plus, these foods tend to have other health properties as well: Sauerkraut and kimchi are made from vegetables, which are generally good for you, and yogurt is an excellent source of protein.Yogurt is one of my favorite foods: I eat it daily. But now I’m also including sauerkraut and other fermented foods in my diet on a regular basis as well, which I’ve found easy to do. I keep a jar of sauerkraut in my fridge, for example, and I take a few bites at lunch or dinner. I bought a bottle of Sriracha sauce at my local grocery store that’s made from kimchi, and I use a little on some of my dinners. It’s made by a company called Wildbrine: It’s fermented, and it contains live microorganisms (You can find it here). When I make a salad for lunch, I top it with olive oil and a brand of apple cider vinegar that I bought at Trader Joe’s for less than $3. It’s unpasteurized and unfiltered, and it contains the “mother,” the substance that contains the friendly bacteria, which gives some apple cider vinegars their murky appearance. I also found a brand of zero-sugar kombucha drinks that I like, made by a company called Remedy, which I have as an occasional treat.So, I’d say that on a daily basis, I now eat two or three types of fermented foods. I enjoy eating them, they’re easy to find and include in my diet, and the evidence suggests that they’re likely to be good for your health. So, at the very least, I don’t see any downside to eating them.You can read Anahad’s original article here:How Fermented Foods May Alter Your Microbiome and Improve Your HealthAssociated Press ImagesWhat would you do for a free cream puff?Not surprisingly, there’s been a lot of really sad coronavirus news lately. The Washington Post wrote about an unvaccinated Galveston couple in their 40s who died of Covid-19 within days of each other, leaving behind four children. A doctor wrote in The Los Angeles Times that she was running out of compassion for the unvaccinated. Alabama has run out of beds in its intensive care units, CNN reported.But I’m going to leave you with a bit of positive news from The Milwaukee Record: More than 600 people were vaccinated at the Wisconsin State Fair, lured by the prospect of a free cream puff. The news proves, “once again, that Wisconsinites will do anything for a free food item that would normally cost them $4,” wrote Matt Wild, the paper’s co-founder and editor. (You can learn more about Wisconsin’s famous cream puffs here.)Dawn Rick of Sheboygan and her husband got their shots at the fair’s walk-up booth. “I figure it’s only a matter of time before it’s mandated,” Ms. Rick told The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “I work in health care administration, so I know we’re going to need it eventually, so I figured I’d just get it done.”I found the news heartening. While there are a number of people who are adamant about refusing the vaccine, it gives me hope knowing there are many people who just haven’t gotten around to it. If you know someone who isn’t vaccinated, talk to them. Offer to take them to a clinic. Promise them a free lunch — or a cream puff — when you’re done.Learn more about people who haven’t been vaccinated yet:No, the Unvaccinated Aren’t All Just Being DifficultHow to helpThe world is dealing with two new humanitarian crises in Haiti and Afghanistan. Our friends at National Public Radio have put together two great lists for how you can help.Find charitable organizations that need your support:The Simple Steps You Can Take Right Now to Help Afghan RefugeesHere’s How You Can Support Earthquake Relief Efforts in HaitiThe Week in WellHere are some stories you don’t want to miss:Gretchen Reynolds asks whether an exoskeleton suit is in your future.Jane Brody writes about living with obsessive-compulsive disorder during a pandemic. Dr. Perri Klass has advice about a bumpy return to school.I write about concerns over those anti-Covid transparent barriers.And of course, Toby Bilanow will stump you with the Weekly Health Quiz. (Now you can compare your scores with other readers’!)Let’s keep the conversation going. Follow me on Facebook or Twitter for daily check ins, or write to me at well_newsletter@nytimes.com.Stay well!