States must act protect essential food workers during the pandemic- STAT A winter surge of Covid-19 will be especially grim for essential food workers, who still lack basic protections in the workplace. Patrick Skerrett STAT

The darkest days of the pandemic are still ahead of us, as we head into the winter with a surge of cases and without a national strategy to address Covid-19.

Type O blood linked to lower COVID risk, taking Vitamin D unlikely to help The following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. Nancy Lapid U.S.

(Reuters) - The following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.

Trump administration leaves states to grapple with how to distribute scarce vaccines The Trump administration has told states that they have ultimate authority for determining who gets vaccinated first. YahooNews

The Trump administration is shunting to the states hard decisions about which Americans will get the limited early supplies of coronavirus vaccines — setting up a confusing patchwork of distribution plans that could create unequal access to the life-saving shots.

Europe's Christmas dilemma: risk empty chairs next year? BRUSSELS (AP) — Please leave a chair empty at this year's family Christmas dinner as a precaution, or face the possibility of having that chair empty forever. That's the stark dilemma... AP NEWS

BRUSSELS (AP) — Please leave a chair empty at this year’s family Christmas dinner as a precaution, or face the possibility of having that chair empty forever.

Is it time to upgrade your mask?

By now most of us have settled on a preferred cloth mask to protect ourselves and others from coronavirus. But new research shows that a few simple upgrades in fabric, filters and fit are likely to provide even more protection.