How to spot fake N95, KN95, or KF94 masks; new findings on vaccine vs. natural immunity; and more.

12 ways to spot a fake N95, KN95, or KF94 mask (Tuesday, Jan. 18)

As the omicron variant continues to surge, many people are once again struggling to find more protective masks, such as N95s, KN95s, and KF94s—but it can be hard to discern which masks are real and which are counterfeit. To help, experts share 12 steps you can take to determine whether a mask is real or fake.

Omicron's key symptoms, charted (Wednesday, Jan. 19)

Omicron has swiftly become the dominant coronavirus variant in the United States, but its symptoms are subtly different than those caused by other forms of the coronavirus. Here's how 16 key omicron symptoms differ from those caused by the earlier, delta variant.

What a new study found on prior Covid-19 infection and natural immunity (Thursday, Jan. 20)

Vaccinated people who previously recovered from Covid-19 had more protection against reinfection and hospitalization during the delta surge than those who were only vaccinated or were unvaccinated, according to a recent study from CDC. But the authors caution the findings cannot be applied to the omicron variant.

You're vaccinated and got Covid-19. How much immunity do you now have? (Friday, Jan. 21)

The highly transmissible omicron variant is likely increasing the number of breakthrough infections among the vaccinated as it continues to surge across the United States. And while research suggests these infections can significantly increase immunity against future coronavirus infections, many health experts still encourage pandemic precautions post-breakthrough.