Is one-way masking enough?: CMAJ

Face masks work best to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 when everyone wears one. But experts say it is still worth wearing a mask to protect yourself, even if no one else does. While public health messaging has tended to emphasize the importance of wearing a mask to protect others, numerous studies have demonstrated that the right mask protects the wearer, too. Recent data from the US shows that people who always wore a face mask in indoor public settings were less likely to test positive for SARS-CoV-2 than those who never wore a mask. Better quality masks offered greater protection. Wearing an N95 or KN95 respirator lowered the odds of infection by 83%, whereas wearing a surgical mask or cloth mask lowered the odds by 66% and 56%, respectively.

How the pandemic is transforming abortion access: CMAJ

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a catalyst for more accessible abortion care in Canada, even as other countries report increasing barriers to the service. But according to a study of more than 300 Canadian abortion providers published in Family Practice, fewer than one in five had any experience providing medical abortions by telemedicine before the pandemic. By Jan 2021, however, nearly nine in 10 reported providing some or all aspects of abortion care virtually--from counseling and prescribing to follow up and emergency care. According to Madeleine Ennis and coauthors, most providers reported maintaining or increasing access to abortion while making a "seamless switch" to virtual care, except in Quebec, where restrictions on mifepristone remained a barrier.