Clues to COVID endgame

Fake bones at a vaccine equity protest; how scary is delta plus? [View this email online]( [NPR]( Goats and Soda editor's note Caitlin Farley How did I become interested in toilet signs? It all began in a previous job, when a colleague gave me a button that showed a warning sign: a man in a wheelchair rolling down a ramp into the jaws of a waiting (and presumably hungry) alligator. That button made me curious enough to report and write a story about unusual warning signs. The best signs, I was told by a sign specialist, should do exactly what you think they should: Offer clear and helpful guidance or tell you in no uncertain terms about risks and problems that lie ahead. As it turned out, the alligator warning sign was right on target: It pointed out the problem of ravenous reptiles at a South African reserve with steep ramps leading down to the water’s edge. When I joined NPR to cover global health I became interested in a subset of signage: Toilet signs! We cover toilets because of the connection between sanitation and diarrheal diseases. And it turns out there is often a need for an instructive toilet sign (see photo, above). So we did [a roundup of amusing and confusing toilet signs.]( And many follow-ups. We pegged our posts to a U.N. event known as “World Toilet Day” (November 19 this year). The signs are a great example of … toilet humor. Only G-rated! And covering toilet signs is a way to remind the world that a functional indoor toilet is indeed a luxury in many parts of the world – and an important part of disease prevention. We skipped the story last year -- too much pandemic coverage going on. This year we’d like to revive it. Dear readers, please send us any pictures you may have taken of intriguing and unusual signage at loos around the globe. Email us your original photos at [goatsandsoda@npr.org]( and tell us a little about the image. We’ll have a post ready to share on World Toilet Day! Marc Silver Editor, Goats and Soda --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- pandemic prediction Hanna Barczyk for NPR [COVID's endgame: Scientists have a clue about where SARS-CoV-2 is headed]( Based on models and studies (including a 1980s test that squirted virus up human noses), researchers have a new endgame thesis. vaccine equity Jasper G. Goodman/The Harvard Crimson [HIV activists have a history of outrageous energy. COVID protesters hope to match it]( A small number of health workers are protesting for global vaccine equity. Their demonstrations echo the call for equal distribution of HIV medications decades ago -- but there are key differences. [What the U.S. can -- and cannot -- do for vaccine equity per the State Department]( The U.S. has pledged to deliver 1.1 billion doses of COVID vaccines to countries that lack supply. Billions more are needed. NPR interviewed the State Department's global vaccine coordinator to learn more. in the news Justin Setterfield/Getty Images [People wonder if they should keep calm and carry on in the face of the delta plus variant]( A new coronavirus variant — known as delta plus — has cropped up in the U.K. There's concern it could be more dangerous than the highly contagious delta variant. What does the science actually show? links we like - The Associated Press shares photos of the [Kankurang initiation ritual]( for boys in Gambia, training them to respect others. - Inside the jaw-clenching world of [cricket fighting in China,]( NPR World. - The actor [B.J. Novak’s face]( -- a staple of The Office -- is now decorating products around the world, from China to Uruguay, reports The New York Times. As they note, "he's not sure why." --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [goatsandsoda@npr.org](mailto:goatsandsoda@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Health, Daily News, Code Switch and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Goats and Soda emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]