Pandemic roundup: Resources for teachers to identify misinformation; rural Covid patients in ICUs at greater risk

Here's a roundup of recent news stories about the pandemic and vaccination efforts:

The National Association for Media Literacy Education has teamed up with the Thomson Reuters Foundation to provide high-school and college educators with classroom resources on identifying pandemic misinformation. Read more here.

Rural Covid-19 patients in intensive care units are at a higher risk of dying than their urban counterparts, according to a West Virginia University researcher. Read more here.

If you're storing pesticides this winter, read these four safety tips first. Read more here.

It's no accident that Maine and Vermont, the states with the highest percentage of rural population, have some of the highest coronavirus vaccination rates in the country. Read more here.

A new study found that 78% of American adults either believe or are aren't sure about at least one of eight false statements about the pandemic or coronavirus vaccination. Unvaccinated adults and Republicans are the most likely to believe misconceptions. About 64% of unvaccinated adults believe or aren't sure about at least half of the eight false statements, compared to only 19% of vaccinated adults. Meanwhile, 46% of Republicans believe or are unsure about at least half of the statements, compared to 14% of Democrats. Read more here.

A recent study found that the incidence of rural Republican voters was the strongest variable correlating with higher per-capita Covid-19 cases. Read more here.

Rural residents exposed to big-city TV news are more likely to follow pandemic safety guidelines. Read more here.

Covid skeptics who organize online are increasingly driving public health professionals from their jobs. Read more here.

The pandemic has driven many teachers to quit. Seven of them talk about why. Read more here.