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During the early months of the coronavirus pandemic last spring, experts and doctors worried about the mental health toll of so many losses, from isolation to layoffs and deaths. Some predicted there might be an increase in suicides. Now, in what is believed to be one of the first studies of its kind, Johns Hopkins researchers who examined deaths across Maryland have found evidence of a rise in suicides — and also of the inequities between Blacks and whites. (Turner, 12/16)

One of the largest hurdles associated with the coronavirus pandemic — the creation of a viable vaccine — has been scaled as the first Americans received the injection on Monday. But the nation now faces the sizable challenge of convincing the majority of the country — especially minority communities — to get the inoculation. (Johnson, 12/15)

A Georgia couple who dressed up as Santa and Mrs. Claus for an outdoor photo session that was attended by about 50 children last week learned that they had tested positive for the coronavirus three days after the event, the county’s top elected official said on Tuesday. The event was on Thursday and was part of an annual Christmas parade and tree-lighting ceremony in Ludowici, Ga., about 235 miles southeast of Atlanta, said Robert D. Parker, the chairman of the Long County board of commissioners. (Vigdor, 12/15)

If the devastation of losing your job because of the coronavirus pandemic isn’t enough, imagine being conned by scammers capitalizing on the spread of covid-19 and your desperation to generate some income. Income-based scams have increased significantly because of the pandemic. In the first nine months of 2020, people looking for ways to earn money were cheated out of $150 million, according to new data from the Federal Trade Commission. (Singletary, 12/15)

The actor Tom Cruise recently erupted at crew members on the set of “Mission: Impossible 7” over a breach of Covid-19 protocols in an apparent effort to prevent further disruptions to a film whose production has already been delayed by the pandemic. “We are creating thousands of jobs,” Mr. Cruise, the star of the film, can be heard saying in a leaked audio clip that is littered with expletives. “I don’t ever want to see it again! Ever! And if you don’t do it, you’re fired!” (Ives, 12/16)

No Christmas Eve dinners with lots of loved ones, community holiday celebrations or trips to visit extended family: In any other year so many canceled plans would be unusual, but the rising Covid-19 case numbers have ensured that many people will have a socially distanced holiday season. (Marples, 12/16)

KHN: How To Pull Off A COVID-Era Music Festival 

As the pandemic took hold and well-grooved music festivals canceled their mainstream events, Krista Selico saw an opening. She had been organizing the Helix Festival as an opportunity to give artists in the urban music community a chance to redefine the genre for themselves, as well as choose more racially diverse headliners. The industry’s destination festivals had excluded many diverse performers and types of music, she said, adding: “Urban music is so much more than what we hear on the radio.” (Giles, 12/16)

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is funding a study around blood donations by gay or bisexual men. ABC News reported on Tuesday that the study, Assessing Donor Variability and New Concepts in Eligibility (Advance), is underway, and aims evaluate whether donor deferral criteria can be based on individual risks assessment. The study aims to present data to the FDA by late 2021. The study could lead to the complete removal of restrictions around donations by gay or bisexual men, according to the news outlet. (Williams, 12/15)