A version of this story appeared in the July 8 edition of CNN’s Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction newsletter. Sign up here to receive the need-to-know headlines every weekday.

CNN  — 

President Donald Trump is pulling the United States out of the World Health Organization in the midst of the pandemic, a decision critics say will cripple America’s already-flagging fight against the coronavirus and weaken the nation’s global standing.

The move coincides with another drama for the international agency: It’s coming under fire for its pace in providing the public with clear health advice.

On Tuesday, the WHO said there was “emerging evidence” that the coronavirus was airborne – spreading in microscopic aerosol particles, not just large droplets – after more than 200 scientists urged the body to acknowledge the issue and tailor its recommendations accordingly.

The scientists slammed WHO for lagging behind the science, but the agency’s lead officer for infection prevention and control has cautioned that more research is still needed to understand Covid-19 transmission.

Meanwhile, the virus is running wild across the US South and West, driving up hospitalizations and bringing intensive care units to the brink. Health experts say the situation is so bad that contact tracing is no longer possible. At least two dozen states have paused or rolled back reopening plans, in some cases enforcing mandatory mask orders, as the country nears 3 million reported cases.

Despite those dire stats, Trump and top White House officials are touting a falling death rate as evidence of a successful virus response. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, panned that “false narrative” on Tuesday, warning against complacency. Hitting back, Trump said he disagreed with Fauci’s assessment that the US was “still knee-deep in the first wave,” suggesting instead that the country was actually in a “good place.”

That’s as the US reported more than 60,000 cases on Tuesday – its highest single day count.

YOU ASKED. WE ANSWERED

Q: Can the AC filter in your home, office or local mall protect you from Covid-19?

A: Last week, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that malls could not reopen until they installed HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters capable of trapping the virus that causes Covid-19. His decision was based on evidence (acknowledged on Tuesday by the WHO) that the coronavirus is airborne.

Because the CDC and WHO have been slow to acknowledge aerosol transmission, buildings are not being retrofitted with appropriate control measures, one expert said. But air purifiers and modern air conditioning systems can help prevent the spread of the coronavirus – so can wearing masks, and only meeting people in places with good air circulation (outdoors or with an open window). Curious what filtration and ventilation systems might be useful for your home or office? Read our latest guidance here.

Send your questions here. Are you a health care worker fighting Covid-19? Message us on WhatsApp about the challenges you’re facing: +1 347-322-0415.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT TODAY

Futures on the line for 1 million students

One million foreign students risk being frozen out of America if their universities switch to online-only courses, under a rule announced by Washington on Monday. Most (52%) are from China and India. Many say that they’re not sure how they would even get home, with existing travel bans. But If they’re deported, they might never come back.

As the US looks to kick foreign students out, Trump is pushing for public schools to physically reopen in the fall, ignoring concerns of administrators, teachers and parents – as well as the dangers inherent in getting classes up and running again. Some critics say the ruling on foreign students may also be a way to force universities to open their doors.

Coronavirus associated with neurological complications

Coronavirus can lead to neurological complications, including delirium, brain inflammation, stroke and nerve damage, a new University College London (UCL) study published Tuesday in the journal Brain has found.

While respiratory symptoms are commonly associated with Covid-19, for some patients in the study, neurological complications were the first and most significant indication that they had contracted the virus.

Bolsonaro tests positive for Covid-19. Will he still call it a “little flu”?

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has tested positive for Covid-19, after repeatedly dismissing the danger posed by the virus and referring to it as a “little flu.” Like Trump, Bolsonaro has also bashed the WHO and said he was considering withdrawing Brazil – second only to the US in number of coronavirus cases – from the organization.

The WHO on Tuesday wished Bolsonaro a speedy recovery. “It’s very important to understand the seriousness of this virus and to be really serious,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. “No country is immune, and no country is safe, and no individual can be safe.”

How the US has reached nearly 3 million cases

The US is about to reach 3 million confirmed coronavirus cases. Wonder how we got here? You’re not alone. From beaches packed for the Fourth of July, to long lines at testing facilities, we took a look at what happened in the days leading up to the new, grim milestone.

And the crisis isn’t only widening in the US. Latin American and Caribbean countries recorded more than 3 million Covid-19 cases combined as of Tuesday evening, according to Johns Hopkins University.

US commits $1.6 billion to Covid-19 vaccine maker

The US government has announced it’s inked the largest Covid-19 vaccine contract to date, as a race to find and deliver an effective immunization continues. Operation Warp Speed, the federal government’s Covid-19 vaccine program, on Tuesday announced a $1.6 billion contract with Novavax, a Maryland biotech company.

Fauci also said Tuesday he does not anticipate a federal coronavirus vaccine mandate in the US once one is made available. “I don’t think we’ve ever had a situation where you mandated for the general population,” he said.

ON OUR RADAR

TOP TIPS

Masks are effective. But only if you wear them properly. Here are a few tips on the right (and wrong) way:

The right way to wear a mask:

  1. Wash your hands and grab a clean cloth mask.
  2. Put on your mask, holding it by the ear loops.
  3. Make sure your nose, mouth and chin are covered.
  4. Take off your mask by the ear loops.
  5. Store your mask immediately.
  6. Wash your hands again … and again …

The wrong way to wear a mask:

  1. It’s too loose.
  2. You forgot your nose.
  3. You put it back on and touched it.

TODAY’S PODCAST

“We’re looking at class size, maybe 11 to 12 students in a classroom with a classroom teacher. The other half of the classroom would be online learning.” – Grenita Lathan, Houston Independent School District Interim Superintendent

How do we safely reopen schools? It may be a mix of online and in-person education, with students returning for a handful of staggered days or a few hours each morning. CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta breaks down what that hybrid model might look like in practice. Listen Now.