Wearing face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic p    1     the spread of the deadly virus. But it is also i    2    . For one, we can no longer unlock our phones using facial recognition since a good part of our face is c    3    .

F    4    , tech companies are working to solve the problem. Apple, for example, offered a new way to unlock your iPhone and iPad with its l    5     software update, iOS13.5, w    6     was released on May 20.

Even though the update still won’t recognize your masked face, it makes the whole process f    7    . While the old system wouldn’t allow access t    8     the passcode screen before three failed face scan attempts, iOS13.5 will send you straight to the passcode screen when you swipe up.

It might only s    9     you a few seconds, but those few seconds “benefit public health by eliminating the temptation for people to r    10     their masks in order to unlock their device”.

It was a rainy Christmas Eve when we set out to send some Christmas gifts to John, my daughter’s classmate. John’s family was too p    1    to afford his school supplies. My daughter told me the other kids at school made f    2    of him because he d    3    in shabby clothes. She asked permission f    4    me to share her stationery with John and I did m    5    than that. I decided to buy some daily n    6    for John’s family.

John’s home looked terribly empty to us. It was not ready at all for Christmas. As soon as we a    7    , we went straight into their kitchen and p    8     down our gifts on the kitchen table. John and his brothers looked overwhelmed with joy. His younger brother reached over and hugged my daughter, saying that she m    9    be an angel. We were all m    10    to tears by his words.