KQED's Forum

The Centers for Disease Control announced Thursday that persons who are fully vaccinated that is, two weeks have passed since the final dose can eschew masks and social distancing in most settings both indoors and outdoors. Locations where masks are still required include health care, correctional and homeless facilities and public transportation, as well as places listed on local health ordinances. As of Wednesday, a third of the U.S. is fully vaccinated. More than 46% of Americans have received at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine and that number is expected to rise now that 12- to 15-year-olds can get vaccinated. Well talk about the CDCs announcement, the science behind it and what it means for reopening plans.

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On June 19, 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed and two months after the Confederacy surrendered, enslaved Americans in Texas were notified of the end of slavery. "On Juneteenth," the new memoir by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Annette Gordon-Reed, explores the history of that event, its legacy and its influence on her own life.

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State Senator Scott Wiener’s legislation to decriminalize psychedelic drugs for personal and therapeutic use passed in the state senate’s Health Committee in April. Senate Bill 519, would also expunge criminal records for people with prior possession convictions, which Wiener hopes will remedy some of the consequences of the war on drugs. Psychedelic-assisted therapy is already used by patients and doctors to treat mental health disorders such as depression and PTSD. While many veterans and drug advocacy groups support the bill, opponents say that if it passes in the senate, the legislation will cause an increase in the number of psychedelic drugs sold and recreationally used.

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Gov. Gavin Newsom declared on Monday that 41 California counties are in a drought emergency. But unlike during the last major drought, the state has imposed no rules governing water waste. The last mandate, which expired in November 2017, included restrictions on, among other things, residential irrigation and car-washing. Advocates say these rules should be reinstated as the state once again enters a drought, claiming they not only save water but encourage eco-friendly mindsets. But others believe that water-use mandates should instead be enacted on the local level. We want to hear from you: should California reimpose water-waste rules for this drought? If so, which limitations should it prioritize?

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At the outset of her new memoir, "The Secret to Superhuman Strength," celebrated graphic novelist Alison Bechdel muses about the origins of her obsession with exercise -- from skiing to running to martial arts to the latest 7-minute workout. For her, the fixation is a physical dependence: "I can't help myself. The sweat, the endorphins, the gear, the togs, the next new thing!" It also has deep emotional and spiritual roots, furthering her quest to get out of her head and transcend her ego. We'll talk to Bechdel about her lifelong fitness odyssey.

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The latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show sexually transmitted diseases are at an all-time high for the sixth year in a row. In her new book, Strange Bedfellows: Adventures in the Science, History, and Surprising Secrets of STDs, UCSF School of Medicine associate professor Dr. Ina Park says it's easier for people to have sex than to talk about it. She takes a fact-based--often humorous--look at sexually transmitted diseases, from gonorrhea to herpes to HIV. We talk with Park about sex, STDs and take your questions.

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A 2020 study found that for every person who dies of COVID-19, at least nine people become bereaved. With more than half a million lives lost to COVID-19 in the U.S., that means more than 5 million people are experiencing grief from the pandemic alone. In her New York Times op-ed, “The Grief Crisis is Coming,” journalist and author Allison Gilbert writes that “we must begin to address the toll” of this grief and its impact on public health. We’ll talk to Gilbert and bereavement researcher Dr. Toni Miles about the rippling effects of grief on this scale and how to address it.

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The last time a California governor faced a recall in 2003, there were more than 100 candidates on the ballot. This time around, the gubernatorial recall election is also shaping up to be a circus and not just because of the bear that candidate John Cox brought to a news conference. Well talk about the candidates lining up to replace Governor Gavin Newsom in the recall election later this year, including former San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer,

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Covering politics has never been easy, but since the Jan. 6 insurrection, the landscape has become particularly difficult for the press. How does the country create costs and accountability for lying and shamelessness in politics? And following four years of Donald Trump, have the rules for press coverage permanently changed? Media critic and New York University professor Jay Rosen joins us to discuss how the press should respond when one party is actively supporting the “Big Lie” -- the false claim that the November 2020 election was stolen. 

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Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled his $100-billion “California Comeback Plan” on Monday, which includes a proposal for $600 stimulus payments to a projected two-thirds of Californians, with additional $500 checks to families with children. The plan also proposes relief for rent and overdue utility bills. With a projected $75.7 billion state budget surplus, Newsom has until this Friday to submit his updated budget proposal. On Sunday, the governor announced a plan to increase funding for child and home care.  We’ll talk about his budget plan’s potential impacts both economically and politically ahead of the upcoming gubernatorial recall election.

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