KQED's Forum

Two new antibody studies, from Santa Clara County and Los Angeles County, find far more widespread coronavirus infection rates than previously thought.  The findings have big implications for what is known about the lethality of COVID19 as well as when the shelter in place can be eased.  But some researchers say that the studies--which have not yet been peer reviewed--use unreliable  antibody test kits and have grave sampling and statistical errors.  We discuss the findings and why antibody tests might be the key to reopening the state.

Though African Americans make up only 13% of the US population, one third of the people who have been hospitalized with Covid-19 nationwide are black. Equity advocate Angela Glover Blackwell says the pandemic has been like “gallons of alcohol being thrown on the open wounds of inequality and racism in this country”. Forum talks with Blackwell about how the coronavirus has exacerbated racial and economic inequality and what she hopes to do about it as a member of Governor Newsom’s task force on business and job recovery.

The coronavirus pandemic has upended schooling for millions of students across the state. For high school seniors, it's meant an unceremonious end to their K-12 education. To hear directly from high school seniors about what it feels like to have their pivotal senior year interrupted by a pandemic, KQED launched a project inviting students to share their stories by video. We'll hear from some of the students about their experiences and how they're coping.

Small businesses throughout the country are struggling to stay afloat amid the coronavirus pandemic. One of the biggest relief programs, known as the Payroll Protection Program, blew through $350 billion in federal aid within a matter of weeks. More than 1.6 million U.S. businesses secured loans through the program, but thousands were left empty handed. As Congress debates an injection of new funding, critics say the first round of money went to many larger companies, even publicly traded corporations, as opposed to mom-and-pop operations on the brink of bankruptcy. Meanwhile, state and local governments, as well as nonprofits and companies, are stepping up with programs to help. We talk to experts about the many challenges small business owners are facing and available resources.

Publishers are reporting booming sales of Albert Camus' "The Plague" and other examples of pestilence fiction during the pandemic. Other readers are using the shut-in to dive into long and weighty classics like "100 Years of Solitude" or "War and Peace. And still others, hoping to forget it all, are turning to escapist literature. But despite all the reading, bookstores, publishers and authors are being hit hard by the coronavirus shutdown. Forum will check in on independent bookstores who are battling for survival, and we want to hear from you.  What books are sustaining you during this time?

On a good day, the average nursing home has a hard time controlling for infectious outbreaks. These are not good days. At least 6,900 people in nursing facilities nationwide have died as a result of the novel coronavirus, and one-third of California counties have an elder care facility with at least one case of COVID-19. And the death of 13 patients at a Hayward facility has sparked an investigation by the Alameda County District Attorneys office. We discuss why nursing homes are especially vulnerable and hear how facilities are coping with the virus impact.

With schools out until at least the end of the school year, parents are finding themselves with a job they didn't ask for: teaching. Often while doing their own work from home. Some stick diligently to class schedules, others let the day pass without opening a book. Almost all are left with open questions: How much should we expect kids to be learning? Should I force them to do work against their will? Is it OK to have a week when you only teach how to make cupcakes? We've got a panel of experts to help, and we want to hear from you. How is school from home going?

Re-opening the economy and resuming some of our activities outside the home is contingent on a "massive scaling up" of Covid-19 testing. That's according to Yale epidemiologist and longtime AIDS activist Gregg Gonsalves, who says that amid the test shortage policymakers need to think creatively about how to prioritize hot spots such as nursing homes, essential businesses and public housing developments. We'll talk about the effectiveness of current Covid-19 tests, why there's a shortage and what it will take to scale up production.

In the past two months, the number of Californians filing for unemployment more than tripled to 2.7 million. This surge in jobless claims has overwhelmed the state's Employment Development Department at a time when many people need benefits most. Julie Su, Secretary for the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, joins us to answer questions about unemployment and how the state is trying to help workers during the coronavirus pandemic.

Even as food banks are seeing more demand than ever, some California farmers are dumping milk and letting produce rot. The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted how we eat and in turn, how food is distributed. The closure of many restaurants, venues, and schools is leaving many food suppliers with excess perishables. Meanwhile, retailers and food banks are scrambling to keep food in stock. We talk with experts about how California’s food supply chain has been disrupted, how it’s adapting, and what to expect in the months to come.