KQED's Forum

Gov. Newsom on Thursday issued a state-wide order for California residents to stay at home. He projected that 56 percent of the state's population could be infected by COVID-19 over an eight-week period if mitigation efforts were ignored. Meanwhile, health workers in some Bay Area hospitals are wiping down and reusing masks and other equipment that used to be discarded after each use: the new reality of health care in the coronavirus era. We'll get the latest on Gov. Newsom's order, and the shortage of personal protective gear.

The Bay Area shelter-in-place order is putting greater pressure on the elderly, a group of people who already suffer from higher levels of isolation and loneliness. As nursing homes go into lockdown, some people have resorted to checking on grandparents through windows. Meanwhile. Safeway and Whole Foods are offering special hours for elderly shoppers. We discuss the many challenges seniors face in dealing with the pandemic and the resources available to help.

All nine Bay Area counties announced a "shelter in place" order this week, dramatically changing life for Bay Area residents. Still on the frontlines, though, are health workers who fear greater risk of exposure to COVID-19 as clinics and hospitals face protective gear shortages. We’ll talk to Alameda County Health Officer Erica Pan and the California Endowment’s Tony Iton about how local health care systems are preparing to protect the public and health workers, as well as efforts to protect vulnerable communities.

Low-wage workers have been particularly hard hit by the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. Now, as non-essential businesses are required to shut down in most of the Bay Area, even more vulnerable people are at risk of not being able to cover their rent, food or other essentials. Forum talks about what resources are available for people who may be missing a paycheck, and what the lack of work means for contract workers.

Officials in six Bay Area counties ramped up measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus yesterday calling for residents to "shelter in place." San Francisco Mayor London Breed said residents should stay home other than to handle "essential needs"  leaving many people questioning what qualifies as essential. Thousands of Bay Area residents were already grappling with how to work from home, care for children who are out of school, and meet the needs of elderly, many of whom are shut off from social contact.  We talk to officials about what the guidelines mean, how they will be enforced, and how residents can navigate the situation.

Bay Area nightspots were crowded over the weekend despite calls by health officials for social distancing. Governor Gavin Newsom stepped in on Sunday, calling for closure of the state's bars and pubs and reduced capacity for restaurants. He also called for California's seniors to self-isolate. In this hour, we'll talk about social responsibility at a time of social distancing.

The Trump administration is trying -- with mixed success -- to respond to a health and economic situation that is changing by the hour. Late Friday, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan package of relief measures aimed at helping Americans who are struggling as businesses and schools close and employers lay off workers. The U.S. Senate is expected to take up the package this week. We’ll analyze the federal response to the coronavirus crisis, as well as how the pandemic was discussed in last night’s Democratic debate.

Oakland Unified School District and Santa Clara County announced the closure of its schools on Friday, joining school districts in San Francisco, Berkeley and others across the Bay Area. The news leaves families with questions about childcare and continued learning outside of a classroom. We’ll hear what schools are doing to help students stay healthy, safe and on track academically. And we want to hear from you: what is your family's plan to navigate the school closures?

The impact of the novel coronavirus on our daily lives is far reaching and complex – which naturally leads to high levels of anxiety. In times of stress, we often turn to others for support and strength, but in this case, slowing the spread of COVID-19 means limiting social contact. In this hour of Forum, we talk with experts about how to deal with the double whammy of anxiety and isolation.

On Wednesday President Trump gave a speech from the Oval Office, purportedly to quell fears about the novel coronavirus pandemic, which has shuttered schools, sent financial markets reeling and threatens to strain the nation's health care system. On Thursday, in response to the President's unveiling of a sweeping European travel ban, markets plunged again in their steepest drop since 1987. That reaction followed weeks of criticism of the Trump Administration's handling of the crisis, from its misleading statements about the virus's spread to the CDC's failed rollout of diagnostic tests. We'll talk about the federal response to the pandemic and what new steps should be taken.