Reopening America

Car dealers are selling more vehicles above the sticker price as demand continues to remain high while supply is low. Dealers are loading cars with extra additions and in some cases charging 10,000 over MSRP. Nora Naughton, auto industry reporter at the WSJ, joins us for why dealers are selling cars for so much, the short answer… is because they can.

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A new study has some good news for the lingering question about how long immunity lasts after being vaccinated. The mRNA vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna set off a persistent immune reaction in the body that could protect against the virus for years. The study suggests the most people immunized with mRNA vaccines might not need booster shots, unless the virus and variants evolve too much. Apoorva Mandavilli, reporter at the NY Times, joins us for more.

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The same mRNA technology that is used in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines could be used to help treat cancer. Karen Weintraub, health reporter at USA Today, joins us for how mRNA tech is being used for more than Covid.

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We have been hearing a lot about unruly passengers on flights recently and the thousands of dollars in penalties they face, but now Airline industry groups, flight attendants and lawmakers want more done to help out. Airline reps want the Attorney General to prosecute unruly passengers and there are even call for mandatory self- defense training for flight attendants who have to deal with angry flyers. Leslie Josephs, airline reporter at CNBC, joins us for more.

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The Delta variant of Covid-19 is getting a lot of attention lately as it is likely to become the dominant strain in the U.S. in the near future. This variant is more transmissible, can infect a large portion of those who have only had one dose of the vaccine, and can also cause more severe disease. Sarah Zhang, staff writer at the Atlantic, joins us for why health officials are using this variant of concern to push more people to be vaccinated.

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More companies are pushing for employees to prove they are vaccinated for Covid-19. Most employers have not mandated that workers get vaccinated, but are implementing policies for those who choose not to get the shots like continued mask wearing. Employers are bolstered by new guidance that says they can require all workers entering a workplace to be vaccinated. Orla McCaffrey, consumer finance reporter at the WSJ, joins us for what to know. 

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We have been seeing a lot of bad behavior on airplanes recently. Disruptions by passengers due to alcohol and especially their refusal to wear masks has been on the rise. The FAA has not been shy about publicizing the fines associated with unruly passengers and proposed a $15,000 fine for one man who wasn’t wearing his mask and drinking alcohol on the plane when it was prohibited. Hannah Sampson, travel reporter at the Washington Post, joins us for the rise of conflicts in the air.

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Even as more parts of the country continue to fully reopen from the pandemic, you’re going to keep seeing what many are calling “Hygiene Theater.” Think plexiglass dividers, scanning QR codes for menus, and the constant cleaning of surfaces, despite surface contact not being a significant transmitter of the virus. These actions have much more to do with making customers feel better than it does with science. Marc Fisher, senior editor at The Washington Post, joins us for how long this “hygiene theater” may last.

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The housing market continues to have a much lower supply of homes needed to meet demand and now we have a better idea of how many are needed. A new report by the National Association of Realtors says we need 5.5 million more housing units, everything from single family homes to multi-family units. The report does call for policy responses, some of which are in President Biden’s infrastructure proposal. Nicole Friedman, housing reporter at the WSJ, joins us for more.

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A new study done by the National Institutes of Health is showing that in five states, some people were infected with Covid-19 before those states recorded their first cases. Blood samples collected between January and March of 2020 were tested for antibodies… out of 24,000 samples, nine came back positive. While these cases were earlier than previously recorded it does show that there wasn’t much community spread at the time. Betsy McKay, senior writer at the WSJ, joins us for more.

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