Reopening America

While unrest continues across the country, concerns about the coronavirus pandemic still remain. We are still waiting for a treatment or vaccine, but there’s also some uncertainty to immunity for those that have had the disease and recovered. We still don’t know for how long someone might be protected from COVID-19 after they have gotten it. And in your body, it’s not just antibodies that are fighting the virus, B cells and T cells also help fight illnesses after antibodies have disappeared. Katherine Wu, science reporter at Smithsonian Magazine, joins us for why immunity to the coronavirus is so complicated.

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Antibody tests and issues with their accuracy have led to more questions for many who felt they were ill before the first reported coronavirus case in January. After looking at their personal histories and antibody test results some think that the coronavirus could have been circulating as early as November of last year. Dan Frosch, reporter at the WSJ, joins us for more.

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Las Vegas has a date to reopen! On June 4, selected casinos will be open for business. Temperatures will be checked and employees will wear masks. Bars and restaurants will be open, but buffets will continue to be closed. On the gambling floor, there will be increased cleaning and less people a table. Bailey Schulz, reporter at the Las Vegas Review-Journal, joins us for the plans to open Vegas.

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As the country is on the road to reopening many cities are closing the roads to make way for restaurants and people. In order to allow for people to properly social distance, some public roads are being closed to allow restaurants to expand their seating arrangements and provide more space for residents to run, walk, and ride. Mike Laris, transportation reporter at the Washington Post, joins us for how cities are making more room.

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South America has now become a new epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic. Brazil now has the second most cases of COVID-19 only behind the United States, and President Bolsonaro is still refusing to impose strict measures to curb the spread. Other countries like Peru and Chile are also facing increased numbers. Alex Ward, reporter at Vox and co-host of the Worldly podcast, joins us for how South America’s numbers are going up.

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The whole reason behind flattening the curve was so that the healthcare system would not be overwhelmed. But as many hospitals prepared for the worst, in some areas the cases never came. One example is the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center where a whole floor was cleared for COVID-19 cases. Despite the cost, officials don’t regret over preparing. Jim Carlton, reporter for the WSJ, joins us for more.

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Hair salons and barbershops can now reopen in California, LA County will still have to wait a little longer though. But while things have been shut down, there has been an underground world of haircuts. Barbers and stylists have made house calls under fear of potential penalties and people have gotten freshened up under fear of potential shaming. Emily Guerin, reporter for KPCC and LAist.com, joins us for how people got their haircuts despite quarantine.

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The economy is slowly starting to come back and hopefully the worst of the shutdown is over. For the first time since forced shutdowns began in March, spending on hotels, restaurants, and airlines are picking up. While there is some uncertainty going forward with high unemployment and consumer spending, we are hoping that we have hit peak economic loss. Harriet Torry, economics reporter for the WSJ, joins us for more.

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Some people haven’t seen or touched others for 3 months because of COVID-19 and while the country is in the beginning stages of getting back out there, some will continue to isolate. Alan Gomez, reporter for USA Today, joins us for how some in the elderly and medically vulnerable communities and those skeptical of their government’s reopening plans are keeping the quarantine going.

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As the country continues to reopen for business, one of the hardest hit industries will still have a difficult time recovering. Restaurants will see a long slow ramp up back to the way things were. Real-time industry data is showing that while people are starting to get out there, restaurants are only seeing a fraction of the business they used to have, partly due to capacity limits for social distancing. The estimates are still dire as to whether some businesses can remain open after the comeback. Jordan Weissmann, senior economics reporter at Slate, joins us for more.

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