The Daily Dive

This could be a make-or-break week for the American economy amid the coronavirus pandemic. Bills and rent are coming due for millions of laid off workers and businesses, big and small, alike. Tough decisions will have to be made on what to pay first and what to put off. The restaurant industry alone has lost $25 billion in sales since March 1, and many are feeling the pain. Ruth Simon, senior special writer at the WSJ, joins us for more.

Next, President Trump has extended the social distancing guidelines until at least April 30. Previously Trump wanted to open the economy back up by Easter, instead we are now learning that the peak of the outbreak in America could come about that time. Gabby Orr, White House reporter at Politico, joins us for how Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx, convinced the president to extend the guidelines.

Finally, with coronavirus, it’s all about the genetic mutations. Two critical mutations occurred… the first altered the spikes in the virus to allow it to latch onto proteins that line the respiratory tract, the second mutation, allowed the virus to grow a protein dagger that lets it bind tightly to throat and lung cells making it infectious and deadly.  Robert Bazell, professor of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at Yale, joins us for coronavirus mutations.

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With the most number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the world, here in U.S., new hotspots are emerging. While mostly concentrated on the coasts, more cases are creeping into other cities. The CDC has issued a domestic travel advisory urging residents of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut not to travel for 14 days. In other news, GM and Ford are working to make more ventilators and new polls show Joe Biden and Trump in a competitive race for 2020. Julia Manchester, political reporter for The Hill joins us for more.

Next, fearing a surge of coronavirus cases that could tear through prisons and jails, counties and states are releasing thousands of inmates. Health and corrections officials have issued warnings about cramped and unsanitary conditions that could spread the virus and put inmates, corrections officers, and prison healthcare workers at risk. Kimberly Kindy, national investigative reporter at the Washington Post, tells us who is getting out of jail.

Finally, as travel is restricted across much of the world, there are a ton of cheap airfare deals. While you shouldn’t fly during a pandemic, you might want to consider booking a short getaway later in the year once things calm down. The good thing is that fares will remain low until people start traveling again. Scott McCartney, Middle Seat columnist for the WSJ, joins us for what to consider before snagging a travel bargain.

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As the search for an effective COVID-19 treatment continues, doctors are looking to an old method of delivering antibodies to an infected person, by using blood plasma from recovered patients. While a vaccine could still be a year away, the FDA has expedited the use of this blood plasma infusion in NY to see if it is an effective short term treatment. Mike Hixenbaugh, national investigative reporter for NBC News, join us for how doctors are exploring all options.

Next, something a little lighter while we practice social distancing… How has coronavirus impacted those looking for love and dating? Dating apps have seen big increases in people still looking to connect with others and singles are doing the best they can with video dates, all that’s lacking is the physical chemistry. There is even an app called Quarantine Together. Georgia Wells, reporter at the WSJ, joins us for how dating works in the time of coronavirus

Finally, looking to hang out with your friends virtually? What if you want to host a movie night or just watch your favorite shows with friends? Ashley Carman, senior reporter at The Verge, joins us for a look at a few web browser extensions that you can use to sync up your Netflix stream and video chat at the same time. We’ll also talk about Zoom, who is having a moment right now in connecting people.

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This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New York has become the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S. It has 50% of the cases in the country and is facing severe shortages of critical medical supplies needed for patients and medical workers. New York is throwing everything it can against the wall in its fight against the virus and some expect the peak of the epidemic to still be weeks away. Jennifer Kingson, managing editor at Axios, joins us for the fight for New York.

Next, many people have lost jobs or had their wages cut back as companies are slowing or shutting down due to coronavirus concerns. But right now, some of America’s biggest employers are trying to hire hundreds of thousands of workers, often forgoing normal hiring practices hoping to get people started right away. Michael Corkery, reporter at the NY Times, joins us for why Walmart, Amazon, grocery stores, and pizza chains are all hiring.

Finally, Congress is working to pass a $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package to keep the economy moving while everything is shut down to help slow the spread of COVID-19. This will be the third emergency spending package Congress has advanced and the largest economic aid measure in U.S. history. It will include direct payments to Americans, help for small businesses, extended unemployment programs, and help for hospitals and healthcare workers. Alayna Treene, White House reporter at Axios, joins us for how the stimulus bill could help you.

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As hospitals brace for an influx of patients with COVID-19, they are already running low on critical medical supplies. Facemasks and other protective equipment are in very short supply, and despite tapping into the strategic national stockpile, it seems there will not be enough to go around. In the meant time, hospitals and medical workers are looking to the administration for guidance. Toluse Olorunnipa, White House reporter at the Washington Post, joins us for more.

Next, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics have officially been postponed until sometime next year. This is the first time in the modern era that that games have been impacted by anything other than war. Now comes the big problems, handling the logistics of moving everything, all the money that has been poured into the games so far, and what happens to the athletes who still need to stay in tip top shape for the games? David Mack, editor at BuzzFeed News, joins us for how coronavirus has impacted the biggest sporting event so far.

Finally, as many people are working remotely from home, they are closer than ever to a fully stocked fridge and pantry due to all that panic buying. It could be harder than ever to avoid eating all day, but now is the time to set a good eating schedule, keep using fresh produce, and try not to eat pasta the whole time. Hilary, Potkewitz, contributor to the WSJ, joins us for how to avoid eating too much while working from home.

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As the race to find treatments for COVID-19 intensifies, scientists have identified 69 drugs that may be effective in treating coronavirus. Still, many of the drugs must be studied and tested. There is no antiviral drug proven to be effective yet and doctors can just offer supportive care such as managing fever and using a ventilator in severe cases. Carl Zimmer, author of A Planet of Viruses, joins us for how scientists are scrambling to find a treatment.

Next, back to biology class for why it is so hard to kill coronavirus. The virus itself isn’t technically alive and uses proteins in our own bodies to create millions of copies of itself, in the process making us sick. It’s also worth looking back at history, as some viruses have been responsible for some of the most destructive outbreaks in the past 100 years. Sarah Kaplan- reporter at the Washington post, joins us for a biological look at what we are up against.

Finally, amid the extreme social distancing that is being practiced, some are privately mourning special moments in life that have been cancelled or postponed. People giving birth at this time are video conferencing to show their new child to the family, proms and graduations are cancelled, and funerals are also being canceled, forcing some to mourn alone. Ellen Byron, reporter at the WSJ, joins us for more.

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Cases of coronavirus only continue to rise especially here in the U.S. where we now have over 30,000 cases. But while we still face many problems ahead, we wanted to take a moment to talk to someone who has recovered from COVID-19. Carl Goldman, owner of KHTS Radio at hometownstation.com, was one of the passengers of the Diamond Princess cruise ship that docked in Japan. He spent time in quarantine on the ship, came down with the virus, was transported to Nebraska for treatment and finally tested negative.  Carl joins us to tell us about how bad his illness was, the clinical study he signed up for, and what it is like to get back home.

Next, Rand Paul has become the first Senator to test positive for COVID-19. He is asymptomatic and now in quarantine. This is happening as Congress is working on another financial aid package that could be worth nearly $2 trillion dollars. This would provide help for small businesses, checks for Americans, about $3,000 for a family of four, and enhanced unemployment insurance. And while states try to grapple with the influx of patients, they are still desperately short on masks and protective equipment for medical workers. Some governors are calling for a coordinated national response to the shortage. Ginger Gibson, political reporter for Reuters, joins us for more.

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This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.