The Daily Dive

President Joe Biden has a singular focus in his first few days in office to get the coronavirus pandemic under control. He has signed ten executive orders aimed at accelerating the rollout of vaccines by using the Defense Production Act, supporting state and local governments to help them in their responses, mandating mask wearing, and restoring faith in the government. Will Feuer, health and science reporter at CNBC, joins us for the Biden Covid plan.

Next, a study of nursing home residents found that a monoclonal antibody treatment made by Eli Lilly can cut the risk of Covid-19 by up to 80%. It is important to catch people at the early stages of infection and is meant for those that are high-risk patients. One of the difficulties in administering these drugs however is that it’s delivered via an hour-long infusion. Karen Weintruab, health reporter at USA Today, joins us for more.

Finally, now that Joe Biden is president, what’s left for QAnon conspiracy theorists and the extreme faction of President Trump’s base? As it became clear that there was no “storm” coming and that Trump would not remain in power, conspiracy minded online chat groups turned to anger, denial, disappointment, and even turned on each other. Tina Nguyen, political reporter at Politico, joins us how these groups reacted to the storm that never came.

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Joe Biden has now been inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States. In his inaugural address he stressed the message of unity, calling for an end to the “uncivil war” pitting the left against the right. As president of the Senate, Vice President Kamala Harris swore in new Democratic senators, and former President Trump left town early saying he would be back again in some form. Julia Manchester, political reporter at The Hill, joins us for how the day played out.

Next, before leaving office, President Trump granted clemency to 143 people…73 pardons and 70 commutations. Most notably, people that did not make the list were President Trump himself, family members, Rudy Giuliani, or Tiger King Joe Exotic. Names that did stand out included Steve Bannon and rapper Lil Wayne. Josh Gerstein, senior legal affairs correspondent at Politico, joins us for who got the last Trump pardons.

Finally, a check in on what kind of country Joe Biden is inheriting as he takes office. The U.S. is older with less people giving birth, it is financially insecure as the pandemic has devastated the economy, and people politically polarized more than ever after such a contentious election. Paul Overberg, reporter at the WSJ, joins us for more.

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It’s inauguration day for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and there is a ton on their legislative agenda. The first days of the Biden administration will be packed with dealing with the pandemic and trying to administer 100 million vaccine doses in 100 days, they’ll try passing another Covid relief package, issue executive orders such as getting back into the Paris Agreement on climate change and ending the emergency declaration at the southern border. Biden will also present an immigration bill with an 8-year pathway to citizenship for some undocumented immigrants. Lauren Egan, digital White House reporter at NBC News, joins us for what to expect in Biden’s first 100 days.

Next, could “luxury mystery boxes” be the future of high-end discount shopping? A new solution for selling off overstock and off-season clothing has emerged in these mystery boxes which can sell anywhere from $700 to $2000. The only catch is that you don’t know what is in the box until you open it. The high-end merch in these boxes is said to be 2-3 times the retail value of the box, but there’s a chance it could always be a bust. This has even spilled over into the online arena with unboxing videos. Jacob Gallagher, fashion reporter at the WSJ, joins us for what these mystery boxes mean for the fashion economy.

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It is all hands on deck at the FBI as they try to track down those who stormed the Capitol on January 6th. The Justice Department has charged about 100 people so far, with more to come, but the focus is also on extremist groups, such as the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys who they believe moved in organized and practiced fashion to force their way in. Devlin Barrett, national security reporter at The Washington Post, joins us for more.

Next, companies are still in a rush working on drugs that can help treat COVID-19 and stay ahead of new, more transmissible variants that are popping up all over. Monoclonal antibody drugs are administered intravenously making them a little cumbersome, and some are working on new ones that are more accessible and maybe given as a shot. Joseph Walker, reporter at the WSJ, joins us for the race to stay ahead of coronavirus mutations.

Finally, procrastination can be difficult to avoid as working from home amid the pandemic is sapping the motivation for many. When your boss or coworkers are not around, it can be tough to hold yourself accountable, and experts say it can be important to start small, establish your routine, and don’t beat yourself up about it. Rachel Feintzeig, work and life columnist at the WSJ, joins us for how to avoid procrastinating at home.

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Get ready for another eventful week as statehouses across the country and the Capitol beef up security and prepare for protests and possible violence leading up to the inauguration of Joe Biden. We will also be seeing another round of pardons from President Trump, with a possible self-pardon. Ginger Gibson, deputy Washington digital editor at NBC News, joins us for this and what Biden plans to do in his first days in office.

Next, a large study of patients that have had COVID-19 shows that six months later, more than three quarters of them were still experiencing at least one lingering symptom. The most common issue was ongoing exhaustion, followed by muscle weakness and difficulty sleeping. Pam Belluck, health and science writer at the NY Times, joins us for the continued health issues covid survivors face.

Finally, the pandemic may have fundamentally changed access to entertainment and possibly for the better. The live events industry has suffered under health restrictions and forced many events to go virtual. While live-streamed events can't replace the experience or financial benefits, it has opened events to wider audiences and will probably be part of the mix going forward. Emily Yahr, entertainment reporter at the Washington Post, joins us for how virtual events may be here to stay.

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

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

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One of the biggest lingering questions about the vaccines we have on deck right now is how long it bestows immunity on a person. Good news is that Moderna’s CEO says that their vaccine should provide immunity for at least one year. They’re also on track to deliver at least 600 million doses this year. Leah Rosenbaum, healthcare reporter at Forbes, joins us for this and another vaccine hitting phase 3 trials.

Next, the FBI is continuing to issue warnings about more mobs possibly heading to state capitols in the run up to Joe Biden’s inauguration. But what is the science behind mob thinking and why do so many people readily accept false information? Part of what promotes this thinking that many people tend to trust sources of information, rather than the substance with little fact checking. Sara Fischer, media reporter at Axios, joins us for more.

Finally, the Consumer Electronics Show went completely virtual this year due to the pandemic, and despite no packed Vegas showrooms, companies were still showing off their newest tech. Samsung is envisioning a future with robots in your home, LG has transparent TVs, Cadillac has flying taxis, and GM is going all in on electric vehicles. Marc Saltzman, host of the Tech It Out Podcast, joins us for the best of CES 2021.

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Donald Trump has made history, becoming the first president to be impeached twice by The House. The president was charged with “incitement of insurrection” and 10 Republicans joined with Democrats in the vote to impeach. The next step is a trial in the Senate, but it looks unlikely that it will happen before Trump leaves office, leading to more questions. Julia Manchester, political reporter at The Hill, joins us for how it all played out.

Next, the Trump administration has changed its vaccine rollout plans. It is now recommending for people over 65 and those with high-risk conditions such as heart disease or diabetes to get the vaccine immediately. They also want to send out more first doses without reserving the second shot, hoping more people can start the process. Dan Vergano, science reporter at BuzzFeed News, joins us for the rollout changes and concerns from the Biden administration about the new plan.

Finally, as California battles the worst of the coronavirus pandemic and a slow vaccine rollout, Gov. Gavin Newsom is also facing a lot of criticism for his handling of the state. Newsom is facing growing support for an effort to recall him which got a boost after shutting down outdoor dining and a blunder of his own, getting caught eating out at a fancy restaurant. David Siders, national political correspondent at Politico, joins us for the challenges Gov. Newsom is facing. 

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As we get closer to the inauguration of Joe Biden, the FBI and security officials are warning of security threats at the Capitol and possibly all 50 states. Lawmakers have been briefed on four specific threats and including one where armed Trump supporters would surround the Capitol preventing Democrats from entering. In the meantime, the FBI has over 160 open cases on people who stormed the Capitol last week. Juliegrace Brufke, Capitol Hill reporter at The Hill, joins us for more.

Next, as vaccinations in the U.S. continue to ramp up slowly, the next phase may be even harder to administer. Finding and scheduling people in the next priority group could be a logistical nightmare. Doctors’ offices and pharmacies are expected to offer the vaccines next and mass vaccination sites are also being set up. Sarah Zhang, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins us for continued challenges in vaccinating everyone.

Finally, the Trump administration has made it easier for businesses to classify workers as independent contractors which is a win for many gig economy companies such as Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash. Workers that are independent contractors are not covered by federal minimum wage and overtime laws. Eric Morath, labor and economics reporter at the WSJ, joins us for what the implications of this new rule could be. 

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