The Daily Dive

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

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One of the main keys to preventing COVID-19 indoors is proper ventilation. Health scientists have started to issue recommendations to schools and businesses that want to reopen on how often indoor air needs to be replaced, as well as fans, filters, and other equipment that needs to be replaced. For schools, think open windows with fans, air purifiers, and upgraded HVAC systems. Cailtin McCabe, reporter for the WSJ, joins us for how good ventilation can help keep coronavirus particles at bay.

Next, there is no COVID baby boom that some suspected there might be. In fact, Americans aren’t making babies, and that could be bad for the long term economy. Some estimates say there could be 300-500,000 fewer babies born next year which leads to fewer consumers, workers, and taxpayers. Peter Coy, economics editor at Bloomberg BusinessWeek, joins us for the American baby bust.

Finally, the culture war over face coverings continues and it is a growing problem for retail and service workers across the country who are yelled at and sometimes assaulted for asking patrons to wear masks. They have become the primary enforcers for social distancing guidelines inside restaurants and shops even as some think wearing a mask infringes on their rights. Emily Davies, reporter at the Washington Post, joins us for how anti-maskers put business on edge.

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At the Penn Vet Working Dog Center, canine studies are being done to see if man's best friend can sniff out coronavirus. So far, they are doing a pretty good job of it! Nine dogs are currently enrolled in the study with the hopes that one day they might be able to pick out infected individuals, including those that are asymptomatic, in nursing homes, businesses and airports. Dogs have already been proven to be able to detect explosives and some diseases such as hidden cancers, diabetes, and bacterial and viral infections. Frances Stead Sellers, senior writer at the Washington Post, joins us for more.

Next, the reopening of schools was a huge topic this past year and it might not be the best course of action to treat schools like COVID hot zones. Thankfully, children are, by and large, spared most of the effects of the virus. They are only half as likely to get infected as adults and while they can transmit the disease, they seldom cause outbreaks. In the meantime, as schools in other countries have already opened, we can look to them to see what has worked and what has not. Some of the most appropriate safety measures could include testing and contact tracing, improved ventilation in classes, and keeping students with a single group of peers throughout each day. David Zweig, contributor to Wired, joins us for more.

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One of the most interesting aspects of the coronavirus pandemic is how our everyday lives have changed. One such thing is a move away from a culture of waste. People are re-growing scallions and growing herbs at home, they are washing and reusing Ziploc bags and more. But while being this frugal in the past was mostly rooted in saving money, this time around it’s a little different. There is a fear of scarcity and also an effort to avoid unnecessary movement. Meredith Haggerty, editor at Vox, joins us for the novel frugality.

Next, there has been a huge effort by daycare workers to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and it's paying off. A study of more than 57,000 childcare providers found that those who continued working through the pandemic weren't more likely to catch coronavirus than those that were out of work. Extra precautions such as cleaning surfaces daily, extra hand washing for kids, and keeping them in smaller and separate groups helped limit the spread. Kate Baggaley, contributor to Popular Science, joins us for more.

Finally, thousands of U.S. troops will be taking part in a COVID-19 early detection study with the aim of understanding what it means to be asymptomatic and also catching illnesses before they get worse. Soldiers will wear bio-measuring devices that monitor small changes in blood oxygen levels, heartbeat, or respiratory patterns. Nancy Youssef, national security correspondent at the WSJ, joins us for more.

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To get back to work, companies are trying to secure tests for their workers. Amazon, for example, is looking for ways to test employees regularly including building its own testing lab. But there is a big discussion of the best way to proceed. Will employers need more diagnostic tests or would it be better for antibody tests? Will vaccines be required? Then there are also questions about costs, supply, and concerns about employee privacy. Sarah Krouse, reporter for the WSJ, joins us for how employers want to ramp up their own testing capabilities.

Next, vitamin C was having a moment during the pandemic and sales were surging, but you have to watch out for some offering it up as a coronavirus treatment. The FTC and FBI are investigating health clinics and wellness centers for overhyping high-dose IV infusions of vitamin C as ways to prevent or treat COVID-19. Brent Schrotenboer, investigative reporter at USA Today, joins us for more.

Finally, many are worried about what some call the “twindemic,” continuing to fight the coronavirus pandemic, while also trying to get though the flu season. The flu and COVID-19 share several common symptoms, and it is important to know how to differentiate the two viruses. Karina Zaiets, reporter at USA Today, joins us for how to tell the difference. 

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For all those parents with kids doing remote learning this year, pay attention to your children's grades. In some cases, the auto-grading software used to grade quizzes and schoolwork are getting it wrong. If a student's answers don't match exactly what's in the teacher's answer guide, it can be marked wrong, even if it's just a capitalization discrepancy. Julie Jargon, family and tech columnist at the WSJ, joins us for how these auto-grading systems are causing some headaches.

Next, a look back at the early days of the pandemic and the first nursing home outbreak at the Life Care Center of Kirkland in Washington. Forty-six people died there, but did those deaths have to happen? The way that COVID-19 tore through the facility is a cautionary tale for the way we operate nursing homes in the U.S. There were failures at many steps during the way, all while residents and workers saw some of their friends get sick and die. Katie Engelhart, contributor to California Sunday Magazine, spent months investigating what happened and joins us for how it all played out.

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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.

Earlier this year, many eyes were on Europe as they begin to open their economies and roll out contact tracing apps across various countries there. Germany was one of the first to release their app, but its effectiveness will depend on how many people actually download and use it. Bojan Pancevski, Germany correspondent for the WSJ, joins us for how the apps work and privacy concerns.

Next, at the beginning of the year, the famous flagship store for Tiffany and Company in New York had to move to a new location so the building could be renovated. While the move to a temporary location was short, it took dozens of security guards, hundreds of cameras, and a vow of secrecy from workers to move 114,000 gems without getting robbed. James Barron, reporter for the NY Times, joins us for how Tiffany pulled off this big move and got it all done before time of opening Monday morning. 

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Earlier this year, America was running low on a crucial resource for coronavirus vaccines and drugs…monkeys. The pandemic has created a huge demand for monkeys as research test subjects. There has been a drop in supply from China which supplied 60% of monkeys imported into the U.S., and we were already dealing with decreased numbers. Sarah Zhang, writer at the Atlantic, joins us for how were are short on these animals needed for research.

Next, the coronavirus pandemic has exposed a lot of flaws in the way business is done in the U.S. Flaws in the supply chain were evident all over. But the “Great Toilet Paper Panic of 2020” shows how something so mundane represents a complex supply chain. Because of what is called “just in time” manufacturing and distribution, toilet paper is still only seen in limited quantities and manufacturers are still playing catch up on back orders. Manufacturers have also had to adjust their packaging which is why you might be seeing fewer options. Jen Wieczner, senior writer at Fortune, joins us for the case of the missing toilet paper.

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