The Takeaway

Essential Workers Are Already Starting to Lose Their Hazard Pay

Major companies like Amazon and Kroger will soon end the hazard pay raises they have been giving to essential workers. 

Dating in the Time of COVID-19

As many parts of the country begin reopening, people are making new risk calculations in the name of love. What does dating look like in the age of COVID-19?

EPA Rushing to Finalize Rule Change on Lead in Drinking Water

The Environmental Protection Agency is rushing to finalize a major regulation that could leave millions of Americans exposed to potentially hazardous levels of lead.

"All We Can Do Is Stay Positive": How Chicano Batman Connects with Fans in Quarantine

The L.A.-based band, Chicano Batman, discusses their new album "Invisible People."

Is COVID-19 Complicating Disaster Preparedness?

As the U.S. struggles to get the coronavirus pandemic under control, experts worry about the impact on disaster preparedness as hurricane and wildfire seasons approach.  

Why Are Insurers Denying Claims from Struggling Businesses?

Business interruption insurance claims are being denied by insurers causing business owners to file lawsuits and look to state governments for help.

How Contact Tracing Can Help Contain the Spread of COVID-19

Health officials have stressed that in order to reopen states safely, the number of contact tracers in the U.S. needs to increase drastically.

Understanding New Zealand's Effective COVID-19 Response

New Zealand has been heralded as a success story in how it's handled COVID-19, but its success is hard to replicate elsewhere.

Can the Restaurant Industry Recover from COVID-19?

Restaurants in some states are reopening for dine-in service, but ongoing shifts in how they do business are resulting in massive losses for the food service industry.

What Images Will Define the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Each day, we’re confronted by numbers, information, and images reminding us of the infectious disease’s toll around the world. 

Locusts, Floods, and Coronavirus: The Crises in East Africa

The swarms of locusts are leading to fears of famine in the region, where response to COVID-19 is already stretched thin.

Treating Patients and Engaging in Activism: A Doctor's Balancing Act

Activists, attorneys, and doctors ring the alarm on dangerous conditions in ICE custody.

Trump Administration Puts a Strain on Health Care Systems Abroad by Continuing Deportations

Even as immigration into the U.S. has virtually ground to a halt, the Trump administration has continued deporting large numbers of ICE detainees.

How Quarantine Could Be Affecting Your Sleep

Changes in your circadian rhythm, anxiety, sense of isolation, and lack of a normal routine could all be leading to your irregular sleep.

The Loved Ones Supporting Essential Workers

As essential workers continue to keep us all going, we hear from a few people who are supporting them.

Sweden's Coronavirus Strategy

Sweden has taken a different approach than most countries to the coronavirus  outbreak and has avoided large shutdowns. How is that strategy working?

The coronavirus pandemic has taken a serious toll on not only our health, but on the economic well-being of cities and states across the country. As leaders grapple with how best protect the health of their constituents in addition to mitigating the economic fall out caused by stay-at-home orders, preparation for future elections is in front of mind. Recently, California became the first state to modify its plans for the general election after Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order that said the state's 20 million-plus registered voters would receive ballots in the mail. California Secretary of State Alex Padilla explains the logistics behind getting ballots to voters and what precautions will be taken for those who need to vote in person. John Myers, the Sacramento Bureau Chief of the Los Angeles Times, shares why it's so easy to vote absentee in the state. David Wasserman, House editor for The Cook Political Report, dissects what a primarily vote-by-mail election looks like and uses the special election in the state's 25th District as a case study. 

In April, Wisconsin held its primary and local elections in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Many voters who did not receive their absentee ballots in time had to choose between risking their health to vote in person or not voting at all. This week, the state's Supreme Court struck down the stay-at-home order signed by Democratic Governor Tony Evers in March. Amy shares her thoughts on the partial reopening.

Heather Long, economics correspondent at The Washington Post, and Betsey Stevenson, Professor of Public Policy and Economics at the University of Michigan, explain what the economic downturn means for small businesses and the American middle class long-term. 

Pregnant People Are Turning to Midwives During Pandemic

Midwives are seeing a surge in demand across the country, but in some states, there are restrictions in place preventing people from accessing their services.  

Major League Baseball Owners Push to Play Ball in Early July

This week, reports emerged that Major League Baseball is hoping to start its season in early July, meaning players and ballpark staff may have to weigh significant health concerns. 

What the Poll Numbers Mean for Trump and November

Amy Walter, host of Politics with Amy Walter from The Takeaway, helped break down the latest approval rating polls. 

First-Generation Graduates Take the Virtual Stage

During a global pandemic, with stay-at-home orders in place, graduation this year is looking quite different.

How Labor Organizing Can Help Women and People of Color Unemployed Due to COVID-19

The economic crisis has disproportionately hurt women and people of color.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock on Reopening and What's Next

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock explains what precautions were taken into consideration before beginning to reopen the city last week. 

Is the U.S. Experiencing a Megadrought?

Some scientists warn that for the first time in centuries, the southwestern U.S. is in the midst of a megadrought.

'I Can't Imagine Not Having Live Theater': Local Theaters Chart Plans for Survival Amid COVID-19

Communities that depend on local performing arts theaters have temporarily lost essential spaces to come together and interact with one another.

Combating the Virtual Spread of COVID-19 Misinformation

The spread of misinformation at a time like this can be costly.

DeVos Quietly Releases New Rules on Campus Sexual Assault Amid Pandemic

Many advocacy organizations are unsurprisingly concerned about the impact this will have on survivors coming forward.

Why Maternity Wards Are Disappearing from Black Neighborhoods

Experts worry that as the coronavirus pandemic continues, maternity care deserts could become a nationwide trend.

Movie Therapy for the Soul

Rafer Guzman and Kristen Meinzer, co-hosts of Movie Therapy, share their recommendations to soothe and distract us right now.

What Happens to Unsheltered People When the Pandemic Has Passed? 

The fixes cities are implementing, including moving people who are experiencing homelessness to hotels, are largely temporary.

What Little Richard, Andre Harrell, and Betty Wright Meant for the Music Industry

The music industry was dealt a serious blow this weekend with the loss of three icons.

'Economic Viruses Were Already at Work Before Coronavirus': A Conversation with Dr. Cornel West

Dr. Cornel West discusses COVID-19, the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery, and the 2020 elections.

The White House has deferred to states about reopening their economies. This week, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced that his state would move to phase one of their plan to reopen. Phase one will begin at 5 p.m. on Friday, May, 8th. While the stay-at-home order will still be in effect, there will no longer be a distinction between essential and non-essential businesses. 

Dr. Mandy Cohen, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, shares what metrics the state used to determine that it's the right time to begin phase one. 

Phase one of North Carolina’s reopening includes a relaxation of restrictions on social gatherings, including worship services. Services with more than 10 people can take place as long they are outside and social distancing is respected. Spence Shelton, lead pastor at Mercy Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, shares what it's like to lead group worship remotely and how he's navigating phase one. 

Dr. Lucian Conway is a professor of Social Psychology at the University of Montana studying what shapes human thoughts and communications at the Political Cognition Lab. He shares what's driving the gap between what liberals and conservatives think about how seriously to take the threat of COVID-19 and how the government should respond to it.

Small business owners have been saddled with the enormous responsibility of managing their businesses during the pandemic. They've seen a sharp decline in sales with no end to the public health crisis in sight. This week, we hear from two small business owners trying to navigate the new normal. Lenore Estrada is the owner of Three Babes Bakeshop in San Francisco and Abigail Opiah is the cofounder of Yeluchi by Unruly, a mobile hairstyling service. 

This week, the Justice Department announced that they were dropping the criminal case against Michael Flynn, President Trump’s first national security adviser. Flynn had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI twice regarding conversations he’d had with a Russian diplomat in 2016. Katie Benner, who covers the Justice Department for The New York Times, shares how the decision came about and whether or not it undermines the credibility of the Russia investigation.