The Why: Philly Explained

The coronavirus pandemic has pushed Pennsylvania’s primary to June 2. While Democrats and some election officials are calling for it to be conducted entirely by mail-in ballots to keep poll workers and voters safe, Republican state lawmakers are pushing back — despite supporting recent efforts to expand vote-by-mail.

Guest: Julia Terruso, The Philadelphia Inquirer

Philadelphia’s booming restaurant scene was getting ready for a busy spring when the coronavirus pandemic hit. Today, a conversation with restaurateur Ellen Yin about the tough decisions she’s had to make and what she thinks about the future of the industry.

Grocery store owners have been lauding their employees as heroes for working through the pandemic, but some workers say the praise doesn’t make up for poor working conditions. Why have some grocery stores taken more precautions than others? And why do some employees feel thrown under the bus?

Guest: Laura Benshoff, WHYY’s Keystone Crossroads

The Why ‘s Shai Ben-Yaacov and his 9-year-old son are cooped up at home, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. Join them for our new series, Why didn’t I go there? where they take virtual tours of cool spots in the region. First up, a trip into the archives of The Rosenbach, Philly’s famous collection of rare books and manuscripts. If you could explore a spot in the region right now, where would you go? Send us a voice memo at [email protected].

Guest: Emilie Parker, The Rosenbach’s Director of Education

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Gov. Tom Wolf’s order to close all non-life sustaining businesses has shut down many construction sites — but not the site of a new casino in South Philly. That situation has shed light on the state’s disorganized process to determine which businesses can get exceptions to stay open during an unprecedented pandemic.

Guest: Jake Blumgart, WHYY’s PlanPhilly

Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood has been the epicenter of the city’s opioid crisis long before the coronavirus pandemic hit. That crisis means a lot of the new social distancing rules are falling to the wayside as people continue dealing drugs and living on the streets, making Kensington particularly vulnerable to the outbreak.  

Guest: Mike Newall, The Philadelphia Inquirer

Disease outbreaks in the past led to the creation of a lot of Philadelphia’s park space. Now, during the coronavirus pandemic, parks are one of the few places where people can get some fresh air while social distancing. But there’s concern that they won’t be able to keep providing the safe open space everybody needs. Could this pandemic change how we create parks and how we use them?

Guests: Meir Rinde and Catalina Jaramillo, WHYY’s PlanPhilly

President Donald Trump has been pushing a drug called hydroxychloroquine as a game-changer in the fight against COVID-19 — but its effectiveness against the coronavirus has not been proven. As clinical trials get underway, including one in Philly, a look at why people are scrambling to get their hands on this drug, including those who need it for other serious health problems.

Guests: WHYY Morning Edition host Jennifer Lynn and health reporter Alan Yu

Right now, a lot of us are confined indoors because of COVID-19, and we’re reaching out to loved ones. Co-host Shai Ben-Yaacov has been calling his sister, Maya, who’s currently living alone during a stay at home order in Israel. In this bonus episode, we bring you their conversation about loneliness, anxiety, family, Netflix, and coping in our current, strange times. 

Proper social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic is leaving people who live on their own in near total isolation. We talk about how people can stay mentally healthy during this time — and hear about some creative solutions.

Guests: Dr. Karriem Salaam, crisis care psychiatrist; Elizabeth Estrada, PlanPhilly Engagement Editor

If you’re struggling with quarantine depression, here are free resources you can turn to for help.