This past week, I went to my local grocery store to restock the kitchen. I expected there to be some things in short supply—toilet paper, hand sanitizer perhaps, maybe certain canned and dried goods—but I was taken aback to see the entire bread section (maybe half an aisle) cleared out completely. It’s far from the end of the world; after all, do I really need carbs at a time when I’m mostly sitting at home all day and night? But it did throw into relief the tenuous nature of the food and home goods supply chain right now. And there are some things (like toilet paper and soap) that you really cannot go without in the coming weeks.
There are, luckily, workarounds for when some of these necessities are unavailable. TIME editor-at-large Jeffrey Kluger spent some time last week talking to experts about these key substitutes. Some are just alternatives you might not have thought of (which means others probably didn’t, which means they are more likely to still be available), and others are do-it-yourself versions that you can make at home with just a few things you may already even have around the house.
Here’s a few examples of key items for which we found alternate options:
TIME senior health reporter Mandy Oaklander cuts through all the noise and conflicting advice coming from all corners of the world, to home in on what the science really says about the efficacy of face masks in a coronavirus outbreak. Read more here.
Once You’ve Had COVID-19, Are You Immune?
You probably know that with many viruses, once you’ve had them and recovered, your body develops some level of immunity. We asked experts around the world to help us understand what we know so far when it comes to COVID-19. Read more here.
8 Ways to Boost Your Internet Speed
There’s a very good chance you’re working from home for the indefinite future, so guess what? You are now your own IT team. TIME technology columnist Patrick Lucas Austin has some truly useful advice on keeping your internet ticking. Read more here.
10 Tips From ‘Mars’ for Quarantined Earthlings
Sheyna Gifford, who spent a full year in lockdown with five other people on a simulated Mars base on the flank of Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii, dishes out some wisdom on what to do when you’re stuck inside. Read more here.
Nathan Lane’s Remembrance for Playwright Terrence McNally Is a Balm
Tragedies are a daily thing right now, and it can feel overwhelming. Actor Nathan Lane’s moving tribute to playwright (and his friend) Terrence McNally, who recently passed away due to coronavirus, may be of some help processing it all. Read more here.
The U.S. Government’s Plan to Help With Rent Leaves Millions Out…
As unemployment numbers in the U.S. soar, many Americans are struggling to pay rent. So far, the Trump administration has offered only a limited safety net, primarily to homeowners instead of renters, and state legislatures are scrambling to pass protections of their own. Read more here.
…And So Does Its Plan to Help Americans With Student Loans
The CARES Act, which has been signed into U.S. law, only helps some borrowers. It suspended monthly payments and interest accrual on most student loans held by the federal government through September 30, 2020. But for millions of people with student loans from private lenders, the legislation brings no relief. Read more here.
WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW
This week, TIME investigated trends in various countries around the world, and across the states in the U.S., in order to help our readers gain a better understanding of where we are in this pandemic, and what lessons from early successes we can apply to mitigate the pain of the next few months. Here are some of our findings:
How Quickly is Coronavirus Spreading in Your State?
Chris Wilson, TIME’s director of data journalism, undertook a state-level analysis of U.S. coronavirus data, and developed an infographic that will update daily, showing states’ progress in flattening the curve. Bookmark it, and check back in to track your state. Read more here.
How Long Will It Take For Each State to ‘Flatten The Curve’?
Alongside that, TIME senior editor Elijah Wolfson crunched numbers from recent projections of when the outbreak will peak across all 50 states and D.C. He and reporter Sanya Mansoor analyzed the results, and found that there is a pathway for states to reduce coronavirus-related deaths among their residents. Read more here.
Italy Appears to be Flattening the Curve. What Did the Country Do Right?
Just a few weeks ago, it seemed like there wouldn’t be good news out of Italy for months. But TIME has been closely tracking daily cases in the worst-hit countries, and discovered that in the last week of March, Italy did, indeed, begin to flatten its curve. Read more here.
Why Germany’s Case Count Is So High, But Its Death Toll Is So Low
As of the latest official counts, Germany remains a global outlier, with some of the world’s highest case numbers—but fewest deaths. TIME reporter Billy Perrigo delved into what Germany’s doing right, and what, if anything, other countries could learn from its success. Read more here.
MORE OF OUR BEST REPORTING FROM THIS WEEK
Alaska’s Remote Villages Are Taking Isolation to a New Level
Remote Alaskan communities are all but sealing themselves off from the outside world, fearing that even one case of COVID-19 could tear through their tiny and tight-knit populations. Read more here.
You Probably Read About an Uninsured Teen Who Died of COVID-19. The Truth Is More Complicated
Last week, the story of a teenager in California who appeared to have died from COVID-19 after being turned away from an urgent care clinic because he didn’t have health insurance was widely read on social media and news outlets. TIME reporter Abigail Abrams reported out the more complicated truth. Read more here.
Air Pollution Is Dropping During the COVID-19 Outbreak, But Don’t Celebrate Yet
As huge swaths of the world halt travel and retreat inside, you’ve likely seen photos of usually polluted, suddenly clear air and waterways around the world. But experts say these shifts aren’t likely to be permanent, or cause for much optimism. Read more here.
What It’s Like to Clean Professionally During COVID-19
Housekeepers, janitors and sanitation workers have unexpectedly found themselves on the frontlines of a pandemic, tasked with sanitizing the virus away. But as one hospital housekeeper told TIME, “no one ever mentions the people who clean it up after [the doctors and nurses] are gone.” Read more here.
Thanks for reading. We hope you find the Coronavirus Brief newsletter to be a helpful tool to navigate this very complex situation, and welcome feedback at coronavirus.brief@time.com.
If you were forwarded this and want to sign up to receive it daily, click here.
沒有留言:
張貼留言