Friday, April 3rd, 2020
New Mask Guidance, Unemployment Record & Free HBO
All the news you need in less than 10 min:
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Story Summaries
All the news stories mentioned in today's episode are listed with links below, so you can spend as much -- or as little -- time as you want perusing the latest happenings...
Fighting COVID-19
As soon as today, the CDC may suggest all Americans cover their faces in public. Until now, health officials have said that’s not necessary, unless you’re sick and coughing. However, more research came out this week that found the virus is easily spread by people without symptoms. Medical grade masks should still be saved for healthcare workers. For the rest of us, bandanas, scarves, or another kind of cloth covering can add another layer of protection. Still, the White House response coordinator says the best way to slow the spread is to follow social distancing guidelines. Also, the world hit an unfortunate milestone this week. There are now more than 1 million COVID-19 cases worldwide. Really, the number is likely much higher since that only accounts for reported cases. Here in the United States, supplies needed to treat infected people are in high demand. President Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to try to fix supply chain issues. The two most recent orders require companies to make ventilators and masks. The Justice Department is also cracking down on hoarding and price gouging. Seized supplies are now being distributed to medical personnel.
Current Case Count: Johns Hopkins
Social Distancing & Masks: Reuters, The Week, AP, The Hill
1 Million Reported Cases: USA Today, The Hill
Supply Shortage: NY Times, Fortune, White House, WSJ, CNN, NBC News, ABC News
Financial Fallout
For the second week in a row, a record number of people applied for unemployment. The U.S. Labor Department reported 6.6 million new jobless claims. It doubles last week’s total, meaning about 10 million Americans are newly out of work. Also, it may be a little while before they start seeing relief. A congressional memo reportedly lays out a timeline for the personal payments promised under the new government stimulus. It said most Americans have direct deposit information on file, so they’ll get their payment sooner, like the week of April 13th. For those who haven’t submitted direct deposit information with their taxes, the Treasury Department says the IRS is setting up a web portal. About three weeks after those payments go out, the IRS will start issuing the paper checks. It will take nearly five months to send all of them. Also, when it comes to the rest of the $2.2 trillion stimulus package, Congressional Democrats started an oversight committee to review how the aid is distributed and investigate how the private sector is spending government funds.
New Unemployment Numbers: ABC News, CNBC
When Stimulus Checks Will be Sent: NBC News, CNN, WaPo
Committee to Oversee Emergency Aid: Politico, FOX News
Presidential Race Changes
The Democratic National Convention is now postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. It was supposed to happen in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in mid-July. Now, it’s pushed back to mid-August. The event is usually packed, but that could change this year. Meanwhile, the Republican National Convention is still scheduled as planned for late August in Charlotte, North Carolina. In just four days, Wisconsin is supposed to have a primary. The governor says it will go on, but a judge did extend the deadline for people to request absentee ballots to 5 p.m. today. That way, fewer people will have to show up in person.
DNC Postponed: CNN, The Hill
Wisconsin Primary: The Hill, Politico, Axios
FDA New Guidelines
For the first time, the FDA authorized a blood test that can detect COVID-19. Until now, the only approved test was a swab of the nose and throat. The difference is this test produces a result a lot faster, but it’s less accurate, so the FDA says the new test can’t be used as the sole basis for diagnosis.
The FDA is also now allowing gay men, bisexual men, and their female partners to donate blood only three months after their last sexual encounter. Before now, it was a 12-month waiting period. Anyone who got a tattoo or piercing can also now wait only three months instead of a year. The agency made the changes because of a severe blood shortage in the U.S. right now.
New Blood Test Approved: FDA, CNN, NY Times
Blood Donation Changes: FDA, Axios
Help on the Way
The New England Patriots team plane is back in use, just not for football. It touched down in China this week to pick up more than 1 million N95 masks, which are desperately needed by U.S. doctors and nurses treating COVID-19 patients. The team plane returned to Boston with the supplies yesterday.
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has reportedly donated $100 million to the nonprofit organization Feeding America, which runs more than 200 food banks across the country.
A different program that helps feed the hungry, called America’s Food Fund, is getting help from Apple, the Ford Foundation, and actor Leonardo DiCaprio.
Patriots Plane Transports Supplies: CNN, WSJ
Bezos Gives $100 Million: The Hill, Vox
America’s Food Fund: AP, TechCrunch
Weekend Watchlist
HBO is making a bunch of TV shows and movies free, starting today. So whether you’re a subscriber or not, you can stream about 500 hours of programming on HBO and HBO GO. Also, Amazon will be streaming movies from the SXSW festival for free for anyone with an Amazon account. The festival was canceled last month, so a lot of the movies haven’t been seen yet. Amazon will reportedly stream them for 10 days on Prime Video sometime next month.
HBO Free Streaming: CNN, TechCrunch, The Verge
SXSW Films on Prime Video: SXSW, Engadget, EW
Feel Good Friday - Teddy Bear Hunts
If you see teddy bears appearing along streets and in windows, it’s to help the neighborhood kids get through the pandemic. People are reportedly putting them out so kids can go on teddy bear scavenger hunts during walks with their parents. In one Iowa community, children have spotted more than 250 teddy bears in windows.
Read More: USA Today, BBC