This is part of a series looking at pressing coronavirus questions of the week. We'd like to hear what you're curious about. Email us at goatsandsoda@npr.org with the subject line: "Weekly Coronavirus Questions." More than 76,000 people in the U.S. have died because of COVID-19, and there have been 1.27 million confirmed cases across the country — and nearly 4 million worldwide. Though the virus continues to spread and sicken people, some states and countries are starting to reopen businesses and lift stay-at-home requirements. This week, we look at some of your questions as summer nears and restrictions are eased. Is it safe to swim in pools or lakes? Does the virus spread through the water? People are asking whether they should be concerned about being exposed to the coronavirus while swimming. Experts say water needn't be a cause for concern. The CDC says there is no evidence the virus that causes COVID-19 can be spread to people through the water in pools, hot tubs, spas or water

A meat-packing plant in Waterloo, Iowa, where a coronavirus outbreak exploded a few weeks ago, resumed operations on Thursday after a two-week closure. The reopening of Tyson Foods' largest U.S. pork plant came the same day that health officials in Black Hawk County, where the plant is located, announced that 1,031 of the plant's estimated 2,800 employees have tested positive for the virus. That's higher than previous estimates by state officials. Tony Thompson, sheriff of Black Hawk County, was among the public officials who called for the Waterloo facility to shut down temporarily. His call to close the plant came after he first toured the facility on April 10. Thompson says that when he toured the plant then, he "fully expected" to see barriers, masks and other personal protective equipment in place. That wasn't the case. "What I saw when we went into that plant was an absolute free-for-all," he says. "Some people were wearing bandannas. Some people were wearing surgical masks. ....

As the COVID-19 pandemic began to pick up in Alaska, Dr. Anne Zink, the state's chief medical officer, faced a difficult choice. Should she continue in-person meetings and nightly briefings with Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy? Or should she opt for a more socially distant form of engagement? Zink chose the latter, saying she wanted to model the behavior that she has been appealing to residents to follow. She now appears at Dunleavy's briefings by video. And over the past two months, she has become a trusted voice as she urges Alaskans to follow the strict social distancing and other public health guidelines adopted by the state administration — which doctors groups have credited with keeping the state's COVID-19 numbers among the lowest in the country. Zink, who has a Facebook fan club and a #ThinkLikeZink hashtag , isn't the only public health official to acquire a cultlike following during the pandemic: Dr. Anthony Fauci, the federal infectious disease expert, has inspired a Saturday

Very briefly, at the end of 2019 and the start of 2020, there were slightly more women on American nonfarm payrolls than men. That's no longer true. The historically disastrous April jobs report shows that the brunt of job losses fell on women. Women now account for around just under half — 49% — of American workers, and they accounted for 55% of the increase in job losses last month. One way of looking at why that matters that is to look at the gap that opened up between women's and men's unemployment last month. The below chart shows women's unemployment rate minus men's unemployment rate since 2007. Usually, the line bumps around near or just below zero — meaning men's unemployment is usually near or slightly higher than women's. But that spike on the far right shows how women's unemployment leapt to be 2.7 points higher than men's in April. Women had an unemployment rate of 16.2% to men's 13.5% last month. That's uncommon for a recession. The below chart is a longer view, and the

This is part of a series looking at pressing coronavirus questions of the week. We'd like to hear what you're curious about. Email us at goatsandsoda@npr.org with the subject line: "Weekly Coronavirus Questions." More than 76,000 people in the U.S. have died because of COVID-19, and there have been 1.27 million confirmed cases across the country — and nearly 4 million worldwide. Though the virus continues to spread and sicken people, some states and countries are starting to reopen businesses and lift stay-at-home requirements. This week, we look at some of your questions as summer nears and restrictions are eased. Is it safe to swim in pools or lakes? Does the virus spread through the water? People are asking whether they should be concerned about being exposed to the coronavirus while swimming. Experts say water needn't be a cause for concern. The CDC says there is no evidence the virus that causes COVID-19 can be spread to people through the water in pools, hot tubs, spas or water

A meat-packing plant in Waterloo, Iowa, where a coronavirus outbreak exploded a few weeks ago, resumed operations on Thursday after a two-week closure. The reopening of Tyson Foods' largest U.S. pork plant came the same day that health officials in Black Hawk County, where the plant is located, announced that 1,031 of the plant's estimated 2,800 employees have tested positive for the virus. That's higher than previous estimates by state officials. Tony Thompson, sheriff of Black Hawk County, was among the public officials who called for the Waterloo facility to shut down temporarily. His call to close the plant came after he first toured the facility on April 10. Thompson says that when he toured the plant then, he "fully expected" to see barriers, masks and other personal protective equipment in place. That wasn't the case. "What I saw when we went into that plant was an absolute free-for-all," he says. "Some people were wearing bandannas. Some people were wearing surgical masks. ....

As the COVID-19 pandemic began to pick up in Alaska, Dr. Anne Zink, the state's chief medical officer, faced a difficult choice. Should she continue in-person meetings and nightly briefings with Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy? Or should she opt for a more socially distant form of engagement? Zink chose the latter, saying she wanted to model the behavior that she has been appealing to residents to follow. She now appears at Dunleavy's briefings by video. And over the past two months, she has become a trusted voice as she urges Alaskans to follow the strict social distancing and other public health guidelines adopted by the state administration — which doctors groups have credited with keeping the state's COVID-19 numbers among the lowest in the country. Zink, who has a Facebook fan club and a #ThinkLikeZink hashtag , isn't the only public health official to acquire a cultlike following during the pandemic: Dr. Anthony Fauci, the federal infectious disease expert, has inspired a Saturday

Very briefly, at the end of 2019 and the start of 2020, there were slightly more women on American nonfarm payrolls than men. That's no longer true. The historically disastrous April jobs report shows that the brunt of job losses fell on women. Women now account for around just under half — 49% — of American workers, and they accounted for 55% of the increase in job losses last month. One way of looking at why that matters that is to look at the gap that opened up between women's and men's unemployment last month. The below chart shows women's unemployment rate minus men's unemployment rate since 2007. Usually, the line bumps around near or just below zero — meaning men's unemployment is usually near or slightly higher than women's. But that spike on the far right shows how women's unemployment leapt to be 2.7 points higher than men's in April. Women had an unemployment rate of 16.2% to men's 13.5% last month. That's uncommon for a recession. The below chart is a longer view, and the

Fox NFL Sunday co-host Terry Bradshaw predicted on Saturday that despite the coronavirus outbreak, the NFL would continue to hold games.

As the new coronavirus spreads through the U.S., we chronicle how it came to California, with the voices of first responders, experts and passengers quarantined on a cruise ship docked in San Francisco Bay. 

Plus, we hear the story of an African American man who decades ago was shot and killed by a police officer who later became leader of the Ku Klux Klan. 

Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.

About 14% of Michigan's population is African American. Roughly 40% of COVID-19 fatalties are in the African American community. It is an alarming statistic. Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist heads the state's Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities. He joined WEMU's David Fair and Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director Lisa Wozniak to discuss what is being done to address the immediate crisis. He also highlights the longer term issues that will need to be addressed and what the role of the task force will be to that end.

This month, in an effort to combat the coronavirus pandemic, arts organizations around the country shut their doors. Theatre productions were cancelled, film premières postponed, gallery openings scuttled. Artists and other creative professionals, many of whom are freelance workers with no health benefits and little access to unemployment insurance, suddenly found themselves with no income. The dire economic circumstances have caused some to search for new creative outlets online, but others face an uncertain future. Emily Witt and Alexandra Schwartz join Dorothy Wickenden to discuss the effect of the coronavirus on arts and artists—and their audiences.

It’s been just over a month since Donald Trump tweeted for the first time about the coronavirus—saying, in essence, that the virus did not pose a substantial threat to the United States. Why did he so dramatically underplay the risks of COVID-19? “With Trump, sometimes the answer is pretty transparent,” The New Yorker’s Washington correspondent, Susan B. Glasser, told David Remnick, “and, in this case, I think the answer is pretty transparent. He didn’t want anything to interrupt his reëlection campaign plan, which entirely hinged on the strength of the U.S. economy.” Even as the virus spreads, Trump has criticized widespread self-isolation orders and made overtures toward reopening businesses to revitalize the economy. Meanwhile, Joe Biden, Trump’s likely Democratic Presidential opponent, has refrained from openly antagoniz ing the President. Glasser weighs this tactic: “Do you attack Trump right now, or do you just sort of stand out of the way and let him shoot himself in the foot?”

Two weeks ago, Congress passed a two-trillion-dollar stimulus bill aimed at mitigating the damage the coronavirus is doing to the American economy. With the stock market flagging and unemployment reaching historic highs, further government intervention will almost certainly be needed to stave off financial devastation. But even as COVID-19 cases quickly rise around the country, President Trump says that business should return to normal this spring. John Cassidy joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss the dangers of Trumponomics, lessons from other nations about how to respond to pandemics, and how to put American back to work without precipitating a rebound of the virus.

Around the world, COVID-19 is fundamentally altering politics. In China, the Communist Party is lauding its handling of the crisis and spreading disinformation about the virus in the U.S. And, as attacks on Chinese-Americans increase, the Biden and Trump campaigns accuse each other of being overly cozy with Beijing. Evan Osnos joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss how the coronavirus is affecting the course of the 2020 Presidential election.

Though some economies have begun reopening, many people around the world are battening down for an indefinite period of extreme social distancing. Loneliness can be a destructive force. The toll of isolation on people’s health has been well documented, but isolation can also be a potent political tool, one often wielded by autocrats and despots. Masha Gessen joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss how the pandemic is reshaping politics, for better and for worse.

Today on Political Rewind , Georgia agriculture takes a hit from the coronavirus. Farmers face concerns over exposure to the virus and uncertain retailers cutting demand. We heard from Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black on how the ongoing public health crisis is affecting the state’s farming businesses.

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST: The global race for a coronavirus vaccine is on. And around the world, hopes for a vaccine are high. (SOUNDBITE OF MONTAGE) UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #1: Tests on humans are already underway in the U.S., China, the United Kingdom and Germany. UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #2: The time that it takes to do these things is being at a level that no one has ever seen. UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #3: Good morning, Andrew. Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech starting the dosing of the first U.S. participants in their clinical trial. UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #4: And, Jim, Moderna is going to be a talking point this morning. FDA approval for phase 2 trial of its vaccine candidate, mRNA... KELLY: So what is a realistic timeline for a coronavirus vaccine, and when might we, the public, actually be able to get it? Well, those are the million-dollar questions that NPR science correspondent Joe Palca is here to address. Hey, Joe. JOE PALCA, BYLINE: Hello

This is part of a series looking at pressing coronavirus questions of the week. We'd like to hear what you're curious about. Email us at goatsandsoda@npr.org with the subject line: "Weekly Coronavirus Questions." More than 76,000 people in the U.S. have died because of COVID-19, and there have been 1.27 million confirmed cases across the country — and nearly 4 million worldwide. Though the virus continues to spread and sicken people, some states and countries are starting to reopen businesses and lift stay-at-home requirements. This week, we look at some of your questions as summer nears and restrictions are eased. Is it safe to swim in pools or lakes? Does the virus spread through the water? People are asking whether they should be concerned about being exposed to the coronavirus while swimming. Experts say water needn't be a cause for concern. The CDC says there is no evidence the virus that causes COVID-19 can be spread to people through the water in pools, hot tubs, spas or water

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Dear friends of Amazing Facts International,

We are living in unprecedented times.

The coronavirus pandemic has dramatically transformed how we live and do business; of course, we are all being urged to isolate ourselves to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The state of California, in which Amazing Facts operates, is also now in a virtual lock-down, enforcing “shelter-in-place,” and non-essential businesses are closing everywhere.

With this in mind, we wanted to update our friends on how Amazing Facts is responding to the crisis.

While we are adhering to local, state, and national recommendations and ordinances, we want you to know that we are still actively spreading the gospel … without spreading germs!

Of course, Amazing Facts has been asked to restrict our onsite operations, and we are complying. For the foreseeable future, most of our team will be safely working from home so that our mission can continue.

Fortunately, Amazing Facts is a media ministry that operates two TV networks, so we are exempt from many statewide restrictions that require complete closure. This means that we are still able to do our work with a minimized crew at our headquarters to continue basic operations—including shipping Bible studies and witnessing resources.

However, the office building is closed to the public for their safety. Please do not make plans to visit until the all-clear is given.

The good news is that Amazing Facts is still broadcasting present truth!

• Our YouTube sermons and websites have many thousands of visitors every day, searching for Bible answers in these extraordinary times.
• Amazing Facts TV (aftv.org) and our recorded programs on partner networks are still reaching millions around the globe
• Over 200 radio stations are broadcasting God’s truth across our nation.

That means that although many people are now home-bound, Amazing Facts is still reaching their hearts with truth-filled lessons, including through our online and mail-based Bible School programs.

And while Pastor Doug is not able to travel, he is still preaching around the world, presenting new messages each week that will continue to be broadcast online globally. We will still be broadcasting our Sabbath School Study Hour and worship services every Sabbath—with a slimmed-down crew, right from our new office worship room.[PQ-HERE] 

These trying times are loaded with gospel opportunity as people are looking for answers. This is a prime time for us to pray and move forward with the last-day work, proclaiming the hope of Jesus’ soon return.

Please pray for Amazing Facts and for God’s protective hand to be over our ongoing work of evangelism. And pray for our fellow citizens, especially those traumatized by this crisis.

His message is our mission!

By Gary Gibbs

Ordained in 1989, Pastor Gary Gibbs serves as president of the Pennsylvania Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Before that, he served as the Chesapeake Conference Ministries Development director and as the vice president for the Hope Channel. Gibbs was also an integral part of the Amazing Facts ministry, including founding the Amazing Facts Center of Evangelism. He is the author of several books, including The New Winsome Witnessing and Prophecies of Hope Bible study guides.

An article in the Financial Times hints at how global responses to the coronavirus pandemic could facilitate Revelation’s prophecies regarding the mark of the beast:

“Many short-term emergency measures will become a fixture of life. That is the nature of emergencies. They fast-forward historical processes. Decisions that in normal times could take years of deliberation are passed in a matter of hours. Immature and even dangerous technologies are pressed into service, because the risks of doing nothing are bigger.” ¹

While the author is not making a biblical point, the principle of “fast-forward” is central to how Bible prophecies are sometimes fulfilled. Many are even now wondering if this global pandemic is a prophetic fast-forwarding event leading us to the time described in Revelation 13, where people will be commanded to worship contrary to God’s law. 

Could the events we are currently experiencing be what one author predicted for the last days? “Great changes are soon to take place in our world, and the final movements will be rapid ones.”² The answer may lie in two revelations being exposed by this pandemic.

They Are Watching

Multiple news sources have reported that our personal travel is being remotely monitored in order to understand the spread of the virus.³  That your movements can be constantly recorded is prophetically relevant, as such technology could be used to determine whether a person is obeying laws to “worship the beast.” A simple analysis of the tracking data could inform authorities whether you went to church or not (Revelation 13:12). The nanny government would either economically penalize violators or worse (Revelation 13:15).

Even now, countries are tracking compliance of pandemic stay-at-home orders. In the United States, 97 percent of the population has been ordered not to go anywhere except for the most essential reasons.  Disobedience can result in “civil or criminal penalties.”⁵  Violators in Western Australia face a fine of A$50,000 ($32,000 USD).⁶ Fellow citizens are incentivized to report non-complying neighbors.⁷ 

This pandemic demonstrates that authorities have the ability and will to legally prevent people moving around, buying and selling, or worshiping God in church.⁸ Clearly, the technology is in place to enable the enforcement predicted in Revelation 13.

Cashless Society

Combine this with a question posed in a recent Bloomberg Tax article, Why Going Cashless Has Added Value in Pandemic Age—“Do we still need cash?”⁹ This is not a new proposition. 

I recall President Ronald Reagan wrestling with how to stop the drug cartels. A secular financial newsletter that I subscribed to at the time reported that someone on Reagan’s cabinet suggested he could stop the illegal trade by removing cash from society. In reply, another cabinet member quipped, “Like the mark of the beast?” The room became eerily silent for a moment, then the president ignored the topic and pivoted to the next agenda item. [PQ-HERE]

Today, cashless transactions have grown from a frightening suggestion to a comfortable and convenient reality. In Sweden, considered the most cashless society in the world, 80 percent of purchases are made electronically.¹⁰ Even African countries use electronic currencies—more than 75 percent of adult Kenyans use a mobile-wallet service.¹¹ India, with the world’s second-largest population, recently pushed to eliminate cash by withdrawing the most popular bills from circulation. China’s central bank announced earlier this year that it is ready to test a digital currency.¹²  

Advocates for a cashless society see an opportunity in this pandemic. They point out that China’s central bank is removing money they suspect is contaminated.¹³ Perhaps, as Bloomberg Tax suggests, this pandemic will be a fast-forwarding catalyst. “Fear of contagion could accelerate the general trend to more digital payments, according to the Bank of International Settlements.”¹⁴

There are many practical reasons for society to go cashless that transcend this pandemic. “For governments, getting rid of cash would cut minting and distribution expenses and make it easier to crack down on tax evasion and drug trafficking. Stores could save on cash-handling costs, reduce theft and possibly earn more.”¹⁵

While eliminating cash may be a practical solution for banking and business concerns, even secular sources warn that a cashless society can easily lead to tyranny, just as is predicted for the mark of the beast. “Critics say that in a digital-only economy, governments and banks could take control of your financial life, leaving you penniless with a flick of a switch.”¹⁶

Is the End Here?

With barely a protest, more than a third of the world’s population was quickly put under lockdown.¹⁷ They gave up their civil rights to peaceably assemble, privacy, and even to earn a livelihood. If one were planning a Revelation-type event to bring people into line, it would probably look a lot like this. The only thing missing is a law commanding when people must worship. 

So… is this the end?

While this pandemic could be a fast-forwarding event, it unlikely spells the imminent end. Remember, the mark of the beast concerns forced worship. This is not an element in the current pandemic. However, Revelation does predict that things will dramatically change and that worship will be legislated someday. What fast-forwarding event will be the catalyst is anyone’s guess.

In a very practical sense, it’s not the future so much that we need to focus on, it’s the here and now. People are losing jobs, bills are stacking up, and this cruel virus is robbing us of loved ones. But even as an uncertain future anxiously overshadows us, we can reach for the hand of One who will safely see us through this storm. His reassuring voice says, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters I will be with you” (Isaiah 43:1, 2 NKJV).

2. White, Ellen. Testimonies for the Church, Volume 9, page 11. (1909)

3. See for example: GOOGLE IS TRACKING PEOPLE'S MOVEMENTS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
Apple using Maps data to show if people are social distancing during coronavirus outbreak
Using Location Data to Map People’s Movements, Social Distancing Efforts, and the Spread of COVID-19
Google will release maps data ‘mobility reports’ to show people’s movements in coronavirus pandemic

4. Secon, Holly; Aylin Woodward. “About 95% of Americans have been ordered to stay at home.” Business Insider. (April 7, 2020).

5. Pearl, Betsy; Lee Hunter; Kenny Lo; Ed Chung. “The Enforcement of COVID-19 Stay-at-Home Orders”. American Progress. (April 2, 2020).   

6. BBC News. “Coronavirus: How are lockdowns and other measures being enforced?”. (March 17, 2020).

7. Ruiz, Michael. “De Blasio: New Yorkers can report social distancing violations by texting photos to authorities.” Fox News. (April 18, 2020).

8. Dallas, Kelsey. “Yes, the government can force churches to close. Here’s why”. Deseret News. (March 21, 2020).

9. Bloomberg Tax. “Why Going Cashless Has Added Value in Pandemic Age: QuickTake.” (April 15, 2020).

10. Sweden/Sverige. “Sweden—The First Cashless Society?” (September 11, 2019).

11. Horsley, Scott. “China to Test Digital Currency. Could It End Up Challenging the Dollar Globally?” NPR. (January 13, 2020).

12. Horsley, Scott. Ibid.

13. Yeung, Jessie. “China is disinfecting and destroying cash to contain the coronavirus.”  CNN. (February 17, 2020).

14. Bloomberg Tax. Ibid.

15. Bloomberg Tax. Ibid.

16. Bloomberg Tax. Ibid.

17. Buchholz, Katharina. “What Share of the World Population Is Already on COVID-19 Lockdown?” Statista. (April 3, 2020).

By the Amazing Facts Webmaster

Recently, I was at the grocery store picking up a few items. When I got to the cashier at the checkout line, I tried to engage her in conversation by asking a few simple questions. (I find it’s easier to share materials with people if you’ve broken the ice.) I asked if “things were crazy there lately,” and she said yes, commenting on how rapidly their recent shipment of toilet paper had disappeared.

As she was finishing up, she asked me if I needed a bag. I told her no and pulled mine out and set it on the counter. She said that because of the COVID-19 pandemic, they were not allowed to touch our bags and that I would have to bag my own groceries. After she told me this, the thought went through my mind that “she probably won’t take any material that I try to give to her.” So I bagged up my groceries and left without attempting to share any tracts or DVDs with her.^*

That left me wondering: “How do we share our faith during a lockdown?” 

Right now, if you knock on someone’s door, they're not likely to answer it. If you try to hand them a tract, they may not take it. Even having face-to-face Bible studies with people is more of a challenge now.

Yet, at this time, people are wondering what on earth is happening. They’re wondering what all of these rapid changes mean, and they want answers. As Christians who understand Bible prophecy, we have the answers that they need, but circumstances have made it more challenging to give those answers the way that we used to.

So here are a few ideas on ways that you can reach out to people and share your faith during the coronavirus lockdown: [PQ-HERE]

1. Use Your Phone!

One of the pastors at our church is continuing to have Bible studies with people but instead of going to their homes, he’s doing it over the phone. Also, many people who may not be Christians appreciate prayer and would not pass up an opportunity to pray with someone. Lots of people are out of work and don’t know what to do or where to turn—so give somebody a buzz and see what happens.

2. Use Social Media! 

Many more people are online now. If you have a social media account, instead of posting only cat videos, post something of substance that speaks to the times in an intelligent and informed way. Ask thought-provoking questions and see what kind of dialogue it generates. You may find many opportunities to share as others express their thoughts and concerns about the things that are happening right now.

3. Use Text Messages! 

Who doesn’t have a cell phone nowadays? I personally don’t have a smartphone, but texting still works on my “dumb” phone! Send Bible verses or inspirational quotes to people. And if you don’t have a cell phone, you can still send text messages if you have a Google Voice account, which is free.

4. Use Snail Mail! 

Although someone might not take a tract directly from your hand at this time, they would likely have no problem if they got it in the mail. Lots of people are stuck at home and, quite honestly, they’re bored! Send them something to read or watch. A friend of mine mentioned that they were looking up random names and addresses in the phone book and sending an uplifting card with a Bible tract in it. What a great idea! 

I felt inspired by that and, over the weekend, I hand-wrote a brief letter to several neighbors on a nearby street and placed a Final Events of Bible Prophecy and Kingdoms in Time DVD, as well as an 8 Amazing Steps to Optimize Your Health and Ancient Prophecies That Reveal the Future! Amazing Fact Tracts.

I hand-wrote the notes because people are more likely to open a handwritten envelope and to read a handwritten letter. If you choose to do this, you can put your name or just identify yourself as a friend or neighbor; it’s up to you, but it’s a great way to share with people while they’re under lockdown. (Here is a link to the letter that I sent out with the materials. Feel free to use and modify it as you see fit: Dear-Friend.pdf.)

How are you sharing your faith at this time? Please share your ideas in the comments below. Others might be inspired by what you’re doing! Just because we’re under lock-down doesn't mean that we can’t be about our Father’s business. Let’s be prayerful and look for creative ways to reach out to others.

*Just a note, I still should have offered her a resource and allowed her to decide if she wanted it or not. The next store I went to, instead of assuming that the cashier wouldn't take anything, I asked him if I could give him something. The young man said, “It depends on what it is.” I pulled a Final Events of Bible Prophecy DVD out of my purse, and he said, ‘Oh yeah! I'll take that.’ Praise the Lord! But what if I had not offered it?

Zunächst sah sich unser Autor auf seiner Weltreise durch die Pandemie kaum beeinträchtigt. Doch irgendwann bekam auch er Angst. Denn mancherorts in Asien gibt es Tipps gegen das Coronavirus, die kaum beruhigen.

It is May 8th and time for the latest check-in thread. As previously ([4][3][2][1])) this is for actual news, updates, personal experiences, and more mutual support from and to people dealing with this virus in their daily lives. All hail the mods for continuing to provide this sanctuary for us, and good health to readers and commenters alike. How is one doing?

Very briefly, at the end of 2019 and the start of 2020, there were slightly more women on American nonfarm payrolls than men. That's no longer true. The historically disastrous April jobs report shows that the brunt of job losses fell on women. Women now account for around just under half — 49% — of American workers, and they accounted for 55% of the increase in job losses last month. One way of looking at why that matters that is to look at the gap that opened up between women's and men's unemployment last month. The below chart shows women's unemployment rate minus men's unemployment rate since 2007. Usually, the line bumps around near or just below zero — meaning men's unemployment is usually near or slightly higher than women's. But that spike on the far right shows how women's unemployment leapt to be 2.7 points higher than men's in April. Women had an unemployment rate of 16.2% to men's 13.5% last month. That's uncommon for a recession. The below chart is a longer view, and the

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Very briefly, at the end of 2019 and the start of 2020, there were slightly more women on American nonfarm payrolls than men. That's no longer true. The historically disastrous April jobs report shows that the brunt of job losses fell on women. Women now account for around just under half — 49% — of American workers, and they accounted for 55% of the increase in job losses last month. One way of looking at why that matters that is to look at the gap that opened up between women's and men's unemployment last month. The below chart shows women's unemployment rate minus men's unemployment rate since 2007. Usually, the line bumps around near or just below zero — meaning men's unemployment is usually near or slightly higher than women's. But that spike on the far right shows how women's unemployment leapt to be 2.7 points higher than men's in April. Women had an unemployment rate of 16.2% to men's 13.5% last month. That's uncommon for a recession. The below chart is a longer view, and the

Amtrak is the latest transportation provider to require all passengers to wear facial coverings or masks to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, beginning Monday. The intercity passenger rail agency joins most of the nation's passenger airlines and many public transit systems in requiring coverings or face masks on passengers. Customers will have to "wear a facial covering over their nose and mouth while in stations, on trains and [Thruway] buses," Amtrak said in a news release. "Facial coverings can be removed when customers are eating in designated areas, in their private rooms, or seated alone or with a travel companion in their own pair of seats. Small children who are not able to maintain a facial covering are exempt from this requirement." "The safety of Amtrak's customers and employees is our top priority," Amtrak President and CEO Bill Flynn said in a statement, "and requiring a facial covering is one more way we can protect everyone." To maintain physical distancing on

The last time you were in your office, who did you walk past in the lobby? Stand next to in the elevator? Chat with in the kitchen? You're not alone if you can't remember each of those encounters. But that is exactly the sort of information employers want to have on hand, in case an employee catches the coronavirus. Some companies that are preparing to welcome employees back to the office are planning to use technology to monitor their movements at work. While the technology may be more precise than human memory, it raises fears about greater surveillance at work — and whether employers would relinquish that power after the health crisis subsides. One company that has begun to use such tools is PwC, the big accounting and consulting firm. It has developed an app that tracks how close employees get to each other by noting their smartphones' Bluetooth and Wi-Fi signals. The app allows the company to do contact tracing — the process of identifying people who may have been exposed to the

Copyright 2020 KUNR Public Radio. To see more, visit KUNR Public Radio . AILSA CHANG, HOST: They make cars. They make cocktails. They clean hotel rooms, and they clean your teeth. They are the more than 20 million people who lost their jobs in April. New numbers out today bumped the jobless rate up to 14.7%. That's the worst rate since 1940, and no industry went untouched. For more on where the economic knife cut deepest, we are now joined by some of the reporters who cover these industries. NPR's Alina Selyukh covers retail and restaurants. Camila Domonoske covers the auto industry and oil and gas for NPR. And Will Stone has been covering health care for NPR from Seattle. Welcome to all three of you. ALINA SELYUKH, BYLINE: Hi. CAMILA DOMONOSKE, BYLINE: Hello. WILL STONE, BYLINE: Hi. CHANG: Alina, let's start with you. The lockdowns, I mean, they forced so many restaurants, so many bars, travel destinations to shut down. We know about that. But today we got a read on just how bad those

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST: On a day when the U.S. unemployment rate soared to nearly 15%, the worst level since the Great Depression, we're thinking about all the Americans affected, all the jobs lost - 20.5 million in April. And it seemed a good day to hear from one of the major stakeholders in the U.S. financial system, not to mention a major employer. Brian Moynihan is the CEO of Bank of America. He joins me now. He's on the line from Boston. Mr. Moynihan, welcome. BRIAN MOYNIHAN: It's good to be here. Thank you for having me. KELLY: I wonder if you would start with how this moment is playing out at Bank of America itself. More than 200,000 people report to you. You have done no layoffs, and more stunningly, you've committed to doing no layoffs through the end of 2020. How are you managing that in this moment when so many jobs are being cut? MOYNIHAN: I think we need to back up and, as always, remember that this is a health care crisis that is

Very briefly, at the end of 2019 and the start of 2020, there were slightly more women on American nonfarm payrolls than men. That's no longer true. The historically disastrous April jobs report shows that the brunt of job losses fell on women. Women now account for around just under half — 49% — of American workers, and they accounted for 55% of the increase in job losses last month. One way of looking at why that matters that is to look at the gap that opened up between women's and men's unemployment last month. The below chart shows women's unemployment rate minus men's unemployment rate since 2007. Usually, the line bumps around near or just below zero — meaning men's unemployment is usually near or slightly higher than women's. But that spike on the far right shows how women's unemployment leapt to be 2.7 points higher than men's in April. Women had an unemployment rate of 16.2% to men's 13.5% last month. That's uncommon for a recession. The below chart is a longer view, and the

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST: Nearly 70,000 people have died from COVID-19 in the U.S. Some of them worked in schools - teachers, coaches, counselors. Today we remember three of those people as seen through the eyes of their students. ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: Paula Pryce-Bremmer was a guidance counselor at Careers in Sports High School in New York City. She was 51 years old. Michael Westbrook was 54. He was the band director at Hardin-Jefferson High School in Sour Lake, Texas. And Ron Hill was a coach and substitute teacher at Mount Vernon Presbyterian School in Fulton County, Ga. He was 63 years old. (SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) BRITT WHITSTEIN: My name is Britt Whitstein (ph). I graduated from Mount Vernon Presbyterian High School in 2017. Coach Hill was one of my varsity basketball coaches. Coach Hill had a way of changing your perspective without you even knowing it. Because he believed in me, I did things in high school and even going into college that I

A for-profit college received millions of dollars from the federal government to help low-income students whose lives have been upended by the coronavirus outbreak, but that same school, Florida Career College (FCC), is also accused of defrauding students. A federal class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of students in April calls FCC "a sham" and alleges that, long before the pandemic, the college was targeting economically vulnerable people of color. The plaintiffs say the vocational school enticed them with false promises of career training and job placement — but spent little on instruction while charging exorbitant prices and pushing students into loans they cannot repay. The lawsuit comes as thousands of colleges across the country are receiving federal emergency relief in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Through the CARES Act, FCC has been allotted $17 million. The law requires that at least half of that money goes directly to students, but makes few stipulations for the rest

When Congress allocated money for higher education in the coronavirus rescue package, it set aside nearly $350 million for colleges that had "significant unmet needs." Most of that money has now been allotted by the U.S. Department of Education to small, private colleges that serve just a fraction of U.S. college students. Meanwhile, public colleges — which serve more than 70% of all college students — are facing a steep drop in state funding . The 20 institutions that received the most amount of money from the unmet-need fund serve less than 3,000 students combined, and about half are religious schools — including Bible colleges and seminaries — several of which serve less than 100 students. Don't see the graphic above? Click here. Lawmakers designed this unmet-need fund to give priority to any higher education institution that has received less than $500,000 through the CARES Act's other pots of funding. As a result, a school like Virginia Beach Theological Seminary, which serves 47

We'll hear from San Francisco supervisors on the challenges the city is facing moving some unhoused residents into hotels to shelter from the pandemic. Then, we go to Europe and get the latest on the coronavirus situation there. And, religious communities can’t gather in person, but they’re still meeting up online.

An update on the coronavirus pandemic from Uganda . Then, as part of our ongoing Quarantine Diaries series, we’ll hear from people all around the Bay Area about daily life during the coronavirus epidemic.

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit NOEL KING, HOST: The U.S. and China have a complicated relationship - nothing new there. But during the coronavirus, it's getting worse and may even be at its lowest point since the Tiananmen Square crackdown more than 30 years ago. NPR's Michele Kelemen tells us what the diplomats have been saying, and it is not that diplomatic. MICHELE KELEMEN, BYLINE: U.S. and Chinese officials have been trading barbs on Twitter. And when China's ambassador wrote an op-ed accusing the U.S. of playing the blame game, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo came back with this. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) MIKE POMPEO: And I can't wait for my daily column in the China Daily news. KELEMEN: Beyond this tit for tat, relations seem to be deteriorating at all levels. The FBI, for example, has been warning universities about the dangers of working with China, especially in the scientific field. That was going on well before the pandemic, says Georgetown University's James

Updated at 4:02 p.m. ET The White House on Friday confirmed a second case of coronavirus this week, now in Vice President Pence's office, as both the president and his No. 2 have recently begun traveling again. Pence spokeswoman Katie Miller tested positive for the virus on Friday, after having tested negative Thursday. President Trump told reporters Friday that Miller hasn't come into contact with him but has "spent some time" with the vice president. "She is a wonderful young woman, Katie," he said. "She tested very good for a long period of time. And then all of a sudden today she tested positive." "So, she tested positive out of the blue," he continued. "This is why the whole concept of tests aren't necessarily, right, the tests are perfect but something can happen between a test where it's good and then something happens and then all of a sudden, she was tested very recently and tested negative." The discovery caused Pence's departure to Iowa on Friday morning to be delayed by

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST: Nurses and doctors have been at the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic. And yet even as health care workers fight back against the virus, the health care industry is crumbling around them. Today we learned that of the more than 20 million jobs that vanished last month, nearly 1 1/2 million were in health care. AILSA CHANG, HOST: And despite this dismal news for American workers, we heard a more optimistic message from the president today, who spoke about his belief that the country may soon turn an economic corner. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: So we're looking at the transition to greatness, and I think it's starting right now. CHANG: Meanwhile, the virus is inching closer and closer to the president, with another White House aide testing positive today for COVID-19. All right. To talk more about all of this, we're joined now by NPR chief economics correspondent Scott Horsley, science

Pennsylvania's governor wants to attempt a New Deal-inspired solution for getting the state's more than 1.7 million unemployed residents back to some semblance of regular work. This week, Democrat Tom Wolf announced a still-vague plan for a "Commonwealth Civilian Coronavirus Corps" which, he said, would ideally be a broad program to train workers to test for COVID-19 and conduct contact tracing to monitor infection rates, while simultaneously reducing unemployment. Wolf's spokeswoman, Lyndsay Kensinger, said it's no accident that the proposed program's name is reminiscent of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Great Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps , which focused on the preservation of state parks and forests. "The governor will announce more details in the coming weeks, but the corps would be a 21st-century approach to historic programs like those in the New Deal," Kensinger said. Still unknown: When exactly the program would start, how many people the state might hire and

Attorneys for Rick Bright, the government scientist who said he had been reassigned and subsequently filed a whistleblower complaint , say a government watchdog agrees that he should be reinstated to his post. Bright was serving as director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, which is working on a vaccine to combat the coronavirus. He said he was ousted from the position last month because he wanted to spend money on safe and vetted treatments for COVID-19 — not on ones without "scientific merit," such as hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malarial drug that President Trump and others had been touting. Trump on Wednesday called Bright "a disgruntled employee who's trying to help the Democrats win an election." Bright's attorneys say that the Office of Special Counsel, which hears whistleblower cases, determined there were "reasonable grounds" to believe that his removal was retaliatory and therefore prohibited. Bright's attorneys say OSC plans to contact the

The closure of schools, restaurants and hotels has wreaked havoc on the nation’s food supply. Dairy farmers are pouring out milk, hog prices are plummeting, and unhatched eggs are being crushed. Jon Jackson is executive director of StagVets and founder of Comfort Farms in Milledgeville. He relies on veterans to help raise heritage breeds of animals and produce — specialty items that were once in big demand from some of Georgia’s top restaurants. Now, Jackson is making them available to hungry families through a virtual farmers market.

Artists and arts organizations were quick to adapt to quarantine and coronavirus. Museum tours, operas, Broadway shows, author talks, home concerts and classes for kids sprung up online shortly after closures were announced. But as the dust begins to settle on our new normal, many worry about the long-term economic impact and outlook for the artists, performers and independent organizations essential to the cultural ecosystem.

Some dream researchers have seen a 35% uptick in dream recall since the start of the pandemic. And when people process traumatic events — like a terrorist attack, or widespread health crisis — scientists have noticed that people's dreams start to follow similar themes and patterns. We want to know: How have your dreams changed since the start of the pandemic? Call and leave us a voicemail at 404-500-9457 with your wildest, craziest COVID-19 dreams, and share your reflections on how dreaming as a whole may have shifted for you during the pandemic.

The current state of our world appears to sync up with last-day Bible prophecy. How do we prepare for what is coming?

Defying government restrictions—and sometimes proven laws of health—religious adherents are taking risks during the global coronavirus pandemic.

The Office of Special Counsel has found “reasonable grounds” to investigate whether Dr. Rick Bright was ousted from a senior science post for questioning Trump administration actions.

If it is so hard to maintain a healthy environment at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, then how can businesses across the country establish a safe space for their workers?