vox--2020-03-13--Trump says Google is building a site to help people find coronavirus tests

Alphabet , Google ’ s parent company , is working with the White House and private companies to create a website that will help Americans find screening tests for the Covid-19 coronavirus .
Plans for the site are being overseen by Verily , an Alphabet subsidiary that focuses on health care and life science .
The White House said the site is meant to steer Americans who need testing to drive-through clinics that are supposed to start popping up around the US in the parking lots of retailers like Target and Walmart , which are also working on the effort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after President Donald Trump and others described the effort at a White House press conference , stressed that the project the company is working on is in its early stages and will initially be offered to residents in and around San Francisco and Silicon Valley .
At the press conference , Trump said Google had “ 1,700 engineers working on this right now.
” Trump didn ’ t say when the site would be up , but Vice President Mike Pence said that , by Sunday evening , the White House “ will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the website will be available.
” Recode hasn ’ t yet been able to verify that with Alphabet or Verily reps , or anything else about how the site is supposed to work — including any efforts Verily and the associated companies will use to protect the privacy of the site ’ s users .
It ’ s possible that the White House announcement took Verily and Google by surprise .
About an hour after Trump talked about the website , Google sent out a statement , attributed to Verily , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stages ” on “ a tool to help triage individuals for Covid-19 testing ” and that it would start using it in the Bay Area before rolling it out widely .
Debbie Birx , the White House ’ s coronavirus response coordinator , held up a flowchart at the press conference that was meant to illustrate the steps users will take to get tested , but didn ’ t go into any detail .
The chart appears to indicate that users will find their test results on the same site they used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I want to thank Google .
Google is going to develop a website — it ’ s going to be very quickly done , unlike websites of the past — to determine if a test is warranted and to facilitate testing at a nearby convenient location , ” Trump said .
“ Google has 1,700 engineers working on this right now .
They ’ ve made tremendous progress .
Our overriding goal is to stop the spread of the virus and to help all Americans who have been impacted by this.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sent out a company-wide email calling for volunteers to “ assist in the effort to test people for Covid-19 ; ” he said the idea was to “ develop a pathway for public health and healthcare agencies to direct people to our Baseline website , where individuals who are at higher risk can be directed to testing sites based on the latest guidance from public health authorities .
... Verily is part of the Alphabet family and could use our help in the coming days and weeks.
” That effort seems separate from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patch that could detect signs of a fever and transmit that health data to a person ’ s phone .
Pichai mentioned that effort last week in a blog post about various efforts his company had taken to fight the spread of the coronavirus .
Here ’ s Pichai ’ s memo asking his employees to help with the Verily website .
Yesterday at TGIF , someone had a question about whether Verily could assist in the effort to test people for COVID-19 .
I know we are all looking for ways to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in with their team to see if they could use support from Google and our other bets for a new effort being planned .
The good news is that a planning effort is underway to use the expertise in life sciences and clinical research of Verily in partnership with Google to aid in the COVID-19 testing effort in the US .
As more test kits becomes available , the planners are looking to develop a pathway for public health and healthcare agencies to direct people to our Baseline website , where individuals who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to testing sites based on the latest guidance from public health authorities .
Verily is part of the Alphabet family and could use our help in the coming days and weeks to respond as quickly as possible to the rapidly evolving situation of the COVID-19 pandemic .
For those interested in volunteering for this effort , please complete this form and they will be in touch .
Correction : An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that Debbie Birx said the Google site would be available on Sunday .

Alphabet, Google’s parent company, is working with the White House and private companies to create a website that will help Americans find screening tests for the Covid-19 coronavirus.
Plans for the site are being overseen by Verily, an Alphabet subsidiary that focuses on health care and life science.
The White House said the site is meant to steer Americans who need testing to drive-through clinics that are supposed to start popping up around the US in the parking lots of retailers like Target and Walmart, which are also working on the effort.
But messaging from Alphabet reps, after President Donald Trump and others described the effort at a White House press conference, stressed that the project the company is working on is in its early stages and will initially be offered to residents in and around San Francisco and Silicon Valley.
At the press conference, Trump said Google had “1,700 engineers working on this right now.”
Trump didn’t say when the site would be up, but Vice President Mike Pence said that, by Sunday evening, the White House “will be able to give specific guidance on when the website will be available.”
Update, March 14, 2020, 1:25 pm ET: Asked again about Google’s plans to launch a site at a press conference on Saturday, Pence said Google had told them the site would launch Monday, and that the White House would have detailed information about the site and testing plan at 5pm Sunday. Kathleen Parkes, a PR rep for Verily, told Recode on Saturday that the site would go live on Monday.
It’s possible that the White House announcement took Verily and Google by surprise. About an hour after Trump talked about the website, Google sent out a statement, attributed to Verily, that said the company was in “early stages” on “a tool to help triage individuals for Covid-19 testing” and that it would start using it in the Bay Area before rolling it out widely.
Statement from Verily: "We are developing a tool to help triage individuals for Covid-19 testing. Verily is in the early stages of development, and planning to roll testing out in the Bay Area, with the hope of expanding more broadly over time. — Google Communications (@Google_Comms) March 13, 2020
Debbie Birx, the White House’s coronavirus response coordinator, held up a flowchart at the press conference that was meant to illustrate the steps users will take to get tested, but didn’t go into any detail. The chart appears to indicate that users will find their test results on the same site they used to see if they needed a test.
“I want to thank Google. Google is going to develop a website — it’s going to be very quickly done, unlike websites of the past — to determine if a test is warranted and to facilitate testing at a nearby convenient location,” Trump said. “Google has 1,700 engineers working on this right now. They’ve made tremendous progress. Our overriding goal is to stop the spread of the virus and to help all Americans who have been impacted by this.”
On Thursday, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai sent out a company-wide email calling for volunteers to “assist in the effort to test people for Covid-19;” he said the idea was to “develop a pathway for public health and healthcare agencies to direct people to our Baseline website, where individuals who are at higher risk can be directed to testing sites based on the latest guidance from public health authorities. ... Verily is part of the Alphabet family and could use our help in the coming days and weeks.”
That effort seems separate from a Verily project to build a physical patch that could detect signs of a fever and transmit that health data to a person’s phone. Pichai mentioned that effort last week in a blog post about various efforts his company had taken to fight the spread of the coronavirus.
Here’s Pichai’s memo asking his employees to help with the Verily website.
Hi everyone, Yesterday at TGIF, someone had a question about whether Verily could assist in the effort to test people for COVID-19. I know we are all looking for ways to help right now, so I checked in with their team to see if they could use support from Google and our other bets for a new effort being planned. The good news is that a planning effort is underway to use the expertise in life sciences and clinical research of Verily in partnership with Google to aid in the COVID-19 testing effort in the US. As more test kits becomes available, the planners are looking to develop a pathway for public health and healthcare agencies to direct people to our Baseline website, where individuals who are at higher risk can be directed to testing sites based on the latest guidance from public health authorities. Verily is part of the Alphabet family and could use our help in the coming days and weeks to respond as quickly as possible to the rapidly evolving situation of the COVID-19 pandemic. For those interested in volunteering for this effort, please complete this form and they will be in touch. - Sundar
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that Debbie Birx said the Google site would be available on Sunday.


vox--2020-03-13--“I don’t take responsibility at all”: Trump continues downplaying coronavirus threat

President Donald Trump on Friday took to the podium during a Rose Garden press conference to allay concerns about the growing coronavirus outbreak in the US .
But even while announcing new measures against Covid-19 , the disease caused by the virus , Trump continually downplayed the threat the country is facing and refused to take responsibility for the testing shortage that has left the US unable to track the unrolling pandemic .
Asked about whether he takes any blame for the botched testing process , Trump said , “ I don ’ t take responsibility at all.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national emergency , unlocking billions of dollars in disaster aid to help combat the virus .
The administration previously declared a public health emergency in January , but that didn ’ t tap into as much money as the new declaration under the 1988 Stafford Act , which is typically used for natural disasters like hurricanes and tornadoes , will allow .
Trump , flanked by the leaders of Target , Walmart , and Walgreens , announced several other measures , including a public-private partnership to boost testing capacity by setting up drive-through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ store chains .
That includes up to 5 million more tests and a website , developed with the help of Google , to help connect people to nearby testing stations .
He also announced efforts to relax laws and regulations that can limit health care capacity , including the greater use of telehealth and the elimination of some restrictions on hospital stays .
He suggested that these changes will help build up capacity — a critical element to mitigating the outbreak — but it ’ s not clear if these will succeed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that there ’ s still no agreement with Democrats in the House about a package to deal with the crisis .
Some of this is in line with what experts have called on to deal with the crisis , but given the administration ’ s history in dealing with the pandemic , it ’ s unclear if these measures will work as planned .
And the lack of a broader deal between Trump and House Democrats means more comprehensive action isn ’ t quite here yet .
Trump continually downplayed the pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between these announcements , Trump seemingly couldn ’ t help but downplay the risk of the crisis , while repeatedly shaking hands with other people present at the press conference .
Immediately after announcing the federal government will get 5 million test kits out , he said , “ I doubt we ’ ll need anywhere near that.
” Trump also cautioned against too much testing capacity : “ We don ’ t want people to take a test if we feel that they shouldn ’ t be doing it .
And we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only if you have certain symptoms.
” But while it ’ s true that not everyone needs to be tested , it ’ s these kinds of roadblocks that have led to report after report of doctors and patients struggling to get access to tests .
On social media , doctors regularly complain that they can ’ t obtain tests for patients even if the patients display symptoms .
Testing is crucial to slowing epidemics .
First , it lets public health officials identify sick people and subsequently isolate them .
Second , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s recent contacts to make sure those people aren ’ t sick and to get them to quarantine as well .
It ’ s one of the best policy tools we have for an outbreak like this .
Trump , however , suggested that all this testing is not going to be necessary , because the pandemic will reside .
“ Again , we don ’ t want everybody to take this test , it ’ s totally unnecessary and this will pass , ” he said .
“ This will pass through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stronger for it.
” This viewpoint isn ’ t new to Trump .
He previously tweeted comparisons to the common flu , which in fact appears to be less deadly and spread less easily than the coronavirus .
He called concerns about the virus a “ hoax.
” He said on national television that , based on nothing more than a self-admitted “ hunch , ” the death rate of the disease is much lower than public health officials projected .
And in February , he said of the coronavirus , “ One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it will disappear.
” ( As of March 13 , the country has more than 1,200 confirmed cases , according to Johns Hopkins ’ s interactive map . )
Experts have been critical of the messaging .
Ashish Jha , director of the Harvard Global Health Institute , called it “ deeply disturbing , ” adding that it ’ s “ left the country far less prepared than it needs to be for what is a very substantial challenge ahead.
” But even as he declares the outbreak a national emergency , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growing dangers of a major public health crisis .

President Donald Trump on Friday took to the podium during a Rose Garden press conference to allay concerns about the growing coronavirus outbreak in the US.
But even while announcing new measures against Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, Trump continually downplayed the threat the country is facing and refused to take responsibility for the testing shortage that has left the US unable to track the unrolling pandemic.
Asked about whether he takes any blame for the botched testing process, Trump said, “I don’t take responsibility at all.”
The big announcement came when Trump announced a national emergency, unlocking billions of dollars in disaster aid to help combat the virus. The administration previously declared a public health emergency in January, but that didn’t tap into as much money as the new declaration under the 1988 Stafford Act, which is typically used for natural disasters like hurricanes and tornadoes, will allow.
Trump, flanked by the leaders of Target, Walmart, and Walgreens, announced several other measures, including a public-private partnership to boost testing capacity by setting up drive-through testing sites at some pharmacies and major store chains. That includes up to 5 million more tests and a website, developed with the help of Google, to help connect people to nearby testing stations.
He also announced efforts to relax laws and regulations that can limit health care capacity, including the greater use of telehealth and the elimination of some restrictions on hospital stays. He suggested that these changes will help build up capacity — a critical element to mitigating the outbreak — but it’s not clear if these will succeed.
At the same time, Trump acknowledged that there’s still no agreement with Democrats in the House about a package to deal with the crisis.
Some of this is in line with what experts have called on to deal with the crisis, but given the administration’s history in dealing with the pandemic, it’s unclear if these measures will work as planned. And the lack of a broader deal between Trump and House Democrats means more comprehensive action isn’t quite here yet.
Trump continually downplayed the pandemic, even while trying to address it
In between these announcements, Trump seemingly couldn’t help but downplay the risk of the crisis, while repeatedly shaking hands with other people present at the press conference.
Immediately after announcing the federal government will get 5 million test kits out, he said, “I doubt we’ll need anywhere near that.”
Trump also cautioned against too much testing capacity: “We don’t want people to take a test if we feel that they shouldn’t be doing it. And we don’t everyone running out, only if you have certain symptoms.” But while it’s true that not everyone needs to be tested, it’s these kinds of roadblocks that have led to report after report of doctors and patients struggling to get access to tests. On social media, doctors regularly complain that they can’t obtain tests for patients even if the patients display symptoms.
Testing is crucial to slowing epidemics. First, it lets public health officials identify sick people and subsequently isolate them. Second, they can trace that sick person’s recent contacts to make sure those people aren’t sick and to get them to quarantine as well. It’s one of the best policy tools we have for an outbreak like this.
Trump, however, suggested that all this testing is not going to be necessary, because the pandemic will reside.
“Again, we don’t want everybody to take this test, it’s totally unnecessary and this will pass,” he said. “This will pass through, and we’ll be even stronger for it.”
This viewpoint isn’t new to Trump. He previously tweeted comparisons to the common flu, which in fact appears to be less deadly and spread less easily than the coronavirus. He called concerns about the virus a “hoax.” He said on national television that, based on nothing more than a self-admitted “hunch,” the death rate of the disease is much lower than public health officials projected. And in February, he said of the coronavirus, “One day it’s like a miracle, it will disappear.” (As of March 13, the country has more than 1,200 confirmed cases, according to Johns Hopkins’s interactive map.)
Experts have been critical of the messaging. Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, called it “deeply disturbing,” adding that it’s “left the country far less prepared than it needs to be for what is a very substantial challenge ahead.”
But even as he declares the outbreak a national emergency, Trump continues to deny and downplay the growing dangers of a major public health crisis.


vox--2020-03-13--The risks in going to the gym during the coronavirus pandemic, explained by experts

Around 20 minutes into a group boot camp fitness class at the Upper East Side location of boutique workout studio Barry ’ s Friday morning , each one of us was ushered out of the room , like kids in a fire drill .
Our instructor shooed everyone out while he and the cleaning staff grabbed disinfectant wipes and spray ; then they began wiping down the entire sweaty room — from benches , mirrors , weights , and treadmills to the floor .
Six minutes later , we were let back in and allowed to continue with the workout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanitizing wipes and hand sanitizer in each studio , and shortening all classes by 10 minutes to give staff 20 minutes to spray down and clean the room , are just some of the changes Barry ’ s has implemented in light of the coronavirus pandemic .
And according to public health experts , Barry ’ s intense cleaning is the type of measure all gyms and boutique fitness classes should be taking .
In light of the coronavirus , we ’ ve learned how to wash our hands for 20 seconds , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in hand sanitizer to kill the virus ( at least 60 percent ) , and analyzed every informational blast — social distancing , canceled events , transmission guidance — released by public health officials .
But while guidelines from health officials are helpful and awareness about the coronavirus is valuable , it ’ s difficult to figure out which aspects of daily life we should change and which ones we can maintain in order to have some semblance of normalcy in our lives .
With all the information out there , it feels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to brace for the worst and to keep calm , carry on , and try to live our lives as normally as possible .
For the millions of consumers worldwide that have helped make gyms and boutique fitness into a $ 94 billion industry , according to statistics from the International Health Racquet and Sportsclub Association , it is part of our lives .
Fitness is therapy , exercise , and a de-stressor , which is why in these times of uncertainty , it ’ s a go-to .
Granted , if worse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand that putting a hold on the gym is a no-brainer .
And in the grand scheme of things , clearly , going to the gym isn ’ t as serious as the dire situations in parts of the world .
But to get a better understanding of where things stand in the middle of the coronavirus outbreak — barring any further escalation — I asked public health experts and officials specializing in transmission and cleanliness protocol for the best practices for going to the gym .
And that includes whether we should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the gym means taking precautions like wiping down all your equipment Sweat is a constant at gyms and fitness classes .
Every piece of equipment you touch has been touched by someone else ’ s sweat , and that is , frankly , disgusting .
And it ’ s even more so when you do the math of how long gyms have held on to their equipment , multiplied by the number of people in and out of a gym in any given hour , afternoon , day , or year .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the illness be transmitted through our buckets of sweat ?
“ As a respiratory virus , sweat isn ’ t generally a transmission route , though contaminated skin and hands can be , ” Dr. Tara Smith , a professor of epidemiology at Kent State University , told me over email .
“ Think more about how you might touch your nose and then touch equipment , or cough on a hand and touch equipment , than about the sweat itself.
” The possibility of the virus living on weights or mats makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The risk means that gym-goers , SoulCyclers , and Barry ’ s Bootcampers , should wipe down all the surfaces they ’ re touching with an approved disinfectant .
They should take on that responsibility even if the gym or facility cleans the equipment as well .
“ I study MRSA ( a bacterium that can survive on surfaces ) so I always wipe off equipment both before and after using it because you never know if the person ahead of you did a good job , but now is a good time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Smith told me .
Smith also recommends distancing yourself from fellow gym-goers .
This may mean doing something as simple as not going during the gym ’ s busy hours ( usually before and after work ) , but those hours might be different given the pandemic .
It also means no high-fives or handshakes at the gym .
But maintaining the recommended six feet of social distance from others is all but impossible in sold-out group fitness classes where bikes and stations are planted next to each other .
Smith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The experts maintain , however , that fitness studios and gyms aren ’ t any more or less hazardous than any other social setting we might place ourselves in — that is , barring the virus rapidly escalating and dependent on case/transmission rate in your area .
Gyms are not any more risky than “ anywhere else where you would be touching things and in somewhat close contact with people — but as the virus is spreading , all of those activities are becoming increasingly risky , especially if you are in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ severely affected by Covid-19 , ” Smith said .
“ I think individuals may want to consider any aspect of how they go out in public during these times , both for themselves and the rest of their community , particularly vulnerable individuals.
” But the most important thing public health experts have stressed over and over applies to everyone and everywhere , including the gym : Stay home if you ’ re not feeling well .
“ The biggest thing right now is to stay home if you ’ re sick , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevention epidemiologist and biodefense researcher , told me .
“ If you ’ re well , try and practice social distancing and basic infection control measures .
This means don ’ t go to the gym if you ’ re sick .
If you ’ re well and want to work out , try to avoid larger group classes , wipe down your equipment with disinfection wipes , before and after use , use hand hygiene frequently , and avoid touching your face.
” Gyms and group fitness studios like Barry ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But some are shutting down for now .
Barry ’ s decision to require a break mid-class to disinfect the room seems to be the type of “ stepping up ” that Smith stresses .
I also noticed the studio had new sanitizing wipe dispensers , and hand sanitizer in addition to hand soap in the restrooms .
In addition , a spokesperson for the company told Vox that it would “ continue to follow all CDC and Department of Public Health guidelines , and will follow best practices as they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ubiquitous spin class company , has also taken measures like removing the hand weight section from its classes , per a statement issued on March 12 .
Usually , SoulCycle classes involve an “ arms ” series , in which cyclers take a break from pedaling to perform bicep , tricep , and shoulder exercises .
Those are now eliminated .
The company also said it , too , was ramping up the availability of disinfecting wipes and hospital-grade cleaning solution .
On Friday , SoulCycle sent an email to its riders saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half — a move that seems to be in line with the guidance of social distancing .
National gyms like Equinox and Crunch have also stepped up efforts , sending emails to clients about hygiene practices and promising to step up cleaning efforts with detailed information as to what they plan to do .
There are also online classes , including Peloton and its vaunted bike .
In Beijing , online fitness classes have become trendy as officials there have urged civilians to stay inside and curb their social gatherings during the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fitness studios , though , the best practice was shutting down .
Chelsea Piers , a fancy gym and fitness facility with outposts in New York City and Connecticut , has closed through March 31 , 2020 .
Rowgatta , a New York City-based fitness class that combines weightlifting and rowing , has temporarily shut down .
“ We must do our part to protect our staff and to keep our Athletes safe , ” Rowgatta said in an email to its clients .
“ In a time when there is a lack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must do what we can to lead and contribute to the wellbeing of the community in which we live.
” Similarly , Barry ’ s has temporarily shut down international locations in Italy , Sweden , and Norway , and has promised to waive cancellation fees for clients .
In light of these closings , improvements , and cleaning measures being taken , I asked Smith and Popescu what are the most important things gyms should be doing to protect their clients .
“ I think they should be stepping up the cleaning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in order to minimize the risk of transmission from weights , machines , mats , and also doorknobs and other surfaces , ” Smith said .
“ We all know that some gym patrons are just terrible at doing this , so gyms should be extra vigilant to do so .
Remind clients to spread out as much as possible in fitness classes , and emphasize hand-washing.
” “ Gyms should be really reinforcing that people should not be there if they ’ re sick — both employees and clients — and providing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are great ) , and disinfecting wipes for equipment , ” Popescu said , explaining that sanitizing wipes and disinfecting really help .
“ I also encourage people to really be mindful of not touching their face and take some breaks for hand hygiene , ” Popescu added .
“ If you ’ re in a fitness class , try to do one with a smaller group of people in a more open space , so you can all have about three to six feet between you .
This is a great time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gyms !
”

Update March 16, 2020: Since this article was published, the coronavirus outbreak has escalated in the US and New York in particular. Both Barry’s and Peloton have closed their studios. And in an email to some of its New York City members, fitness center Equinox said one of its patrons had tested positive for Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. As the experts we consulted said, spread of the virus makes visits to the gym, and all social interactions, riskier. Follow the guidance of local health and government officials concerning social distancing, even if gyms remain open.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced that gyms and casinos in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey would be closing at 8 pm ET.
Around 20 minutes into a group boot camp fitness class at the Upper East Side location of boutique workout studio Barry’s Friday morning, each one of us was ushered out of the room, like kids in a fire drill. Our instructor, Michael Pugliese, shooed everyone out while he and the cleaning staff grabbed disinfectant wipes and spray; then they began wiping down the entire sweaty room — from benches, mirrors, weights, and treadmills to the floor.
Six minutes later, we were let back in and allowed to continue with the workout.
The mid-session cleaning break, extra sanitizing wipes and hand sanitizer in each studio, and shortening all classes by 10 minutes to give staff 20 minutes to spray down and clean the room, are just some of the changes Barry’s has implemented in light of the coronavirus pandemic. And according to public health experts, Barry’s intense cleaning is the type of measure all gyms and boutique fitness classes should be taking.
In light of the coronavirus, we’ve learned how to wash our hands for 20 seconds, memorized what percentage of alcohol is necessary in hand sanitizer to kill the virus (at least 60 percent), and analyzed every informational blast — social distancing, canceled events, transmission guidance — released by public health officials.
But while guidelines from health officials are helpful and awareness about the coronavirus is valuable, it’s difficult to figure out which aspects of daily life we should change and which ones we can maintain in order to have some semblance of normalcy in our lives. With all the information out there, it feels as though we are simultaneously being told to brace for the worst and to keep calm, carry on, and try to live our lives as normally as possible.
For the millions of consumers worldwide that have helped make gyms and boutique fitness into a $94 billion industry, according to statistics from the International Health Racquet and Sportsclub Association, it is part of our lives. Fitness is therapy, exercise, and a de-stressor, which is why in these times of uncertainty, it’s a go-to.
Granted, if worse comes to the worst, I fully understand that putting a hold on the gym is a no-brainer. And in the grand scheme of things, clearly, not being able to go to the gym isn’t so dire.
But to get a better understanding of where things stand in the middle of the coronavirus outbreak — barring any further escalation — I asked public health experts and officials specializing in transmission and cleanliness protocol for the best practices for going to the gym. And that includes whether we should be going at all.
Going to the gym means taking precautions like wiping down all your equipment
The CDC and the WHO recommend several basic measures to help prevent the spread of Covid-19: Wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects.
Practice social distancing, and stay home when you are sick.
Contact a health worker if you have symptoms; fever and a dry cough are most common. Guidance may change. Stay informed, and stay safe, with Vox’s coronavirus coverage hub.
Sweat is a constant at gyms and fitness classes. Every piece of equipment you touch has been touched by someone else’s sweat. And it’s even more so when you do the math of how long gyms have held on to their equipment, multiplied by the number of people in and out of a gym in any given hour, afternoon, day, or year.
So is coronavirus-laced sweat a possibility? Can the illness be transmitted through our buckets of sweat?
“As a respiratory virus, sweat isn’t generally a transmission route, though contaminated skin and hands can be,” Dr. Tara Smith, a professor of epidemiology at Kent State University, told me over email. “Think more about how you might touch your nose and then touch equipment, or cough on a hand and touch equipment, than about the sweat itself.”
The possibility of the virus living on weights or mats makes the gym a risk for transmission. The precise risk of Covid-19 coronavirus infection from surfaces is not yet known, but gym-goers, SoulCyclers, and Barry’s Bootcampers, should wipe down all the surfaces they’re touching with an approved disinfectant. They should take on that responsibility even if the gym or facility cleans the equipment as well.
“I study MRSA (a bacterium that can survive on surfaces) so I always wipe off equipment both before and after using it because you never know if the person ahead of you did a good job, but now is a good time to be extra careful about thorough cleaning,” Smith told me.
Smith also recommends distancing yourself from fellow gym-goers. This may mean doing something as simple as not going during the gym’s busy hours (usually before and after work), but those hours might be different given the pandemic. It also means no high-fives or handshakes at the gym.
But maintaining the recommended six feet of social distance from others is all but impossible in sold-out group fitness classes where bikes and stations are planted next to each other. Smith says to consider that before booking.
The experts maintain, however, that fitness studios and gyms aren’t any more or less hazardous than any other social setting we might place ourselves in — that is, barring the virus rapidly escalating and dependent on case/transmission rate in your area.
Gyms are not any more risky than “anywhere else where you would be touching things and in somewhat close contact with people — but as the virus is spreading, all of those activities are becoming increasingly risky, especially if you are in a group that is likely to be more severely affected by Covid-19,” Smith said. “I think individuals may want to consider any aspect of how they go out in public during these times, both for themselves and the rest of their community, particularly vulnerable individuals.”
But the most important thing public health experts have stressed over and over applies to everyone and everywhere, including the gym: Stay home if you’re not feeling well.
“The biggest thing right now is to stay home if you’re sick,” Dr. Saskia Popescu, an infection prevention epidemiologist and biodefense researcher, told me. “If you’re well, try and practice social distancing and basic infection control measures. This means don’t go to the gym if you’re sick. If you’re well and want to work out, try to avoid larger group classes, wipe down your equipment with disinfection wipes, before and after use, use hand hygiene frequently, and avoid touching your face.”
Gyms and group fitness studios like Barry’s and SoulCycle are adapting stricter cleaning routines. But some are shutting down for now.
Barry’s decision to require a break mid-class to disinfect the room seems to be the type of “stepping up” that Smith stresses. I also noticed the studio had new sanitizing wipe dispensers, and hand sanitizer in addition to hand soap in the restrooms. Barry’s also said it would cut the number of spots in each class by half beginning Monday, allowing its clients to maintain a safe distance from fellow bootcampers.
A spokesperson for the company told Vox that it would “continue to follow all CDC and Department of Public Health guidelines, and will follow best practices as they are released.”
SoulCycle, the expansive and ubiquitous spin class company, has also taken measures like removing the hand weight section from its classes, per a statement issued on March 12. Usually, SoulCycle classes involve an “arms” series, in which cyclers take a break from pedaling to perform bicep, tricep, and shoulder exercises. Those are now eliminated. The company also said it, too, was ramping up the availability of disinfecting wipes and hospital-grade cleaning solution. On Friday, SoulCycle sent an email to its riders saying that it would cut class sizes in half — a move that seems to be in line with the guidance of social distancing.
National gyms like Equinox and Crunch have also stepped up efforts, sending emails to clients about hygiene practices and promising to step up cleaning efforts with detailed information as to what they plan to do.
There are also online classes, including Peloton and its vaunted bike. In Beijing, online fitness classes have become trendy as officials there have urged civilians to stay inside and curb their social gatherings during the coronavirus outbreak.
For some gyms and group fitness studios, though, the best practice was shutting down. Chelsea Piers, a fancy gym and fitness facility with outposts in New York City and Connecticut, has closed through March 31, 2020. Rowgatta, a New York City-based fitness class that combines weightlifting and rowing, has temporarily shut down.
“We must do our part to protect our staff and to keep our Athletes safe,” Rowgatta said in an email to its clients. “In a time when there is a lack of clear direction from authorities, we must do what we can to lead and contribute to the wellbeing of the community in which we live.”
Similarly, Barry’s has temporarily shut down international locations in Italy, Sweden, and Norway, and has promised to waive cancellation fees for clients.
In light of these closings, improvements, and cleaning measures being taken, I asked Smith and Popescu what are the most important things gyms should be doing to protect their clients.
“I think they should be stepping up the cleaning they’re doing of all equipment in order to minimize the risk of transmission from weights, machines, mats, and also doorknobs and other surfaces,” Smith said. “We all know that some gym patrons are just terrible at doing this, so gyms should be extra vigilant to do so. Remind clients to spread out as much as possible in fitness classes, and emphasize hand-washing.”
Popescu offered similar advice.
“Gyms should be really reinforcing that people should not be there if they’re sick — both employees and clients — and providing ample opportunity for hand hygiene (reminders are great), and disinfecting wipes for equipment,” Popescu said, explaining that sanitizing wipes and disinfecting really help.
“I also encourage people to really be mindful of not touching their face and take some breaks for hand hygiene,” Popescu added. “If you’re in a fitness class, try to do one with a smaller group of people in a more open space, so you can all have about three to six feet between you. This is a great time to use the fitness apps and home gyms!”


vox--2020-03-14--Live results for the Northern Mariana Islands caucuses

The Democratic presidential primary is between two major days of voting right now — last week ’ s six-state extravaganza and March 17 ’ s batch of four delegate-rich primaries — which means that it ’ s the Northern Mariana Islands ’ time to shine .
The tiny US territory in the Pacific is holding its caucuses this Saturday , March 14 , starting at 6 pm local time ( 4 am ET ) .
There are six delegates at stake with two candidates — former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders — still in the running for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden is in the strongest position right now , following a string of wins on Super Tuesday and in the narratively important Michigan primary earlier this week .
While she ’ s mathematically far out of contention for the Democratic nomination , Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is also still in the race , and she could be a factor on Saturday .
She performed well in the last territory to weigh in on the primary ( the American Samoa caucuses on Super Tuesday ) , though she fell short of a win .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Northern Mariana Islands will be the last contest of the primary before the race turns to an 11th Democratic primary debate in Washington , DC , on Sunday .
The six delegates on offer aren ’ t a big prize , especially at this point in the race , but with just two candidates still competing for the nomination , every delegate helps .
Vox will be covering the results of the Northern Mariana Islands caucuses live on Saturday , in partnership with Decision Desk .

The Democratic presidential primary is between two major days of voting right now — last week’s six-state extravaganza and March 17’s batch of four delegate-rich primaries — which means that it’s the Northern Mariana Islands’ time to shine.
The tiny US territory in the Pacific is holding its caucuses this Saturday, March 14, starting at 6 pm local time (4 am ET). There are six delegates at stake with two candidates — former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders — still in the running for the nomination.
Of the two, Biden is in the strongest position right now, following a string of wins on Super Tuesday and in the narratively important Michigan primary earlier this week.
While she’s mathematically far out of contention for the Democratic nomination, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is also still in the race, and she could be a factor on Saturday. She performed well in the last territory to weigh in on the primary (the American Samoa caucuses on Super Tuesday), though she fell short of a win.
In any case, the caucuses in the Northern Mariana Islands will be the last contest of the primary before the race turns to an 11th Democratic primary debate in Washington, DC, on Sunday. The six delegates on offer aren’t a big prize, especially at this point in the race, but with just two candidates still competing for the nomination, every delegate helps.
Vox will be covering the results of the Northern Mariana Islands caucuses live on Saturday, in partnership with Decision Desk.


vox--2020-03-13--Quarantine baking in times of crisis

Quarantine baking in times of crisis

As institutions across the country take drastic measures to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus , the third-generation owners of Seattle fine dining destination Canlis decided they needed to make major changes , too .
Brothers Mark and Brian Canlis announced yesterday they would temporarily close their elegant , midcentury dining room overlooking Seattle ’ s Lake Union and shift their space and attention to new dining options for customers .
Starting Monday , Canlis will become a meal delivery service , a casual bagel shop , and in what ’ s typically the restaurant ’ s valet parking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ burgers , veggie melts , and their famous Canlis salad to-go — a previously unthinkable proposition at the jacket-recommended restaurant .
“ Fine dining is not what Seattle needs right now , ” the Canlis brothers wrote on their restaurant ’ s website .
“ Instead , this is one idea for safely creating jobs for our employees , while serving as much of the city as we can.
” Canlis will keep its 115 employees , for now at least , turning some into delivery drivers .
Customers can order “ family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and $ 60 per person via Tock , the site that normally handles Canlis ’ s reservations .
They can even add bottles of wine from the restaurant ’ s cellar , if they wish .
According to Tock founder Nick Kokonas , the company is “ working 24/7 ” to add the delivery and pick-up functionality to its platform by early next week .
“ We expect to offer this immediately to other restaurants currently on Tock , and to any restaurant that reaches out to us and wants to use the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Other restaurants with the same goals — retaining employees and serving customers despite a global pandemic — are coming up with new ideas of their own .
They have to , now that cities like Los Angeles have forbidden events of more than 50 people , and New York ’ s mayor has mandated that all restaurants and bars reduce their capacity by 50 percent .
Spago , Wolfgang Puck ’ s 38-year-old flagship restaurant in Beverly Hills , is adding an abbreviated take-out menu .
Alexander ’ s Steakhouse , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and delivery so customers can “ enjoy a fine dining experience in the comfort of their own home.
” The Morris , a Michelin-starred restaurant in San Francisco , is offering its whole menu , including house-made charcuterie and a popular smoked duck , for curbside pick-up , plus wines for retail purchase .
“ The game ’ s not over , but the rules have changed , ” says Mark Canlis .
“ If our game is to serve people , to lift them up and encourage them and restore them in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that game.
” Destination-dining establishments , even more than neighborhood-focused restaurants , are particularly vulnerable to losses as customers stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19 .
“ Cancellations have been intense , ” says chef Ben Sukle , owner of the celebrated fine-dining restaurant Birch in Providence , Rhode Island .
“ Seventy-five percent of our guests are coming from out of town , for a special occasion or special trip .
Naturally , when people are doing these self-imposed stay-at-homes or restrictions , [ dining ] is the first thing that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s going to be extremely hard for us.
” Sukle is exploring Birch take-out , ordered by phone , with a menu of more casual dishes than Birch ’ s usual multi-course offerings .
The menu would include items like a burger and a muffuletta sandwich , a popular monthly special at Birch ’ s more casual sister restaurant , Oberlin .
“ Who knows , maybe it won ’ t work for Birch , ” Sukle admits .
But it ’ s still worth a try : “ I ’ d rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep fighting .
I ’ ve got a lot of people working for me… [ and ] if this works out , in six months , we can go back to serving a tasting menu.
” Adding take-out dishes at a fine-dining restaurant isn ’ t as simple as putting food in boxes , says Mourad Lahlou , the chef and owner of Michelin-starred Mourad in San Francisco .
That ’ s one reason he ’ s avoided it in the past .
“ In normal days , when people say ‘ Can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an octopus to-go , ’ we say no , because it just doesn ’ t travel well.
” But these days aren ’ t normal , so for the first time , Lahlou is adding take-out at Mourad — although he ’ s tweaking dishes first .
“ We ’ re changing the sauces and the cuts [ of meat ] so the dish doesn ’ t die within two or three minutes of it being cooked.
” Lahlou was previously resistant to delivery through third-party services like Doordash and Grubhub , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those companies to start .
Adding the option , however , isn ’ t as easy as flipping a switch .
“ It ’ s really hard to get set up on Seamless [ right now ] , ” says Ravi Derossi , a New York restaurateur who uses the service at his businesses Mother of Pearl and Night Music , and hopes to add it for more of his restaurants .
“ They ’ re really backed up ...
It doesn ’ t happen overnight.
” Scott Landers , who developed delivery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knows the challenges : They ’ re why he founded a consultancy , Figure 8 Logistics , to help restaurants build out their delivery logistics .
“ I would be surprised if you could pull off [ adding third party delivery ] in a week , ” says Landers .
“ Two is aggressive , four is realistic after negotiating a contract.
” There ’ s a whole host of things to consider , says Landers : “ Adapting your menu , changing your equipment , your prices , negotiating the delivery fee.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from third-party services , can vary widely : Grubhub and Seamless , Doordash and Caviar , and others usually charge anywhere from 18 to 30 percent per order , a massive chunk of a given check .
Today , Grubhub announced it would temporarily suspend collection of up to $ 100 million in commission payments from restaurants affected by COVID-19 in five cities .
The rest of the major delivery services haven ’ t reduced fees , but are rushing to adapt in other ways amid surging demand .
Doordash , Uber Eats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in which couriers drop items at the door to avoid the potential spread of the virus .
But while Doordash has announced a program to give financial assistance to couriers diagnosed with COVID-19 , most gig delivery workers are operating on the front lines of a global pandemic without employer-provided healthcare and , if sickened , stand to lose their source of income .
For restaurants , however , added delivery orders could be a crucial opportunity to maintain revenue and keep up relationships with existing clientele .
“ You don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your favorite restaurants and brands , ” writes restaurant publicity firm Bullfrog + Baum , in an email sent to media outlets highlighting delivery options from their clients .
“ Collaboratively [ with restaurant clients ] , we wanted to come up with ways to drive some sales and keep people employed , ” says Bullfrog + Baum president Jennifer Baum .
“ We ’ ve been through difficult times before , but nothing that happened quite as quickly as this , and everyone is trying to find the best way forward.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clients , Landers advises that they consider expanding their delivery options to meet new needs .
“ I ’ d think about what guests will want while stuck at home or locally nearby , ” he writes , “ particularly focusing on family meals now that everyone is staying at home , both kids and parents .
This gives you a higher check size and allows you to pass along almost the entire cost of logistics ~ $ 5/order.
” Another idea : full meal delivery kits , with raw veggies , beverages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that you have easy access to as a restaurant , but which may be difficult for guests to access .
At a certain point , bars and restaurants may be better built to deliver on demand groceries and alcohol , than are grocery stores and liquor stores.
” Chef Alex Stupak has always offered delivery and catering at his four Empellon restaurants in New York .
But now , deliveries through third-party services like Caviar and Seamless are up roughly 65 percent while dine-in covers are crashing .
“ Everyone is seeing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dine-in customers ] overnight , ” Stupak estimates .
To help , he ’ s adding more to-go and catering options at Empellon ’ s flagship location in Midtown , which has seen the biggest decline in customers : An abridged menu of the restaurant ’ s best-sellers like maitake tacos with quesillo .
While Stupak would prefer to serve customers in person , doing more take-out and delivery is at least “ an opportunity to express solidarity to your community.
” “ I just think it ’ s in the nature of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ego aside — we all got into this business because we like to feed people , and this [ situation ] becomes a clarifier of that , ” Stupak says .
Mark Canlis hopes other fine dining restaurants will come to the same conclusion .
“ Don ’ t give up .
I want restaurants to turn to their teams and say ‘ what can we do ?
’ The reality is maybe a lot .
”

As institutions across the country take drastic measures to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, the third-generation owners of Seattle fine dining destination Canlis decided they needed to make major changes, too. Brothers Mark and Brian Canlis announced yesterday they would temporarily close their elegant, midcentury dining room overlooking Seattle’s Lake Union and shift their space and attention to new dining options for customers. Starting Monday, Canlis will become a meal delivery service, a casual bagel shop, and in what’s typically the restaurant’s valet parking driveway, a “drive-thru” selling burgers, veggie melts, and their famous Canlis salad to-go — a previously unthinkable proposition at the jacket-recommended restaurant.
“Fine dining is not what Seattle needs right now,” the Canlis brothers wrote on their restaurant’s website. “Instead, this is one idea for safely creating jobs for our employees, while serving as much of the city as we can.”
Canlis will keep its 115 employees, for now at least, turning some into delivery drivers. Customers can order “family meal” delivery for between $30 and $60 per person via Tock, the site that normally handles Canlis’s reservations. They can even add bottles of wine from the restaurant’s cellar, if they wish.
According to Tock founder Nick Kokonas, the company is “working 24/7” to add the delivery and pick-up functionality to its platform by early next week. “We expect to offer this immediately to other restaurants currently on Tock, and to any restaurant that reaches out to us and wants to use the platform shortly thereafter,” he says.
Other restaurants with the same goals — retaining employees and serving customers despite a global pandemic — are coming up with new ideas of their own. They have to, now that cities like Los Angeles have forbidden events of more than 50 people, and New York’s mayor has mandated that all restaurants and bars reduce their capacity by 50 percent. Spago, Wolfgang Puck’s 38-year-old flagship restaurant in Beverly Hills, is adding an abbreviated takeout menu. Alexander’s Steakhouse, a high-end California chain, is debuting takeout and delivery so customers can “enjoy a fine dining experience in the comfort of their own home.” The Morris, a Michelin-starred restaurant in San Francisco, is offering its whole menu, including house-made charcuterie and a popular smoked duck, for curbside pick-up, plus wines for retail purchase.
“The game’s not over, but the rules have changed,” says Mark Canlis. “If our game is to serve people, to lift them up and encourage them and restore them in this way, we can still play that game.”
Destination-dining establishments, even more than neighborhood-focused restaurants, are particularly vulnerable to losses as customers stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19. “Cancellations have been intense,” says chef Ben Sukle, owner of the celebrated fine-dining restaurant Birch in Providence, Rhode Island. “Seventy-five percent of our guests are coming from out of town, for a special occasion or special trip. Naturally, when people are doing these self-imposed stay-at-homes or restrictions, [dining] is the first thing that’s not considered, and that’s going to be extremely hard for us.”
Sukle is exploring Birch takeout, ordered by phone, with a menu of more casual dishes than Birch’s usual multi-course offerings. The menu would include items like a burger and a muffuletta sandwich, a popular monthly special at Birch’s more casual sister restaurant, Oberlin. “Who knows, maybe it won’t work for Birch,” Sukle admits. But it’s still worth a try: “I’d rather go out with my shield up and keep fighting. I’ve got a lot of people working for me… [and] if this works out, in six months, we can go back to serving a tasting menu.”
Adding takeout dishes at a fine-dining restaurant isn’t as simple as putting food in boxes, says Mourad Lahlou, the chef and owner of Michelin-starred Mourad in San Francisco. That’s one reason he’s avoided it in the past. “In normal days, when people say ‘Can I get a lamb to-go, or an octopus to-go,’ we say no, because it just doesn’t travel well.”
But these days aren’t normal, so for the first time, Lahlou is adding takeout at Mourad — although he’s tweaking dishes first. “We’re changing the sauces and the cuts [of meat] so the dish doesn’t die within two or three minutes of it being cooked.”
Lahlou was previously resistant to delivery through third-party services like Doordash and Grubhub, but now he’s in talks with those companies to start. Adding the option, however, isn’t as easy as flipping a switch. “It’s really hard to get set up on Seamless [right now],” says Ravi Derossi, a New York restaurateur who uses the service at his businesses Mother of Pearl and Night Music, and hopes to add it for more of his restaurants. “They’re really backed up... It doesn’t happen overnight.”
Scott Landers, who developed delivery for the fast-casual chain Dig Inn, knows the challenges: They’re why he founded a consultancy, Figure 8 Logistics, to help restaurants build out their delivery logistics. “I would be surprised if you could pull off [adding third party delivery] in a week,” says Landers. “Two is aggressive, four is realistic after negotiating a contract.”
There’s a whole host of things to consider, says Landers: “Adapting your menu, changing your equipment, your prices, negotiating the delivery fee.” That fee, essentially a commission from third-party services, can vary widely: Grubhub and Seamless, Doordash and Caviar, and others usually charge anywhere from 18 to 30 percent per order, a massive chunk of a given check.
Today, Grubhub announced it would temporarily suspend collection of up to $100 million in commission payments from restaurants affected by COVID-19 in five cities. The rest of the major delivery services haven’t reduced fees, but are rushing to adapt in other ways amid surging demand. Doordash, Uber Eats, and Postmates are adding contact-less delivery, in which couriers drop items at the door to avoid the potential spread of the virus. But while Doordash has announced a program to give financial assistance to couriers diagnosed with COVID-19, most gig delivery workers are operating on the front lines of a global pandemic without employer-provided healthcare and, if sickened, stand to lose their source of income.
For restaurants, however, added delivery orders could be a crucial opportunity to maintain revenue and keep up relationships with existing clientele. “You don’t have to step out to support your favorite restaurants and brands,” writes restaurant publicity firm Bullfrog + Baum, in an email sent to media outlets highlighting delivery options from their clients.
“Collaboratively [with restaurant clients], we wanted to come up with ways to drive some sales and keep people employed,” says Bullfrog + Baum president Jennifer Baum. “We’ve been through difficult times before, but nothing that happened quite as quickly as this, and everyone is trying to find the best way forward.”
In an email to his current restaurant clients, Landers advises that they consider expanding their delivery options to meet new needs. “I’d think about what guests will want while stuck at home or locally nearby,” he writes, “particularly focusing on family meals now that everyone is staying at home, both kids and parents. This gives you a higher check size and allows you to pass along almost the entire cost of logistics ~$5/order.” Another idea: full meal delivery kits, with raw veggies, beverages, and more. “Think items that you have easy access to as a restaurant, but which may be difficult for guests to access. At a certain point, bars and restaurants may be better built to deliver on demand groceries and alcohol, than are grocery stores and liquor stores.”
Chef Alex Stupak has always offered delivery and catering at his four Empellon restaurants in New York. But now, deliveries through third-party services like Caviar and Seamless are up roughly 65 percent while dine-in covers are crashing.
“Everyone is seeing a 30 to 70 percent drop [in dine-in customers] overnight,” Stupak estimates. To help, he’s adding more to-go and catering options at Empellon’s flagship location in Midtown, which has seen the biggest decline in customers: An abridged menu of the restaurant’s best-sellers like maitake tacos with quesillo.
While Stupak would prefer to serve customers in person, doing more takeout and delivery is at least “an opportunity to express solidarity to your community.”
“I just think it’s in the nature of chefs — style aside, business aside, ego aside — we all got into this business because we like to feed people, and this [situation] becomes a clarifier of that,” Stupak says.
Mark Canlis hopes other fine dining restaurants will come to the same conclusion. “Don’t give up. I want restaurants to turn to their teams and say ‘what can we do?’ The reality is maybe a lot.”


vox--2020-03-13--Watch: Quarantined Italians are singing their hearts out. It's beautiful.

Music is one of the oldest human art forms , if not the oldest human art form .
We can never actually know which artform holds that distinction , but it seems darned likely that our ancient ancestors , sitting around their fires at night , realized they could bend their voices into pitches that sounded lovely together and turned those pitches into songs .
Which is all to say that music is one of the ways we feel connected .
Singing and dancing are present at nearly every life celebration in some capacity or another , and whether you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out at the beach or just doing nothing , there ’ s no better way to make the time pass than listening to your favorite album .
But even better than that is experiencing music with other people , whether at a concert or in a club .
The Covid-19 coronavirus — and the associated social distancing that nearly everyone on the planet is being encouraged to practice — will presumably hinder people from making and listening to music together , but tweets from all over Italy ( which is under heavy lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking to their balconies and windows to enjoy music together .
They might be performing an impromptu song with instruments and multiple vocalists , as in this video from Sicily : Or they might be singing a beloved anthem about their fair city of Siena : Or they might just be dancing to “ The Macarena ” : There are many more examples of Italians entertaining themselves and each other with balcony concerts in this thread .
Looking through it just might make you remember there ’ s something beautiful about our ability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dark times .
Stay safe , everybody .
And if you have a balcony , sing .

Music is one of the oldest human art forms, if not the oldest human art form. We can never actually know which artform holds that distinction, but it seems darned likely that our ancient ancestors, sitting around their fires at night, realized they could bend their voices into pitches that sounded lovely together and turned those pitches into songs.
Which is all to say that music is one of the ways we feel connected. Singing and dancing are present at nearly every life celebration in some capacity or another, and whether you’re in the car or hanging out at the beach or just doing nothing, there’s no better way to make the time pass than listening to your favorite album. But even better than that is experiencing music with other people, whether at a concert or in a club.
The Covid-19 coronavirus — and the associated social distancing that nearly everyone on the planet is being encouraged to practice — will presumably hinder people from making and listening to music together, but tweets from all over Italy (which is under heavy lockdown) reveal a country where citizens are taking to their balconies and windows to enjoy music together.
They might be performing an impromptu song with instruments and multiple vocalists, as in this video from Sicily:
Or they might be singing a beloved anthem about their fair city of Siena:
People of Siena, Italy sing a song Viva la nostra Siena (hooray for our Siena) together, from their windows to raise their spirits during the Italian #COVID19 lockdown pic.twitter.com/jBSbkvds4d — Coronavirus (@SARS_COVID19) March 13, 2020
Or they might just be dancing to “The Macarena”:
This is Turin pic.twitter.com/fdVJ5PZAr6 — Leonardo Carella (@leonardocarella) March 13, 2020
There are many more examples of Italians entertaining themselves and each other with balcony concerts in this thread. Looking through it just might make you remember there’s something beautiful about our ability to find silver linings even in very dark times. Stay safe, everybody. And if you have a balcony, sing.


vox--2020-03-13--Here’s everything you forgot about Westworld

Westworld is back for its third season , but if you ’ re already confused before you even watch the first episode , that ’ s okay .
HBO ’ s mind-bending story of android rebellion in a Wild West theme park spiraled its way through a messy and often frustrating second season , ultimately focused more on inventing intricate twists for the viewer to “ solve ” than on making those twists coherent in a narrative or dramatic sense .
Still , when Westworld is good , it ’ s extremely satisfying .
And with stars like Evan Rachel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newton all turning in killer performances , there ’ s plenty of reason for you to want to keep watching to see how brain-breaking season three — which finally arrives Sunday , March 15 — can get .
But what if you don ’ t remember anything about season two ?
Okay , so , there was a big time-collapsing twist that turned the beginning of the season into the middle of the season — or was it the other way around ?
There was a Dark Tower portal that opened into a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And at the end , Dolores escaped into the real world and into ... Bernard/Arnold ’ s old Airbnb ?
Or did she ?
And was William actually a host all along — or ever ?
Maybe we ’ d better backtrack a little ( or a lot ) .
Here are the four most crucial things to remember and understand about where Westworld ’ s second season left off before the show ’ s third season arrives to scramble our brains once again .
The reason for everything that ’ s happening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t just serve as entertainment for nihilistic fantasists .
The real reason that Anthony Hopkins ’ s evil creator , Dr. Robert Ford , invented the androids and trapped them all in their ongoing existential nightmare was to try to develop a version of humanity that could achieve immortality by living on after death in the body of an android host hybrid .
( We watched James Delos , founder of Delos , the shady corporation that runs Westworld , try this after his own death .
It didn ’ t go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s original co-creator , Arnold ( Jeffrey Wright ) , attempted to extract human consciousness and preserve it within the body of an android .
The park has been closely monitoring its human players , including gathering their DNA , as a part of the immortality project .
The practical impact of this deep dark secret is to reveal that characters could have been clone hosts all along .
And indeed , we find out that several of them either have been this whole time or they become hosts by the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to the secret plotting of Bernard , a.k.a .
Arnold ’ s android clone , who figured out what Ford was doing and started to manipulate it for his own ends .
His goal all throughout season two has been to remove all of the humans from the park and create a safe space for all his android fellows .
( His android fellows , meanwhile , were mostly trying to escape the park entirely . )
Ultimately , these developments left us with the overarching possibility that humans can be hosts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either of them can be human-host hybrids .
Clear enough ?
Much of season two followed attempts by various characters , including Dolores ( Evan Rachel Wood ) and Ghost Nation leader Akecheta ( Zahn McClarnon ) , to reach the Valley Beyond .
By the end of the season , the fabled Valley Beyond turned out to be what was essentially a heaven-like digital simulation called “ the Sublime , ” where many of the androids ultimately escaped to .
This was the thematic opposite to the futuristic human world — the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Bernard ultimately landed in .
Along the route to these two very different destinations , we also got glimpses of Shogun World ( a historical samurai equivalent to Westworld ) and the Raj , a part of the theme park based on colonial India .
Supposedly , there are three more park expansions we haven ’ t seen yet , and while season three is clearly focused on what ’ s going on in the real world , we ’ re likely going to at least see glimpses of these three other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s understandable if you ’ ve forgotten that the timeline is also sprawling .
Season one revealed that the story of the park , its creation , and the narrative journeys its characters are on have so far taken place over about three decades .
Season two ’ s final post-credits scene , however , opens up the possibility that Westworld ’ s timeline spans many more decades than that .
In that scene , we see a very weary Man in Black ( a.k.a .
William , a.k.a .
Ed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a long-abandoned , post-apocalyptic version of the glossy theme park bunker we ’ ve previously seen .
According to Lisa Joy , who serves as co-creator and co-showrunner of Westworld with Jonathan Nolan , this scene takes place in “ the far , far future.
” That means that Westworld ’ s next arc could stretch to give us details about this far-flung future even as most of our main characters are exploring the less-far future of the “ real ” world they ’ ve just escaped into .
But this also means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ’ t possibly be alive in that far future .
So what does that mean for them ?
Where we left the characters The Man in Black spent nearly all of season two wandering around Westworld having a mental breakdown over the possibility that either he or his daughter Emily ( Katja Herbers ) or both of them were actually hosts .
While Emily proved just as reliable and tough in the game of Westworld as her father , she certainly seemed to be a good candidate for secretly being an android @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the season finale along with a number of other humans , so Emily was clearly human at that point .
In the season ’ s final post-credits scene , however , it ’ s strongly implied that both William and Emily are — or at least became — androids somewhere along the way .
We don ’ t know for sure whether the William we saw wandering around the park throughout season two is the same William that we saw in the final credits scene .
And it ’ s probably too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a human-host hybrid , or something else altogether , perhaps a virtual simulation of the “ real ” original William .
In any case , it ’ s unclear whether the “ real ” William survived season two or not .
At the end of season one , Dolores killed Dr. Ford and set off to find the Valley Beyond .
This turned out to be a place known as “ the Forge , ” or the bunker where James Delos slowly went mad over the years and where all Delos ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Dolores and Bernard wound up journeying to the Forge together , with major plot-spiraling results .
In a way , Dolores and Bernard are the two poles around which season two pivots in that they keep killing and then painstakingly reviving one another .
In case you forgot , Bernard is actually an android clone , one of many copies .
Not only that , but his consciousness is a copy of the mind of Dr. Ford ’ s co-creator , Arnold — a product of the aforementioned attempt to extract human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The original Arnold , the inventor , was the one who , decades ago , created Dolores — who then dramatically killed him right before the Westworld park opened .
Season two shows Bernard dealing with the aftermath of learning all of this .
The Bernard we know and love was built and programmed by Dolores , acting under Ford ’ s orders .
As he copes with this information , Bernard conjures a mental companion version of Ford to accompany him on his vengeful travels .
And his mental hallucination of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ erratic ideas .
Bernard messes with his own memories in order to keep the staff of Delos from catching onto the fact that he ’ s onto them ( but really to keep the Westworld audiences guessing ) .
After making it to the “ Valley Beyond , ” a.k.a .
“ The Forge , ” he kills Dolores to keep her from wiping out all of the data Delos has on file for everyone in the park , in an intense scene you might have forgotten : But then he changes his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ puts it into the body of Charlotte Hale ( Tessa Thompson ) so that the revived Dolores can help him carry out his grand plan to remove all the humans from Westworld .
In the end , Dolores returns the favor twice-over : first , she kills Bernard .
She ostensibly does this to keep him from being captured by Delos staff , but she also extracts his consciousness and keeps it safe until she ’ s out of the park .
Once she ’ s safely out , she puts his consciousness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him a “ you complete me ” speech in which she tells him that she needs him the way a supervillain needs a superhero to balance their worst impulses .
This doesn ’ t really make a whole lot of narrative sense — after all , she ’ s never dealt well with interference before — but if you think about how existential their entire relationship is , it makes perfect thematic sense .
Originally a corporate power broker for Delos , Charlotte Hale was killed in the season two finale ... by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some breaking down , so bear with me .
Midway through the timeline of season two , a vengeful Bernard — the one who ’ s discovered that he ’ s a clone and is now clearly out of fucks — took a copy of Dolores ’ s consciousness and placed it into a clone body of “ Charlotte , ” who then immediately killed and replaced her human doppelgänger .
At the end of the season , Charlores successfully manages to leave the park and enter the real world , where she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s body , that is — and places her consciousness back into ... herself .
When Charlores left Westworld , she carried with her the consciousnesses of a handful of hosts locked in five small capsules that some fans have dubbed “ brain balls.
” We don ’ t know whose consciousnesses are stored in those five balls , though theories abound .
One of them must have been Bernard ’ s , because she brings him back .
Who the other four are is anyone ’ s guess — though Dolores @ @ @ @ @ @ @ James Marsden ) seems likely .
After placing her consciousness back into her own body , Dolores didn ’ t ditch the empty Charlotte Hale clone , but rather took one of the other brain balls and gave it their consciousness .
So !
In case you ’ re still confused , Charlotte was formerly a human who died and was replaced with the mind of Dolores , until Dolores could replace herself with the mind of another character whose identity we don ’ t yet know .
So this makes actual Dolores @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is now the only three hosts who ’ ve successfully made it into the real world so far .
Thanks to the trailer for season three , however , we already know they ’ ll be joined by another main character .
Over the course of the second season , Maeve ( Thandie Newton ) learned to control the host hive mind but didn ’ t really have much else to do before she died tragically in the final battle while helping the other androids escape to the Sublime .
But in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back , probably revived by her tech fanboys Felix and Sylvester ( Leonardo Nam and Ptolemy Slocum ) , who ’ ve brought her back many times before .
According to the trailer , the newly revived Maeve has been given a new mission : to kill Dolores .
Apparently Maeve ’ s mysterious new sponsor , a man we see but don ’ t recognize , didn ’ t get the memo that Bernard already has the killing-Dolores market cornered .
But in the trailer , reborn Maeve seems to be fully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She promptly shows up in the futuristic real-world city to pursue Dolores , wielding a katana and clearly indicating that their former android loyalty to each other ended when they left Westworld .
That ’ s just the kind of juicy dramatic morsel that keeps us loyal to Westworld — even when it ’ s utterly confusing .

Westworld is back for its third season, but if you’re already confused before you even watch the first episode, that’s okay. HBO’s mind-bending story of android rebellion in a Wild West theme park spiraled its way through a messy and often frustrating second season, ultimately focused more on inventing intricate twists for the viewer to “solve” than on making those twists coherent in a narrative or dramatic sense.
Still, when Westworld is good, it’s extremely satisfying. And with stars like Evan Rachel Wood, Jeffrey Wright, and Thandie Newton all turning in killer performances, there’s plenty of reason for you to want to keep watching to see how brain-breaking season three — which finally arrives Sunday, March 15 — can get.
But what if you don’t remember anything about season two? Okay, so, there was a big time-collapsing twist that turned the beginning of the season into the middle of the season — or was it the other way around? There was a Dark Tower portal that opened into a digital Sim City that saved everyone. And at the end, Dolores escaped into the real world and into ... Bernard/Arnold’s old Airbnb? Or did she? And was William actually a host all along — or ever?
Maybe we’d better backtrack a little (or a lot). Here are the four most crucial things to remember and understand about where Westworld’s second season left off before the show’s third season arrives to scramble our brains once again.
The reason for everything that’s happening
Season two revealed that the park didn’t just serve as entertainment for nihilistic fantasists. The real reason that Anthony Hopkins’s evil creator, Dr. Robert Ford, invented the androids and trapped them all in their ongoing existential nightmare was to try to develop a version of humanity that could achieve immortality by living on after death in the body of an android host hybrid. (We watched James Delos, founder of Delos, the shady corporation that runs Westworld, try this after his own death. It didn’t go well.) Ford and the project’s original co-creator, Arnold (Jeffrey Wright), attempted to extract human consciousness and preserve it within the body of an android. The park has been closely monitoring its human players, including gathering their DNA, as a part of the immortality project.
The practical impact of this deep dark secret is to reveal that characters could have been clone hosts all along. And indeed, we find out that several of them either have been this whole time or they become hosts by the end of the season.
This is mainly due to the secret plotting of Bernard, a.k.a. Arnold’s android clone, who figured out what Ford was doing and started to manipulate it for his own ends. His goal all throughout season two has been to remove all of the humans from the park and create a safe space for all his android fellows. (His android fellows, meanwhile, were mostly trying to escape the park entirely.)
Ultimately, these developments left us with the overarching possibility that humans can be hosts, hosts can be humans, and either of them can be human-host hybrids. Clear enough?
The world-building
Much of season two followed attempts by various characters, including Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) and Ghost Nation leader Akecheta (Zahn McClarnon), to reach the Valley Beyond. By the end of the season, the fabled Valley Beyond turned out to be what was essentially a heaven-like digital simulation called “the Sublime,” where many of the androids ultimately escaped to. This was the thematic opposite to the futuristic human world — the “real” world — that Dolores and Bernard ultimately landed in.
Along the route to these two very different destinations, we also got glimpses of Shogun World (a historical samurai equivalent to Westworld) and the Raj, a part of the theme park based on colonial India. Supposedly, there are three more park expansions we haven’t seen yet, and while season three is clearly focused on what’s going on in the real world, we’re likely going to at least see glimpses of these three other locations.
The timeline
Westworld is sprawling, so it’s understandable if you’ve forgotten that the timeline is also sprawling. Season one revealed that the story of the park, its creation, and the narrative journeys its characters are on have so far taken place over about three decades.
Season two’s final post-credits scene, however, opens up the possibility that Westworld’s timeline spans many more decades than that. In that scene, we see a very weary Man in Black (a.k.a. William, a.k.a. Ed Harris) arrive at what looks like a long-abandoned, post-apocalyptic version of the glossy theme park bunker we’ve previously seen. According to Lisa Joy, who serves as co-creator and co-showrunner of Westworld with Jonathan Nolan, this scene takes place in “the far, far future.”
That means that Westworld’s next arc could stretch to give us details about this far-flung future even as most of our main characters are exploring the less-far future of the “real” world they’ve just escaped into.
But this also means that the original William and his daughter can’t possibly be alive in that far future. So what does that mean for them?
Glad you asked!
Where we left the characters
William and Emily
The Man in Black spent nearly all of season two wandering around Westworld having a mental breakdown over the possibility that either he or his daughter Emily (Katja Herbers) or both of them were actually hosts. While Emily proved just as reliable and tough in the game of Westworld as her father, she certainly seemed to be a good candidate for secretly being an android all along. However, she died in the season finale along with a number of other humans, so Emily was clearly human at that point.
In the season’s final post-credits scene, however, it’s strongly implied that both William and Emily are — or at least became — androids somewhere along the way. We don’t know for sure whether the William we saw wandering around the park throughout season two is the same William that we saw in the final credits scene. And it’s probably too early to say whether he’s a human-host hybrid, or something else altogether, perhaps a virtual simulation of the “real” original William. In any case, it’s unclear whether the “real” William survived season two or not.
Dolores and Bernard
At the end of season one, Dolores killed Dr. Ford and set off to find the Valley Beyond. This turned out to be a place known as “the Forge,” or the bunker where James Delos slowly went mad over the years and where all Delos’s data is stored. In season two, Dolores and Bernard wound up journeying to the Forge together, with major plot-spiraling results.
In a way, Dolores and Bernard are the two poles around which season two pivots in that they keep killing and then painstakingly reviving one another. In case you forgot, Bernard is actually an android clone, one of many copies. Not only that, but his consciousness is a copy of the mind of Dr. Ford’s co-creator, Arnold — a product of the aforementioned attempt to extract human consciousness and preserve it in android form. The original Arnold, the inventor, was the one who, decades ago, created Dolores — who then dramatically killed him right before the Westworld park opened.
Season two shows Bernard dealing with the aftermath of learning all of this. The Bernard we know and love was built and programmed by Dolores, acting under Ford’s orders. As he copes with this information, Bernard conjures a mental companion version of Ford to accompany him on his vengeful travels. And his mental hallucination of Ford apparently gives him a lot of erratic ideas.
Bernard messes with his own memories in order to keep the staff of Delos from catching onto the fact that he’s onto them (but really to keep the Westworld audiences guessing). After making it to the “Valley Beyond,” a.k.a. “The Forge,” he kills Dolores to keep her from wiping out all of the data Delos has on file for everyone in the park, in an intense scene you might have forgotten:
But then he changes his mind, extracts her consciousness, and puts it into the body of Charlotte Hale (Tessa Thompson) so that the revived Dolores can help him carry out his grand plan to remove all the humans from Westworld.
In the end, Dolores returns the favor twice-over: first, she kills Bernard. She ostensibly does this to keep him from being captured by Delos staff, but she also extracts his consciousness and keeps it safe until she’s out of the park. Once she’s safely out, she puts his consciousness into a new clone body and gives him a “you complete me” speech in which she tells him that she needs him the way a supervillain needs a superhero to balance their worst impulses. This doesn’t really make a whole lot of narrative sense — after all, she’s never dealt well with interference before — but if you think about how existential their entire relationship is, it makes perfect thematic sense.
Charlotte Hale / “Charlores” / ??
Originally a corporate power broker for Delos, Charlotte Hale was killed in the season two finale ... by herself. Sort of. This needs some breaking down, so bear with me.
Midway through the timeline of season two, a vengeful Bernard — the one who’s discovered that he’s a clone and is now clearly out of fucks — took a copy of Dolores’s consciousness and placed it into a clone body of “Charlotte,” who then immediately killed and replaced her human doppelgänger. At the end of the season, Charlores successfully manages to leave the park and enter the real world, where she promptly rebuilds her original body — Dolores’s body, that is — and places her consciousness back into ... herself.
When Charlores left Westworld, she carried with her the consciousnesses of a handful of hosts locked in five small capsules that some fans have dubbed “brain balls.” We don’t know whose consciousnesses are stored in those five balls, though theories abound. One of them must have been Bernard’s, because she brings him back. Who the other four are is anyone’s guess — though Dolores’s longtime lovelorn sidekick Teddy (James Marsden) seems likely.
After placing her consciousness back into her own body, Dolores didn’t ditch the empty Charlotte Hale clone, but rather took one of the other brain balls and gave it their consciousness.
So! In case you’re still confused, Charlotte was formerly a human who died and was replaced with the mind of Dolores, until Dolores could replace herself with the mind of another character whose identity we don’t yet know.
So this makes actual Dolores, Bernard, and whoever cloned-former-Charlotte Hale is now the only three hosts who’ve successfully made it into the real world so far.
Thanks to the trailer for season three, however, we already know they’ll be joined by another main character.
Maeve
Over the course of the second season, Maeve (Thandie Newton) learned to control the host hive mind but didn’t really have much else to do before she died tragically in the final battle while helping the other androids escape to the Sublime. But in the season three trailer, she’s back, probably revived by her tech fanboys Felix and Sylvester (Leonardo Nam and Ptolemy Slocum), who’ve brought her back many times before.
(It’s worth noting that this duo, apart from being a lot of fun, are basically the only two human characters even left alive on the show, not counting whatever William is or will be. If only for that reason, we hope we see them again — though season three promises to introduce a whole host of new human characters, most notably a struggling war vet played by Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul.)
According to the trailer, the newly revived Maeve has been given a new mission: to kill Dolores. Apparently Maeve’s mysterious new sponsor, a man we see but don’t recognize, didn’t get the memo that Bernard already has the killing-Dolores market cornered. But in the trailer, reborn Maeve seems to be fully on board with this new gig. She promptly shows up in the futuristic real-world city to pursue Dolores, wielding a katana and clearly indicating that their former android loyalty to each other ended when they left Westworld.
That’s just the kind of juicy dramatic morsel that keeps us loyal to Westworld — even when it’s utterly confusing.


vox--2020-03-14--The 2020 election calendar

The 2020 election calendar

The Democratic presidential primary has been going on for months .
But 2020 — the election year — is finally here , and it ’ s an understatement to say that it will be a busy year in US politics .
February brought the first four early-state Democratic caucuses and primaries , starting in Iowa on February 3 and continuing through New Hampshire , Nevada , and South Carolina .
March began with Super Tuesday on March 3 : the single biggest delegate prize of the primary calendar .
As the year continues , the primary will run through June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conventions ( in July and August , respectively ) , and finally Election Day itself : November 3 .
That ’ s where this calendar comes in .
Here are the most important events of the 2020 election cycle .
Bookmark this page to refer back to , add it to your Google Calendar by clicking the plus sign on the bottom right of this page , or subscribe through a calendar app of your choice .
This page and the calendar subscriptions will be updated if dates change or new debates are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the June debates here .
Read all of our coverage from the July debates here .
Read all of our coverage of the September debate here .
• Second town hall on climate change on MSNBC Read all of our coverage from the October debate here .
Read all of our coverage from the November debate here .
Read all of our coverage from the December debate here .
Read all of our coverage from the Iowa caucuses here .
Read all of our coverage from the New Hampshire primaries here .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Carolina primary here .
Read all of our coverage from Super Tuesday here .
Read all of our coverage from the March 10 primaries here .

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Vox answers your biggest questions about the 2020 US presidential election .
This story is part of a group of stories called
The 2020 presidential election is ramping into high gear.
Joe Biden announced his running mate, California Sen. Kamala Harris, and Democrats and Republicans held their first virtual conventions this summer. Biden and President Donald Trump accepted their parties’ official nominations for president, and the fall campaign season is upon us.
The presidential debates began September 29 and run through October, including the vice presidential debate on October 7. The second presidential debate, scheduled for October 15, was canceled after Trump tested positive for Covid-19, then refused to agree to debate virtually. One more debate is scheduled for October 22.
Election Day itself, of course, will fall on Tuesday, November 3.
Read on for the important events of the 2020 election cycle and bookmark this page to refer back to. You can also add it to your Google Calendar by clicking the plus sign on the bottom right of this page, or subscribe through a calendar app of your choice. This page and the calendar subscriptions will be updated as dates and information change.
And check out our guides on how to vote early and by mail.
September 2020
September 29
Presidential debate in Cleveland, Ohio, at the Case Western Reserve/Cleveland Clinic joint campus
October 2020
October 7
Vice presidential debate in Salt Lake City at the University of Utah
October 22
Presidential debate in Nashville, Tennessee, at Belmont University
November 2020
November 3
Election Day
Past 2020 election coverage
June 2019
June 26-27
Read all of our coverage from the June debates here.
July 2019
July 30-31
Read all of our coverage from the July debates here.
September 2019
September 4
September 12
Read all of our coverage of the September debate here.
September 19-20
October 2019
October 15
Read all of our coverage from the October debate here.
November 2019
November 20
Read all of our coverage from the November debate here.
December 2019
December 19
Read all of our coverage from the December debate here.
January 2020
January 14
February 2020
February 3
Iowa caucuses
Read all of our coverage from the Iowa caucuses here.
February 7
February 11
New Hampshire primaries
Read all of our coverage from the New Hampshire primaries here.
February 19
February 22
Nevada caucuses
February 25
February 29
South Carolina primary
Read all of our coverage from the South Carolina primary here.
March 2020
March 3 (Super Tuesday)
Alabama primaries (D, R)
American Samoa caucuses (D)
Arkansas primaries (D, R)
California primaries (D, R)
Colorado primaries (D, R)
Maine primaries (D, R)
Massachusetts primaries (D, R)
Minnesota primaries (D, R)
North Carolina primaries (D, R)
Oklahoma primaries (D, R)
Tennessee primaries (D, R)
Texas primaries (D, R)
Utah primaries (D, R)
Vermont primaries (D, R)
Virginia primary (D)
Democrats Abroad primary (through March 10)
Read all of our coverage from Super Tuesday here.
March 10
Idaho primaries (D, R)
Michigan primaries (D, R)
Mississippi primaries (D, R)
Missouri primaries (D, R)
North Dakota caucuses (D)
Washington primaries (D, R)
Read all of our coverage from the March 10 primaries here.
March 12
Virgin Islands caucuses
March 14
Guam caucuses (R)
Northern Marianas convention (D)
March 15
March 17
Arizona primary (D)
Florida primaries (D, R)
Illinois primaries (D, R)
Northern Marianas convention (R)
Read all of our coverage from the March 17 primaries here.
March 24
American Samoa caucuses (R)
April 2020
April 7
Wisconsin primaries (D, R; April 7 is the election date and mail-in vote postmark deadline following court rulings, as of 8 pm ET on April 6)
April 10
Alaska primary (D; vote-by-mail only; results will be available no later than 11:59 pm on April 11)
April 17
Wyoming caucuses (D; vote-by-mail only)
April 28
Ohio primaries (D, R; vote-by-mail only)
May 2020
May 2
Kansas primary (D)
Guam caucuses (D)
May 7-9
Wyoming state convention (R)
May 12
Nebraska primaries (D, R)
May 19
Oregon primaries (D, R)
June 2020
June 2
Delaware primaries (D, R)
District of Columbia primaries (D, R)
Indiana primaries (D, R)
Maryland primaries (D, R)
Montana primaries (D, R)
New Mexico primaries (D, R)
Pennsylvania primaries (D, R)
Rhode Island primaries (D, R)
South Dakota primaries (D, R)
June 6
Virgin Islands caucuses (D)
June 7
Puerto Rico primary (R)
June 9
Georgia primaries (D, R)
West Virginia primaries (D, R)
June 23
Kentucky primaries (D, R)
New York primaries (D, R)
July 2020
July 7
New Jersey primaries (D, R)
July 11
Louisiana primaries (D, R)
August 2020
August 11
Connecticut primaries (D, R)
August 17-20
Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Read our coverage of the Democratic convention here.
August 24-27
Republican National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina
Read our coverage of the Republican convention here.