vox--2020-03-18--Exclusive: Goldman warns clients about a rise in hostile takeovers amid coronavirus market meltdown

Goldman Sachs is warning its corporate clients that the coronavirus crisis has corporate raiders and private equity sharks circling , according to an internal email and client presentation viewed by Vox .
The pandemic has already sent a number of industries spiraling , including travel and hospitality , food , and oil .
For an elite group of big investors , the pain signals that it ’ s a good time to look for opportunities to make money .
“ Corporate raiders and PE firms are already sharpening their knives , ” one Goldman Sachs associate told me , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now.
” In an email to Goldman Sachs ’ investment banking division sent on Tuesday and obtained by Vox , the bank said it expects to see an increase in hostile raids and shareholder activism as the prices of public companies fall .
In other words , as the stock prices of public companies hit hard by the coronavirus plummet and the fear of the economic damage it might cause grows , private equity firms and activist investors are planning to buy into the companies and try to force changes .
Goldman encouraged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presentation about how to prepare for such a scenario .
Namely , the presentation lays out shareholder rights plans ( also known as “ poison pills ” ) , which are strategies companies use to defend themselves against hostile takeovers or being forced to take drastic measures , such as firing the CEO , giving up board seats , selling off parts of the company , or laying off swaths of workers .
Shareholder rights plans often give existing shareholders the right to buy more shares at a discount so that they can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might be plotting a takeover .
In other words , as millions of Americans and hundreds of companies face down a crisis , big investors with a lot of money to spend are looking at huge potential profits .
Companies are vulnerable to activist investors and private equity firms right now To back up a bit , you ’ ve probably been seeing a lot of headlines lately about stocks falling , which basically means the prices of a lot of publicly traded companies are getting lower .
For your everyday retail investor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a good time to buy ( knowing that there ’ s always risk , of course ) .
For private equity firms and activist investors , many of whom have plenty of cash on hand , it might really be time to shop .
If there ’ s a company they ’ ve been eyeing for a while that ’ s suddenly at an enormous discount , now is the time to buy in huge .
Private equity firms , for example , have a ton of money to spend right now .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ equity industry had an estimated $ 2.5 trillion in “ dry powder , ” which is basically industry slang for money to spend .
Private deal-making was already high when prices were up , and it may very well get even higher now .
Firms might try to acquire companies through leveraged buyouts or outright in cash , and companies that want to resist the buyout might not be able to succeed .
In other words , many companies will be vulnerable to a hostile takeover .
And then there are activist investors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proportions of companies ’ shares and then try to force changes to make them more profitable .
Most recently , you might have heard of Elliott Management ’ s activist play at Twitter , where the firm tried to oust CEO Jack Dorsey .
Ultimately , the parties struck a deal .
For activists , the ultimate goal is a rise in share prices so that they can sell at a profit .
If they ’ re buying low already because of the current situation , they ’ re already getting a deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up with eventual recovery or they make changes to render the company more profitable ( and then they make money ) .
Strategies for these types of investments can vary — sometimes they mean layoffs , sometimes they mean spinning off or selling a part of the company , sometimes they mean starting up something new .
The ultimate goal is to make money , and that can translate to scenarios in which workers lose their jobs in the name of corporate speak like “ efficiencies ” and “ streamlining.
” That applies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ In both the activist fund case and the hostile takeover case , one commonality is that the CEO will fear for their job , ” the Goldman associate said .
And Goldman isn ’ t alone in telling clients it ’ s time to prepare .
“ As major indexes plummet , advisers to companies believe that corporate managers need to install new market-volatility-protections to defend against activist investors in 2020 , ” Ron Orol , a senior editor at the Deal , wrote last week .
Orol noted that activist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oil and gas company Occidental Petroleum from 2.5 percent to 9.9 percent , an announcement Icahn made last Thursday .
“ The move suggests the billionaire raider is doubling down on a change-of-control proxy contest he has in the works at the oil and gas company , ” Orol wrote .
Basically , the CEO and board of Occidental Petroleum should look out .
Companies can try to defend themselves , but there are no guarantees In its presentation , Goldman told clients that a shareholder rights plan , or poison pill , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protection device but does not render a company immune from hostile takeovers.
” In other words , they can try to keep private equity firms and activist investors at bay if they want ( and if they have a choice ) , and they can try to prevent them from accumulating enough of their shares that they can ’ t fight back — but there are no promises .
The bank also lays out the advantages and disadvantages of such plans .
On the plus side , they preserve the board ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things get hairy , and they deter activists and private equity firms from “ acquiring a position of substantial influence or control without paying shareholders a full and fair price.
” On the downside , a lot of investors , even the small ones , don ’ t exactly love the idea of a board of directors or corporate leadership so isolated from shareholder pressure that they can do whatever they want .
Mark Zuckerberg at Facebook , for example , is basically immune to shareholder pressure .
To be sure , whatever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other big investors are sitting on right now , or however much they ’ re pumping in , doesn ’ t guarantee a positive outcome .
Their own investors — endowments , pension funds , the wealthy — may be pulling money out right now .
And the companies they ’ re invested at the moment may also be hurting .
But then again , it ’ s better to be a hedge fund manager or private equity partner right now than it is to be a restaurant worker who has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s also worth noting that advisers , including Goldman Sachs , are also making money .
Its client presentation includes multiple slides of marketing material that note how the firm has previously helped companies defend themselves against raiders , including by keeping companies independent or delivering the “ highest final premium ” when a company was eventually taken over .
“ Goldman Sachs is the # 1 Activism Defense Advisor ” one slide reads .
“ Goldman Sachs has advised companies confronted by every major activist , ” reads another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world of finance , there might still be plenty of money to be made , Goldman included .
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Twice a week , we ’ ll send you the best Goods stories exploring what we buy , why we buy it , and why it matters .

Goldman Sachs is warning its corporate clients that the coronavirus crisis has corporate raiders and private equity sharks circling, according to an internal email and client presentation viewed by Vox.
The pandemic has already sent a number of industries spiraling, including travel and hospitality, food, and oil. For an elite group of big investors, the pain signals that it’s a good time to look for opportunities to make money.
“Corporate raiders and PE firms are already sharpening their knives,” one Goldman Sachs associate told me, “because prices are obviously very low right now.”
In an email to Goldman Sachs’ investment banking division sent on Tuesday and obtained by Vox, the bank said it expects to see an increase in hostile raids and shareholder activism as the prices of public companies fall. In other words, as the stock prices of public companies hit hard by the coronavirus plummet and the fear of the economic damage it might cause grows, private equity firms and activist investors are planning to buy into the companies and try to force changes.
Goldman encouraged employees to share with their clients a presentation about how to prepare for such a scenario. Namely, the presentation lays out shareholder rights plans (also known as “poison pills”), which are strategies companies use to defend themselves against hostile takeovers or being forced to take drastic measures, such as firing the CEO, giving up board seats, selling off parts of the company, or laying off swaths of workers. Shareholder rights plans often give existing shareholders the right to buy more shares at a discount so that they can dilute the ownership of a shareholder that might be plotting a takeover.
In other words, as millions of Americans and hundreds of companies face down a crisis, big investors with a lot of money to spend are looking at huge potential profits.
Companies are vulnerable to activist investors and private equity firms right now
To back up a bit, you’ve probably been seeing a lot of headlines lately about stocks falling, which basically means the prices of a lot of publicly traded companies are getting lower. For your everyday retail investor, that may mean it’s a good time to buy (knowing that there’s always risk, of course). For private equity firms and activist investors, many of whom have plenty of cash on hand, it might really be time to shop. If there’s a company they’ve been eyeing for a while that’s suddenly at an enormous discount, now is the time to buy in huge.
Private equity firms, for example, have a ton of money to spend right now. As of last summer, the private equity industry had an estimated $2.5 trillion in “dry powder,” which is basically industry slang for money to spend. Private deal-making was already high when prices were up, and it may very well get even higher now. Firms might try to acquire companies through leveraged buyouts or outright in cash, and companies that want to resist the buyout might not be able to succeed. In other words, many companies will be vulnerable to a hostile takeover.
And then there are activist investors, individuals or groups that buy large proportions of companies’ shares and then try to force changes to make them more profitable. Most recently, you might have heard of Elliott Management’s activist play at Twitter, where the firm tried to oust CEO Jack Dorsey. Ultimately, the parties struck a deal.
For activists, the ultimate goal is a rise in share prices so that they can sell at a profit. If they’re buying low already because of the current situation, they’re already getting a deal. Then, either the price goes up with eventual recovery or they make changes to render the company more profitable (and then they make money).
Strategies for these types of investments can vary — sometimes they mean layoffs, sometimes they mean spinning off or selling a part of the company, sometimes they mean starting up something new. The ultimate goal is to make money, and that can translate to scenarios in which workers lose their jobs in the name of corporate speak like “efficiencies” and “streamlining.” That applies to workers even at the very top. “In both the activist fund case and the hostile takeover case, one commonality is that the CEO will fear for their job,” the Goldman associate said.
And Goldman isn’t alone in telling clients it’s time to prepare. “As major indexes plummet, advisers to companies believe that corporate managers need to install new market-volatility-protections to defend against activist investors in 2020,” Ron Orol, a senior editor at the Deal, wrote last week.
Orol noted that activist Carl Icahn had increased his position in oil and gas company Occidental Petroleum from 2.5 percent to 9.9 percent, an announcement Icahn made last Thursday. “The move suggests the billionaire raider is doubling down on a change-of-control proxy contest he has in the works at the oil and gas company,” Orol wrote. Basically, the CEO and board of Occidental Petroleum should look out.
Companies can try to defend themselves, but there are no guarantees
In its presentation, Goldman told clients that a shareholder rights plan, or poison pill, “is the single most effective takeover protection device but does not render a company immune from hostile takeovers.” In other words, they can try to keep private equity firms and activist investors at bay if they want (and if they have a choice), and they can try to prevent them from accumulating enough of their shares that they can’t fight back — but there are no promises.
The bank also lays out the advantages and disadvantages of such plans. On the plus side, they preserve the board’s flexibility and ability to evaluate alternatives if things get hairy, and they deter activists and private equity firms from “acquiring a position of substantial influence or control without paying shareholders a full and fair price.” On the downside, a lot of investors, even the small ones, don’t exactly love the idea of a board of directors or corporate leadership so isolated from shareholder pressure that they can do whatever they want. Mark Zuckerberg at Facebook, for example, is basically immune to shareholder pressure.
To be sure, whatever money private equity firms, activists, and other big investors are sitting on right now, or however much they’re pumping in, doesn’t guarantee a positive outcome. Their own investors — endowments, pension funds, the wealthy — may be pulling money out right now. And the companies they’re invested at the moment may also be hurting. But then again, it’s better to be a hedge fund manager or private equity partner right now than it is to be a restaurant worker who has been or is about to be laid off.
It’s also worth noting that advisers, including Goldman Sachs, are also making money. Its client presentation includes multiple slides of marketing material that note how the firm has previously helped companies defend themselves against raiders, including by keeping companies independent or delivering the “highest final premium” when a company was eventually taken over. “Goldman Sachs is the #1 Activism Defense Advisor” one slide reads. “Goldman Sachs has advised companies confronted by every major activist,” reads another.
Amid the coronavirus crisis in the world of finance, there might still be plenty of money to be made, Goldman included.
Sign up for The Goods newsletter. Twice a week, we’ll send you the best Goods stories exploring what we buy, why we buy it, and why it matters.


vox--2020-03-18--11 things everyone should know about getting the novel coronavirus

Share All sharing options for : 11 things everyone should know about getting the novel coronavirus With the United States now facing its own serious coronavirus outbreak , it ’ s natural to wonder whether you ’ ll get the respiratory illness and what you can do about it .
Several thousand cases and dozens of deaths have been reported in the US .
But due to a lack of widespread testing , it ’ s likely the outbreak is even bigger .
One respected modeler , Trevor Bedford , a computational biologist at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been 20,000 or more cases in the US as of March 13 .
Marty Makary , a professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University , told Yahoo Finance that the number of current infections could be between 50,000 and 500,000 .
“ We ’ re about to experience the worst public health epidemic since polio , ” Makary said .
As further evidence of widespread unreported cases , Marc Lipsitch , director of the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics at the Harvard T.H .
Chan School of Public Health , pointed out on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Influenza Surveillance Report , which regularly tracks symptoms similar to those of Covid-19 .
He noted that symptoms such as fever , coughs , and sore throats are trending up , while confirmed flu cases are going down .
As the coronavirus spreads , it ’ s become a nationwide crisis that could severely strain our health care system .
The elderly and chronically ill are particularly susceptible to severe Covid-19 illness , and tens or hundreds of thousands of them could require hospitalization in the coming weeks and months .
So we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect ourselves and others .
Here ’ s what you need to know : 1 ) How do I get Covid-19 ?
There are a lot of acronyms floating around , so first , just know that the SARS-CoV-2 virus ( the coronavirus ) causes the disease Covid-19 .
The virus is most commonly spread by close contact with infected people who are within 6 feet of each other .
When they cough or sneeze , they send droplets into the air , where they can land in the mouths or noses of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get inhaled into the lungs .
Droplets containing the virus can also land on surfaces and objects where the virus can survive for some time .
According to a preprint paper ( a study that hasn ’ t yet been peer-reviewed ) from researchers at the National Institutes of Health , Princeton , and UCLA who studied the novel coronavirus in a lab , it can survive for up to 24 hours on cardboard and for up to two or three days on plastic and stainless steel .
( Another study suggests it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days . )
The danger of infection here is touching one of these surfaces and then touching your eyes , nose , or mouth .
The CDC , however , says that “ this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
” Some diseases , like measles , can also be transmitted through aerosols , meaning that when someone coughs , tiny droplets filled with virus linger in the air , sometimes for hours , where others can breathe them in .
Currently , there ’ s limited evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it ’ s worth noting .
One preprint found the virus in aerosol form in hospitals in Wuhan , and others agree that there is a higher risk of doctors and nurses being infected through aerosols .
There ’ s also growing evidence of fecal-oral transmission , meaning you can ingest the virus shed in feces through inadequate hand-washing or contaminated food and water .
The good news is that transmission can be prevented .
Good personal hygiene and social distancing can be very effective .
“ I ’ m not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crazy about hand-washing , ” says Megan Murray , an infectious disease specialist and professor of global health at the Harvard School of Public Health .
“ Now I really am , because that will help reduce [ the ] virus on your hands.
” Washing your hands frequently and carefully for at least 20 seconds is better than using hand sanitizer because it actually destroys the chemical structure of the virus .
Any old soap will break the virus ’ s outer coating , and you don ’ t need special antibacterial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t available , use hand sanitizer with 60 percent alcohol ( no , this doesn ’ t include Tito ’ s vodka ) .
New research suggests that people may be most infectious early in the disease ( and even before symptoms start ) , meaning that as soon as you start to feel ill , it ’ s important to self-isolate .
You don ’ t need to be coughing to be contagious ; the linked preprint suggests that somewhere between 48 and 66 percent of 91 people in a cluster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symptoms .
This makes taking precautions now — like canceling your travel plans and social gatherings— even more important .
The effectiveness of widespread travel bans , especially when community transmission is already occurring , is being hotly debated , but in general , minimizing social contact is the best method of prevention .
Avoid handshakes or hugs with people who ’ ve been out and about , and whenever possible , stay at least 6 feet away from others .
This includes minimizing or avoiding play dates , sleepovers , shared meals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visits friends ’ and family members ’ homes .
Also important to know is that according to one study from China , around 25 percent of all cases may originate in people who have no symptoms — another reason social-distancing measures are so important .
2 ) Oops , I think I touched my face .
What are the symptoms of Covid-19 ?
The most common symptoms of Covid-19 are a fever , seen in almost 90 percent of patients , as well as a dry cough and shortness of breath .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggests that a significant portion of coronavirus patients experience diarrhea , nausea , or vomiting , sometimes before respiratory symptoms begin .
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) says these symptoms typically come on gradually .
Around 80 percent of Covid-19 cases are reportedly “ mild , ” but as James Hamblin of the Atlantic noted , that word can be misleading : The incubation period before symptoms appear ranges from one to 14 days , but the median is 5.1 days .
If you ’ ve been around someone who has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its symptoms , the most responsible thing to do is to self-quarantine for two weeks .
3 ) But I ’ m young and healthy .
Do I really need to worry about getting sick or spreading the virus to others ?
Yes , you do .
The reason is that social distancing works best if everyone — young and old , healthy and infirm — practices it .
No one has immunity , and everyone can get sick and spread the virus to others .
“ The more young and healthy people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the more old people will be sick , and the more pressure there will be on the health care system , ” Emily Landon , an infectious disease specialist and hospital epidemiologist at the University of Chicago Medical Center , told Vox ’ s Eliza Barclay and Dylan Scott .
Without protective measures , one person on average infects 2.5 others , and cases will spread exponentially .
That means hospitals and medical staff will quickly become overwhelmed .
At least 5 percent of Covid-19 patients may need intensive care , and many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re not at a statistically higher risk of dying from Covid-19 , it ’ s important to “ flatten the curve ” and adopt social-distancing measures immediately to prevent the most deaths .
Also , just being young and healthy is not a guarantee of mild illness .
The epicenter of New Jersey ’ s outbreak of Covid-19 , Holy Name Medical Center , had 11 confirmed Covid-19 cases on March 14 , six of which were in the ICU , with ages ranging from 28 to 48 .
4 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dry cough ) .
What should I do ?
If you have one or more symptoms of the new coronavirus , call your doctor .
If you are older or have underlying medical conditions , it ’ s even more important to call your doctor , even if you have only mild symptoms , according to the CDC .
Before you go to your doctor ’ s office , Murray says you should call ahead so that medical staff can wear the appropriate protective gear and be ready to help take care of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care facilities are requesting that you wear a mask if you have symptoms and are going in for testing .
Your doctor will determine whether you should be tested ; if a test is ordered , you can expect a nasopharyngeal swab , where a tiny Q-tip is put up your nose a few inches — not a fun procedure , but it doesn ’ t hurt .
It ’ s then sent to a lab and put through a process called a polymerase chain reaction , which detects specific genetic material within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get results back varies , but in the US , it ’ s currently taking a few days .
If you ’ re concerned about the cost of getting tested — which Rep. Katie Porter ( D-CA ) estimated at $ 1,331 — the CDC recently committed to covering the cost of testing for all Americans regardless of insurance status , although when and how that will be implemented is yet to be announced .
Currently , 1,000 insurers have waived treatment fees , and some cities and states like New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for tests .
This is important because “ if [ insurers ] don ’ t cover treatment , you have to expect fewer people will go to get tested , ” says Jennifer Flynn , who runs health care campaigns for the Center for Popular Democracy .
Many people who know they ’ ve been exposed are currently having difficulty actually getting tested .
Flynn says her colleague developed similar symptoms after sharing a cab with CPAC participants , a conference in DC where multiple people fell sick from Covid-19 .
That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Helen Teixeria , a resident of Redmond , a suburb of Seattle , one of the nation ’ s outbreak epicenters , says she woke up last week with a tight chest , fever , and a dry cough .
First , she called the King County hotline and was told to call her primary care provider .
Her doctor told her to go to the emergency room , where the hospital didn ’ t follow standard isolation protocol and medical staff did not wear basic protective gear .
Teixeria said she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because they were being tightly rationed for high-risk and hospitalized patients .
Nor was she allowed to get a two-view chest X-ray “ so that I didn ’ t contaminate the X-ray room , ” she says .
A sympathetic nurse eventually slipped her off-the-record information on a private clinic where she might be able to get a Covid-19 test next week .
5 ) I ’ m definitely sick and still waiting to be tested .
What else should I do ?
After you call your doctor , stay home , says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CDC .
It sounds like overly simple advice , but it ’ s the best thing you can do .
Next , you should self-isolate , including staying away from anyone you live with .
If you ’ re not in one of the CDC ’ s high-risk categories , trying to see your doctor may actually expose you further .
“ The single place you ’ re most likely to encounter people with coronavirus is the hospital , so that ’ s the last place you want to be if you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Murray says .
And if , in your quest to get tested , you go to multiple health care centers , you ’ ll be exposing health care workers in each location .
If you think you might have Covid-19 — and frankly , even if you don ’ t , so that you avoid possibly spreading it before you have symptoms — avoid all public areas .
This means don ’ t go to school or work , and try to avoid taking public transportation , including ride-hailing services like Uber , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t have adequate supplies at home , consider asking friends or family to make a delivery to your door rather than going out yourself .
Don ’ t let friends come visit while you ’ re recuperating ; instead , stay connected by phone or online .
If you ’ re worried about quarantining in a home where you don ’ t feel safe , 24/7 help is available from the National Domestic Violence Hotline .
Call 1-800-799-7233 or text LOVEIS to 22522 .
6 ) What ’ s the best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home ?
“ Self-care [ for coronavirus ] is very similar to other upper respiratory infections , ” says Elisa Choi , an infectious disease and internal medicine specialist in the Boston area .
Over-the-counter medications , like cough suppressants , can help minimize coughing episodes , and expectorants can help you cough stuff up .
Pain relievers and fever reducers like acetaminophen ( brand name Tylenol ) can help treat muscle aches and reduce fevers .
Out of an abundance of caution , WHO on March 18 began recommending that people with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientists say there ’ s not much data to back this .
“ There are multiple assumptions that are made with that hypothesis that can ’ t be made without being tested , ” Angela Rasmussen , a research scientist at Columbia University ’ s Center for Infection and Immunity , told Vox .
“ To my knowledge there ’ s no evidence that ibuprofen makes [ Covid-19 ] worse.
” Choi also urges using common sense to manage symptoms .
“ If you ’ re feeling congestion , you can try taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she says .
“ Sleep and water are always good advice.
” The CDC says that “ drinking enough water every day is generally good for your overall health.
” Choi and other medical professionals warn against circulating misinformation about supposed home remedies , such as what ’ s happening with an email erroneously claiming to be from Stanford .
These “ remedies ” include holding your breath without coughing and keeping your mouth moist .
Many of these ideas are unproven , and some can be dangerous .
( For example , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This is really a time to stick with the facts , ” Choi says .
“ Stay away from things that are being promoted for sale without a known background.
” She recommends always checking with your doctor if you have questions about the veracity of a particular source .
The CDC and WHO , as well as your local and state public health departments , are good sources of updated , verified information .
7 ) If I ’ m sick , how do I protect the people I live with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 patients should stay in their own room and ( ideally ) not share a bathroom .
“ They should try to stay as far away as possible from anyone else in the household , and at least 6 feet , ” she added .
If you do share a bathroom , avoid being in the room at the same time as anyone else .
The WHO found that most of the transmission in China was between family members .
If the sick person feels up to it , ideally they should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they use it .
If your living situation doesn ’ t allow you to isolate yourself from others in your home , tell your doctor and/or health department .
The CDC has a complete guide to disinfecting commonly touched surfaces like “ counters , tabletops , doorknobs , bathroom fixtures , toilets , phones , keyboards , tablets , and bedside tables , ” and it recommends doing so every day .
You can use one of the approved products or make your own , like adding four teaspoons of bleach to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recommends wearing gloves when touching possibly infected items , like used clothing or bedding , as well as when disinfecting commonly used surfaces .
When you ’ ve finished , throw the gloves directly in the garbage — and then wash your hands .
Choi suggests washing your hands frequently to protect others in your household , and covering your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze with a tissue that you throw directly into the garbage .
If you ’ re feeling ill , don ’ t share cups , utensils @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , bedding — or anything else — with anyone .
The coronavirus can stick around on surfaces for several days .
Choi recommends closely monitoring your symptoms .
“ It ’ s less about a number and more about the progression , ” she says .
Generally , a low-grade fever is considered less than 100.4 , but older people are generally less likely to mount a fever response .
The main thing to watch for is symptoms getting worse .
For example , if you initially have a mild cough but start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coughing becomes painful , she recommends calling your doctor again .
The CDC says that you should seek medical attention immediately if you have difficulty breathing or shortness of breath , persistent pain or chest pressure , an onset of confusion or the inability to stay awake , and bluish lips or face .
If you do decide to go to the hospital , make sure to call ahead so the hospital can prepare to admit you without exposing others .
If you already have a mask at home , this would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you don ’ t , please don ’ t go buy one .
There is a severe shortage , and medical staff need them .
Know that if you do go to the hospital , there is currently no treatment for Covid-19 .
Remdesivir , an antiviral drug , is in clinical trials , but right now , doctors are limited to providing supportive care such as supplemental oxygen .
9 ) How long do I have to stay isolated ?
While there ’ s still a lot we don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ self-isolate for at least 14 days after your initial symptoms .
( There have been a few reports of patients shedding viruses for up to 28 days , but those appear to be outliers . )
This means avoiding contact with everyone .
( Read Vox ’ s guide to self-isolation here . )
For her part , Choi recommends minimizing all contact until your doctor or a public health department tells you that you are no longer contagious .
10 ) I already have cabin fever .
My kids are bouncing off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so anxious I can ’ t sleep .
Help !
“ Measures for pandemic control can be stressful , ” Choi says , especially for people who may have challenges with being isolated .
This feeling may get worse over the next few weeks , as current social-distancing measures are likely to be extended .
Such measures can also cause financial hardship and stress for people who can ’ t work from home or won ’ t get paid if they don ’ t go to work .
Many people are experiencing cognitive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily lives , or , conversely , experiencing very rapid change .
Be kind to yourself and others if you are struggling .
Whether you ’ re afraid of getting sick or reacting to uncertainty , financial hardship , or a lack of information , anxiety is a natural response and you are not alone .
If you have preexisting mental health conditions , be aware that this may trigger new or worsening symptoms .
( The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration has a 24/7 Disaster Distress Helpline , reachable at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with additional resources . )
No matter how stressed you feel , it ’ s crucial not to scapegoat others .
This virus is not transmitted by or infecting any particular group .
“ I ’ ve experienced anti-Asian racism myself , ” says Choi , and “ it ’ s disrespectful , hateful , and not grounded in facts.
” Know that the situation is not hopeless ; collectively changing behavior can go a long way toward controlling the spread of this disease .
China has now closed all of its temporary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decline .
But the social and economic repercussions of this pandemic may continue for months , so prepare yourself mentally for a long haul .
Do the small things that are in your control , like giving yourself a break from the news — put down Twitter — and maintaining normal routines as much as possible .
If you ’ re at home with family or roommates , find ways to give each other space .
Be creative about finding ways to exercise ; YouTube videos are a great resource , if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to your loved ones about what you and they need to stay happy and healthy .
11 ) Can I get reinfected with Covid-19 ?
And is it better to get sick to build herd immunity ?
Japan and China have both reported multiple cases of people testing positive after initially recovering .
It ’ s unclear if these were relapses or new infections .
In four medical professionals in Wuhan , a test detected the virus ’ s genetic material up to 13 days after they stopped having symptoms , but finding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can still infect others .
Once you ’ ve gotten sick , you might have some immunity , says Peter Hotez , dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine of the Baylor College of Medicine , but really the jury ’ s still out .
“ We don ’ t know , it depends on your antibody response , ” he says .
( A new , encouraging preprint showed that in some monkeys , reinfection of Covid-19 does not occur . )
Hotez suggests that recovered patients do seem to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new paper on the possibility of using blood from recovered patients as a treatment , or even a preventive measure for first responders .
Still , recovered patients may also experience lasting effects ; doctors in Hong Kong said that some recovered patients had a 20 to 30 percent drop in lung capacity .
Another alarming preprint suggests some patients may have permanent kidney damage .
The UK government on Friday announced a strategy of allowing the virus to spread to build herd immunity , although it since walked it back and is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control Covid-19 , more than 60 percent of the population will need to get the disease .
The logic is that extreme lockdowns now won ’ t stop the virus from returning in the future , when those measures are loosened .
The problem is that many people may succumb to the disease in the meantime , and that by not attempting to control the spread , hospitals and medical systems will be overwhelmed .
Achieving herd immunity in the UK would require more than 47 million Britons to be infected , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ die .
Immunity might also not last long enough to help , as with the flu , where new strains emerge each year .
Relying on herd immunity also conflicts with WHO policy .
Anthony Costello , a pediatrician and former WHO director , tweeted , “ Is it ethical to adopt a policy that threatens immediate casualties on the basis of an uncertain future benefit ?
” There are two likely ways this pandemic will end now that the virus is so widespread : 1 ) So many people will get it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ herd immunity , a term that is used to describe people getting a disease and becoming immune as a result , or 2 ) we ’ ll make and widely produce an affordable vaccine .
It is very unlikely that we ’ ll see a big decline in Covid-19 cases solely due to the weather getting warmer .
Plenty of places where there is currently warm weather , like Singapore and Australia , have Covid-19 cases .
There are no easy answers .
“ We have to recognize that we ’ re gon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital admissions , especially ICU admissions , ” Hotez says , “ and we have to ask the hard questions about what treatment we can do now.
” Developing a vaccine will take many months at best , which is why in the meantime , changing your behavior is so important .
Ultimately , “ this is a new disease , so while we ’ re trying to make new predictions about risk , all bets are off , ” says Choi .
“ We ’ re learning as everything is evolving actively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a freelance investigative journalist and the 2019-2020 Snedden chair of journalism at the University of Alaska Fairbanks .
Find her on Twitter @ loisparshley .

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Editor’s note, April 6: Please note that details about the coronavirus pandemic and recommendations from health officials are changing rapidly. Here’s the latest on coronavirus symptoms, as of this writing. You can visit our coronavirus hub to read all our up-to-date coverage. Click here for the CDC’s current public health guidance.
With the United States facing a serious coronavirus outbreak, it’s natural to wonder whether you’ll get the respiratory illness and what you can do about it. Hundreds of thousands of cases and thousands of deaths have been reported in the US. But due to a lack of widespread testing, it’s likely the outbreak is even bigger.
Related A guide to the vaccines and drugs that could fight coronavirus
As evidence of widespread unreported cases, Marc Lipsitch, director of the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, pointed on Twitter to the CDC’s National Influenza Surveillance Report, which regularly tracks symptoms similar to those of Covid-19. He noted that symptoms such as fever, coughs, and sore throats have been trending up, while confirmed flu cases are going down. (Common symptoms of the flu and Covid-19 are similar.)
As the coronavirus spreads, it’s become a nationwide crisis that’s beginning to severely strain our health care system. Older adults and chronically ill are particularly susceptible to severe Covid-19 illness, and tens or hundreds of thousands of them could require hospitalization in the coming weeks and months. So we need to take collective measures now to protect ourselves and others. Here’s what you need to know:
1) How do I get Covid-19?
There are a lot of acronyms floating around, so first, just know that the SARS-CoV-2 virus (the coronavirus) causes the disease Covid-19. The virus is most commonly spread by close contact with infected people who are within 6 feet of each other. When they cough or sneeze, they send droplets into the air, where they can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby, or possibly get inhaled into the lungs. Droplets containing the virus can also land on surfaces and objects where the virus can survive for some time.
According to a preprint paper (a study that hasn’t yet been peer-reviewed) from researchers at the National Institutes of Health, Princeton, and UCLA who studied the novel coronavirus in a lab, it can survive for up to 24 hours on cardboard and for up to two or three days on plastic and stainless steel. (Another study suggests it can stay infectious for up to nine days.)
The danger of infection here is touching one of these surfaces and then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. The CDC, however, says that “this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.”
Some diseases, like measles, can also be transmitted through aerosols, meaning that when someone coughs, tiny droplets filled with virus linger in the air, sometimes for hours, where others can breathe them in. Currently, there’s limited evidence of the coronavirus being transmitted this way, but it’s worth noting. One preprint found the virus in aerosol form in hospitals in Wuhan, and others agree that there is a higher risk of doctors and nurses being infected through aerosols. There’s also growing evidence of fecal-oral transmission, meaning you can ingest the virus shed in feces through inadequate hand-washing or contaminated food and water.
The good news is that transmission can be prevented. Good personal hygiene and social distancing can be very effective. “I’m not one of those people who normally goes crazy about hand-washing,” says Megan Murray, an infectious disease specialist and professor of global health at the Harvard School of Public Health. “Now I really am, because that will help reduce [the] virus on your hands.”
Washing your hands frequently and carefully for at least 20 seconds is better than using hand sanitizer because it actually destroys the chemical structure of the virus. Any old soap will break the virus’s outer coating, and you don’t need special antibacterial soap. If soap and water aren’t available, use hand sanitizer with 60 percent alcohol (no, this doesn’t include Tito’s vodka).
New research suggests that people may be most infectious early in the disease (and even before symptoms start), meaning that as soon as you start to feel ill, it’s important to self-isolate. You don’t need to be coughing to be contagious; the linked preprint suggests that somewhere between 48 and 66 percent of 91 people in a Singapore cluster were infected by someone without symptoms.
This makes taking precautions now — like canceling your travel plans and social gatherings— even more important. The effectiveness of widespread travel bans, especially when community transmission is already occurring, is being hotly debated, but in general, minimizing social contact is the best method of prevention.
Avoid handshakes or hugs with people who’ve been out and about, and whenever possible, stay at least 6 feet away from others. This includes minimizing or avoiding play dates, sleepovers, shared meals, going out to eat, and visits to friends’ and family members’ homes.
Also important to know is that according to one study from China, around 25 percent of all cases may originate in people who have no symptoms — another reason social distancing measures are so important.
2) Oops, I think I touched my face. What are the symptoms of Covid-19?
The most common symptoms of Covid-19 are a fever, seen in almost 90 percent of patients, as well as a dry cough and shortness of breath. A study of 71 patients in China also suggests that a significant portion of coronavirus patients experience diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting, sometimes before respiratory symptoms begin. The World Health Organization (WHO) says these symptoms typically come on gradually.
Around 80 percent of Covid-19 cases are reportedly “mild,” but as James Hamblin of the Atlantic noted, that word can be misleading:
As the World Health Organization adviser Bruce Aylward clarified last week, a “mild” case of COVID-19 is not equivalent to a mild cold. Expect it to be much worse: fever and coughing, sometimes pneumonia—anything short of requiring oxygen. “Severe” cases require supplemental oxygen, sometimes via a breathing tube and a ventilator. “Critical” cases involve “respiratory failure or multi-organ failure.”
The incubation period before symptoms appear ranges from one to 14 days, but the median is 5.1 days. If you’ve been around someone who has a confirmed diagnosis of Covid-19 or displays its symptoms, the most responsible thing to do is to self-quarantine for two weeks.
3) But I’m young and healthy. Do I really need to worry about getting sick or spreading the virus to others?
Yes, you do.
The reason is that social distancing works best if everyone — young and old, healthy and infirm — practices it. No one has immunity, and everyone can get sick and spread the virus to others.
“The more young and healthy people are sick at the same time, the more old people will be sick, and the more pressure there will be on the health care system,” Emily Landon, an infectious disease specialist and hospital epidemiologist at the University of Chicago Medical Center, told Vox’s Eliza Barclay and Dylan Scott.
Without protective measures, one person on average infects 2.5 others, and cases will spread exponentially. That means hospitals and medical staff will quickly become overwhelmed. At least 5 percent of Covid-19 patients may need intensive care, and many require hospitalization for weeks.
Even if you’re not at a statistically higher risk of dying from Covid-19, it’s important to “flatten the curve” and adopt social distancing measures immediately to prevent the most deaths.
Also, just being young and healthy is not a guarantee of mild illness. The epicenter of New Jersey’s outbreak of Covid-19, Holy Name Medical Center, had 11 confirmed Covid-19 cases on March 14, six of which were in the ICU, with ages ranging from 28 to 48.
4) I have a fever (or a dry cough). What should I do?
If you have one or more symptoms of the new coronavirus, call your doctor. If you are older or have underlying medical conditions, it’s even more important to call your doctor, even if you have only mild symptoms, according to the CDC. Before you go to your doctor’s office, Murray says you should call ahead so that medical staff can wear the appropriate protective gear and be ready to help take care of you without exposing others. Many health care facilities are requesting that you wear a mask if you have symptoms and are going in for testing.
Your doctor will determine whether you should be tested; if a test is ordered, you can expect a nasopharyngeal swab, where a tiny Q-tip is put up your nose a few inches — not a fun procedure, but it doesn’t hurt. It’s then sent to a lab and put through a process called a polymerase chain reaction, which detects specific genetic material within the virus. How long it takes to get results back varies, but in the US, it’s currently taking a few days. Covid-19 testing is free for patients, regardless of whether they have insurance. Treatment fees and other costs are possible, though many insurers have waived cost-sharing for treatment.
Related Coronavirus is exposing all of the weaknesses in the US health system
Many people who know they’ve been exposed are currently having difficulty actually getting tested. Flynn says her colleague developed similar symptoms after sharing a cab with CPAC participants, a conference in DC where multiple people fell sick from Covid-19.
That’s true even in Covid-19 hot spots. Helen Teixeria, a resident of Redmond, a suburb of Seattle, one of the nation’s outbreak epicenters, says she woke up last week with a tight chest, fever, and a dry cough.
First, she called the King County hotline and was told to call her primary care provider. Her doctor told her to go to the emergency room, where the hospital didn’t follow standard isolation protocol and medical staff did not wear basic protective gear. Teixeria said she was unable to get a Covid-19 test because they were being tightly rationed for high-risk and hospitalized patients. Nor was she allowed to get a two-view chest X-ray “so that I didn’t contaminate the X-ray room,” she says. A sympathetic nurse eventually slipped her off-the-record information on a private clinic where she might be able to get a Covid-19 test next week.
5) I’m definitely sick and still waiting to be tested. What else should I do?
After you call your doctor, stay home, says Tom Frieden, former director of the CDC. It sounds like overly simple advice, but it’s the best thing you can do. Next, you should self-isolate, including staying away from anyone you live with.
If you’re not in one of the CDC’s high-risk categories, trying to see your doctor may actually expose you further. “The single place you’re most likely to encounter people with coronavirus is the hospital, so that’s the last place you want to be if you’re afraid of getting infected,” Murray says. And if, in your quest to get tested, you go to multiple health care centers, you’ll be exposing health care workers in each location.
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.
If you think you might have Covid-19 — and frankly, even if you don’t, so that you avoid possibly spreading it before you have symptoms — avoid all public areas. This means don’t go to school or work, and try to avoid taking public transportation, including ride-hailing services like Uber, Lyfts, and taxis.
If you don’t have adequate supplies at home, consider asking friends or family to make a delivery to your door rather than going out yourself. Don’t let friends come visit while you’re recuperating; instead, stay connected by phone or online.
If you’re worried about quarantining in a home where you don’t feel safe, 24/7 help is available from the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Call 1-800-799-7233 or text LOVEIS to 22522.
6) What’s the best way to take care of myself at home?
“Self-care [for coronavirus] is very similar to other upper respiratory infections,” says Elisa Choi, an infectious disease and internal medicine specialist in the Boston area. Over-the-counter medications, like cough suppressants, can help minimize coughing episodes, and expectorants can help you cough stuff up.
Pain relievers and fever reducers like acetaminophen (brand name Tylenol) can help treat muscle aches and reduce fevers. Out of an abundance of caution, WHO on March 18 began recommending that people with Covid-19 symptoms avoid taking ibuprofen, but then reversed course. Some scientists say there’s not much data to back this.
“There are multiple assumptions that are made with that hypothesis that can’t be made without being tested,” Angela Rasmussen, a research scientist at Columbia University’s Center for Infection and Immunity, told Vox. “To my knowledge there’s no evidence that ibuprofen makes [Covid-19] worse.”
Choi also urges using common sense to manage symptoms. “If you’re feeling congestion, you can try taking a hot shower or steam,” she says. “Sleep and water are always good advice.” The CDC says that “drinking enough water every day is generally good for your overall health.”
Choi and other medical professionals warn against circulating misinformation about supposed home remedies, such as what’s happening with an email erroneously claiming to be from Stanford. These “remedies” include holding your breath without coughing and keeping your mouth moist. Many of these ideas are unproven, and some can be dangerous. (For example, you can overdose on zinc.)
“This is really a time to stick with the facts,” Choi says. “Stay away from things that are being promoted for sale without a known background.” She recommends always checking with your doctor if you have questions about the veracity of a particular source. The CDC and WHO, as well as your local and state public health departments, are good sources of updated, verified information.
7) If I’m sick, how do I protect the people I live with?
Choi says that suspected or confirmed Covid-19 patients should stay in their own room and (ideally) not share a bathroom.
“They should try to stay as far away as possible from anyone else in the household, and at least 6 feet,” she added. If you do share a bathroom, avoid being in the room at the same time as anyone else. The WHO found that most of the transmission in China was between family members.
If the sick person feels up to it, ideally they should be the one to disinfect the bathroom after they use it. If your living situation doesn’t allow you to isolate yourself from others in your home, tell your doctor and/or health department.
The CDC has a complete guide to disinfecting commonly touched surfaces like “counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets, and bedside tables,” and it recommends doing so every day. You can use one of the approved products or make your own, like adding four teaspoons of bleach to a quart of water. The CDC also recommends wearing gloves when touching possibly infected items, like used clothing or bedding, as well as when disinfecting commonly used surfaces. When you’ve finished, throw the gloves directly in the garbage — and then wash your hands.
Choi suggests washing your hands frequently to protect others in your household, and covering your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze with a tissue that you throw directly into the garbage. If you’re feeling ill, don’t share cups, utensils, dish or bath towels, toothpaste, bedding — or anything else — with anyone. The coronavirus can stick around on surfaces for several days.
8) When should I seek additional medical care?
Choi recommends closely monitoring your symptoms. “It’s less about a number and more about the progression,” she says. Generally, a low-grade fever is considered less than 100.4, but older people are generally less likely to mount a fever response. The main thing to watch for is symptoms getting worse. For example, if you initially have a mild cough but start to have prolonged bouts, or if coughing becomes painful, she recommends calling your doctor again.
The CDC says that you should seek medical attention immediately if you have difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, persistent pain or chest pressure, an onset of confusion or the inability to stay awake, and bluish lips or face. If you do decide to go to the hospital, make sure to call ahead so the hospital can prepare to admit you without exposing others. If you already have a mask at home, this would be a good time to wear it. The CDC has recommended cloth masks for everyone but infants when in certain public settings. But medical masks should be reserved for health workers and sick people; there is a severe shortage.
Know that if you do go to the hospital, there is currently no treatment for Covid-19. Remdesivir, an antiviral drug, is in clinical trials, but right now, doctors are limited to providing supportive care such as supplemental oxygen.
9) How long do I have to stay isolated?
While there’s still a lot we don’t know, Murray says that you should self-isolate for at least 14 days after your initial symptoms. (There have been a few reports of patients shedding viruses for up to 28 days, but those appear to be outliers.) This means avoiding contact with everyone. (Read Vox’s guide to self-isolation here.)
For her part, Choi recommends minimizing all contact until your doctor or a public health department tells you that you are no longer contagious.
10) I already have cabin fever. My kids are bouncing off the walls. And I’m so anxious I can’t sleep. Help!
“Measures for pandemic control can be stressful,” Choi says, especially for people who may have challenges with being isolated. This feeling may get worse over the next few weeks, as current social-distancing measures are likely to be extended. Such measures can also cause financial hardship and stress for people who can’t work from home or won’t get paid if they don’t go to work.
Many people are experiencing cognitive dissonance about the ongoing normality of their daily lives, or, conversely, experiencing very rapid change. Be kind to yourself and others if you are struggling. Whether you’re afraid of getting sick or reacting to uncertainty, financial hardship, or a lack of information, anxiety is a natural response and you are not alone.
If you have preexisting mental health conditions, be aware that this may trigger new or worsening symptoms. (The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration has a 24/7 Disaster Distress Helpline, reachable at 1-800-985-5990. It also has an app with additional resources.)
No matter how stressed you feel, it’s crucial not to scapegoat others. This virus is not transmitted by or infecting any particular group. “I’ve experienced anti-Asian racism myself,” says Choi, and “it’s disrespectful, hateful, and not grounded in facts.”
Know that the situation is not hopeless; collectively changing behavior can go a long way toward controlling the spread of this disease. China has now closed all of its temporary hospitals as its case numbers continue to decline. But the social and economic repercussions of this pandemic may continue for months, so prepare yourself mentally for a long haul.
Do the small things that are in your control, like giving yourself a break from the news — put down Twitter — and maintaining normal routines as much as possible. If you’re at home with family or roommates, find ways to give each other space. Be creative about finding ways to exercise; YouTube videos are a great resource, if you can’t get outside. Talk to your loved ones about what you and they need to stay happy and healthy.
11) Can I get reinfected with Covid-19? And is it better to get sick to build herd immunity?
Japan and China have both reported multiple cases of people testing positive after initially recovering. It’s unclear if these were relapses or new infections. In four medical professionals in Wuhan, a test detected the virus’s genetic material up to 13 days after they stopped having symptoms, but finding genetic material doesn’t necessarily mean you can still infect others.
Once you’ve gotten sick, you might have some immunity, says Peter Hotez, dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine of the Baylor College of Medicine, but really, the jury’s still out. “We don’t know, it depends on your antibody response,” he says. (A new, encouraging preprint showed that in some monkeys, reinfection of Covid-19 does not occur.)
Hotez suggests that recovered patients do seem to produce antibodies. He pointed to a new paper on the possibility of using blood from recovered patients as a treatment, or even a preventive measure for first responders.
Still, recovered patients may also experience lasting effects; doctors in Hong Kong said that some recovered patients had a 20 to 30 percent drop in lung capacity. Another alarming preprint suggests some patients may have permanent kidney damage.
What about building herd immunity?
The UK government early on announced a strategy of allowing the virus to spread to build herd immunity, although it has since walked it back and is recommending self-isolation. For herd immunity to control Covid-19, more than 60 percent of the population will need to get the disease. The logic is that extreme lockdowns now won’t stop the virus from returning in the future, when those measures are loosened.
Related The rules of social distancing
The problem is that many people may succumb to the disease in the meantime, and that by not attempting to control the spread, hospitals and medical systems will be overwhelmed. Achieving herd immunity in the UK would require more than 47 million Britons to be infected, which could mean around hundreds of thousands would die. Immunity might also not last long enough to help, as with the flu, where new strains emerge each year. Relying on herd immunity also conflicts with WHO policy. Anthony Costello, a pediatrician and former WHO director, tweeted, “Is it ethical to adopt a policy that threatens immediate casualties on the basis of an uncertain future benefit?”
There are two likely ways this pandemic will end now that the virus is so widespread: 1) So many people will get it that we’ll develop a natural herd immunity, a term that is used to describe people getting a disease and becoming immune as a result, or 2) we’ll make and widely produce an affordable vaccine. It is very unlikely that we’ll see a big decline in Covid-19 cases solely due to the weather getting warmer. Plenty of places where there is currently warm weather, like Singapore and Australia, have Covid-19 cases.
There are no easy answers. “We have to recognize that we’re gonna start seeing a fair number of hospital admissions, especially ICU admissions,” Hotez says, “and we have to ask the hard questions about what treatment we can do now.” Developing a vaccine will take many months at best, which is why in the meantime, changing your behavior is so important.
Ultimately, “this is a new disease, so while we’re trying to make new predictions about risk, all bets are off,” says Choi. “We’re learning as everything is evolving actively in real time.”
Lois Parshley is a freelance investigative journalist and the 2019-2020 Snedden chair of journalism at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Find her on Twitter @loisparshley.


vox--2020-03-19--Elon Musk’s coronavirus journey: A timeline

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is gon na Elon Musk , even during a global pandemic .
Musk — and his problematic tweets — have prompted controversy for quite some time .
His reaction to the coronavirus crisis is no different .
Even as public officials around the world have warned of the potentially catastrophic implications of the virus , and as federal , state , and city leaders beg the public to combat the virus ’ s spread by socially distancing , the South African-born entrepreneur has suggested on Twitter than the whole thing is “ dumb , ” or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about it .
Meanwhile , despite a local shelter-in-place order enacted on Tuesday in several California Bay Area counties , he ignored calls to close a Tesla factory located there .
Only on Thursday afternoon , shortly before publication of this story , did Tesla announce it would temporarily suspend production in its Fremont , California , factory on March 23 .
Musk is a powerful public figure .
In addition to running Tesla , he ’ s the founder of SpaceX , and many consider him to be one of the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But his words and actions often get him into trouble — as they did in 2018 when his off-the-cuff tweet about taking Tesla private sparked federal probes and earned him a Twitter babysitter .
In other words , it is less than surprising that Musk is going to be himself during a pandemic , even when it ’ s not really helping his — or the public ’ s — cause .
This is noteworthy because what Musk says and does matters .
People respect him and follow his advice .
If he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others might not , either .
What ’ s more , he ’ s in charge of factories employing thousands of people , and he has taken a contradictory approach compared to other tech and corporate leaders when it comes to letting employees work from home and shifting production to coronavirus-related necessities .
Tesla did not return a request for comment for this story .
Musk first made waves in the coronavirus discourse with a single tweet , declaring , “ The coronavirus panic is dumb.
” It was the most-liked tweet of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early March concerns about the virus in the US were still muted , there were plenty of signs indicating the situation wasn ’ t good .
A cruise ship with guests who tested positive was marooned off the coast of California .
The situation in Italy had become increasingly dire , and concerns were growing about outbreaks in Washington and other states .
Global events and conferences were being canceled .
If anything , Musk ’ s tone at the time was akin to President Donald Trump ’ s , who at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus was that “ people are now staying in the United States ” and spending their money here .
Musk ’ s coronavirus adventure continued from there , much of it taking place online .
March 8 : Musk says virality and death rate of the coronavirus are “ overstated ” Two days later , on March 8 , Musk doubled down on his stance that the reaction to the virus is “ dumb , ” saying the fatality rate from the disease is “ greatly overstated ” because there are few tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he noted ships with “ a lot of people & limited medical facilities are a serious issue.
” March 9 and 10 : Musk says stocks were due for a correction , mulls dance party When stocks began to falter on March 9 , he declared the market “ was a bit high anyway ” and “ due for a correction.
” And on March 10 when the Coachella music festival was postponed , he suggested it should remain that way until it “ stops sucking.
” ( Burning Man , on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worth the experience “ for now.
” ) The same day , he put out a Twitter poll about whether Tesla should have a “ mega rave cave.
” Musk seemed to be aware that his comments had been ill-received by many .
But he kept at it and took encouragement from his most supportive followers .
March 16 : Musk becomes coronavirus reply guy , talks about his own health This week , it began to seem like Musk maybe was getting the message on coronavirus and had begun to accept that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as cities and states began to mandate shutdowns , the stock market plunged , and it became increasingly clear that “ social distancing ” was on track to be the new norm — not just for weeks but potentially months .
Earlier this week , he replied to some tweets about handling stress and potential treatments for the disease .
He also wrote pretty candidly about his experience with chloroquine , an antimalarial drug that has been discussed as a potential treatment for coronavirus .
Also March 16 : Musk still thinks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same time , Musk was still downplaying how dire the pandemic is .
On Monday , he followed up a tweet of a paper outlining potential drug therapy options with a tweet insisting that the “ danger of panic still far exceeds danger ” of coronavirus .
His Twitter messaging resembled his messaging to Tesla employees .
On Tuesday , as companies across the country told employees to work from home , Tesla decided to keep one of its plants open in Fremont , California , despite a shelter-in-place order that went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that day .
Shelter in place essentially means people are supposed to stay where they are and only leave to perform essential tasks , like going to the grocery store , or if it is essential they go to their job — for example , if they ’ re a health care worker .
In an email on Monday , he had told employees they didn ’ t have to come in — but said he planned on doing so .
“ I ’ d like to be super clear that if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncomfortable , please do not feel obligated to come to work .
I will personally be at work , but that ’ s just me .
Totally OK if you want to stay home for any reason , ” he wrote .
( This is a step up from an email he sent to SpaceX employees the Friday before , when he told employees they were likelier to die in a car crash than from coronavirus . )
Despite orders from the Alameda County Sheriff ’ s Office , where Tesla ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down because it ’ s not an “ essential ” business , Tesla was forging ahead .
That did change on Thursday , March 19 , when it announced plans to suspend production at its Fremont plant , as well as at another factory in New York , “ except for those parts and supplies necessary for service , infrastructure and critical supply chains.
” In contrast , by Wednesday , Ford , General Motors , and Fiat Chrysler said they were suspending production at their North American plants at least through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 19 : Musk says Tesla will make ventilators , talks to Bill de Blasio about it ; Tesla finally says it will suspend production While Musk may not yet fully buy into the coronavirus fears , he finally said he will try to help respond to the pandemic .
On Wednesday , Musk said Tesla would join General Motors and Ford in offering to make hospital ventilators .
Musk announced that one on Twitter , where he ’ s talking to FiveThirtyEight ’ s Nate Silver and New York City Mayor Bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 could not get weirder .
It ’ s worth noting that Musk said Tesla would make ventilators “ if ” there ’ s a shortage , and his tweets do not always translate to things that are happening in the real world .
The New York City Mayor ’ s Office told CNBC they still hadn ’ t heard from Musk .
Moreover , Musk ’ s help isn ’ t always , you know , helpful .
When a group of young boys was trapped in a cave in 2018 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort to rescue them .
He sent engineers to Thailand and tweeted about making some sort of submarine to assist .
Eventually , the boys were rescued — without his submarine — and Musk wound up calling one of the rescuers a pedophile while arguing with him on Twitter .
Like it or not , what Elon Musk says kind of matters If Tesla winds up making ventilators , it will most certainly be a good thing .
But as to some of his other comments that go against CDC recommendations , maybe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort he makes to pitch in on the crisis , what Musk says about the coronavirus matters , in a similar way to what the president says or what some personality on Fox News says about the pandemic .
He has 32 million Twitter followers , and there ’ s a sort of “ cult of Elon Musk ” around him , meaning people listen to him .
Musk , like all of us , gets to do the coronavirus his way , but his choices matter more .
He can do it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are still partying on the beach in Miami .
Or he can do it responsibly .
It ’ s up to him , and it ’ s not too late for him to change his tack and encourage his followers to do the same .

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is gonna Elon Musk, even during a global pandemic.
Musk — and his problematic tweets — have prompted controversy for quite some time. His reaction to the coronavirus crisis is no different. Even as public officials around the world have warned of the potentially catastrophic implications of the virus, and as federal, state, and city leaders beg the public to combat the virus’s spread by socially distancing, the South African-born entrepreneur initially suggested on Twitter than the whole thing is “dumb,” or at least that everybody should settle down about it. Meanwhile, despite a shelter-in-place order enacted in several California Bay Area counties on March 16, he ignored calls to close a Tesla factory located there. Only on March 19 did Tesla announce it would temporarily suspend production in its Fremont, California, factory on March 23. And now, he’s decided to try to pitch in on the response efforts.
Musk is a powerful public figure. In addition to running Tesla, he’s the founder of SpaceX, and many consider him to be one of the most forward-thinking tech figures of our time. But his words and actions often get him into trouble — as they did in 2018 when his off-the-cuff tweet about taking Tesla private sparked federal probes and earned him a Twitter babysitter. In other words, it is less than surprising that Musk is going to be himself during a pandemic, even when it’s not really helping his — or the public’s — cause.
This is noteworthy because what Musk says and does matters. People respect him and follow his advice. If he doesn’t take coronavirus seriously, others might not, either. What’s more, he’s in charge of factories employing thousands of people, and he has taken a contradictory approach compared to other tech and corporate leaders when it comes to letting employees work from home and shifting production to coronavirus-related necessities. Musk is now trying to use his influence to pitch in, though as we’ve seen in the past, his help is not always helpful.
Tesla did not return a request for comment for this story.
March 6: The panic is “dumb”
Musk first made waves in the coronavirus discourse with a single tweet, declaring, “The coronavirus panic is dumb.” It was the most-liked tweet of the week on Twitter.
The coronavirus panic is dumb — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 6, 2020
While in early March concerns about the virus in the US were still muted, there were plenty of signs indicating the situation wasn’t good. A cruise ship with guests who tested positive was marooned off the coast of California. The situation in Italy had become increasingly dire, and concerns were growing about outbreaks in Washington and other states. Global events and conferences were being canceled.
If anything, Musk’s tone at the time was akin to President Donald Trump’s, who at the time was saying the upside to the virus was that “people are now staying in the United States” and spending their money here.
Musk’s coronavirus adventure continued from there, much of it taking place online.
March 8: Musk says virality and death rate of the coronavirus are “overstated”
Two days later, on March 8, Musk doubled down on his stance that the reaction to the virus is “dumb,” saying the fatality rate from the disease is “greatly overstated” because there are few tests. As for the cruise ships, he noted ships with “a lot of people & limited medical facilities are a serious issue.”
Fatality rate also greatly overstated. Because there are so few test kits, those who die with respiratory symptoms are tested for C19, but those with minor symptoms are usually not. Prevalence of coronaviruses & other colds in general population is very high! — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 8, 2020
Ships with a lot of people & limited medical facilities are a serious issue — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 8, 2020
March 9 and 10: Musk says stocks were due for a correction, mulls dance party
When stocks began to falter on March 9, he declared the market “was a bit high anyway” and “due for a correction.”
And on March 10 when the Coachella music festival was postponed, he suggested it should remain that way until it “stops sucking.” (Burning Man, on the other hand, he agreed was still worth the experience “for now.”) The same day, he put out a Twitter poll about whether Tesla should have a “mega rave cave.”
The people have spoken! — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 11, 2020
Musk seemed to be aware that his comments had been ill-received by many. But he kept at it and took encouragement from his most supportive followers.
Thank you for your kind words, brother — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 11, 2020
March 16: Musk becomes coronavirus reply guy, talks about his own health
Then it began to seem like Musk maybe was getting the message on coronavirus and had begun to accept that it is a big deal after all, as cities and states began to mandate shutdowns, the stock market plunged, and it became increasingly clear that “social distancing” was on track to be the new norm — not just for weeks but potentially months.
He replied to some tweets about handling stress and potential treatments for the disease. He also wrote pretty candidly about his experience with chloroquine, an antimalarial drug that has been discussed as a potential treatment for coronavirus.
Was also given a lot of doxycycline https://t.co/hn0BzsIatz — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 16, 2020
I was first misdiagnosed at Stanford Hospital with viral meningitis, then again misdiagnosed at Sequoia. A visiting doc from San Jose General saw my charts & sent me to ICU immediately. I was ~36 hours from being unrecoverable. So, I take expert advice with a grain of salt … — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 16, 2020
Also March 16: Musk still thinks panic is the real enemy
But at the same time, Musk was still downplaying how dire the pandemic is. He followed up a tweet of a paper outlining potential drug therapy options with a tweet insisting that the “danger of panic still far exceeds danger” of coronavirus.
That said, danger of panic still far exceeds danger of corona imo. If we over-allocate medical resources to corona, it will come at expense of treating other illnesses. Track graph at bottom of this page: https://t.co/7nWKjiZyFn — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 17, 2020
His Twitter messaging resembled his messaging to Tesla employees.
As companies across the country told employees to work from home, Tesla decided to keep one of its plants open in Fremont, California, despite a shelter-in-place order that went into effect for the area at midnight on March 16. Shelter in place essentially means people are supposed to stay where they are and only leave to perform essential tasks, like going to the grocery store, or if it is essential they go to their job — for example, if they’re a health care worker.
In an email on that day, he had told employees they didn’t have to come in — but said he planned on doing so. “I’d like to be super clear that if you feel the slightest bit ill or even uncomfortable, please do not feel obligated to come to work. I will personally be at work, but that’s just me. Totally OK if you want to stay home for any reason,” he wrote. (This is a step up from an email he sent to SpaceX employees the Friday before, when he told employees they were likelier to die in a car crash than from coronavirus.)
Despite orders from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, where Tesla’s plant is based, to shut it down because it’s not an “essential” business, Tesla was forging ahead. That did change on Thursday, March 19, when it announced plans to suspend production at its Fremont plant, as well as at another factory in New York, “except for those parts and supplies necessary for service, infrastructure and critical supply chains.” In contrast, by Wednesday, Ford, General Motors, and Fiat Chrysler said they were suspending production at their North American plants at least through the end of the month.
March 18 and 19: Musk says Tesla will make ventilators, talks to Bill de Blasio about it; Tesla finally says it will suspend production
While Musk may not yet fully buy into the coronavirus fears, he finally said he will try to help respond to the pandemic. On March 18, Musk said Tesla would join General Motors and Ford in offering to make hospital ventilators. Musk announced that one on Twitter, where he’s talking to FiveThirtyEight’s Nate Silver and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio about it. As though 2020 could not get weirder.
Tesla makes cars with sophisticated hvac systems. SpaceX makes spacecraft with life support systems. Ventilators are not difficult, but cannot be produced instantly. Which hospitals have these shortages you speak of right now? — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 19, 2020
Sounds good, we will connect with your team to understand potential needs — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 19, 2020
It’s worth noting that Musk said Tesla would make ventilators “if” there’s a shortage, and his tweets do not always translate to things that are happening in the real world. The New York City Mayor’s Office told CNBC they still hadn’t heard from Musk.
Moreover, Musk’s help isn’t always, you know, helpful. When a group of young boys was trapped in a cave in 2018, Musk tried to get involved in the effort to rescue them. He sent engineers to Thailand and tweeted about making some sort of submarine to assist. Eventually, the boys were rescued — without his submarine — and Musk wound up calling one of the rescuers a pedophile while arguing with him on Twitter.
March 21 to today: Elon is helping — and taking this pretty seriously
Musk has come quite a long way from the panic is “dumb” tweet and has taken some important steps to try to use his power for good. He acquired 1,000 ventilators from China and delivered them to Los Angeles, an effort California Gov. Gavin Newsom described as “heroic.” He has also said that Tesla’s factory in Buffalo, New York, will reopen to produce ventilators “as soon as humanly possible” and promised to do “anything in our power to help the citizens of New York.”
Giga New York will reopen for ventilator production as soon as humanly possible. We will do anything in our power to help the citizens of New York. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 25, 2020
Musk does still seem inclined to err on the, say, optimistic end of things when it comes to the virus itself. In a tweet on March 25, he said he thinks the US may have already passed the “inflection point” in terms of cases, excluding New York.
Like it or not, what Elon Musk says kind of matters
If Tesla winds up making ventilators, it will most certainly be a good thing, and getting 1,000 ventilators to California is huge. As to some of his other comments that go against CDC recommendations, maybe ignore them.
But beyond any real effort he makes to pitch in on the crisis, what Musk says about the coronavirus matters, in a similar way to what the president says or what some personality on Fox News says about the pandemic. He has 32 million Twitter followers, and there’s a sort of “cult of Elon Musk” around him, meaning people listen to him.
Musk, like all of us, gets to do the coronavirus his way, but his choices matter more. He can do it irresponsibly, like the spring breakers who partied on the beach in Miami. Or he can do it responsibly. It’s up to him.


vox--2020-03-19--To practice social distancing, stay 6 feet away

In order to stop the spread of the coronavirus , we need to slow it down .
And one of the best ways to do that is through social distancing , a public health intervention that encourages people to avoid well , other people .
That means events with large crowds such as weddings , concerts , sports , have been canceled .
And places where people congregate publicly — like restaurants — are not seating customers .
Even schools and offices are closing .
The overall guideline for this best practice : stay six feet away .
On this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s daily explainer podcast , Vox science reporter Brian Resnick goes over the fundamental rules — or five commandments — of social distancing as we currently practice it .
What follows is a lightly edited transcript of Brian ’ s conversation with host Sean Rameswaram about the go-to rules you should follow .
Subscribe to Today , Explained wherever you get your podcasts , including : Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify and Stitcher .
The most important commandment is the first one .
And it ’ s your responsibility to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect others .
So that ’ s the whole point of all this social distancing .
We ’ re not just keeping ourselves safe and well .
We ’ re keeping other people who we could spread this virus to safe and well .
Do you feel this way ?
Because people aren ’ t protecting others .
They ’ re just protecting themselves .
Do you feel , like , a selfishness ?
Let ’ s look around here .
I mean , there ’ s no one in this park , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kids playing on my way over here .
Should they not be playing with each other ?
Today I saw I think CBS News got it in Miami .
A bunch of spring breakers who are like all in their teens or early 20s talking about how , like , they didn ’ t want to ruin their fun .
But the thing is , young people can get this disease and not necessarily get the worse symptoms or necessarily die from it in high numbers , but they can disproportionately spread it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among us .
And so you don ’ t want to be the cause of someone ’ s death .
Commandment 1 : Protect others as you would thyself .
Brian , commandment 2 ?
The second one is to obey your public health department .
This one , yes , there is a general recommendation or guideline from the federal government that we should not congregate in groups of 10 people .
But depending on where you live , in your situation and in your city or state , the situation will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Bay Area , people are being asked to shelter in place , which basically means like don ’ t leave the home under most conditions , if not necessary at all .
So listen to your public health department or mayor ’ s office or sometimes governor ’ s office .
And remember , too , like the overall federal guidelines .
Groups of 10 or more , you should really avoid it .
And , you know , and also , like when in doubt , avoid , if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do I really need to go see this person ?
” And if the answer is no , like , there ’ s just so much not known about this virus .
And also because testing hasn ’ t been very good and widespread .
We don ’ t know where it is .
And unfortunately , right now in this really uncertain period where it is starting to spread exponentially , better safe than sorry may be a good place to start .
Commandment 3 is if you feel sick , any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or if you feel like you ’ ve been exposed to this virus , please stay home .
Please quarantine yourself , or if you ’ re sick , put yourself in isolation and do not touch or contact or go near people who are not sick .
If you think thyself sick , self-isolate or quarantine .
Okay , Brian , commandment 4 .
This is a big one too .
Social distancing is a little bit of a misnomer .
It ’ s physical distancing .
We ’ re supposed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But that doesn ’ t mean we can ’ t care about each other and be checking on each other .
So like social distancing does not mean emotional distancing , does not mean letting people be lonely by themselves , especially the older people who may not have a lot of mobility to begin with and are now even more isolated because , you know , we ’ re being told not to go near older people .
So check in on them .
Brian , this is my favorite commandment yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s hopeful .
It ’ s the most proactive one .
We can help each other because isolation and loneliness is going to be a terrible problem for a lot of people who are already isolated and lonely .
And it ’ s going to be a tough time for a lot of people .
And just to check on them , but not like physically check on them .
Sean Rameswaram : Commandment 4 is my favorite yet , not going to do God voice because I liked it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distance .
Call your mom .
Call your grandma if you still got one .
Keep in touch with your people .
Brian .
Commandment 5 .
Commandment 5 is a simple one , too .
We have to remember one number , actually five is six , because you ’ re supposed to say six feet away from other people .
This virus spreads by droplets that spread out of your mouth and nose , especially when you cough or sneeze .
And six feet is like the splash zone .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go out , try to maintain six feet of distance between other people .

In order to stop the spread of the coronavirus, we need to slow it down. And one of the best ways to do that is through social distancing, a public health intervention that encourages people to avoid well, other people. That means events with large crowds such as weddings, concerts, sports, have been canceled. And places where people congregate publicly — like restaurants — are not seating customers. Even schools and offices are closing. The overall guideline for this best practice: stay six feet away.
On this episode of Today, Explained, Vox’s daily explainer podcast, Vox science reporter Brian Resnick goes over the fundamental rules — or five commandments — of social distancing as we currently practice it. What follows is a lightly edited transcript of Brian’s conversation with host Sean Rameswaram about the go-to rules you should follow.
Subscribe to Today, Explained wherever you get your podcasts, including: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher.
Brian Resnick
The most important commandment is the first one. And it’s your responsibility to not just protect yourself, but to protect others. So that’s the whole point of all this social distancing. We’re not just keeping ourselves safe and well. We’re keeping other people who we could spread this virus to safe and well.
Sean Rameswaram
Do you feel this way? Because people aren’t protecting others. They’re just protecting themselves. Do you feel, like, a selfishness? Let’s look around here. I mean, there’s no one in this park, but I certainly saw, like, kids playing on my way over here. Should they not be playing with each other?
Brian Resnick
Today I saw I think CBS News got it in Miami. A bunch of spring breakers who are like all in their teens or early 20s talking about how, like, they didn’t want to ruin their fun. But the thing is, young people can get this disease and not necessarily get the worse symptoms or necessarily die from it in high numbers, but they can disproportionately spread it to some of the most vulnerable people among us. And so you don’t want to be the cause of someone’s death.
Sean Rameswaram
Commandment 1: Protect others as you would thyself. Brian, commandment 2?
Brian Resnick
The second one is to obey your public health department. This one, yes, there is a general recommendation or guideline from the federal government that we should not congregate in groups of 10 people. But depending on where you live, in your situation and in your city or state, the situation will look very different.
For example, in the Bay Area, people are being asked to shelter in place, which basically means like don’t leave the home under most conditions, if not necessary at all. So listen to your public health department or mayor’s office or sometimes governor’s office.
And remember, too, like the overall federal guidelines. Groups of 10 or more, you should really avoid it. And, you know, and also, like when in doubt, avoid, if you find yourself thinking, “Oh, do I really need to go see this person?” And if the answer is no, like, there’s just so much not known about this virus. And also because testing hasn’t been very good and widespread. We don’t know where it is. And unfortunately, right now in this really uncertain period where it is starting to spread exponentially, better safe than sorry may be a good place to start.
Sean Rameswaram
Commandment 2: Obey thy public health department.
Brian Resnick
Commandment 3 is if you feel sick, any member of your household feels sick, or if you feel like you’ve been exposed to this virus, please stay home. Please quarantine yourself, or if you’re sick, put yourself in isolation and do not touch or contact or go near people who are not sick.
Sean Rameswaram
If you think thyself sick, self-isolate or quarantine. Okay, Brian, commandment 4.
Brian Resnick
This is a big one too. Social distancing is a little bit of a misnomer. It’s physical distancing. We’re supposed to be physically apart from one another. But that doesn’t mean we can’t care about each other and be checking on each other. So like social distancing does not mean emotional distancing, does not mean letting people be lonely by themselves, especially the older people who may not have a lot of mobility to begin with and are now even more isolated because, you know, we’re being told not to go near older people. So check in on them.
Sean Rameswaram
Brian, this is my favorite commandment yet.
Brian Resnick
It’s a good one. It’s hopeful. It’s the most proactive one. We can help each other because isolation and loneliness is going to be a terrible problem for a lot of people who are already isolated and lonely. And it’s going to be a tough time for a lot of people.
And just to check on them, but not like physically check on them.
Sean Rameswaram: Commandment 4 is my favorite yet, not going to do God voice because I liked it so much. Social distance is physical distance. Call your mom. Call your grandma if you still got one. Keep in touch with your people. Brian. Commandment 5.
Brian Resnick
Commandment 5 is a simple one, too. We have to remember one number, actually five is six, because you’re supposed to say six feet away from other people. This virus spreads by droplets that spread out of your mouth and nose, especially when you cough or sneeze. And six feet is like the splash zone. So if you can, if you have to go out, try to maintain six feet of distance between other people.
Watch Today, Explained’s “Six Feet Away” dance:
And listen to the song here: