theverge--2020-03-13--Everything you need to know about the coronavirus

Public health experts around the globe are scrambling to understand , track , and contain a new virus that appeared in Wuhan , China , at the beginning of December 2019 .
The World Health Organization named the disease caused by the virus COVID-19 , which references the type of virus and the year it emerged .
The WHO declared that the virus is a pandemic .
The Verge is regularly updating this page with all the latest news and analysis .
You can see where and how many cases of the illness have been reported in this map .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 137,000 confirmed cases and 5,088 deaths .
Over 69,000 people have recovered from the illness .
The vast majority of the illnesses are still in China , but the rate of new cases there has slowed .
The majority of new cases are appearing in other countries outside of China , and there are large outbreaks of the disease in multiple countries , including South Korea , Italy , and Iran .
There are over 1,300 people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 38 deaths from the virus in the US .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our hope is to answer all of your questions as people work to understand this virus and contain its spread .
Where did the virus come from ?
At the end of December , public health officials from China informed the World Health Organization that they had a problem : an unknown , new virus was causing pneumonia-like illness in the city of Wuhan .
They quickly determined that it was a coronavirus and that it was rapidly spreading through and outside of Wuhan .
Coronaviruses are common in animals of all kinds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forms that can infect humans .
Since the start of the century , two other coronaviruses have jumped to humans , causing the SARS outbreak in 2002 and the MERS outbreak in 2012 .
Scientists think this new virus first became capable of jumping to humans at the beginning of December .
It originally seemed like the virus first infected people at a seafood market in Wuhan and spread from there .
But one analysis of early cases of the illness , published January 24th , found that the first patient to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the market .
Experts are still trying to trace the outbreak back to its source .
The type of animal the virus originated from is not clear , although one analysis found that the genetic sequence of the new virus is 96 percent identical to one coronavirus found in bats .
Both SARS and MERS originated in bats .
Where is it spreading ?
The virus is now spreading in dozens of countries around the world .
Although it originated in China , the country took aggressive action at the start of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities and suspending public gatherings .
Officials isolated sick people and aggressively tracked their contacts , and had a dedicated network of hospitals to test for the virus .
The number of new infections reported in China has been declining , which indicated to WHO officials that transmission was slowing down — and that their containment measures were working .
Now , the WHO says , the epicenter of the pandemic is in Europe , which now has more new cases reported each day than China did at the height of its outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the spread of the virus include a nursing home in Washington state , New Rochelle , New York , and the Boston area , where disease spread at a conference .
How dangerous is this new virus ?
It takes information about both how severe an illness is and how easily it can spread to determine how “ bad ” it can be .
Epidemiologists often use this tool to assess new strains of the flu , for example : If an illness isn ’ t very severe ( and kills only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but it ’ s highly transmissible , it can still be devastating .
An easily-transmitted illness that kills a small percentage of the people it infects can still cause a lot of deaths , precisely because so many people get sick .
The WHO named the illness caused by the coronavirus COVID-19 — “ co ” and “ vi ” for coronavirus , “ d ” for disease , and “ 19 ” for the year when the disease emerged .
COVID-19 is a serious illness , and it ’ s more dangerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggests that between 160 to 214 million people will be infected in the US , and that between 200,000 and 1.7 million could die .
That doesn ’ t take into account actions taken to slow down the outbreak , though .
The symptoms of COVID-19 have ranged from mild , like those in a cold , to severe .
Around 80 percent of confirmed cases are mild — at least , 80 percent of the cases that we know about .
It ’ s still possible that there are many more mild @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t been flagged , which would shrink the percentage of cases that are severe .
In about 15 percent of people , the illness is severe enough that they need to be hospitalized , and about 5 percent of cases are critical .
It appears around half of the people with critical cases of the illness die from it .
So far , 2 or 3 percent of people who get sick with COVID-19 die , though it ’ s too early to say for sure .
Also , those numbers may change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 14 to 15 percent of people who got sick from SARS died .
Different groups of people , though , are more at risk of having a severe case of the illness or of dying from it .
Most deaths in this outbreak have been in older people and those who have underlying health issues , like heart disease , hypertension , and diabetes .
In that group , people are more at risk of dying .
Around 14 percent of people over the age of 80 who get sick will die @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus spread ?
The virus is moving rapidly around the world .
The new coronavirus spreads quickly in contained environments , like on the cruise ship the Diamond Princess .
Early evidence suggested that , like other coronaviruses , the virus jumps between people who are in very close contact with each other .
It also probably spreads when an infected person sneezes or coughs .
Coughs and sneezes produce little droplets of mucus and saliva .
If these droplets make it into another person ’ s eyes , mouth or nose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viruses in those little droplets can also fall onto surfaces , like tables or doorknobs — if someone touches that surface and touches their eyes , mouth or nose , they can also get sick .
Early research shows that the virus can linger on surfaces such as plastic and stainless steel for a few days , which is why it ’ s important to clean countertops , doorknobs , and other places people touch regularly .
The virus doesn ’ t appear to stay infectious on cardboard for longer than a day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The new coronavirus doesn ’ t appear to spread through the air .
Certain hospital procedures can artificially create airborne viruses , but that does not happen normally .
It ’ s still not clear when people with COVID-19 become contagious , or how long being contagious lasts .
One study of nine people in Germany with mild cases of the illness found that they had high levels of the virus in their throats early on in the course of the disease , before they felt very sick .
That may mean that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know they have it .
Chinese officials have said that they have seen cases where people with the virus infected others before they started showing symptoms .
Unfortunately , there isn ’ t detailed evidence to say if or how much that is happening .
Research out of China showed that people without symptoms still have high levels of the virus in their throats and noses , so they may be passing it along if they cough or sneeze .
In one case , a family in Anyang , China appeared to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to a study in The Journal of the American Medical Association .
If that ’ s happening regularly , containing the virus will be more complicated .
But evidence shows that people spreading the virus before they feel sick probably isn ’ t affecting the outbreak much , said Maria Van Kerkhove , manager in the Emerging and Re-Emerging Diseases Unit at the WHO , in a press conference .
Each sick person will go on to infect , on average , between 1.4 and 2.5 additional people , the WHO says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimate .
Other teams of researchers have published their own estimates , with most saying a sick person will infect an average of around two or three people .
Those numbers are called the virus ’ s R0 ( pronounced “ R-naught ” ) .
The R0 is the mathematical representation of how well an infection might be able to spread .
The higher the number , the easier the disease is to spread .
For comparison , the R0 for SARS was between two and five .
But that doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that many people ; quarantines and other actions taken to control outbreaks of a virus can bring down the number of people a sick person infects .
Can we treat this virus ?
There aren ’ t any proven treatments for COVID-19 , but there are dozens of studies underway to find some .
One leading candidate is remdesivir , an antiviral medication originally developed to treat Ebola .
There are clinical trials testing it in patients in China and in the US .
Research teams and pharmaceutical companies are also working to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from infection .
However , vaccine development takes a long time .
Even if everything goes smoothly , it will be around a year to 18 months before one is available , said Anthony Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases .
What can I do to protect myself and others ?
Based on what we know so far , you can protect yourself with the same measures you ’ d take ( and should be taking ) to protect yourself against the flu : wash your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cough , and stay away from people who are ill. Stay home from work or school if you ’ re feeling sick .
If you ’ re older or have a chronic health condition — which makes you more likely to have a severe case of the disease — you might want to stay away from crowded places , and postpone any unnecessary travel .
If you ’ re a young , healthy person , you might not feel very sick if you catch COVID-19 .
But if you don ’ t stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could pass it on to someone who might get really sick .
That ’ s why it ’ s so important to stay home if you ’ re not feeling well .
One of the best ways to slow the spread of an outbreak is by staying away from other people , which is also called “ social distancing.
” That gives a virus less opportunity to jump from person to person .
It ’ s why there aren ’ t going to be big events , professional sports , and in some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Those measures help blunt the impact of an outbreak by slowing the virus .
If fewer people get sick at once , it ’ s easier for healthcare providers to give everyone good care .
The CDC recommends that older adults or anyone who might be more at risk of having a severe case of COVID-19 should avoid unnecessary travel .
The US State Department raised the travel advisory for China to a level 4 , saying Americans shouldn ’ t travel to China because of the virus .
Level 4 is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only to areas with a “ greater likelihood of life-threatening risks.
” US citizens currently in China should “ consider departing using commercial means , ” the alert said .
The CDC issued a level 1 travel advisory for Hong Kong , saying that anyone traveling there should take precautions by washing their hands and avoiding sick people .
It ’ s issued level 2 travel advisories for Japan , saying that people who might be at higher risk from the virus — older adults and people with chronic health issues — should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There are level 3 travel advisories for China , Iran , Italy and South Korea , and the CDC recommends people avoid non-essential travel to those countries .
Many countries have travel restrictions in place and are placing travelers in quarantine if they ’ re suspected of having the disease or if they ’ ve been somewhere it ’ s spreading widely .
Anyone taking a trip should prepare for their plans to be disrupted if the situation changes .
For example , all flights from China to the US are being diverted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citizen who has traveled to China will be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days .
Any US citizen who has been in the Hubei province ( where Wuhan is and where the virus originated ) will be held under a formal quarantine for 14 days .
In addition , any foreign national who has traveled to China in the past 14 days will not be allowed to enter the US , unless they have immediate family members there , according to a proclamation from President Trump .
That initial decision was not supported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should not restrict travel or trade in their response to the virus .
The US also placed travel restrictions on Iran , and restrictions on travel from Europe .
Foreign nationals who have traveled to Iran and certain European countries in the past 14 days will not be allowed to enter the US .
What ’ s happening in the US ?
US Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar declared a public health emergency in response to the coronavirus at the end of January , and President Trump declared a federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spreading through the country , and multiple states and counties have made emergency declarations .
Hot spots include a nursing home in Washington state , New Rochelle , New York , and the Boston area , where disease spread at a conference .
There are cases in multiple states in people who did not have contact with a person known to be infected with COVID-19 .
The source of those illnesses is unknown , and it may mean the virus is spreading through communities in the United States .
The virus may have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for example .
CDC guidelines originally did not allow testing unless a sick person had been in a country with ongoing spread of the virus or who had been in contact with someone with a confirmed case of the disease could be tested .
That delayed the diagnosis of patients who did not have those risk factors .
They ’ ve since updated the guidance to say that doctors can use their best judgement based on a patient ’ s symptoms and location to decide if the patient should be tested .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still a limited number of tests available , which experts say delayed response and may make the outbreak more difficult to contain .
Ramping up testing is important because other countries looked more aggressively for cases — and found them .

Part of / A guide to the COVID-19 pandemic
Public health experts around the globe are scrambling to understand, track, and contain a virus that appeared in Wuhan, China, at the beginning of December 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) named the disease caused by the virus COVID-19, which references the type of virus and the year it emerged. The WHO declared that the virus is a pandemic.
The Verge will update this page as new information emerges. You can also find our breakdown of what research shows about how to live in a pandemic world here.
A newsletter highlighting the COVID-19 research, developments, and stories that matter. Subscribe here!
You can see where and how many cases of the illness have been reported on this map. As this important story continues to unfold, our hope is to keep you up to date as people work to understand this virus and contain its spread.
Table of contents
Where did the virus come from?
At the end of December, public health officials from China informed the World Health Organization that they had a problem: an unknown, new virus was causing pneumonia-like illness in the city of Wuhan. They quickly determined that it was a coronavirus and that it was rapidly spreading through and outside of Wuhan.
Photo by Kevin Frayer / Getty Images
Coronaviruses are common in animals of all kinds, and they sometimes can evolve into forms that can infect humans. Since the start of the century, two other coronaviruses have jumped to humans, causing the SARS outbreak in 2002 and the MERS outbreak in 2012.
Scientists think this new virus first became capable of jumping to humans at the beginning of December. It originally seemed like the virus first infected people at a seafood market in Wuhan and spread from there. But one analysis of early cases of the illness, published on January 24th, found that the first patient to get sick did not have any contact with the market. Experts are still trying to trace the outbreak back to its source.
The type of animal the virus originated from is not clear, although one analysis found that the genetic sequence of the new virus is 96 percent identical to one coronavirus found in bats. Both SARS and MERS originated in bats.
Where is it spreading?
The virus is now spreading all over the world.
Although it originated in China, the country took aggressive action at the start of the outbreak, shutting down transportation in some cities and suspending public gatherings. Officials isolated sick people and aggressively tracked their contacts, and had a dedicated network of hospitals to test for the virus.
Countries like New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea have successfully slowed the pandemic. The US has not, and it is an epicenter of the crisis.
How dangerous is this new virus?
It takes information about both how severe an illness is and how easily it can spread to determine how “bad” it can be. Epidemiologists often use this tool to assess new strains of the flu, for example:
Image: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
If an illness isn’t very severe (and kills only a small percentage of people), but it’s highly transmissible, it can still be devastating. An easily transmitted illness that kills a small percentage of the people it infects can still cause a lot of deaths, precisely because so many people get sick.
The WHO named the illness caused by the coronavirus COVID-19 — “co” and “vi” for coronavirus, “d” for disease, and “19” for the year when the disease emerged.
COVID-19 is a serious illness, and it’s much more dangerous than the flu. One Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) projection suggests that between 160 to 214 million people will eventually be infected in the US and that between 200,000 and 1.7 million could die.
The symptoms of COVID-19 have ranged from mild, like those in a cold, to severe. Around 80 percent of confirmed cases are mild and don’t require hospitalization — at least, 80 percent of the cases that we know about. It’s still possible that there are more mild cases of the illness that haven’t been flagged, which would shrink the percentage of cases that are severe. In about 15 percent of people, the illness is severe enough that they need to be hospitalized, and about 5 percent of cases are critical. It appears around half of the people with critical cases of the illness die from it.
“Mild” cases, though, can still be debilitating. Some people with the disease say they couldn’t get out of bed for weeks. For many people, the effects of the illness linger: some people report running fevers for months or experiencing waves of fatigue that make it hard to run errands or walk up the stairs. Researchers don’t know why symptoms last so long, even after people no longer test positive for the virus.
So far, experts say that around 1 percent of people who get sick with COVID-19 will die, though it’s still too early to say for sure how often it is fatal. In the US, around 5 percent of people with confirmed cases of the virus have died from it, but that doesn’t account for the people who didn’t know they were infected or who weren't able to get tested.
Different groups of people are more at risk of having a severe case of the illness or of dying from it. Most deaths in this outbreak have been in older people and those who have underlying health issues, like heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. In that group, people are more at risk of dying. Around 14 percent of people over the age of 80 who get sick will die, for example.
How easily can the virus spread?
The virus moves rapidly. The new coronavirus spreads quickly in contained environments, like on the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
Early evidence suggested that, like other coronaviruses, the virus jumps between people who are in very close contact with each other. It also probably spreads when an infected person sneezes or coughs. Coughs and sneezes produce little droplets of mucus and saliva. If these droplets make it into another person’s eyes, mouth, or nose, they can get sick. The viruses in those little droplets can also fall onto surfaces, like tables or doorknobs — if someone touches that surface and touches their eyes, mouth, or nose, they can also get sick.
The smallest of those droplets can also linger in the air after a sick person coughs or sneezes or when they breathe and talk. People can probably get infected by those clouds of lingering droplets, even though scientists still don’t know how often that actually happens. That’s why being inside, particularly in poorly ventilated rooms, is dangerous: tiny virus-carrying droplets wouldn’t circulate out in the same way they would outdoors.
We also don’t know when people with COVID-19 become contagious or how long being contagious lasts. One study of nine people in Germany with mild cases of the illness found that they had high levels of the virus in their throats early on in the course of the disease before they felt very sick. Research out of China showed that people without symptoms still have high levels of the virus in their throats and noses.
It’s probably possible for people to spread the virus to others before they feel sick. It’s also possible that people who never feel sick and are truly asymptomatic can infect other people. Researchers still don’t know how often those people actually end up spreading the disease. Some studies suggest that people who do have symptoms are much more likely to spread the virus to others.
Each sick person will go on to infect, on average, between 1.4 and 2.5 additional people, the WHO says, though that’s an early estimate. Other teams of researchers have published their own estimates, with most saying a sick person will infect an average of around two or three people.
Those numbers are called the virus’s R0 (pronounced “R-naught”). The R0 is the mathematical representation of how well an infection might be able to spread. The higher the number, the easier the disease is to spread. For comparison, the R0 for SARS was between two and five. But that doesn’t mean each sick person will actually infect that many people; quarantines and other actions taken to control outbreaks of a virus can bring down the number of people a sick person infects.
The R0 is also just an average. Researchers think this particular illness happens in clusters and tends to cause “superspreading” events. Some estimate that as few as 10 percent of COVID-19 cases are responsible for 80 percent of the disease’s spread — that is, most people don’t infect anyone else, and a few people set off chain reactions that infect dozens.
Can we treat this virus?
Since the start of the pandemic, doctors have gotten better at treating patients with COVID-19 in the hospital. There still isn’t much doctors can do for people with mild cases of the illness who aren’t sick enough to be hospitalized. But trials of synthetic antibodies are underway, and they might be able to help prevent people who catch the virus from becoming seriously ill.
In October, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved remdesivir, an antiviral medication originally developed for Ebola, to treat the disease — even though clinical trials found that it only has a limited benefit.
There was a lot of early hype around the anti-malaria medication chloroquine, but clinical trials showed that it doesn’t actually help COVID-19 patients. Clinical trials did show, though, that a cheap steroid called dexamethasone could help people who are hospitalized with very severe cases of the disease.
Research teams and pharmaceutical companies are also working to develop a vaccine that can protect people from infection. However, vaccine development takes a long time. Even if everything goes smoothly, it will be around a year to 18 months from the start of the development process before one is available, said Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
What can I do to protect myself and others?
Stay home if you’re feeling sick, even if you’re just a little bit under the weather. Stay home as much as possible even if you’re not feeling sick. If you do go out, wear a cloth mask or face covering when you’re out in public, especially in places where it’s hard to stay far away from others. While they’re not perfect, a cloth face covering could help stop you from spreading virus-laden particles to other people, even if you don’t know you’re sick. They could also partially block the virus from reaching your nose or mouth. If everyone wears them, some studies show they could help slow the spread of the virus.
Many states are slowly starting to let restaurants, barbershops, and retail stores open, even though the disease is still spreading rapidly in some places. The CDC released guidelines on June 12th, outlining the relative risk of everyday activities and the ways people should protect themselves when they venture out to the bank or the gym.
Spending time with a few people is less risky than hanging out with a large group, and everyone should wear masks and keep at a distance, the CDC says. The risk of contracting COVID-19 (or spreading it) goes up if you spend time with other people indoors rather than outside.
Before deciding if you should do a particular activity, the agency recommends thinking about how many new cases are being reported each day in your area. If the case numbers are low, the risk is lower than if hundreds of new people are being diagnosed with COVID-19 each day. You should also think about how closely you’d be interacting with other people (and if they’d be wearing a mask).
If you’re a young, healthy person, you might not feel very sick if you catch COVID-19. But you could pass it on to someone older or with a chronic health condition who is more likely to have a severe case of the disease.
Image: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
If I already had COVID-19, am I immune?
Many researchers think that after someone is infected with the coronavirus, there’s a good chance that person won’t get sick from the virus again for some still-undetermined amount of time. That’s based on what scientists know about how most viruses work. Usually, when you’re sick from a viral infection, your body develops antibodies against that virus. The next time you’re exposed to the virus, those antibodies could stop it from turning into a raging illness — though that isn’t always the case.
There isn’t concrete evidence that people who got sick once with COVID-19 can’t get sick again because no studies have specifically tested that idea. But virologists don’t think that this virus behaves differently than most other viruses — so people who did get sick are probably protected. The question, though, is for how long: for some viruses, the protection fades after a year or a few years. There aren’t answers to that question yet.
What’s happening in the US?
US Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar declared a public health emergency in response to the coronavirus at the end of January, and President Trump declared a federal emergency in March.
As the overall case counts rose through March and April, governors and local officials closed nonessential businesses and told people to work from home and stay away from others. The interventions are helped to slow the spread of the disease in some areas, but many states — including Texas, Arizona, and Florida — lifted restrictions before public health experts thought it was safe.
Through the summer of 2020, cases in those places rapidly increased. After a long plateau, spikes in some Southern and Western US states pushed up new daily case numbers in the US. A fall surge hit the whole country, sending case numbers above the summer highs. The Midwest has the highest burden of disease, but hospitalizations are climbing all over the country.
Early in 2020, the virus spread undetected for weeks in the US. Initially, CDC guidelines did not allow testing unless a sick person had been in a country with an ongoing spread of the virus or who had been in contact with someone with a confirmed case of the disease could be tested. That delayed the diagnosis of patients who did not have those risk factors.
The US is doing around one million COVID-19 tests per day, according to data collected by volunteers at the COVID Tracking Project. Testing was slow to get off the ground in the US. It took too long for the FDA and the CDC to develop and distribute a functioning test and longer still for testing capacity to increase.
Many public health agencies across the country also still aren’t getting in touch with everyone who tests positive for the virus to find the people they may have exposed — a critical public health tool called contact tracing. The US needs to scale up its contact tracing workforce in order to control the outbreak.


theverge--2020-03-13--Netflix, Disney stop production on projects in precautionary coronavirus measures

Both Netflix and Disney have halted productions on current films and TV shows in an attempt to prevent the further spread of the novel coronavirus .
Netflix confirmed to The Verge that it is pausing scripted TV and film production in both the US and Canada for two weeks due to government restrictions , alongside health and safety precautions .
A statement from Disney reiterates that “ while there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 on our productions , after considering the current environment and the best interests of our cast and crew , we have made the decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live-action films for a short time.
” Disney ’ s statement adds that it will “ continue to assess the situation and restart as soon as feasible.
” It ’ s unclear if this will impact release dates at this time .
For Disney , that means a number of high level productions , including the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid and others are currently in various levels of production phases .
Prior to Disney ’ s announcement , Marvel ’ s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently undergoing self-isolating procedures as he waits on the results of a test for COVID-19 .
First unit production is paused in London as a result .
It ’ s a little harder to nail down just how many Netflix productions are affected by the two-week pause as there are an assortment of shows and films in various levels of production at any given time .
Deadline is reporting that Stranger Things , Grace and Frankie , Sex/Life , and Ryan Murphy ’ s The Prom have halted production .
The Verge has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on how many films and TV shows are affected .
Prior to Netflix and Disney ’ s announcements , a number of efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus were announced .
Disney is closing its last remaining parks — Disney World Orlando , Disneyland Paris , and Disneyland in Anaheim — beginning this weekend .
Employees at other Disney verticals including ESPN , direct-to-consumer , Disney Television , Disney Studios , and Disney Parks , Experiences and Products , have also been told to work from home if possible .
Several films @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Universal Pictures and Sony Pictures , have been delayed .
Mulan , New Mutants , Antlers , F9 , No Time To Die , and A Quiet Place II have all been delayed to later this year or for a time that hasn ’ t been announced yet .
F9 is delayed until April 2021 , taking over a spot reserved for the tenth installment in the franchise .
Other major studios , including Sony Pictures , Paramount , Universal , and Warner Bros. , have not announced major closures at this time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baz Luhrmann ’ s Elvis biopic after actor Tom Hanks tested positive for the novel coronavirus .
“ We are working closely with the appropriate Australian health agencies to identify and contact anyone who may have come in direct contact with the individual , ” a Warner Bros. spokesperson told IndieWire .
“ The health and safety of our company members is always our top priority , and we are taking precautions to protect everyone who works on our productions around the world .
”

Both Netflix and Disney have halted productions on current films and TV shows in an attempt to prevent the further spread of the novel coronavirus.
Netflix confirmed to The Verge that it is pausing scripted TV and film production in both the US and Canada for two weeks due to government restrictions, alongside health and safety precautions. A statement from Disney reiterates that “while there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 on our productions, after considering the current environment and the best interests of our cast and crew, we have made the decision to pause production on some of our live-action films for a short time.” Disney’s statement adds that it will “continue to assess the situation and restart as soon as feasible.” It’s unclear if this will impact release dates at this time.
For Disney, that means a number of high level productions, including the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid and others are currently in various levels of production phases. Prior to Disney’s announcement, Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director, Destin Daniel Cretton, announced he is currently undergoing self-isolating procedures as he waits on the results of a test for COVID-19. First unit production is paused in London as a result.
It’s a little harder to nail down just how many Netflix productions are affected by the two-week pause as there are an assortment of shows and films in various levels of production at any given time. Deadline is reporting that Stranger Things, Grace and Frankie, Sex/Life, and Ryan Murphy’s The Prom have halted production. The Verge has reached out to Netflix for more clarification on how many films and TV shows are affected.
Prior to Netflix and Disney’s announcements, a number of efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus were announced. Disney is closing its last remaining parks — Disney World Orlando, Disneyland Paris, and Disneyland in Anaheim — beginning this weekend. Employees at other Disney verticals including ESPN, direct-to-consumer, Disney Television, Disney Studios, and Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, have also been told to work from home if possible.
Several films from Disney and other studios, including Universal Pictures and Sony Pictures, have been delayed. Mulan, New Mutants, Antlers, F9, No Time To Die, and A Quiet Place II have all been delayed to later this year or for a time that hasn’t been announced yet. F9 is delayed until April 2021, taking over a spot reserved for the tenth installment in the franchise.
Other major studios, including Sony Pictures, Paramount, and Warner Bros., have not announced major closures at this time. Warner Bros. shut down production on Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic after actor Tom Hanks tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The studio also shut down The Batman for two weeks.
“We are working closely with the appropriate Australian health agencies to identify and contact anyone who may have come in direct contact with the individual,” a Warner Bros. spokesperson told IndieWire. “The health and safety of our company members is always our top priority, and we are taking precautions to protect everyone who works on our productions around the world.”
Update (March 14th, 12:10pm ET): Universal has halted production on its live-action films, including Jurassic World: Dominion. The studio will make an announcement about resuming production in the coming weeks. The story has been updated to include the new information.


theverge--2020-03-13--Trump flip-flops on question of receiving a novel coronavirus test

While at Mar-a-Lago last week , President Trump took a picture .
In it , he ’ s standing next to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro ’ s press secretary , who later tested positive for the novel coronavirus .
Two senators who were also at Mar-a-Lago are self-quarantining .
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez , who also interacted with the aide , tested positive for the virus .
Trump , however , maintained at a press conference today that he does not have to quarantine .
“ I take pictures , and it lasts for literally seconds .
I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re talking about is .
I have no idea who he is , ” he said .
Trump then said he did not need to be tested and that doctors should not be jumping to recommend tests unless they were absolutely necessary .
When pressed by CBS News reporter Weijia Jiang on if refusing a test was selfish , though , Trump backtracked .
“ I didn ’ t say I wasn ’ t going to be tested , ” he said .
“ Not for that reason , but because I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that they ’ re working out a schedule , without specifying who he meant by “ they.
” Trump is 73 years old .
Were he to become infected with the virus , he would be at risk of having a severe case of COVID-19 .

While at Mar-a-Lago last week, President Trump took a picture. In it, he’s standing next to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s press secretary, who later tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Two senators who were also at Mar-a-Lago are self-quarantining. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who also interacted with the aide, tested positive for the virus.
Trump, however, maintained at a press conference today that he does not have to quarantine. “I take pictures, and it lasts for literally seconds. I don’t know the gentleman that we’re talking about is. I have no idea who he is,” he said. Trump then said he did not need to be tested and that doctors should not be jumping to recommend tests unless they were absolutely necessary.
When pressed by CBS News reporter Weijia Jiang on if refusing a test was selfish, though, Trump backtracked. “I didn’t say I wasn’t going to be tested,” he said. “Not for that reason, but because I think I will do it anyway.” He said that they’re working out a schedule, without specifying who he meant by “they.”


theverge--2020-03-13--Bill Gates steps down from Microsoft board

Bill Gates , co-founder and former CEO of Microsoft , is stepping down from the board of the company .
Gates previously served as CEO of Microsoft until 2000 when he stepped down from the position in order to spend more time on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation .
In 2008 , Gates left his full-time role at Microsoft in an official capacity to focus all of his efforts on philanthropy .
Gates stepping down from the board is apparently due to similar motivations , with a press release announcing the news citing a desire to “ dedicate more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will still serve as a “ technology advisor ” to current CEO Satya Nadella , a role he began in 2014 at Nadella ’ s request when he stepped down from serving as chairman of Microsoft ’ s board .
“ It ’ s been a tremendous honor and privilege to have worked with and learned from Bill over the years .
Bill founded our company with a belief in the democratizing force of software and a passion to solve society ’ s most pressing challenges .
And Microsoft and the world are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement .
“ The board has benefited from Bill ’ s leadership and vision .
And Microsoft will continue to benefit from Bill ’ s ongoing technical passion and advice to drive our products and services forward .
I am grateful for Bill ’ s friendship and look forward to continuing to work alongside him to realize our mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
” While Gates will still be at least somewhat involved with the company he founded through his position as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the furthest step away from running Microsoft that Gates has taken yet since he gave up the role of CEO back in 2000 .
Correction : A previous version of this story said Gates stepped down as Microsoft CEO in 2008 .
That is incorrect ; Gates stepped down in 2000 and left his full-time job at Microsoft in 2008 .
We regret the error .

Bill Gates, co-founder and former CEO of Microsoft, is stepping down from the board of the company. Gates previously served as CEO of Microsoft until 2000 when he stepped down from the position in order to spend more time on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In 2008, Gates left his full-time role at Microsoft in an official capacity to focus all of his efforts on philanthropy.
Gates stepping down from the board is apparently due to similar motivations, with a press release announcing the news citing a desire to “dedicate more time to his philanthropic priorities.” Gates will still serve as a “technology advisor” to current CEO Satya Nadella, a role he began in 2014 at Nadella’s request when he stepped down from serving as chairman of Microsoft’s board.
“It’s been a tremendous honor and privilege to have worked with and learned from Bill over the years. Bill founded our company with a belief in the democratizing force of software and a passion to solve society’s most pressing challenges. And Microsoft and the world are better for it,” Nadella commented in a statement. “The board has benefited from Bill’s leadership and vision. And Microsoft will continue to benefit from Bill’s ongoing technical passion and advice to drive our products and services forward. I am grateful for Bill’s friendship and look forward to continuing to work alongside him to realize our mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.”
While Gates will still be at least somewhat involved with the company he founded through his position as a technology advisor, the move marks the furthest step away from running Microsoft that Gates has taken yet since he gave up the role of CEO back in 2000.


theverge--2020-03-13--The Oculus Quest is back in stock

The Oculus Quest is back in stock

The Oculus Quest untethered virtual reality headset is available on Oculus ’ website .
The ship date at the time of publishing is March 16th .
This model , along with many other VR headsets , has been out of stock for the past few months — in part due to the impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic on manufacturing .
It ’ s unclear if this is a sign that availability is returning to normal or if this is a limited supply .
Valve recently sold through a limited amount of its Index virtual reality headset on Monday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be available through Oculus , but both the 64GB ( $ 399 ) and 128GB ( $ 499 ) models are available .
Best Buy , Amazon , and other retailers that normally sell the Quest don ’ t appear to have received units just yet .
While the Quest is a lower-powered self-contained VR headset , it can also connect to a PC to play high-end VR games .
So if you ’ re hoping to play Half-Life : Alyx when it releases on March 23rd , this might be your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compatible headset .
Just don ’ t forget to grab the long USB-C cable that Oculus recommends .
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These do not influence editorial content , though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links .
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The Oculus Quest untethered virtual reality headset is available on Oculus’ website. The ship date at the time of publishing is March 16th. This model, along with many other VR headsets, has been out of stock for the past few months — in part due to the impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic on manufacturing. It’s unclear if this is a sign that availability is returning to normal or if this is a limited supply. Valve recently sold through a limited amount of its Index virtual reality headset on Monday.
So far, the stock only seems to be available through Oculus, but both the 64GB ($399) and 128GB ($499) models are available. Best Buy, Amazon, and other retailers that normally sell the Quest don’t appear to have received units just yet.
While the Quest is a lower-powered self-contained VR headset, it can also connect to a PC to play high-end VR games. So if you’re hoping to play Half-Life: Alyx when it releases on March 23rd, this might be your last chance to pick up a good compatible headset. Just don’t forget to grab the long USB-C cable that Oculus recommends.


theverge--2020-03-13--You can now take up to 12 ounces of hand sanitizer through airport security

The Transportation Security Administration announced that it was updating its policies concerning liquids in carry-on baggage in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic .
Air passengers will now be allowed to bring on board hand sanitizer containers up to 12 ounces ( 355 milliliters ) in size , which is much larger than the standard 3.4 ounces ( 100 milliliters ) previously allowed .
There are some caveats , though .
The updated policy only applies to hand sanitizer .
And larger containers will be subject to additional screening by TSA agents , which will likely lead to increased wait @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out to the airport : how much sanitizer do you really need ?
Air travel is being upended by COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
Today , Delta Air Lines announced that it will be reducing its flight capacity by 40 percent due to a drop-off in demand , marking the biggest reduction in operations in the airline ’ s history .
Other airlines have cut back on flight schedules as well .
Earlier this week , President Trump said the US would be temporarily restricting travel from Europe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said to be stocking up on disinfectants and other cleaning equipment .
Passengers are likely to see hand sanitizer stations everywhere at airports reflecting this new reality , so no worries for those who don ’ t feel like lugging a huge bottle of the stuff on the plane with them .

The Transportation Security Administration announced that it was updating its policies concerning liquids in carry-on baggage in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Air passengers will now be allowed to bring on board hand sanitizer containers up to 12 ounces (355 milliliters) in size, which is much larger than the standard 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) previously allowed.
There are some caveats, though. The updated policy only applies to hand sanitizer. And larger containers will be subject to additional screening by TSA agents, which will likely lead to increased wait times. So ask yourself before heading out to the airport: how much sanitizer do you really need?
Air travel is being upended by COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Today, Delta Air Lines announced that it will be reducing its flight capacity by 40 percent due to a drop-off in demand, marking the biggest reduction in operations in the airline’s history. Other airlines have cut back on flight schedules as well. Earlier this week, President Trump said the US would be temporarily restricting travel from Europe beginning on March 13th.


theverge--2020-03-13--Instagram cracks down on coronavirus AR effects

Instagram is attempting to stop the spread of misinformation about the novel coronavirus pandemic that ’ s surfacing through its @ @ @ @ @ an update to its AR creators Facebook group , the company wrote that it has @ @ @ @ @ will reject any pending requests for effects that claim to “ predict , diagnose , @ @ @ @ @ ” It ’ s also not allowing users to search for COVID-19 , the disease @ @ @ @ @ , AR effects on Instagram unless they were developed with a “ recognized health organization.
@ @ @ @ @ quizzed users on whether they have the virus or directly referenced panic-buying because of the @ @ @ @ @ effects , Instagram also directs people to reputable sources of information about the virus when @ @ @ @ @ In January , it started blocking and restricting hashtags that spread misinformation and began removing @ @ @ @ @ or prevention methods .

Instagram is attempting to stop the spread of misinformation about the novel coronavirus pandemic that’s surfacing through its augmented reality effects. In an update to its AR creators Facebook group, the company wrote that it has removed already-published AR effects and will reject any pending requests for effects that claim to “predict, diagnose, treat, or cure coronavirus.” It’s also not allowing users to search for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, AR effects on Instagram unless they were developed with a “recognized health organization.”


theverge--2020-03-14--Apple to close US retail stores and all others outside China until March 27th

Apple is temporary closing all of its retail stores “ outside of Greater China ” until March 27th , CEO Tim Cook announced in a letter posted on the company ’ s website late Friday night .
“ The most effective way to minimize risk of the virus ’ s transmission is to reduce density and maximize social distance , ” Cook wrote .
“ We are committed to providing exceptional service to our customers.
” The nationwide closure is among the first from a major retailer in the United States .
But this extends far beyond the US , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effective immediately — except for those in China .
Apple ’ s online store will remain operational ( as will the Apple Store app ) during the downtime for physical retail locations , and customers seeking customer support can visit support.apple.com to find authorized repair shops that remain open or arrange mail-in service .
“ The global spread of COVID-19 is affecting every one of us , ” Cook wrote .
“ At Apple , we are people first , and we do what we do with the belief that technology can change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a valuable tool in a moment like this.
” Employees affected by the stores closing up shop will still be paid .
Here ’ s what Cook said on that and other adjustments Apple is making to accommodate workers impacted by the virus : Apple ’ s “ committed donations ” to COVID-19 have reached $ 15 million , according to Cook , and the company will be “ matching our employee donations two-to-one to support COVID-19 response efforts locally , nationally and internationally.
” Like other large companies with a worldwide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work from home if their job allows for it .
Apple recently reopened the China stores it closed soon after the initial spread of the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 .
“ Though the rate of infections has dramatically declined , we know COVID-19 ’ s effects are still being strongly felt .
I want to express my deep gratitude to our team in China for their determination and spirit , ” Cook said in his note .
Earlier on Friday , Apple announced that WWDC 2020 will shift to an online-only experience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sessions — when the conference happens this June .
In that press release , Apple only mentioned the “ current health situation ” without addressing COVID-19 directly .
Cook struck a somber but hopeful tone to close his letter .
There is no mistaking the challenge of this moment .
The entire Apple family is indebted to the heroic first responders , doctors , nurses , researchers , public health experts and public servants globally who have given every ounce of their spirit to help the world meet this moment .
We do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greatest risk will be behind us .
And yet I have been inspired by the humanity and determination I have seen from all corners of our global community .
As President Lincoln said in a time of great adversity : “ The occasion is piled high with difficulty , and we must rise with the occasion .
As our case is new , so we must think anew , and act anew.
” That ’ s always how Apple has chosen to meet big challenges .
And it ’ s how we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too .
Apple operates some of the most high-profile retail stores in the world and ranks first in the US for highest sales per square foot .

There is no mistaking the challenge of this moment. The entire Apple family is indebted to the heroic first responders, doctors, nurses, researchers, public health experts and public servants globally who have given every ounce of their spirit to help the world meet this moment. We do not yet know with certainty when the greatest risk will be behind us.
And yet I have been inspired by the humanity and determination I have seen from all corners of our global community. As President Lincoln said in a time of great adversity: “The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew.”
That’s always how Apple has chosen to meet big challenges. And it’s how we’ll rise to meet this one, too.


theverge--2020-03-13--Disney bringing Frozen 2 to Disney Plus three months early amid coronavirus pandemic

Disney has decided to bring its incredibly popular Frozen 2 to its Disney Plus streaming service three months early “ surprising families with some fun and joy during this challenging period ” as the country fights the novel coronavirus pandemic .
“ Frozen 2 has captivated audiences around the world through its powerful themes of perseverance and the importance of family , messages that are incredibly relevant during this time , ” said Bob Chapek , Disney ’ s recently appointed CEO , in a press release .
Bringing Frozen 2 to Disney Plus at a time when more people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closing is also a chance for Disney to bolster additional subscribers .
Other streaming services like Netflix and Hulu ( also owned by Disney ) are likely to see an increase in time spent watching titles as people stay indoors .
Frozen 2 , which grossed $ 1.4 billion globally , setting a new record for an animated film , is a highly anticipated title for the Disney Plus subscribers .
“ Messages that are incredibly relevant during this time ” Questions about whether Disney could bring some of its anticipated titles , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Disney Plus also started circulating online after the studio announced both films theatrical releases were delayed .
Bringing Frozen 2 to Disney Plus three months earlier is much different than taking a movie like Mulan and making it a streaming exclusive .
Studios like Disney still earn an impressive return on investment when they release event-type movies like Mulan in theaters .
The global box office in 2019 alone saw $ 42.2 billion .
That ’ s the kind of money that no amount of streaming subscriptions can easily match .
This marks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a release window to bring a film to its streaming service .
In November , Disney announced that Avengers : Endgame would be a launch title alongside Disney Plus on November 12th .
Former CEO Bob Iger had previously told investors Endgame would be available to steam in December 2019 .
Kevin Mayer , Disney ’ s head of direct-to-consumer services , told press that it was a one-time occurrence where a movie still within its home release window was cut short .
Exceptions were made for Endgame due to Disney Plus ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only a few weeks left in the home release window anyway .
Three months is a much longer window , but shows Disney ’ s commitment to its streaming platform .
Frozen 2 will stream for US Disney Plus subscribers beginning March 15th .
International subscribers , including Canada , the Netherlands , Australia , and New Zealand will be able to on March 17th .

Disney has decided to bring its incredibly popular Frozen 2 to its Disney Plus streaming service three months early “surprising families with some fun and joy during this challenging period” as the country fights the novel coronavirus pandemic.
“Frozen 2 has captivated audiences around the world through its powerful themes of perseverance and the importance of family, messages that are incredibly relevant during this time,” said Bob Chapek, Disney’s recently appointed CEO, in a press release.
Bringing Frozen 2 to Disney Plus at a time when more people are working from home and schools are closing is also a chance for Disney to bolster additional subscribers. Other streaming services like Netflix and Hulu (also owned by Disney) are likely to see an increase in time spent watching titles as people stay indoors. Frozen 2, which grossed $1.4 billion globally, setting a new record for an animated film, is a highly anticipated title for the Disney Plus subscribers.
“Messages that are incredibly relevant during this time”
Questions about whether Disney could bring some of its anticipated titles, like Mulan and New Mutants, to Disney Plus also started circulating online after the studio announced both films theatrical releases were delayed. Bringing Frozen 2 to Disney Plus three months earlier is much different than taking a movie like Mulan and making it a streaming exclusive. Studios like Disney still earn an impressive return on investment when they release event-type movies like Mulan in theaters. The global box office in 2019 alone saw $42.2 billion. That’s the kind of money that no amount of streaming subscriptions can easily match.
This marks a rare occurrence where Disney has broken a release window to bring a film to its streaming service. In November, Disney announced that Avengers: Endgame would be a launch title alongside Disney Plus on November 12th. Former CEO Bob Iger had previously told investors Endgame would be available to steam in December 2019. Kevin Mayer, Disney’s head of direct-to-consumer services, told press that it was a one-time occurrence where a movie still within its home release window was cut short. Exceptions were made for Endgame due to Disney Plus’ launch.
That said, there were only a few weeks left in the home release window anyway. Three months is a much longer window, but shows Disney’s commitment to its streaming platform.
Frozen 2 is streaming on Disney Plus now for US subscribers. International subscribers, including Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, and New Zealand will be able to on March 17th.
Update (March 14th, 6:25pm ET): Disney brought Frozen 2 to Disney Plus in the United States earlier than previously announced. It’s live now. The story has been updated to reflect the changes.


theverge--2020-03-14--Apple puts restrictions on coronavirus-themed apps in its App Store

In an effort to ensure the “ credibility ” of health and safety information in its App Store , Apple @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus-focused apps , TechCrunch reports .
The company posted a note on its developer blog @ @ @ @ @ process for apps related to the virus .
“ We ’ re evaluating apps critically @ @ @ @ @ reputable and that developers presenting these apps are from recognized entities such as government organizations @ @ @ @ @ deeply credentialed in health issues , and medical or educational institutions , ” the post @ @ @ @ @ from one of these recognized entities should submit an app related to COVID-19.
” Apple @ @ @ @ @ and games that are COVID-19 or coronavirus-themed , the post states .
Developers should choose @ @ @ @ @ option when submitting a permissible COVID-19 related app to the App Store to expedite the @ @ @ @ @ focused on alleviating crisis situations .
Membership fees for non-profit organizations and government agencies developing @ @ @ @ @ will be waived , according to the post .

In an effort to ensure the “credibility” of health and safety information in its App Store, Apple is tightening requirements for all coronavirus-focused apps, TechCrunch reports. The company posted a note on its developer blog Saturday that outlines the review process for apps related to the virus.
“We’re evaluating apps critically to ensure data sources are reputable and that developers presenting these apps are from recognized entities such as government organizations, health-focused NGOs, companies deeply credentialed in health issues, and medical or educational institutions,” the post states. “Only developers from one of these recognized entities should submit an app related to COVID-19.”
Apple also is banning entertainment apps and games that are COVID-19 or coronavirus-themed, the post states.


theverge--2020-03-14--Apple Card holders in its Customer Assistance Program may be able to skip March payment

Apple Card customers may be able to skip their March payments without interest charges as long as they ’ re enrolled in its Customer Assistance Program according to 9to5Mac .
The company sent an email to some cardholders outlining the offer ( as first posted to the r/Apple board ) : We understand that the rapidly-evolving COVID-19 situation poses unique challenges for everyone and some customers may have difficulty making their monthly payments .
Apple Card is committed to helping you lead a healthier financial life .
Should you need assistance , please click here to be connected to Apple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our Customer Assistance Program , which will allow you to skip your March payment without incurring interest charges .
Apple Card , which is issued in partnership with Goldman Sachs , rolled out to users last August .
Some other credit cards have varied temporary relief programs for customers affected by the coronavirus pandemic ; just don ’ t assume you can forgo a payment without checking with your bank first .
Apple has made a number of adjustments to its business to adapt to the coronavirus outbreak .
On Friday , CEO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the company ’ s website that it would close all of its retail stores “ outside of Greater China ” until March 27th .
Also on Friday , Apple announced that WWDC 2020 in June would shift to an online-only experience — but still with a keynote and developer sessions .

We understand that the rapidly-evolving COVID-19 situation poses unique challenges for everyone and some customers may have difficulty making their monthly payments. Apple Card is committed to helping you lead a healthier financial life.
Should you need assistance, please click here to be connected to Apple Card support via Messages and enroll in our Customer Assistance Program, which will allow you to skip your March payment without incurring interest charges.


theverge--2020-03-14--Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is available to buy now, a few days earlier than expected

On top of bringing Frozen 2 to Disney Plus three months early , Disney is also making Star Wars : The Rise of Skywalker available to purchase a few days early .
The Rise of Skywalker is available to buy via digital retailers like iTunes and Amazon today ; it was originally scheduled to be released on Tuesday , March 17th .
The Rise of Skywalker will not be streaming on Disney Plus either today or Tuesday .
A Lucasfilm representative told The Verge there is no update on a Disney Plus streaming date at this time .
Much like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Skywalker earlier than expected is a smart business move for the company .
More people are spending time at home due to the spread of the novel coronavirus , including kids , teens , and adults .
Giving people a variety of titles to watch as they try to fill time could help Disney secure additional digital purchases and Disney Plus subscribers in the interim .
Disney has delayed the theatrical releases for three of its films — Mulan , New Mutants , and Antlers .
None of the films have new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real question now is whether The Rise of Skywalker is worth people ’ s time and money .
Our critic said “ there ’ s plenty of spectacle and space-fighting to keep The Rise of Skywalker entertaining , ” adding that “ minute to minute , it ’ s an enjoyable movie ” and “ at its brightest points , it captures Star Wars at its best.
” But it ’ s not perfect .
“ Abrams just hasn ’ t pared down the bombast enough to keep his story grounded — and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s strange to be left with as many new questions as resolutions.
” Still , if you ’ re home and looking for time to kill , Star Wars is never a bad idea .
The other Star Wars films are streaming on Disney Plus .

On top of bringing Frozen 2 to Disney Plus three months early, Disney is also making Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker available to purchase a few days early.
The Rise of Skywalker is available to buy via digital retailers like iTunes and Amazon today; it was originally scheduled to be released on Tuesday, March 17th. The Rise of Skywalker will not be streaming on Disney Plus either today or Tuesday. A Lucasfilm representative told The Verge there is no update on a Disney Plus streaming date at this time.
Much like Frozen 2, Disney releasing The Rise of Skywalker earlier than expected is a smart business move for the company. More people are spending time at home due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, including kids, teens, and adults. Giving people a variety of titles to watch as they try to fill time could help Disney secure additional digital purchases and Disney Plus subscribers in the interim. Disney has delayed the theatrical releases for three of its films — Mulan, New Mutants, and Antlers. None of the films have new release dates at this time.
The real question now is whether The Rise of Skywalker is worth people’s time and money. Our critic said “there’s plenty of spectacle and space-fighting to keep The Rise of Skywalker entertaining,” adding that “minute to minute, it’s an enjoyable movie” and “at its brightest points, it captures Star Wars at its best.” But it’s not perfect.
“Abrams just hasn’t pared down the bombast enough to keep his story grounded — and with the trilogy at its end, it’s strange to be left with as many new questions as resolutions.”
Still, if you’re home and looking for time to kill, Star Wars is never a bad idea. The other Star Wars films are streaming on Disney Plus.


theverge--2020-03-14--The White House still can’t explain what’s going on with the coronavirus screening website

The White House continued to give conflicting information Saturday about a website Google is supposedly building to help people determine whether and how to get a novel coronavirus test .
Vice President Mike Pence said during a briefing at the White House that an update would be available on Sunday , March 15th .
“ We will have very specific description about when the website will be available , when the parking lot sites will be available for people to be tested , ” Pence said in response to a reporter ’ s question .
“ We are working with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is best to roll those out.
” But later in the briefing , Pence was asked why Google was saying the site would be limited to the San Francisco Bay area .
“ They are planning to launch a website this coming Monday , March 16th that would enable individuals to do risk assessment and be scheduled for testing at testing sites in the Bay Area , with the goal of expanding to other locations , ” Pence said .
The objective is to have a website up very quickly for people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added , including Washington State , California , New York , Massachusetts and Florida .
Google itself has never said it would build a website , instead a sister company within its parent company Alphabet — Verily — is planning on building a pilot website just for the Bay Area .
Given how complicated Alphabet ’ s corporate structure is , it ’ s possible Pence was simply referring to Verily ’ s website .
We have reached out to Verily and Google for comment .
During a Friday press conference where he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump said Google was developing a website “ ... it ’ s going to be very quickly done , unlike websites of the past — to determine if a test is warranted and to facilitate testing at a nearby convenient location.
” He added that “ Google has 1,700 engineers working on this right now .
They have made tremendous progress.
” That was news to Google , which said a screening website made by Verily , a separate division under Google ’ s parent company Alphabet , was in the works , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people to testing facilities in the Bay Area and that a nationwide rollout was an aspiration , not an absolute plan .
Carolyn Wang , communications lead for Verily , told The Verge Friday evening that the “ triage website ” will only be able to direct people to “ pilot sites ” for testing in the Bay Area , with hopes of expanding it beyond California “ over time.
” During Saturday ’ s briefing , President Trump said he had taken a test for the coronavirus — despite saying previously that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was awaiting the results .
His temperature was “ totally normal ” today , he added .
Reporters in the briefing room said they had their temperatures taken before Trump and the rest of the task force entered the briefing room .
Wearing a “ USA ” baseball cap , Trump was asked why he decided to shake hands with some company executives who joined him in a press conference at the White House on Friday to declare a national emergency .
Health officials are advising people to avoid such contact to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it was a habit he picked up as a politician adding that “ getting away from shaking hands is a good thing.
” Pence also announced Saturday that the administration is planning to extend its travel restrictions to include Ireland and the UK , to take effect Monday at midnight .
President Trump had earlier announced that “ most foreign nationals ” who have been in 26 European countries would not be allowed to enter the US for 30 days .
The latest ban does not apply to US citizens , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a domestic travel ban for some “ hot spots .
”

The White House continued to give conflicting information Saturday about a website Google is supposedly building to help people determine whether and how to get a novel coronavirus test.
Vice President Mike Pence said during a briefing at the White House that an update would be available on Sunday, March 15th. “We will have very specific description about when the website will be available, when the parking lot sites will be available for people to be tested,” Pence said in response to a reporter’s question. “We are working with state and local communities to determine where it is best to roll those out.”
The new coronavirus is spreading through the US, and several states have made emergency declarations. The World Health Organization has declared it a pandemic. Here are the basics: Everything you need to know about the coronavirus
But later in the briefing, Pence was asked why Google was saying the site would be limited to the San Francisco Bay area. “They are planning to launch a website this coming Monday, March 16th that would enable individuals to do risk assessment and be scheduled for testing at testing sites in the Bay Area, with the goal of expanding to other locations,” Pence said.
The objective is to have a website up very quickly for people in areas most deeply impacted, Pence added, including Washington State, California, New York, Massachusetts and Florida.
Google itself has never said it would build a website, instead a sister company within its parent company Alphabet — Verily — is planning on building a pilot website just for the Bay Area. Given how complicated Alphabet’s corporate structure is, it’s possible Pence was simply referring to Verily’s website. We have reached out to Verily and Google for comment.
During a Friday press conference where he declared a state of emergency, President Trump said Google was developing a website “...it’s going to be very quickly done, unlike websites of the past — to determine if a test is warranted and to facilitate testing at a nearby convenient location.” He added that “Google has 1,700 engineers working on this right now. They have made tremendous progress.”
That was news to Google, which said a screening website made by Verily, a separate division under Google’s parent company Alphabet, was in the works, but would only be able to direct people to testing facilities in the Bay Area and that a nationwide rollout was an aspiration, not an absolute plan.
Carolyn Wang, communications lead for Verily, told The Verge Friday evening that the “triage website” will only be able to direct people to “pilot sites” for testing in the Bay Area, with hopes of expanding it beyond California “over time.”
During Saturday’s briefing, President Trump said he had taken a test for the coronavirus — despite saying previously that he did not think he needed one— and was awaiting the results. On Saturday, the White House reported Trump had tested negative for the virus. Reporters in the briefing room said they had their temperatures taken before Trump and the rest of the task force entered the briefing room.
Wearing a “USA” baseball cap, Trump was asked why he decided to shake hands with some company executives who joined him in a press conference at the White House on Friday to declare a national emergency. Health officials are advising people to avoid such contact to prevent spread of the virus. He said it was a habit he picked up as a politician adding that “getting away from shaking hands is a good thing.”
Pence also announced Saturday that the administration is planning to extend its travel restrictions to include Ireland and the UK, to take effect Monday at midnight. President Trump had earlier announced that “most foreign nationals” who have been in 26 European countries would not be allowed to enter the US for 30 days. The latest ban does not apply to US citizens, but Trump said the White House was considering a domestic travel ban for some “hot spots.”


theverge--2020-03-14--Coronavirus relief bill passes House, but will wait days for a Senate vote

A coronavirus relief package passed the House 363-40-1 early Saturday , after hours of negotiations between Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin .
The bill drew unanimous support from Democratic legislators and mixed support from Republicans .
Rep. Justin Amash ( I-MI ) , an independent , cast the lone abstaining vote .
The legislation includes provisions for two weeks of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid leave for workers affected by the virus , giving small and mid-sized businesses a tax credit to pay for the benefits .
It also provides additional funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as free coronavirus testing for patients deemed in need of a test .
The bill has been endorsed by President Trump and is likely to pass the Senate once the chamber is back in session .
However , many in Congress are worried that the Senate isn ’ t voting on the bill quickly enough .
The chamber has been in recess since Thursday , and won ’ t reconvene until Monday .
The number of cases of the virus continues to climb across the country and test kits are still widely unavailable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for an emergency session to vote on the bill .
“ For the Senate to take a vote on the House sick leave bill this weekend ( and we must ) , McConnell needs to call us back into session right now , ” tweeted Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut .
“ Senators need to get on flights back to DC today.
” Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii tweeted “ Leader McConnell has us out of session from Thursday evening until Monday evening .
Time is of the essence .
Let ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement to House Democrats that while her party could have passed the bill without Republican support — given the Democrats ’ House majority — she wanted the two parties to show they could “ work together to manage this crisis.
” Trump tweeted his support for the deal shortly after the House vote .
“ This Bill will follow my direction for free CoronaVirus tests , and paid sick leave for our impacted American workers , ” the president tweeted .
“ Look forward to signing the final Bill , ASAP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday exactly when the Senate would vote on the legislation , but Majority Leader Mitch McConnell already had canceled a Senate recess scheduled for this week .
McConnell had expressed misgivings about earlier versions of the legislation , saying the first draft was “ off base ” and didn ’ t “ focus immediate relief on affected Americans.
” On Saturday morning , however , McConnell said he expected the bill to pass the Senate .
“ I believe the vast majority of Senators in both parties will agree we should act swiftly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ families , and small businesses , ” he wrote in a prepared statement .
President Trump declared a national emergency over the coronavirus on Friday .

A coronavirus relief package passed the House 363-40-1 early Saturday, after hours of negotiations between Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin. The bill drew unanimous support from Democratic legislators and mixed support from Republicans. Rep. Justin Amash (I-MI), an independent, cast the lone abstaining vote.
The legislation includes provisions for two weeks of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid leave for workers affected by the virus, giving small and mid-sized businesses a tax credit to pay for the benefits. It also provides additional funding for state Medicaid programs, as well as free coronavirus testing for patients deemed in need of a test.
The bill has been endorsed by President Trump and is likely to pass the Senate once the chamber is back in session.
The new coronavirus is spreading through the US, and several states have made emergency declarations. The World Health Organization has declared it a pandemic. Here are the basics: Everything you need to know about the coronavirus
However, many in Congress are worried that the Senate isn’t voting on the bill quickly enough. The chamber has been in recess since Thursday, and won’t reconvene until Monday. The number of cases of the virus continues to climb across the country and test kits are still widely unavailable — leading some Democratic Senators to call for an emergency session to vote on the bill.
“For the Senate to take a vote on the House sick leave bill this weekend (and we must), McConnell needs to call us back into session right now,” tweeted Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut. “Senators need to get on flights back to DC today.”
Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii tweeted “Leader McConnell has us out of session from Thursday evening until Monday evening. Time is of the essence. Let’s get this done now.”
Pelosi said in a statement to House Democrats that while her party could have passed the bill without Republican support — given the Democrats’ House majority — she wanted the two parties to show they could “work together to manage this crisis.”
Trump tweeted his support for the deal shortly after the House vote. “This Bill will follow my direction for free CoronaVirus tests, and paid sick leave for our impacted American workers,” the president tweeted. “Look forward to signing the final Bill, ASAP!”
It wasn’t clear Saturday exactly when the Senate would vote on the legislation, but Majority Leader Mitch McConnell already had canceled a Senate recess scheduled for this week. McConnell had expressed misgivings about earlier versions of the legislation, saying the first draft was “off base” and didn’t “focus immediate relief on affected Americans.”
On Saturday morning, however, McConnell said he expected the bill to pass the Senate. “I believe the vast majority of Senators in both parties will agree we should act swiftly to secure relief for American workers, families, and small businesses,” he wrote in a prepared statement.


theverge--2020-03-14--9 new trailers you should watch this week

If the world weren ’ t on lockdown , I ’ d suggest you all go out to see First Cow , which just came out last weekend .
It ’ s the latest movie from Kelly Reichardt , and despite the hilariously simple title , it ’ s a really great film .
It can be loosely described as a heist movie about stealing milk from a cow , but it ’ s also about friendship , capitalism , and delicious fried oily cakes .
One of the really neat things the movie does is spoil the ending right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( I won ’ t spoil what that ending is here , even though it ’ s technically not a spoiler since it happens five minutes in . )
I can ’ t remember seeing another movie do anything exactly like this .
TV shows , like Breaking Bad , have often teased out climatic moments ( which I never liked ) , but First Cow telegraphs where it ’ s going in a way that actually amplifies the tension .
You know a certain event is coming .
The questions are when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happen .
Since you probably aren ’ t going to the theaters anytime soon , I ’ ll just point out that some other excellent films from Reichardt are available on popular streaming platforms .
Night Moves , a thriller about eco-terrorism , is on Amazon , and Meek ’ s Cutoff , which is about a band of settlers lost in the desert , is on Amazon and Hulu .
Check out nine trailers from this week below .
Pixar ’ s next film looks like it could be one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The movie has Jamie Foxx voicing a jazz player who suddenly dies and whose soul then attempts to make its way back to Earth to keep on living .
It comes out on June 19th .
Somehow , Spike Jonze hasn ’ t made a feature since Her , but he ’ s finally back with this Beastie Boys documentary , which is heading to Apple TV Plus .
Jonze is a longtime collaborator of the band ’ s , and this documentary seems like a fittingly sweet look at the trio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes to some theaters on April 2nd before hitting Apple TV Plus on April 24th .
I ’ m pretty sure at one point in this trailer , The Rock charges at and tackles an attacking leopard .
It ’ s ridiculous , but that ’ s the point — Jungle Cruise looks like a plenty fun Disney adventure film with big characters , big settings , and big stakes .
It comes out on July 24th .
Here ’ s the final trailer for Marvel ’ s long-awaited Black Widow solo movie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a spotlight on Florence Pugh ’ s character , and it , of course , includes plenty of action .
The movie comes out on May 1st .
Apple TV Plus has a new animated comedy coming up from the creator of Bob ’ s Burgers .
Putting a twist on this one : it ’ s also filled with musical numbers .
It premieres on May 29th .
Eric Andre teamed up with one of the creators of Jackass for this mashup between a road-trip comedy and a ridiculous prank show .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ work , but stitching the pranks together with a loose narrative seems like an interesting idea .
It comes out on April 17th .
It ’ s hard for a show about a kid journalist not to look a little cheesy , but Home Before Dark is inspired by the actual exploits of Hilde Lysiak who became famous for breaking news of a murder when she was nine years old .
It comes to Apple TV Plus on April 3rd .
HBO has a mysterious new miniseries coming up that tells two separate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , it turns out , they ’ re unable to escape from .
Jude Law and Naomie Harris star .
It debuts on May 11th .
All I have to say is , in a recent CNN article on the subject of this documentary , his attempted hiring of a hitman to kill a rival is not even the first thing that gets mentioned .

If the world weren’t on lockdown, I’d suggest you all go out to see First Cow, which just came out last weekend. It’s the latest movie from Kelly Reichardt, and despite the hilariously simple title, it’s a really great film. It can be loosely described as a heist movie about stealing milk from a cow, but it’s also about friendship, capitalism, and delicious fried oily cakes.
One of the really neat things the movie does is spoil the ending right at the start of the film. (I won’t spoil what that ending is here, even though it’s technically not a spoiler since it happens five minutes in.) I can’t remember seeing another movie do anything exactly like this. TV shows, like Breaking Bad, have often teased out climatic moments (which I never liked), but First Cow telegraphs where it’s going in a way that actually amplifies the tension. You know a certain event is coming. The questions are when and how it’s going to happen.
Since you probably aren’t going to the theaters anytime soon, I’ll just point out that some other excellent films from Reichardt are available on popular streaming platforms. Night Moves, a thriller about eco-terrorism, is on Amazon, and Meek’s Cutoff, which is about a band of settlers lost in the desert, is on Amazon and Hulu.
Check out nine trailers from this week below.
Soul
Pixar’s next film looks like it could be one of the studio’s best in a while. The movie has Jamie Foxx voicing a jazz player who suddenly dies and whose soul then attempts to make its way back to Earth to keep on living. It comes out on June 19th.
Beastie Boys Story
Somehow, Spike Jonze hasn’t made a feature since Her, but he’s finally back with this Beastie Boys documentary, which is heading to Apple TV Plus. Jonze is a longtime collaborator of the band’s, and this documentary seems like a fittingly sweet look at the trio’s rise and friendship. It comes to some theaters on April 2nd before hitting Apple TV Plus on April 24th.
Jungle Cruise
I’m pretty sure at one point in this trailer, The Rock charges at and tackles an attacking leopard. It’s ridiculous, but that’s the point — Jungle Cruise looks like a plenty fun Disney adventure film with big characters, big settings, and big stakes. It comes out on July 24th.
Black Widow
Here’s the final trailer for Marvel’s long-awaited Black Widow solo movie. This final trailer puts more of a spotlight on Florence Pugh’s character, and it, of course, includes plenty of action. The movie comes out on May 1st.
Central Park
Apple TV Plus has a new animated comedy coming up from the creator of Bob’s Burgers. Putting a twist on this one: it’s also filled with musical numbers. It premieres on May 29th.
Bad Trip
Eric Andre teamed up with one of the creators of Jackass for this mashup between a road-trip comedy and a ridiculous prank show. Who knows how well the pairing will work, but stitching the pranks together with a loose narrative seems like an interesting idea. It comes out on April 17th.
Home Before Dark
It’s hard for a show about a kid journalist not to look a little cheesy, but Home Before Dark is inspired by the actual exploits of Hilde Lysiak who became famous for breaking news of a murder when she was nine years old. It comes to Apple TV Plus on April 3rd.
The Third Day
HBO has a mysterious new miniseries coming up that tells two separate stories about outsiders coming to an island that, it turns out, they’re unable to escape from. Jude Law and Naomie Harris star. It debuts on May 11th.
Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness


theverge--2020-03-14--Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma to donate coronavirus test kits and masks to the US

Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma says he is donating 500,000 coronavirus testing kits and one million protective face masks to the United States , Reuters reports .
The Chinese billionaire already has pledged 2 million protective masks to European countries .
A first shipment of test kits , medical supplies and 500,000 masks intended for Italy , which has been hard-hit by the virus , arriving at Liege Airport in Belgium late Friday .
“ The pandemic we face today can no longer be resolved by any individual country , ” Ma said in a statement posted to Twitter .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unless we eliminate boundaries to resources and share our know-how and hard-earned lessons.
” The US has lagged behind other countries testing for the coronavirus .
Ma started Alibaba in 1999 and helped grow it into a $ 420 billion business .
His estimated net worth is around $ 37 billion .
President Trump on Friday declared a national emergency over the coronavirus , which the World Health Organization declared is a pandemic .
Italy has been among the countries hardest hit by the virus , with the Italian government putting the entire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Saturday morning , 2,195 people in the US had tested positive for the coronavirus .

Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma says he is donating 500,000 coronavirus testing kits and one million protective face masks to the United States, Reuters reports. The Chinese billionaire already has pledged 2 million protective masks to European countries. A first shipment of test kits, medical supplies and 500,000 masks intended for Italy, which has been hard-hit by the virus, arriving at Liege Airport in Belgium late Friday.
“The pandemic we face today can no longer be resolved by any individual country,” Ma said in a statement posted to Twitter. “We can’t beat this virus unless we eliminate boundaries to resources and share our know-how and hard-earned lessons.” The US has lagged behind other countries testing for the coronavirus.
Ma started Alibaba in 1999 and helped grow it into a $420 billion business. His estimated net worth is around $37 billion.
President Trump on Friday declared a national emergency over the coronavirus, which the World Health Organization declared is a pandemic. Italy has been among the countries hardest hit by the virus, with the Italian government putting the entire country on lockdown last week.


theverge--2020-03-14--Joe Biden’s first virtual town hall was an absolute technical nightmare

When I logged onto Joe Biden ’ s first-ever virtual town hall , I was greeted with one Illinois senator adjusting the angle of her webcam and another showing off an adorable ( but screaming ) baby in an oddly intimate video call before the former vice president even appeared onscreen .
What was at first an awkwardly silent video conference evolved into a complete technical nightmare that resulted in Biden sounding as if he was screaming in TV static for the first few minutes of the event .
Friday night ’ s town hall wasn ’ t even supposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , the last two major Democratic primary candidates , Biden and Bernie Sanders , were forced to cancel some campaign events because of the coronavirus pandemic .
State officials across the country started banning large gatherings , like rallies , for fear of spreading the disease .
Still , rallies remain an important part of any presidential campaign , and Biden ’ s team tried to mitigate the threat by hosting a public Zoom call for supporters to join and ask questions .
Unfortunately , it completely missed the mark .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the beginning .
First , it began over three hours late .
Once Biden did start speaking , his staff had to restart his entire speech because there was no audio , fading his campaign logo in and back out again to signify that they were redoing the address .
As he started reading off his prepared remarks again , Biden ’ s audio was suddenly painful to hear and impossible to understand , at least until they replaced whatever mic he was using with a smartphone .
After his opening address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was — staff opened the call up to questions .
“ Mr .
Biden ’ s speech was garbled the entire time , ” the first questioner said before being cut off .
A staffer responded saying , “ We appreciate you bearing with our technical difficulties.
” Then , they quickly clicked on to the next questioner .
It was a few more seconds of dead air and another supporter who seemingly couldn ’ t unmute themselves before the town hall got its first real question .
Toward the end of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answering supporters .
One time , his staff cut off the camera feed entirely because he walked so far out of frame .
“ Am I on camera ?
” Biden said once during the event .
Campaign staff also said that the call would be viewable over Facebook Live .
That Facebook stream went up late and lasted around four minutes before going dark .
Facebook viewers took note of the video and audio problems , with one commenting , “ Joe , you need a new technical team .
They ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s first-ever virtual town hall was a sorry first sign for the future of digital campaigning , something that will become ever more important as the presidential race heats up and coronavirus spreads across the country .
As more and more of our lives move online over the next few weeks , political campaigns will need to come up with creative solutions to fill the gaps of face-to-face events .
Hopefully the Biden campaign and others can get it together before November , or at least until the pandemic fades .

When I logged onto Joe Biden’s first-ever virtual town hall, I was greeted with one Illinois senator adjusting the angle of her webcam and another showing off an adorable (but screaming) baby in an oddly intimate video call before the former vice president even appeared onscreen. What was at first an awkwardly silent video conference evolved into a complete technical nightmare that resulted in Biden sounding as if he was screaming in TV static for the first few minutes of the event.
Friday night’s town hall wasn’t even supposed to take place online. Earlier this week, the last two major Democratic primary candidates, Biden and Bernie Sanders, were forced to cancel some campaign events because of the coronavirus pandemic. State officials across the country started banning large gatherings, like rallies, for fear of spreading the disease. Still, rallies remain an important part of any presidential campaign, and Biden’s team tried to mitigate the threat by hosting a public Zoom call for supporters to join and ask questions. Unfortunately, it completely missed the mark.
The Zoom call was plagued with technical problems from the beginning. First, it began over three hours late. Once Biden did start speaking, his staff had to restart his entire speech because there was no audio, fading his campaign logo in and back out again to signify that they were redoing the address. As he started reading off his prepared remarks again, Biden’s audio was suddenly painful to hear and impossible to understand, at least until they replaced whatever mic he was using with a smartphone.
After his opening address was finished — as unintelligible as it was — staff opened the call up to questions. “Mr. Biden’s speech was garbled the entire time,” the first questioner said before being cut off.
A staffer responded saying, “We appreciate you bearing with our technical difficulties.” Then, they quickly clicked on to the next questioner. It was a few more seconds of dead air and another supporter who seemingly couldn’t unmute themselves before the town hall got its first real question. Toward the end of the call, Biden started moving offscreen while answering supporters. One time, his staff cut off the camera feed entirely because he walked so far out of frame. “Am I on camera?” Biden said once during the event.
“Am I on camera?”
Campaign staff also said that the call would be viewable over Facebook Live. That Facebook stream went up late and lasted around four minutes before going dark. Facebook viewers took note of the video and audio problems, with one commenting, “Joe, you need a new technical team. They’re making you look bad…”
Biden’s first-ever virtual town hall was a sorry first sign for the future of digital campaigning, something that will become ever more important as the presidential race heats up and coronavirus spreads across the country. As more and more of our lives move online over the next few weeks, political campaigns will need to come up with creative solutions to fill the gaps of face-to-face events.