Today, Explained

President Trump wants to reopen the country yesterday. Bioethicist Zeke Emanuel, who served as a health policy advisor to former President Obama, offers a safe path. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The United States Postal Service is on the brink of collapse. Vox's Matthew Yglesias explains how and why the country should save it. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Essential workers in the food, transportation, and retail industries are being called American heroes. They want to be paid as such. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Friend of the show Ezra Klein speaks to Sen. Elizabeth Warren about several plans she has proposed to combat this pandemic. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Coronavirus has led to another pandemic: social isolation. Vox’s Ezra Klein says this sickness has a cure. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While a few religious leaders flout shelter in place ordinances, Easter, Passover, and Ramadan are inspiring most to get creative with worship. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wisconsinites had to choose between catching Covid-19 and voting on Tuesday. Is the rest of the country next? (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Madonna was wrong. Covid-19 isn't an equalizer. It's coming for America's most vulnerable populations. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A vaccine will take a while, but Vox’s Umair Irfan says the global effort to test for immunity and treat Covid-19 is well underway. (An earlier version of this episode misidentified hydroxychloroquine as an active ingredient in aquarium cleaner. That's chloroquine phosphate.) (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In an about-face, the Centers for Disease Control would now like you to cover your mouth and nose when you go outside. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last week's unemployment numbers shattered all records. This week, they doubled. Vox's Matthew Yglesias, host of The Weeds podcast, proposes a way out of this mess. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Arthur Longworth calls Sean from Washington State Reformatory to explain what it's like to serve a life sentence at a prison where the coronavirus is spreading. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Part rally, part media-bashing, part critical updates on the coronavirus crisis, President Trump's daily press briefings are muddying the message. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Vox's Reset podcast Ed Yong from The Atlantic explains how a little spiky ball called SARS-CoV2 brought the world to its knees. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's show, more listener questions: Why isn't everyone social distancing? Will I be immune after I get it? When will this end? My anxiety is spiking!(Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Atlantic's James Hamblin explains why America has a critical shortage of medical supplies. New York City ER doctor Calvin Sun says, “It’s like a lottery that we don’t want to play, but we’re forced to play.” (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Congress has settled on an historic stimulus package, but Ezra Klein is worried it might not be enough. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore managed to contain Covid-19, but now things look less promising. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vox's Julia Belluz went from covering the global coronavirus pandemic to giving birth in the middle of it. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's show, we answer listener questions: Why is there no TP? Will we run out of food? Can I get the virus from sex? How can I help? (Transcript here.) An earlier version of this episode featured a section that could have been misconstrued as legal advice. It has been removed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices