Where Art Thou, CDC? Plus, We're Cryin' Over Lost Sports

Also, no more teleconferencing blunders while working from home!

by Jill Hudson and Suzette Lohmeyer Welcome to The New Normal, NPR’s daily newsletter about the coronavirus pandemic. We hope this newsletter provides useful information to help get us through whatever comes next. Today is the last day you will automatically receive this newsletter, so please subscribe by clicking here. Hang in there, friends. We’re in this together. — Jill and Suzette Well, that celebration didn’t last very long. There are reports of last-minute objections to the massive coronavirus aid package that President Trump had been expected to sign to help Americans and businesses poleaxed by the disaster. The White House held an evening briefing on Wednesday to address the issue.  Speaking of uncertainty, many people want to know where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has gone. The country's foremost agency for fighting infectious disease outbreaks has recently gone conspicuously silent and hasn’t held a press briefing in two weeks. In past health emergencies, the CDC has provided specific data on an epidemic as well as the best-known strategies for mitigation and containment. Attention all you WFH readers! We don't want to be unreasonably tough here, but you've had enough time to get used to the teleworking thing. So, enough with the embarrassing blunders on Slack or Zoom, including going to the bathroom while your webcam is on (yes, that did actually happen). How about a little video conferencing etiquette primer to help save your professional reputation? (Listening time, 2:50) Time for a weird confession. Some of us actually miss sports news more than we miss watching games (okay, maybe this is a Jill thing). NPR’s David Folkenflik has a timely look at how cable giant ESPN is faring without live sports. And for those of us who miss actual games (“I miss you, Nats!” says Suzette), here's a list of classic sports moments with enough dunks, jukes, chokes, wiffles, steals, homers and Hail Marys to get your fix. (The Ringer)   Courtesy of Instagram One of the more unsettling byproducts of the growing COVID-19 pandemic in the United States is the rampant harassment of Asians and Asian Americans. Actress and comedian Awkwafina called for sanity and calm on Monday in a viral Instagram post. And NPR's Code Switch podcast recently dug into the ugly history of camouflaging xenophobia and racism as public health and hygiene concerns in the U.S. (Listen to the podcast here).    Wednesday’s Coronavirus Daily podcast looks at the details of the largest stimulus plan in American history. Plus, NPR's Ayesha Rascoe reports on the confusion about the Trump administration's use of the Federal Defense Production Act, and how one ER doctor in Seattle is coping on the front lines of the pandemic. (Listening time, 12:22)   WHAT ELSE WE’RE READING One of Atlanta’s most famous strip clubs, Magic City, has shut down because of the pandemic. But you can't keep people away from the champagne room! So club owners have moved the (virtual) party online (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution).  Historian John M. Barry talks to David Remnick about the Spanish flu of 1918 (The New Yorker). The American Library Association (ALA) wants to turn the nation’s 16,557 public libraries into free broadband WiFi hotspots (Vice/Motherboard). By now you’ve probably realized that resisting the urge to play video games is a fool’s errand. Here’s a list of good ones for a coronavirus lockdown (Slate).  Drive-in theaters are having a moment thanks to the coronavirus outbreak (The Los Angeles Times). OUR MOMENT OF GOODNESS Today’s three-minute escape pod is brought to you by the great Nancy Wilson. Her peerless rendition of Ray Noble's "The Very Thought Of You" is Auntie Nancy at the height of her powers: VOCAL! CONTROL!, beautiful pitch and a killer black dress. What are you watching, listening to or following these days that gives you a bit of joy? Drop us a line at TheNewNormal@npr.org with suggestions. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: thenewnormal@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Daily News, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Best of NPR emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy