The Daily Dive

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Whole Family Getting Tested Before That Thanksgiving Gathering? It's Not a Safety Guarantee From the Virus Nov 19, 2020

Show notes

Thinking of getting tested before Thanksgiving? Be careful if you’re planning the… everyone-has-gotten-tested approach to getting together with family at Thanksgiving. Getting a negative test doesn’t clear you from continuing to wear masks or social distance. While this approach can be used as a form of risk reduction, it is not a guarantee of safety from the virus. Quarantining can also help, but they day is quickly approaching. Christie Aschwanden, reporter at Wired, joins us for more.

Next, Boeing’s 737 Max has been given approval by the FAA to fly passengers again. The plane had been grounded for 20 months after two crashes killed 346 people. There was an issue with an automated flight control system which would point the plane down despite pilots trying to override it. All the issues have been resolved, but because of the pandemic customer orders for the planes have been cancelled or deferred. Leslie Josephs, aviation reporter at CNBC, joins us for the return of the 737 Max.

Finally, coronavirus is still running rampant across the country as the death count in the U.S. is now over 250,000. Thanksgiving is approaching and public health experts have urged caution over large gatherings. One more point of caution, more than 3 million people are estimated to be contagious with the coronavirus according to new models by epidemiologists at Columbia University. Joel Achenbach, science reporter at the Washington Post, joins us for why this estimate is so much higher than the official case count.

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With Coronavirus Cases Rising, What Will the Economic Fallout Be of More Lockdowns? Nov 18, 2020

Show notes

There is a lot of talk about a new round of lockdowns as the country sees increased cases of coronavirus. Some states have already imposed more restrictions on businesses as we wade into all too familiar territory, and the focus again turns to what Congress can do to help individuals and businesses with more stimulus to get through more closures. Courtenay Brown, markets reporter at Axios, joins us for what could be the economic fallout of lockdown 2.0.

Next, Vice President Mike Pence faces an uncertain future as the Trump administration will soon have to make its way out. Pence does have presidential ambitions of running in 2024, but if President Trump wants to run again, he will have to take a backseat. Pence has been relatively quiet since the election, but will emerge soon to boost Republican senators in Georgia headed to a runoff. Gabby Orr, White House reporter at Politico, joins us for what Mike Pence’s next moves could be.

Finally, it’s not only economic effects to worry about if more lockdowns are imposed, the emotional burden is also an important factor in people’s lives. A recent study out of New Zealand, which had a severe lockdown, shows that the emotional cost was far greater for those with previous mental health problems and also younger people. John Timmer, senior science editor at Ars Technica, joins us for why it’s important to keep the emotional toll of lockdowns in mind.

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Moderna Vaccine Candidate Is 94.5% Effective Against COVID Nov 17, 2020

Show notes

More great vaccine news this week as Moderna has said that their vaccine candidate appears to be 94.5% effective against COVID-19. Similar to the Pfizer candidate, Moderna’s vaccine also uses mRNA to target the spike protein of the virus. The other good news is that this one can be stored at standard refrigerator temperature for a month before being used, which will make it easier to ship and store. Karen Weintraub, health reporter at USA Today, joins us for more.

Next, Covid cases are surging in the U.S. and Europe and as a result we are seeing a new wave of lockdowns, but officials are struggling to identify where people are getting infected. Most people are being infected at home, but because contact tracing efforts are pretty much a failure right now, it is hard to trace where the infections are originating. Matthew Dalton, Paris correspondent at the WSJ, joins us for how it’s still difficult to pinpoint how everyone keeps getting sick.

Finally, winter is coming and it’s time to start thinking about stocking your pantry to avoid any panic buying later on. And because of the uncertainty, you should think like a survivalist when it comes to shopping. Take inventory of what you need, plan how you will store your supplies, and think of shelf stable food and canned goods. Tim MacWelch, survival expert and contributor to Outdoor Life, joins us with tips on building a pantry that will last.

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Trump Still Resisting the Outcome of the Election and States Preparing for Vaccine Distribution Nov 16, 2020

Show notes

President Trump continues to refuse to concede and maintains that the election was stolen from him. Despite any real evidence, the new line of attack is over voting machines that they say were switching votes to Joe Biden. Rudy Giuliani has now been put in charge of challenging the outcome of the election. Meanwhile, coronavirus is at the top of President-elect Joe Biden's to-do list. He is facing questions about whether he would support a national lockdown after a member of his covid advisory board had suggested one. Ginger Gibson, deputy Washibngton digital editor at NBC News, joins us to break it all down.

Next, after some good news last week about Pfizer's vaccine candidate, everyone is looking toward the next steps, how to distribute it to the country. There's still plenty of time to work out the kinks, but many states are not ready to get it out, especially in rural areas. The Pfizer vaccine is unusually difficult to ship and store, it must be kept in super cold temperatures and has a short shelf life after being opened. The military will help ship the vaccine to states, but once they get delivered, it is up to the states to distribute. Issac Arnsdorf, reporter at ProPublica, joins us for the challenges states are facing in distributing the leading vaccine candidate.

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Biden Faces Difficulty During Transition Period and Mark Esper Fired as Secretary of Defense Nov 15, 2020

Show notes

This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

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Pfizer's Coronavirus Vaccine 90% Effective, Biden Releases His Plan for COVID-19 Pandemic, Moms Quit Jobs Due to Online Schooling Nov 14, 2020

Show notes

This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

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Defense Secretary Mark Esper Fired by President Trump Nov 13, 2020

Show notes

Big shakeup at the Pentagon this week as President Trump fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper and three other top Pentagon officials were also replaced. The exit had been expected for months as the relationship between Esper and the White House deteriorated. Esper had his first public break with the president when he wanted to use active duty troops in D.C. to put down violent protests after the death of George Floyd. Meghann Myers, Pentagon bureau chief at the Military Times, had a conversation with the former Defense Secretary and tell us why he said he was no yes man.

Next, the FDA this week gave the emergency use authorization to Eli Lilly for their monoclonal antibody Covid treatment. It is similar to the treatment that President Trump received when he was sick and is aimed at keeping mild cases from turning more serious. The process of getting this treatment developed and approved was difficult in that the company also had to deal with the pandemic at the same time. They had to trim down their staff, work remotely in some cases, and the chief of the lab had to use a robot with an iPad attached to it so he can patrol the lab. Peter Loftus, health care reporter at the WSJ, joins us for how Eli Lilly got it done.

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Coronavirus Cases and Hospitalizations Reaching New Records Nov 12, 2020

Show notes

Cases of coronavirus continue to surge across the country and records are being set. Texas jut became the first state to hit one million cases and the country set a record Tuesday for the amount of hospitalizations. That is a particular concerning point especially in rural areas where they have fewer intensive care beds and sometimes have to transfer patients. Melanie Evans, hospital reporter at the WSJ, joins us for record hospitalizations.

Next, President Trump still refuses to concede the election and it is holding up the Biden transition. Despite no evidence of widespread fraud, 70% of Republicans say they don’t believe the election was free or fair. And now some Republican Party officials and leaders are also joining the call that the elections were stolen. David Siders, national political reporter at Politico, joins us for more.

Finally, when it comes to jobs, women have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. More than 2 million women have dropped out of the labor force as of October and one of the big reasons is that virtual schooling is causing moms to quit. Having to make tough decisions about paying for childcare or working, many women with school age children are staying home. Heather Long, economics correspondent at the Washington Post, joins us for how the pandemic has hit working women.

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How the Joe Biden Administration Plans to Tackle the Coronavirus Pandemic Nov 11, 2020

Show notes

How will the country’s response to the coronavirus pandemic change now that Joe Biden will come into power? The Biden-Harris campaign has already announced a Covid advisory board, with a plan that includes more of a national strategy. This means more testing, a national mask mandate, and possibility of more lockdowns which no one wants. Biden would also like to see the CDC more involved and repair the relationship with the WHO. Noah Higgins-Dunn, reporter at CNBC, joins us for what the Biden coronavirus plan is all about.

Next, President Trump has refused to concede and has numerous lawsuits hoping to overturn the outcome of the election. Meanwhile, the White House has ordered different agencies not to cooperate with the Biden transition team until the General Services Administration confirms the election. This office needs to sign paperwork that would release funds to the transition team and allow them to begin getting briefings from government offices. Lisa Rein, national reporter at the Washington Post, joins us for how the GSA is holding up the transition.

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Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate 90% Effective in Early Data Nov 10, 2020

Show notes

Great news on the vaccine front! Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate has been shown to be 90% effective in early findings. The Pfizer vaccine is a two-shot protocol given three weeks apart. They are still waiting on more data, but could possibly apply for emergency use authorization before the end of November. Karen Weintraub, health reporter at USA Today, joins us for what to know about the latest vaccine news.

Next, it was a crazy election week, but probably the most hectic for the nation’s vote counters. While the rest of the country was waiting anxiously to see which candidate would be elected president, these vote counters worked day and night, amid hecklers, protesters and allegations of fraud. Some even endured physical threats and online harassment. Amy Gardner, national political reporter at the Washington Post, joins us for more.

Finally, local governments are raising concern over using rapid response antigen tests on asymptomatic people. Louisiana, one of the first states to receive shipments from the U.S. government, said that these tests aren’t recommended for those that may be asymptomatic because they can return false positives or miss it completely if someone has a small viral load. Emma Court, health reporter at Bloomberg News, joins us for the caution around rapid Covid tests.

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