After SCOTUS Decision, The Future Of Abortion Rights; Mask Mandates

On Monday, the Supreme Court issued a major decision on access to abortion. The court struck down a Louisiana law that required doctors who perform abortions at clinics to also have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. NPR’s Sarah McCammon reported from the clinic at the center of the case last year.

With coronavirus cases surging in North Carolina, officials issued a statewide mandate for face coverings, and are hiring bilingual contact tracers to work with the state’s Latinx community.

Warehouses are a big source of temporary jobs in New Jersey, especially for undocumented immigrants. Workers often have to travel in crowded vans, despite guidelines to social distance. Now, WNYC’s Karen Yi reports, some of them are getting sick.

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Stay Tuned For ‘Consider This’

On Monday, June 29th, the name of this show will change to ‘Consider This from NPR.’

You don’t need to re-subscribe. All our existing episodes will still be right here.

Even though our name is changing, we will still be a place where you can get the latest news about this pandemic. And we’ll bring you some other news, too.

Thanks for listening!

Questions? Email us: considerthis@npr.org

White House Task Force Briefing Is Back; Texas Emergency Rooms Are Filling Up

COVID-19 cases are at an all-time high in the U.S. And for the first time in almost two months, The White House Coronavirus Task Force had a televised briefing.

In Texas on Thursday, 6,000 new cases of the coronavirus were reported. An ER doctor in Houston says beds are filling up and they are running out of places to send patients.

Some states are closing down bars and restaurants, again, as COVID-19 cases continue to rise. But NPR’s Scott Horsley explains that customer traffic has already been dropping for days.

Even now, it can still be tough to get a coronavirus test especially, as NPR’s Kirk Siegler reports, in tribal communities.

Plus, with many movie theatres closed, the films topping the box office are a bit … retro.

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On Monday, June 29, 2020, we’re changing our name to Consider This. Listen to the show for more info.

Mask Debate Heats Up; Creating A Vaccine For A Mutating Virus

Just two months ago, the Northeast was the epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S. On Wednesday, there were just 581 new reported cases of the coronavirus in New York and now visitors from other states are expected to quarantine after they arrive.

More Governors across the country are touting the benefits of masks but not all are willing to make wearing them a state policy.

NPR’s Jon Hamilton reports that scientists are closely tracking mutations in the coronavirus to ensure the changes don’t complicate a future vaccine.

Plus, COVID-19 has presented particular challenges for women and reproductive health. Many say that the pandemic is causing them to rethink their plans to have children.

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The Pandemic Isn’t Over: Nearly 10 Million Coronavirus Cases Worldwide

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO, started Wednesday’s coronavirus briefing on a somber note: By next week there will be a total of 10 million cases globally. A reminder, says Ghebreyesus, that the pandemic isn’t over, despite places around the world reopening.

There’s been a lot of news about coronavirus spikes in states like Texas and Florida. But not in Georgia. Why? Georgia Public Broadcasting reporter Grant Blankenship has more.

And we talk to a public health official in Washington State scrambling to identify hotspots in her community.

America can’t fully get back to work without childcare, and many children are suffering without social opportunities. But how to reopen schools, camps and daycares safely? NPR’s Anya Kamenetz talks to childcare centers that have stayed open on how they’ve been trying to keep kids and staff safe.

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On Monday, June 29, 2020, we’re changing our name to Consider This. Listen to the show for more info.

Fauci Fact-Checks Trump On Testing

Wearing a face mask, with hand sanitizer and Lysol wipes close at hand, Dr. Anthony Fauci testified before the House Tuesday, to explain why the U.S. still struggles to get a handle on the coronavirus.

On Saturday, the U.S. reported 32,411 new cases in just that one day.

Fauci also countered President Trump’s claim that more testing is “a double-edged sword” to blame for the rise in coronavirus cases across the country. Instead, Fauci says testing is essential if we want to get control of the virus.

And NPR’s Lauren Frayer takes us to India, where the health care system is collapsing under the heavy demand caused by COVID-19.

Plus — for the past three months, just about everyone who can work from home has. And for the most part, things seem to be working. So, as NPR’s Uri Berliner reports, more and more employers are looking to make the move permanent.

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Florida Passes 100,000 Cases; More Young People Are Testing Positive

Florida passed a grim milestone: 100,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases. The latest numbers include a lot of people in their 20s and 30s. Some officials are putting a pause on reopening.

The Trump administration has started shipping out supplies needed to ensure sufficient testing. But those supplies haven’t always been very helpful and in some cases they’ve been hazardous. NPR’s Rob Stein has the details.

Iowa is home to some 10,000 refugees from Myanmar. The coronavirus has been especially hard on them, with estimates saying as many as 70% have contracted the virus. As Iowa Public Radio’s Kate Payne reports, many in the Burmese community work at local meatpacking plants, where social distancing is a constant challenge.

Preparing to visit family in long-term care facilities? NPR’s Allison Aubrey has some tips to keep everyone safe.

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On Monday, June 29, 2020, we’re changing our name to Consider This. Listen to the show for more info.

The President’s Indoor Rally; Rise In Cases Not Explained By More Testing

COVID-19 cases are on the rise in some states — and more testing isn’t the only explanation.

Find out how cases are in your community.

Today is Juneteenth. On this day in 1865, U.S. Army troops landed in Galveston, Texas to tell some of the last enslaved Americans they were free. More American businesses are recognizing the holiday this year.

President Trump was planning on holding a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma today. Instead, thousands will be gathering to see the President tomorrow — indoors. And as NPR’s Tamera Keith reports, public health officials aren’t thrilled.

Plus, Germany has been able to slow the spread of the coronavirus with the help of an army of contact tracers working around the clock. NPR’s Rob Schmitz has more.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court upheld Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals (DACA). NPR’s Code Switch spoke with one of the plaintiffs in the case about how she’s processing the news.You can find Code Switch on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and NPR One.

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Restaurants Are Closing. Again.

The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the Trump administration’s plan to end DACA — Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals — was “arbitrary and capricious.” The ruling is welcome news for recipients of the program, some of whom are essential workers on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19.

As areas reopen, officials are working to ensure businesses are adopting safety precautions to avoid the spread of the coronavirus. Officials in Los Angeles found that half of the restaurants they surveyed violated rules and safety standards.

Plus, NPR’s Selena Simmons-Duffin with an update on which communities across the country have sufficient staff in place for contact tracing. Check out the state-by-state breakdown here.

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Which Masks Are Better; The Rich Aren’t Spending (And That’s Hurting The Economy)

While President Trump wants to celebrate an uptick in retail sales as states reopen, there’s still a long way to go before the economy is back on track. Part of the problem is that the wealthiest Americans are saving their cash rather than spending it.

More and more people are leaving their home without a face covering, but experts tell NPR’s Maria Godoy they really do help — some more than others.

There has been growing support of the Black Lives Matter movement among white Americans. But why now? Police brutality isn’t new. Gene Demby of NPR’s Code Switch podcast explains what the pandemic might have to do with it.

Listen to “Why Now, White People?” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or NPR One.

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