| THE BIG STORY
3.3 million people
The weekly unemployment numbers released this morning don’t just set an all time record — they make every other week ever recorded, including at the peak of the 2008 recession, look like blips.
It’s horrible out there. If you’ve lost your job recently, Lam Thuy Vo has put together details on how to file for unemployment benefits wherever you are in the US.
Two trillion dollars
Late last night the Senate passed a giant coronavirus economic relief package worth at least $2 trillion. It still needs to clear the House and get President Trump’s signature to become law; that’s all expected to happen by the end of the week. It passed unanimously, with 96 votes in favor and none against; four senators did note vote because they are in self-quarantine.
If you make less than $99,000 per year and have a US social security number, you’ll get a $1,200 payment under the bill, plus $500 for each child. The money will come in the next few weeks if you filed a tax return last year or this year and included bank account details with the return — if you didn’t, checks will be mailed, and are likely to take longer than that.
The bill also includes a $600-per-week increase to unemployment insurance payments for the coming four months, hundreds of billions of dollars in loans and grants to be made available to businesses, plus funding for hospitals and childcare programs.
STAYING ON TOP OF THIS Doctors say the coronavirus death toll is higher than the numbers you’re seeing
The coronavirus outbreak has already taken a devastating toll on the US, with more than 1,000 deaths already recorded as of this morning. But medical professionals tell Nidhi Prakash and Ellie Hall that the real numbers are likely higher, based on what they’ve seen. Some deaths take time to be recorded as coronavirus-related due to delays in testing or data gathering, while others simply aren’t recorded at all, because patients were never tested.
“The numbers are grossly under-reported,” said one California ER doctor. “I know for a fact that we’ve had three deaths in one county where only one is listed on the website.”
That problem could only get worse as time goes on. In California and New York, two of the hardest hit states in the country, doctors have been instructed to only test patients for the coronavirus if the results would impact their course of treatment. It makes it more likely that some coronavirus cases — and deaths — will not be counted in the official figures.
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SNAPSHOTS Right-wing influencers have latched onto a new target for conspiracy theories. They’ve become obsessed with Dr. Anthony Fauci, a top-ranking member of the White House's Coronavirus Task Force.
Workers at Costco warehouses across the US have been testing positive for the coronavirus, according to company bulletins. Their colleagues say the company isn’t sharing enough information about how it’s handling it.
The lockdown in India has been chaotic for many, and especially so for health care workers. Dozens of doctors and nurses there have described being harassed and even evicted from their homes due to fears they may be infected.
What’s even more annoying than having to stay home all day, every day? Having to do it with a terrible roommate, people with terrible roommates say.
THE WRITING’S ON THE WALL 23 signs of hope during the coronavirus outbreak
No, literally, we mean signs. 23 really nice signs, here are photos of them.
A quote attributed to Mr. Rogers fills the marquee above the Indiana Theater in Bloomington, Indiana, on March 18. (Barcroft Media / Getty Images) A closed theater in downtown Los Angeles on March 21. (Apu Gomes / Getty Images) STAYING SOBER UNDER LOCKDOWN This is a difficult time for people in recovery
The 12-step program for people recovering from addiction to alcohol and other drugs is built around in-person meetings with other people in recovery. The meetings don’t just provide a space to share your progress — they help you be of service to others.
“It’s about having commitments at the meetings, like setting up chairs, making coffee, and putting together lists of phone numbers to give newcomers, which gives members a sense of accountability to the group,” writes Katie MacBride. “It’s about ‘fellowship,’ the community and connection outside of meetings, like getting coffee after a meeting, and older members sponsoring, or mentoring, newcomers.”
So what happens when those meetings suddenly come to an end? People in recovery are finding new ways to replicate them online — and it’s working, even if most can’t wait to get back to the in-person ones. But they’re making the best of it, one day at a time.
VERY GOOD TWEETS Dozens and dozens of them My BuzzFeed colleagues have been diligently keeping track of the greatest tweets of the last few weeks, ones that somehow manage to be funny about *waves arms* all this. They’ve been putting them together into posts, and they’ve made me extremely happy for a few blissful moments each day. I hope they can do the same for you.
Here’s chapter one, here’s the second edition, and here’s Episode III.
Make someone laugh today, Tom P.S. If you like this newsletter, help keep our reporting free for all. Support BuzzFeed News by becoming a member here. (Monthly memberships are available worldwide). 📝 This letter was edited and brought to you by Tom Gara and BuzzFeed News. You can always reach us here.
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