By Jordan Lee
A bleak picture of tomorrow
Air travel has halted, as people around the globe are told to stay home. Educators are wrestling with the issue of how to keep school children safe. These stories and more are found in Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction, a weekday podcast by CNN. Hosted by CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, each session offers the latest insights into the spread of Covid-19, shedding more light on the challenges it creates.
In an episode discussing the future of restaurants, Dr. Gupta spoke to industry specialists on the need to adapt to the current climate. Momofuku Group Founder David Chang openly expressed the challenges he has faced in reopening his restaurants, disinfecting meals, and ensuring diners’ safety. Many of his viewpoints are echoed by the other restaurateurs who were interviewed, expressing how fundamental dining out is to every culture.
Similarly, Emory TravelWell Center Director Dr. Henry Wu said in another episode that air travel has dropped drastically, and the number of new infections will need to plummet to guarantee safer air travel. The appropriate measures, he suggested, include wearing face masks and restricting seat selection choices on aircraft. Such advice highlights the importance of social distancing in curbing the spread of the pandemic.
‘The Future of Education’ episode aims to address the dilemma of educators when it comes time to reopen schools safely. Speaking to CNN Correspondent Evan McMorris-Santoro, Gupta paints a multi-layered picture: most schools were unprepared for such a drastic transition to online learning, and this change also imposed greater challenges on families with lower incomes, who may not have laptops or stable Internet connections at home. McMorris-Santoro offers the dire prediction that prolonged periods of meager education will eventually lead to significant ramifications.
This podcast is valuable for those who aspire to obtain concise insights into the predicaments caused by the pandemic. It distills different headlines around the world into logical arguments for everyone, grounding some of the wild rumors with the calm voices of experts, and offering knowledge to us all.
cnn.com/podcasts
