Covid-19: The Ears Have It

Yesterday I posted a plea on FB, asking for ideas for this blog. Sheltering in place doesn't provide a lot of stimulation, after all. I only got one suggestion, though: ears—perhaps a response to my statement that "I'm all ears."

Well, what better subject, then, than podcasts—specifically, podcasts focusing on the coronavirus. Fortunately, others have beat me to it, so my task is easy. Here are "the 7 best coronavirus podcasts," from an article published on March 20. And yes, I could just stop there and let you go to the link, but that would defeat my purpose here, wouldn't it?

The author of the article, Nicholas Quah, starts out by mentioning that the standard go-to's for solid news reporting are of course covering the virus as well: the New York Times's "Daily"; Vox Media's "Today, Explained"; Slate's "What Next"; and the Washington Post's "Post Reports." But not surprisingly, numerous more specialized podcasts have sprung up, of varying quality—hence the article's roundup of "the 7 best":

1. America Dissected: Coronavirus (Crooked Media), an offshoot of a fairly new podcast that looks at "America's deeply broken healthcare system and general relationship to science," hosted by physician and former city health commissioner Dr. Abdul El-Sayed.
2. Coronavirus Daily (NPR), allowing the listener to keep up with incremental developments in our battle with the pandemic.
3. Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction (CNN), brief segments hosted by CNN's chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta. "He'll make sense of the headlines, speak with the experts and give you all the information you need to stay safe and healthy."
4. Viral: Coronavirus (ThreeUncannyFour), sporadic episodes providing reassurance and guidance "without the hype and hysteria."
5. EPIDEMIC with Dr. Celine Gounder and Ronald Klain (Just Human Productions), a twice-weekly discussion by an infectious diseases specialist and the former U.S. ebola czar on the science and public policy implications of Covid-19.
6. Coronavirus Global Update (BBC World Service), "daily updates on the coronavirus and its impact on health, business, and travel."
7. Coronavirus Daily Briefing (Ride Home Media), a daily 15-minute update on the pandemic, including copious links to various related headlines on the website, for those wanting even more.

Happy listening!

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 County count is up 8, to 108; deaths, thankfully, holding steady at 3.

Stay inside. Stay safe. Stay sane.