The Latest: All 50 states are reopening. What’s next?

Alexandra Sifferlin
Medium Coronavirus Blog
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3 min readMay 20, 2020

Dear Reader,

As of today, all 50 states have begun reopening in some form. And there are more questions than answers when it comes to how to navigate a partially reopened country. Many of those questions are around travel: If you must move locations, how do you do it? Is it better to take public transportation or a ride-sharing service? If it’s a long distance, should you go on a road trip or take an airplane?

We have expert-backed answers for you (scroll down for thoughts about planes). Just FYI — no matter where you go, public bathrooms are going to be risky. Proceed with caution. 🚨

Oh, and yes, you should keep wearing a mask!

What’s new:

  • The CDC releases detailed reopening advice: A 60-page document provides guidance for schools, businesses, transit systems, and other industries hoping to reopen safely.
  • All 50 states have begun reopening plans: The plans are not consistent across the board, and some cities — like New York City — are still under tighter restrictions.
  • President Donald Trump says he’s taking hydroxychloroquine: He says he began using the drug a couple weeks ago after consulting the White House physician. There’s no evidence it works to prevent or treat Covid-19.
  • Moderna reports positive early Covid-19 vaccine results: The company reported that its vaccine produced antibodies in 45 people in an early human study. People in one group produced antibody levels similar to those seen in blood samples from people who recovered from the disease. It’s too early to get excited, but it’s a step. (Read more.)

Follow our Medium Coronavirus Blog for regular updates, and read some of the essential stories we’ve curated below.

Be well,

Alexandra Sifferlin
Editor, Medium Coronavirus Blog

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A quick Q&A:

If you have to travel, should you take a plane or car?
There is no risk-free way to travel long distances right now (and experts hold different opinions). But the safest way to travel is likely in your own car with people you’ve already been living with. However, if you have to make multiple stops — or use a public restroom — that increases your chances of infection. In some cases, the distance may make the decision easier. In any situation, try to stay spread apart from others, keep washing your hands, and wear your mask (and seat belt).

Read the full story.

New on the blog

Public Bathrooms Are a Big Question Mark

Is It Safer to Take Public Transportation or Ride-Share?

How One Traveler Set Off a Coronavirus Outbreak in Germany

Why France Is on a Mission to Find Patient Zero

Essential explainers

Is There Any Evidence That Hydroxychloroquine Can Prevent Covid-19?

The Long-Term Health Impacts of Being Infected With the Coronavirus

Every Covid-19 Symptom We Know About Right Now, From Head to Toe

4 Immune-Boosting Tips From an Integrative Medicine Expert

Estrogen May Protect Women From Dying of Covid-19

The Real Reason South Korea Was Able to Stop Covid-19

Smart reads

Guidelines Say Covid-19 Symptoms Last Two Weeks. Survivors Know Better.

Immunity Jealousy Is Coming

What We Learned From Smallpox, Measles, Cholera, and Other Health Crises

A High School Teacher on Why We Cannot Return to Campus This Fall

The Science and Politics of Masks in the Covid-19 Pandemic

The Brief New Normal of a Reopened Houston Strip Club

Dr. Anthony Fauci is One of America’s Finest Public Servants

Personal pandemic stories

How to Survive Quarantine, According to a Nun

‘I Can’t Take It Anymore’: Divorce and the Pandemic

A Beloved Husband, Father, and NYC Pharmacy Owner Died of Covid-19

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Alexandra Sifferlin
Medium Coronavirus Blog

Health and science journalist. Former editor of Medium’s Covid-19 Blog and deputy editor at Elemental. TIME Magazine writer before that