6 essential coronavirus stories you might have missed this week

There’s a lot to hate about what’s happening in the world right now, but something that makes me feel hopeful is the way power structures are getting examined under our collective microscope and human emotional needs are becoming more #relevant. Coronavirus is making us peer into the petri dish of politics and take notice of both casual indifference and harsh injustice.

It’s not a pleasant view for anyone, but our knowledge and attention are making us into a compassionately informed public. So, before you get overwhelmed and disheartened, this is how change happens. Here’s a cheat sheet of what went down this week that you don’t want to miss to keep that ball rolling.

Watch how swiftly coronavirus can spread in a restaurant | Mic.com

Look, I know that the dishes are piling up, but read this before you rush out to your favorite burger spot.

What to ask instead of, “How are you?” during a pandemic | The Atlantic

When the answer is too complicated, it’s time to start asking a different question.

Should we be freaking out about this new coronavirus mutation? | Mic.com

Not yet, experts say.

Pelosi attacks Trump’s focus on reopening the economy | The Guardian

This blow-by-blow of Wednesday’s White House press briefing reads like an epic poem. I’m not going to spoil it for you, but let’s just say that 45 comes off more like the court jester than the king.

Is the NYPD enforcing social distancing differently in communities of color? | Mic.com

The virus doesn’t discriminate but some cops certainly do.

Don’t be fooled by America’s flattening curve | The New York Times

The good news is that we might have survived the first rise of the roller coaster. The bad news is that we’re probably in for a long ride.