Don't Bogart My Blog: Sunday Best: Do you have enough cash to weather the coronavirus storm?

April 26, 2020

“A vast majority of Covid pneumonia patients I met had remarkably low oxygen saturations at triage — seemingly incompatible with life — but they were using their cellphones as we put them on monitors.” That was Richard Levitan, an emergency room doctor, on what he has seen during 10 days of treating Covid-19 pneumonia at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan — and who suggests an affordable tool (not a thermometer) that can help. I cannot stop rereading his piece. Because the worst of this virus is unfolding in hospitals and access for journalists is limited, doctors, nurses and other medical workers on the front lines are reporting their experiences in an effort to lend context to and convey the gravity of the situation. As of yesterday, the death toll from Covid-19 in the United States had officially surpassed 48,000. That is about 16 times the number of lives lost on Sept. 11. It’s hard to conceive of. My hope is that this Op-Ed will make it all feel a little bit more tangible — a little more real — and will help us understand that despite desperately wanting to go outside, socialize and resume our normal lives, we all have to do our part to stop the spread. After all, until there is a vaccine, “our behavior will control our fate.” — Alexandra March

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Who Has Enough Cash to Get Through the Coronavirus Crisis?

Not many people in America. Depending on your household income, it could take you years to save for something like this. Find out what it would take for you to have enough money to weather this storm.

The Times is providing free access to much of our coronavirus coverage; this newsletter, as well as our Coronavirus Briefing newsletter, are free. Please consider supporting our journalism with a subscription.

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Beware of Politicians Who Declare ‘War’ on the Coronavirus

You may have heard that we’re at war with this virus. Leaders are using metaphors associated with battlefield fighting, but it might actually be your civil liberties that are under attack.

The Nude Selfie Is Having a Renaissance

The New York Times

At a time when many of us are living absent of touch, sans intimacy, there’s a new way to connect — and it might be evolving into an art form.

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The Day the Household Appliances Quit

Dan Woodger

“Within 24 hours, the toilet clogged, followed by the sink and washing machine. A burner on the stove went out; a strange sound crackled from the oven. The printer sputtered to a halt in the middle of printing my daughter’s ‘Find the Animals’ preschool worksheet.”

Honest Apologies for Why I Couldn’t Talk During Quarantine

Erik Carter

“Hey, I’m so sorry I didn’t text you back this afternoon. I was finishing a 1,500-piece puzzle of a basset hound wearing a cowboy hat for the second time.”

Can We Laugh Yet? Is laughter a great escape or a disrespectful distraction? What exactly can we joke about these days? Whether we’re spending the day at home or out on the job, how can humor help us make it through the day? Join The Times today (virtually!) as the comedian Stewart Lee discusses the role of comedy in crisis with hosts Simon Critchley, series moderator of “The Stone,” and Peter Catapano, an Opinion editor. R.S.V.P. here.

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