'Act as if you might be carrying the virus' / Cash coming? / 'A stunner'

‘Act as if you might be carrying the virus.’ In an emotional plea on CNN, Dr. Sanjay Gupta called on the U.S. government and individual citizens to take even more precautions against the coronavirus pandemic.
CNN’s Brian Stelter: “Think of it as World War V.”
The U.S. and Canada may close their mutual border.
A World Health Organization executive warns a COVID-19 infection can progress from mild to severe “very, very quickly.”
A vaccine to keep people from contracting the infection isn’t coming soon.
So researchers say we may need to live with “social distancing” for a year—or more …
 … which is crippling scientific research.

Nurses: Help. The head of the nation’s largest union for nurses: “To not have the protections that they need … is becoming increasingly frustrating.”
With ventilators—to help the afflicted breathe—in short supply, a coalition of engineers and designers has been working online to concoct an open-source alternative.
Illinois’ first COVID-19 death: A Chicago woman in her 60s.
Among Chicago’s latest to test positive: A DePaul university faculty member and a U. of C. student.

Canceled. Today’s Chicago City Council meeting is off.
Midway Airport’s control tower was temporarily closed after technicians there tested positive for the virus.
A Tribune photo gallery reveals an empty Chicago.

Working from home? The online collaborative platform Slack is rolling out a simpler and more customizable design.
With ridership way down, next week could bring lighter Metra schedules.
Maybe the CTA, too.

Help for restaurant and bar workers. The Tribune’s Phil Vettel shares dozens of ways to support hospitality workers idled by the COVID-19 shutdown.
Who’s looking out for janitors cleaning the buildings workers are fleeing?
Across the country, the virus could trigger release of prisoners, for whom keeping one’s distance is impossible.

Cash coming? Washington is moving closer to the notion of a trillion-dollar relief plan that would send $1,000 or more to Americans to help them get through what’s to come.
Sun-Times columnist Phil Kadner: “Repeat after me: Big government is good.”
Wired: What you’ll really need—and what you won’t—to get through this.

‘Especially your people.’ President Trump gave a disturbing shoutout to Fox News viewers at a news conference.
Politico: Coronavirus Gave Trump the Handshake-free World He Always Wanted.”

I’m finding this edition of Chicago Public Square so rewarding that, before I finish, I’m going to take a moment right now to tap this button and chip in a few cents a day to keep it coming.

‘A stunner.’ One of the most conservative Democrats in Congress—one of the party’s last anti-abortion votes, the Southwest Side’s Dan Lipinski—is out, defeated for the nomination by progressive Marie Newman.
Nazi Art Jones lost his bid for the Republican nod to represent Chicago in Congress.
Regressive candidates Jim Oberweis and Jeanne Ives have won nominations to challenge a couple of Illinois progressives in Congress.
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx has fought off challengers to win renomination.
Indicted blowhard Ald. Ed Burke was trailing in his attempt to keep the ward boss job he’s held for more than half a century.
Get updating Illinois primary vote totals on the remaining cliffhangers here.

Big for Biden. The vice president thumped Bernie Sanders in the Illinois Democratic presidential primary and two other states …
 … leaving Sanders to “assess his campaign.”

Stream dreams. Late-night TV hosts have taken to delivering monologues from home.
As TV audiences disappear, Tedium’s Ernie Smith explores the history of “canned laughter.”
A Chicago theater plans to sell a limited number of “streams”—think seats—to live video performances of its latest production.
The Trib’s Michael Phillips recommends 12 films, old and new, worth watching while you’re quarantining in place.

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