How To Avoid Pathogens On A Plane

Plus: An Oscar-winning skateboarding film from Afghanistan Goats and Soda editor's note A&E IndieFilms/ Screenshot by NPR This week our global health team has again been devoted to the unfolding story of the newly identified coronavirus in China. The disease it causes was [given an official name]( by the World Health Organization: COVID-19. And the [case count rose markedly]( after China changed the criteria for identifying new infections in Hubei province, the epicenter of the outbreak. But we also made time for a very different kind of story. At the Oscars, the award for best documentary short subject went to Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl). The film looks at a school in Afghanistan that uses [skateboarding to teach students resilience and determination]( – and to have fun. The students include boys as well as girls (they take classes on separate days). “In a city of car bombings, kidnappings and violence against women unprotected by powerful men, these little girls are already unlikely survivors,” wrote our correspondent Diaa Hadid. A spokeswoman for the school told her that the girls had not heard of the Oscars before but are “very excited that a lot of people are seeing … their lives.” [Read the story here.]( Marc Silver Editor, Goats and Soda --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- photos Meredith Rizzo/NPR ['It's Not Easy For Anyone': Coronavirus Disrupts Life And Work In Hong Kong]( Students, business owners, sanitation workers and doctors are all struggling to cope with the daily frustrations of living in a city of 7 million that's afraid of an outbreak of COVID-19. good questions [Can Coronavirus Be Crushed By Warmer Weather?]( Many respiratory illnesses, such as colds and flus, peak in winter, then die down with warmer weather. Some experts wonder if COVID-19 will follow a similar pattern. [How Do You Avoid Pathogens On A Plane?]( Recommendations from researchers on how to stave off infectious diseases like the common cold and the flu during a flight. [Bats Carry Many Viruses. So Why Don't They Get Sick?]( The winged mammal has a unique ability to carry viruses and not get sick from them. This tolerance may be a unique adaptation to flying. [Is There A Drug That Can Kill Coronavirus? No, But Doctors Have Ways To Treat It]( They're testing some drugs developed for other diseases. And they're offering supportive care — doing whatever's possible to keep vital organ systems functioning. coronavirus news Getty Images [Critics Say China Has Suppressed And Censored Information In Coronavirus Outbreak]( They charge that news of a new pneumonialike illlness was kept from the public for weeks — and that social media accounts are being shut down if certain types of comments are made. [Beijing Takes Direct Control Over Coronavirus Response In Hubei Province]( Two senior health officials in the province were fired, leaving Beijing in charge of efforts there to contain the virus which has killed more than 1,000 people since late December. [65 More Coronavirus Cases On Diamond Princess Cruise Ship Stuck In Japan]( The new cases include 45 Japanese and 11 Americans, as well as smaller numbers of people from Australia, Canada, England, the Philippines and Ukraine. (The upside: passengers under quarantine say they've made [life-long friends](. links we like - 'Ghost' DNA in West Africans [complicates the story of human origins]( reports NPR. - The Guardian shares the story of [an Italian surgeon helping survivors]( who have been tortured at detention camps in Libya. - Sick of living without reliable electricity and water, people in a South Africa town are [taking matters into their own hands]( reports the BBC. - This lovely photo essay in The New Yorker highlights [houseplants and potted gardens]( refugee camps. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [goatsandsoda@npr.org](mailto:goatsandsoda@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Health, Daily News, Code Switch and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Goats and Soda emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy](