Looming Ventilator Shortages; Zoom’s Dark Side; SXSW Film Festival Heads to Amazon

Plus, a look inside the World's Largest Rattlesnake Roundup. by Korva Coleman and Jill Hudson First Up [A ventilator and other hospital equipment is seen in an emergency field hospital to aid in the coronavirus pandemic in Central Park in New York City on Monday.]( Stephanie Keith/Getty Images Here's what we're following today. As more people fall ill with COVID-19, states are running low on ventilators. When supplies run out, doctors around the country will face a hard question: [Who gets placed on a ventilator]( and who does not? The Trump administration is poised to recommend that people start wearing masks in coronavirus hot spots. Some health experts continue to fear that people who wear masks will [slack off on other vital protective measures]( such as hand-washing and staying six feet apart from other people. There's still a serious shortage of COVID-19 tests across the U.S., in spite of President Trump insisting the situation is improving. Tests are being rationed in every state, and many people [who need one are still unable to get]( it. People who do not have direct deposit information on file with the Internal Revenue Service may have to wait up to 20 weeks to [receive cash payments included]( in the $2 trillion coronavirus relief legislation. The Labor Department released its latest monthly unemployment report on Friday. But the March jobs report uses data from way back when things were normal — three weeks ago — and only [scratches the surface of the coming collapse](. Some 10 million people have filed for unemployment since aggressive policies to combat the coronavirus took effect. A growing number of states led by Republican governors have been trying to ban abortion during the coronavirus pandemic. They say the procedure should be suspended during the outbreak to preserve medical supplies, including masks and hospital gowns. In [Texas and Oklahoma, hundreds of patients]( have been turned away from clinics. The coronavirus has delayed the Democratic National Convention until the week of Aug. 17. The event in Milwaukee is now scheduled for the [week before the Republican National Convention]( which is set to be held in Charlotte, N.C. Mike Bloomberg's presidential bid didn't last long, but he promised staffers jobs through November. Now some who were abruptly laid off during the pandemic are detailing [how they say they were misled](. Unprecedented times demand unprecedented coverage. NPR and our network of stations are doubling down to meet the needs of our communities in these challenging times. We’re exploring every possible angle to bring you the information you need about COVID-19 – what it means for you, your region, the nation, and the world. But we can’t do this without your support. Help fund the trusted reporting you rely on by donating to your local NPR station today. In uncertain times, your support keeps us going. [Donate Now]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Today's Listen [Zoom image]( Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images "Zoombombing” — in which intruders hijack video calls and post hate speech and offensive images such as pornography — is a phenomenon so alarming that the FBI has issued a warning about using the Zoom app. With schools closed and millions of people working from home, the company says it had 200 million people using the app on a daily basis in March; that is up from just 10 million in December. ([Listening time, 3:34]( or [read the story]( The coronavirus pandemic has posed extraordinary challenges to governments around the world. Three NPR foreign correspondents discuss how the leaders of Hungary, Israel and the Philippines have exploited the coronavirus crisis to consolidate their hold on power and weaken institutions that could curb them. ([Listening time, 8:04]( During the devastating flu pandemic of 1918, the mountain town of Gunnison, Colo., shut itself off from the world to protect its residents. Today, Gunnison County has been hit hard by the coronavirus, and is asking outsiders to stay away again. ([Listening time, 3:52]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Picture Show [Rattle snake image]( Lizzie Chen for NPR Before the coronavirus, there were certain questions local government officials never imagined having to answer. Order every restaurant in town closed? Call off the school year? And in Sweetwater, Texas: Cancel the rattlesnake festival? Every March, [what's billed as the World's Largest Rattlesnake Roundup]( brings an estimated 25,000 visitors to the town, infusing around $8.3 million into the local economy. After discussions, organizers went ahead with this year’s event. Photographer Lizzie Chen took a trip to the annual rattler festival. --------------------------------------------------------------- Before You Go [What does it mean to call women image]( Jake Olimb/Getty Images - What does it mean to call a [woman ambitious, disciplined, mature or feisty]( A new essay collection, Pretty Bitches, explores how everyday language raises unrealistic expectations about how women should behave and look. - This year's SXSW festival was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Now the films that were scheduled to be shown there have the [option to be screened on Amazon](. -Suzette Lohmeyer contributed to this report. --------------------------------------------------------------- Follow [The New Normal]( on Instagram! 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