COVID on a trip: What to do if you test positive?

Hope and hopelessness for a Gaza heart patient [View this email online]( [NPR]( Goats and Soda editor's note Malaka Gharib/NPR It's a classic line from the great Tennessee Williams: "I have always depended on the kindness of strangers." And when I came down with a case of COVID while on a trip, I learned that it's not just a literary construct. Strangers can be incredibly kind. [Read our story here.]( After I tested positive, I had many dilemmas, large and small, to sort out. For example, my rental car was due back. The dropoff location was an hour away. I felt OK enough to drive but then would have no way to get back to our isolation lodging. And I didn't want to take an Uber because I didn't want to get the driver sick. I had been visiting my daughter. She asked a new friend for help. The friend said of course -- her boyfriend would happily return the car. "I can imagine being sick, it's a tricky pickle to be in," the friend texted. I just love that phrase because when you come down with COVID, no matter who you are or where you are, it is a tricky pickle. And in spite of all the fears and worries that COVID has prompted, I was deeply touched to see that this unpleasant virus can also bring out the best of human kindness. [Read our guidance on how to cope with COVID if you've traveled out of town.]( Marc Silver Editor, Goats and Soda food insecurity From left: Yahya Rasa, Roqia Ibrahimi, Zahra Fayazi [Afghanistan's depleted dining rugs are a reminder of hunger and loss]( As members of the middle class have fallen into poverty in the wake of the Taliban takeover, families are no longer able to serve sumptuous repasts on their traditional dining rugs. [The case of the incredible shrinking fritter: A report from Kenya's street stalls]( Inflation — fueled by the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and local issues — has made everything more expensive, including the oil used to fry street food. Here's how vendors and customers are coping. coronavirus FAQ Malaka Gharib/NPR [Can I get COVID outdoors? (With printable poster on how to cut risks)]( We've heard for months that chances of catching SARS-CoV-2 outdoors are far less than indoors. Is that still true with highly contagious omicron strains? And if it is, what can you do to stay safe? leishmaniasis BSIP/UIG/Universal Images Group via Getty [A nasty disease is even nastier for patients with HIV. Now there's encouraging news]( It's called visceral leishmaniasis. It's spread by sandflies and fatal if left untreated. Fortunately, a new drug regimen holds promise. must read Fatima Shbair for NPR [A 70-year-old man in Gaza needed open heart surgery -- and no doctor there could help. Here's his story]( NPR journalists followed Yousef Al-Kurd and his family for months as they fought for the medical care that could save his life. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- links we like - [Haitians who make it to Mexico]( find that their dreams are dashed. Devex reports. - [The yam business]( is in hot water in Ghana. The Guardian reports. - Ethiopia's most popular singer, [reggae singer Teddy Afro,]( sends a political message in his new hit. NPR reports. - Racist videos of Africa fuel a multi-million dollar TikTok industry in China. [Rest of World reports.]( How [a soccer program in Gaza heals wounds.]( From The Christian Science Monitor. --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Find a Station]( 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]( [NPR logo]