New York’s plea, virtual Easter, ancient Amazonian crops

Good morning, Quartz readers! [Quartz]( Good morning, Quartz readers! Here’s what you need to know New York officials told residents not to “relax.” The plea to [continue social distancing efforts]( comes as signs emerge that the pandemic is levelling off in the hard-hit state—new hospitalizations declined for a second day on Thursday. More than 16 million Americans are out of work. The latest weekly unemployment data yesterday showed that [6.6 million people made new benefits claims]( in the past week. Up north, Canada, population 37 million, [shed a record 1 million jobs]( last month. The US military has secured a possible coronavirus drug. Gilead Sciences [will provide personnel with remdesivir]( at no cost. Though the antiviral drug is considered one of the most promising Covid-19 treatments, it doesn’t have FDA approval. UK prime minister Boris Johnson left intensive care. He[will remain under observation]( as he recovers from Covid-19. The pound rose slightly on news that he is in “extremely good spirits.” Another disease outbreak draws to a close. The WHO is[expected to announce]( on Sunday (Apr. 10) that Africa’s Ebola epidemic is over, as no new cases have been reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since Feb. 17. Easter under coronavirus Pope Francis goes virtual. He will hold [Good Friday services]( in the Vatican, and devotees can tune in online. But some rituals, including the kissing of the Cross on Good Friday, have been canceled. In England, the Archbishop of Canterbury will hold a service[from his kitchen](. Some US churches are defying social isolation rules. Many are[determined to go ahead]( with large in-person services this weekend, against the advice of public health officials. President Trump has allowed churches to ignore the stay-at-home order. Quartz membership Gen Z’s consumer sway[is its biggest political tool](. And with teens watching each other constantly on social media, telling each other[what’s cool and what’s not]( with little regard for what traditional power brokers think, companies may soon have no choice but to do their bidding. Coronavirus has led to Kraft Heinz’s first good news in years. The maker of [Cool Whip]( shares had slumped, but now [people are buying a lot of processed, long-life food](. Quartz daily obsession A mighty (and expensive) wind. The worldwide outbreak of Covid-19 has countries scrambling to source ventilators, devices that could mean life or death for the most at-risk patients. The sophisticated machines cost as much as a new car and[do more than pump air into the lungs](. They can detect when a patient wants to breathe, ensure the correct air pressure and oxygen mix, and minimize the side effects to fragile lung tissue. Take a deep breath and[dive into the Quartz Daily Obsession](. Matter of debate American’s digital divide is getting worse. Schools, public libraries, and many workplaces, once a free source of internet access, [are now shut](. Filing for benefits must be done online. And keeping up with coronavirus news—which impacts health and safety—is harder without the web. Surprising discoveries Canada has the most Canadian coronavirus response. Some businesses [are taping hockey sticks]( to debit machines, to help customers pay from a distance. Crops were harvested 10,000 years ago in the Amazon. The discovery changes longstanding theories about the shift away from[hunter-gatherer societies](. There might actually be an Upside Down. [Unusual findings]( from Antarctica suggest there may be a parallel universe, where time goes in reverse and left is right. A French monastery is releasing 7,000 hours of Gregorian chants. The[Benedictine nuns hope]( their music can help people get through the difficulties of self-isolation. Uranus got smacked. A new model says [a cataclysmic collision]( is what gave the bulls-eye planet it’s strange orbit. Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, hockey sticks, and a Mountie to hi@qz.com. Get the most out of Quartz by[downloading our app]( on iOS or Android and[becoming a member](. Today’s Daily Brief was brought to you by Adam Rasmi and Hasit Shah. [facebook]( [twitter]( [external-link]( Enjoying Quartz Daily Brief? Forward it to a friend! They can [click here]( to sign up. If you’re looking to unsubscribe, [click here](. Quartz | 675 Avenue of the Americas, 4th Fl | New York, NY 10011 | United States Copyright © 2020 Quartz, All rights reserved.