COVID-19 Hospitalizations In Mass. See A Slight But Steady Drop

Also: How teens are filling essential roles during the pandemic; common heart meds do not increase virus risks ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  [Donate [WBUR]]( [View in Browser](  [WBUR]( May 5, 2020 Tonight at 6 p.m.: WBUR's Town Hall on The Societal Costs Of COVID-19. [Learn more and register to watch here](. Good Morning Boston, 🌤️ ➡️ ☁️ [Sunshine]( gives way to clouds. Highs 55-60. We're (slowly) starting to see the effects of social distancing. Here are the must-know headlines on the local coronavirus outbreak from the past 24 hours: - We're not out of the woods yet, but in the last two weeks the number of Massachusetts patients in the hospital for COVID-19 has seen a [slight but steady drop](. The percentage of people testing positive has also fallen in recent days. - A Walmart in Worcester could reopen today following an outbreak of the coronavirus among the store's employees. The city [shut down the store]( last week, and 81 employees have since tested positive for the virus. - Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu is among those who have [tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies]( — despite never knowing that they had the disease. - More local coronavirus numbers: The state reported 86 new deaths Monday due to COVID-19, bringing the statewide death toll to 4,090. State officials also reported 1,000 new cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 69,087. ([See our charts and map for a more detailed breakdown]( P.S.– Looking for a new recipe for dinner tonight? Curated Cuisine At Home, a video series from WBUR's CitySpace, highlights local restaurants and their chef's favorite recipes made from easy-to-find ingredients. This week you can [whip up Comfort Kitchen's 9 Bean Nepali soup](. — Meagan McGinnes [@meaganmcginnes]( newsletters@wbur.org The Rundown [1.](url)[High School Student And Essential Worker: Teens Fill Essential Role During Pandemic]( Many teenagers are working at essential businesses such as grocery stores and pharmacies while juggling remote school work. [Read more.](   #%23%23[Twitter](  #%23%23[Facebook](    2. [Spiritual Care At A Distance, Masked: Chaplains During COVID-19]( Hospital and nursing home chaplains are working round the clock as the death toll from COVID-19 rises in Massachusetts and beyond. WBUR asked four members of the clergy who counsel patients in COVID-19 units to capture part of this experience. [Read more.]( 3. [Common Heart Medications Do Not Increase COVID-19 Risks, Studies Say]( People with heart disease have a higher risk of dying from COVID-19, but probably not because of ACE inhibitors or other medications.[Read more.]( 4. [Amid Pandemic, Traffic Fell 50% But Roadway Death Rate Doubled]( Officials say there are likely two reasons for the troubling trend: Speed and distracted driving. [Read more.]( 5. [White House Rejects Government Report Projecting Rising Coronavirus Death Toll]( The Trump administration on Monday pushed back against an internal government report, obtained by The New York Times, that predicts the daily coronavirus death toll could nearly double in the United States by early June. [Read more.]( Support the news Anything Else? - Telehealth is [proving positive]( for federal employees: productivity is up and their backlog is down. - Many are hesitant to plan during the pandemic. But [not the Celebrity Series of Boston](. It announced its 2020-2021 season, slated to start in October, and the lineup includes musician Yo-Yo Ma, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, actor Alan Cumming, and NPR journalist Ari Shapiro. - Curious as to what [Aerosmith's Joe Perry]( has been up to during the coronavirus outbreak? The guitarist talks to us about spending time at his home in Florida as concert venues remain closed and spring tour dates have been canceled or postponed. - There needs to be a new appreciation for essential work, write Roseann Bongiovanni and Leslie Dominguez-Santos [in this commentary](. Chelsea’s service workers must be recognized for their sacrifices, protected from further harm at work and on public transit, and compensated accordingly. [WBUR] Your Daily Must Listen [When Will Mass. Start To See The Infection Curve Go Down?]( [Listen]( CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES [Get And Give Help: Your Guide To Navigating Coronavirus]( [Town By Town:]( See Your Community's Reported Coronavirus Cases [Map & Case Count:]( Breaking Down Coronavirus Here In Charts [Listen]( Make "Coronavirus, Briefly" Your Daily Audio Update Stay Informed: Get Coronavirus Email Alerts In Your Inbox. [Sign up.]( What We're Reading - Opinion: The Thrill Of City Living Is Gone ([Boston Globe]( - Can Genetic Engineering Bring Back The American Chestnut? ([New York Times]( Tell Me Something Good [Determined To Celebrate Graduates During The Pandemic, Some Get Creative]( In the latest episode of Kind World, some find creative ways to celebrate the class of 2020. The podcast also shares the story of how a dedicated mentor changed one man's life. Before you go: Julian Edelman is ["the last Jedi."]( 😎 Forward to a friend. 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