Coronavirus Update: Georgia controversially reopens, Trump shocks health experts, and more

PLUS: The Covid-19 headlines you need to know, a distraction, and something to read. [View this email in your browser]( | [Manage newsletter subscriptions](newsletter=wir) [(image) WIRED Coronavirus Update Logo] 04.24.20 This is a special edition of our Coronavirus Update newsletter. To receive this email every weekday, [sign up here](newsletter=wir), and send your feedback to [mail@wired.com](mailto:mail@wired.com?subject=Coronavirus%20Update%20Feedback). Georgia controversially reopens, Trump promotes shocking treatment theories, and Congress passes a relief bill. Here's what you should know: Headlines Georgia is [reopening some businesses]( despite a rise in coronavirus deaths Georgia governor Brian Kemp is reopening nonessential businesses like tattoo shops, hair salons, gyms, and bowling alleys today, pitting him against mayors of the state's largest cities. Georgia is estimated to have 22,000 coronavirus infections statewide, while the US death toll approaches 50,000. President Trump shocked health experts with [bizarre Covid-19 treatment theories]( In a press conference yesterday, President Trump theorized about using sunlight as a potential treatment for Covid-19, and added he would like to check if disinfectants could be injected into patients to cure Covid-19. Experts quickly denounced the theories, and the makers of Lysol [warned against]( ingesting their cleaning products. This is not the the first time the president has pushed a theory about what can fight the coronavirus: He's also touted the [anti-malarial drug chloroquine](, which is unproven as a Covid-19 treatment. Congress passed a [$484 billion relief bill]( After a partisan struggle, Congress passed a bill that will provide $321 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program (which ran out of money last week), $60 billion in economic disaster loans for small businesses, $75 billion in emergency relief for hospitals, and $25 billion for coronavirus testing. The bill is the fourth in a series of coronavirus relief packages, which have thus far totaled $2.7 trillion. Facebook and Google survey data may [help map Covid-19's spread]( After weeks of gathering data, Carnegie Mellon has published five interactive maps of Covid-19 indicators across the US. The maps will be updated once a day, and include information from Facebook and Google users' self-reported symptoms and Google search data. Daily Distraction A new kind of dog may soon be trotting into hospital rooms to see Covid-19 patients—but [Spot the Coronavirus Doctor Dog]( was probably not the kind of pup you had in mind. Something to Read On March 11, 2020, Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison—and yet, that wasn't the day's biggest headline. That same day, the World Health Organization changed all of our lives by declaring the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic. WIRED collected the stories and memories of [more than 30 accounts]( of that day. Sanity Check If you're considering a quarantine makeover of some kind, you're not alone. But you should know it's probably not just boredom—it's [a coping mechanism](. One Question Are there tests available to determine immunity? How long does immunity last? Serological tests, which measure the presence of antibodies in the blood, are being promoted as a potential green light back into society. But [little is known]( about the body’s immune response to coronavirus and how long such protection could last. A study that measured the body’s response to SARS, another coronavirus, found that antibodies were present in the blood of recovered patients for an average of two years after onset. While this could provide a yardstick of what to expect, more research and time, enough for ill patients to recover and be studied, is needed to develop a good picture. Covid-19 Care Package ❓Not sure what social distancing is? Or flattening the curve? We answered [the most popular Covid-19 questions](. 💻Some of you are work-from-home pros, but if you're new to it, here's how to [stay productive without losing your mind](. 🥺 It's hard not to be anxious about a global pandemic, but here's how you can [protect yourself and your family without spiraling](. 💉Over 30 companies are working on a vaccine, but it's probably still at least a year away. Here's [everything you should know](. 📦The Covid-19 virus can linger on objects for as little as a few hours or as long as a couple days, depending on the surface. [Here's the research](. 👫Quarantined with a loved one? Here's how to [not hate them]( before all this is over. 🧼It's not just your hands that need washing—your gadgets, clothes, and home need it too. Here's how to [properly disinfect your stuff](. 🦠Read all of [our coronavirus coverage here](. [Governor Brian Kemp speaks at a gathering]( [Georgia's Governor Lets Businesses Reopen. Some Say No Thanks]( [Concerned about the health of employees and customers, owners of businesses permitted to reopen Friday are staying closed.]( [a map data visualization of doctor visits across the country]( [Facebook and Google Survey Data May Help Map Covid-19's Spread]( [Researchers from Carnegie Mellon hope to use the data to observe and predict surges in the spread of the virus.]( [An Oral History of the Day Everything Changed]( [On March 11, 2020, the coronavirus pandemic seemed to crystalize in the national consciousness. Americans look back on the turning point.]( [boston dynamics robot named spot]( [Spot the Coronavirus Doctor Robot Dog Will See You Now]( [Spot, the famously deft robot, gets a job screening patients at a hospital. But there’s still much that it and other medical robots can’t do.]( [Sign up for WIRED's Coronavirus Update Newsletter]( SIGN UP [You Have Questions, We Have Answers]( [Sign up for our new Coronavirus Update newsletter for the latest on the pandemic.]( [Subscribe to WIRED]( [GET WIRED](  [Get unlimited access to our coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.](  [Subscribe to support our journalism.](  [Exclusive offer: 1 year for $10 $5]( [(image) WIRED Logo]( [(image) WIRED on Facebook]( [(image) WIRED on Twitter]( [(image) WIRED on Instagram]( [(image) WIRED on LinkedIn]( [(image) WIRED on YouTube]( This e-mail was sent to you by WIRED. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, wired@newsletters.wired.com, to your address book. View our [Privacy Policy]( [Unsubscribe]( or [Manage your newsletter subscriptions](newsletter=wir)