I'm Michelle Goldberg.

I'm David Leonhart and this is the argument.

This week, life in the time of coronavirus.

You know, we've made the healthcare system a big issue.

We talk about it every election cycle,

but we don't really ever talk about public health

until there's a crisis like this.

Then, how do we hold an election in the midst of a pandemic?

Right now, everybody needs to be working on setting up,

you know, agreed upon vote by mail systems.

And finally, a recommendation.

None of us has ever lived through anything like the past week.

Institutions that we took for granted have closed their doors and may stay closed for weeks or even

months. Schools, restaurants, theaters, virtually all of professional sports.

This is all an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus

so that a surge in patients doesn't overwhelm the medical system.

But in some places, it may be too late to avoid that outcome.

And then there are the economic effects.

The economy is shrinking at a pace reminiscent of the 2008 financial crisis.

People are losing incomes and jobs already.

Ross is off this week, but Janine Interlendi is joining Michelle and me.

Janine is the Times Editorial Boards expert on science and health.

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