Hey there, it's William Brangham. Today, as a bonus, we're bringing you an episode of our new

original podcast series, America Interrupted. It's about how the coronavirus pandemic is changing

our lives. In this episode, we look at the challenges of fighting this virus in rural America,

where many hospitals were already struggling to stay open even before the

pandemic hit. We talked to hospital workers in southwest Georgia about being on the front lines of

this outbreak, and to a man in West Texas who is trying to get medical providers the supplies

they need. Take a listen. If you like what you hear,

subscribe in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

This episode is made possible

by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative,

working to build a more healthy,

just, an inclusive future for everyone

at cZI.org.

Wow. at czzi.org. Well, another morning, another day, another mask.

I am getting so tired of talking through this mask

and feeling the humidity of my own breath.

This is the new normal for hospital workers on the front line of this pandemic.

So I'm walking towards the emergency room entrance and there's National Guardsmen out front

with our security, taking temperatures of everybody that comes in the building and handing

everybody a mask.

ICU Dr. Shanti Akers and Chaplin Will Runyon both work at a regional hospital in rural southwest Georgia.

They knew the big city hospitals were overwhelmed with coronavirus patients,

...