You can watch the local news and daily briefings from the White House, read the updates from the CDC, and scour the newspaper for the latest on the coronavirus pandemic. Even after doing all that, you might still have questions. We’ll take an hour and find out what misinformation, knowledge gaps and lingering questions are still out there at a time when accurate information is crucial.
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Wednesday, April 1, 2020 – Laughter is the best medicine
Is it too soon to laugh about the coronavirus? No matter what happens to Native people, humor remains a long-standing form of coping. For 25 years, Canadian comedian Don Burnstick (Cree) has been making people laugh across Turtle Island. He’s been sharing his jokes on Facebook Live videos including “they went from guarding pipelines to guarding the toilet paper.” We’ll talk with him and a few other Native comedians about how to keep laughing during a crisis.
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Coronavirus’ toll on Native business
The response to the coronavirus is threatening the survival of big and small Native businesses. Worries about the economy are on everyone’s mind even as U.S. politicians are working to deliver a $2.2 trillion relief package. It’s difficult to see how Native businesses will fare through the looming economic crisis. We’ll take the pulse of Native professionals about what the situation is and get predictions about how long and how severe it might be.
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Serving homeless relatives during the covid-19 pandemic
Self-isolation and handwashing are a large part of the national game plan for combatting covid-19. But those experiencing homelessness have far fewer options when it comes to heeding health experts’ basic recommendations. Urban Native homeless resource centers like the Chief Seattle Club and Central Arizona Shelter Services are continuing to offer health, nutrition and shelter services to those in need. But complying with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s covid-19 guidelines is difficult with already limited space and resources. We’ll check in with those who are helping vulnerable Native Americans.
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