Pandemic authorities are failing the public. Can the media step up?
CNN
Americans need guidance about what to do when, where and how, now that vaccines are widely available.
On one extreme there are Covid deniers. On the other extreme there are "pandemic addicts" who, it seems, never want this period to end. And in between there are the vast majority of Americans who just want common-sense guidance about what to do when, where and how, now that vaccines are widely available. More than 40% of Americans have gotten a shot, according to the latest CDC data. "We are approaching an inflection point," Dr. Sanjay Gupta said Wednesday, "where vaccine supply may outstrip demand." Tensions may rise between the vaccinated and un-vaxxed. Masks may lead to more frequent fights as spats may break out between the comfortable and the cautious. Back in March 2020 Matt Pearce of the Los Angeles Times observed that "we are all coronavirus reporters now." The pandemic touched every beat in the newsroom. And that's true again now as life edges back to normal, guidance or no guidance. In the past week there have been a critical mass of stories questioning outdoor mask mandates; trend pieces about the "power lunch" making a comeback; and features about people who are very anxious about all of that.More Related News