COVID-19 | The Walrus

Image of the poet, Jason Guriel, a man with dark hair and glasses staring into the camera and smiling slightly. The photo is black and white; the background behind him is blue.

COVID-19 Couplets

May 23, 2020 - by Jason Guriel

On daily walks, we cut the neighbours swaths / Of space

Illustration of a woman on a couch playing guitar. In front of her is an open laptop on a coffee table; behind her is an easel with a painting of a sun. Scattered books and vases are around and beneath the table.

COVID-19 / First Person / July/August 2020

If a Book Is Published in a Pandemic, Will Anyone Read It?

May 21, 2020May 21, 2020 - by Katrina Onstad

We already undervalue our artists. COVID-19 has only made it worse

Photo illustration of a waterfront boardwalk with a thin crowd of people. Some people are encased in translucent bubbles to maintain social distancing.

COVID-19 / Health / July/August 2020

How to Lift a Lockdown

May 13, 2020May 20, 2020 - by Danielle Groen

From immunity passports to mass testing: the science, logistics, and ethics of recovering from COVID-19

Illustration of two people wearing leopard-print jackets and running down the aisles of a supermarket. The woman is pushing a cart.

COVID-19 / June 2020 / Science

Your Brain on COVID-19

May 6, 2020May 14, 2020 - by Carolyn Abraham

Fear, denial, panic buying: why our minds are not designed to process threats like the coronavirus pandemic

Aerial view of a dense crowd of people crossing the street at a major crosswalk.

COVID-19 / Politics

How Universal Basic Income Will Save the Economy

May 4, 2020May 12, 2020 - by Max Fawcett

Until recently, the idea lived on the political margins. Then the pandemic changed everything

Illustration of two bottles of bleach with large red X's behind them and yellow letters saying, in all capitals, "DO NOT DRINK." The background is turquoise blue.

COVID-19 / Health

Don’t Drink the Bleach

April 29, 2020May 1, 2020 - by Justin Ling

Medical scams are bad enough in ordinary situations. During a pandemic, they can be deadly

A black and white photo of a row of four empty phones mounted on a chain-link fence.

COVID-19 / Justice

Social Distancing Is Impossible in Prisons. Why Are They Still Full?

April 27, 2020May 12, 2020 - by Simon Lewsen

Bail courts have gone virtual and trials are suspended. But prisons, which pose a severe public health risk, are still open

Black-and-white illustration of a grid of apartment units containing tenants trying to connect with people in other units––some are linked by phone cables, some are waving to one another, others are bringing one another food.

Business / COVID-19

Do Good Landlords Even Exist?

April 21, 2020May 1, 2020 - by Zachariah Wells

In the current rental crisis, landlords have a chance to step up. But too many of them are failing their tenants

Illustration of two hands reaching for one another across the frame and unable to touch. Behind the hands are blocks containing text that says "Quarantine: Contagious Disease" in all capital letters.

Arts & Culture / COVID-19

The Plague Story We’re Living Through

April 16, 2020May 1, 2020 - by Michael Lista

Romeo and Juliet reminds us that all the best human things are unhygienic—sex, kissing, a touch from the person you love

An illustration of a woman, sitting at a window inside an apartment. In front of her is a laptop with an open window that says "stay home." Outside the window is a park and a block of buildings, in which people socialize, picnic, play basketball, and talk, not bothering to maintain any physical distancing measures.

COVID-19 / First Person / Society

Family on the Front Lines of a Pandemic

April 7, 2020May 1, 2020 - by Judy Ziyi Gu

Until my uncle was sent to care for patients in Wuhan, the outbreak didn’t feel real to me. If only we had all paid attention sooner