COVID-19 | The Walrus

A woman sitting at a desk in front of a laptop and turning her head to the side, viewed from the back. Her face and shoulders are slightly blurred. She is wearing a white shirt and the wall in front of her is sky blue.

Health

Can Virtual Therapy Replace the Real Thing?

September 21, 2020September 21, 2020 - by Allison Crawford

Frozen screens, echoing voices, Zoom fatigue: the new challenges facing compassionate care

How to Vaccinate a Planet

September 15, 2020September 25, 2020 - by Danielle Groen

What it will take to build the fastest inoculation program in history and defeat COVID-19

A man holds up a protest sign that says "Wake up we're dying."

Health

The Pandemic Is Intensifying the Opioid Crisis

September 14, 2020September 17, 2020 - by Alexandra Harvey

Public health measures meant to contain COVID-19 have caused a spike in overdose-related deaths

Illustration of a Black woman with an afro and her eyes closed and her hands held palms-up around her face. In the background are hands passing money toward her.

September/October 2020 / Society

Black Communities Have Known about Mutual Aid All Along

September 1, 2020September 15, 2020 - by Vicky Mochama

In the pandemic, “caremongering” has become a new term for an old—and joyous—practice

Illustration of small cartoon people moving freely atop small green platforms––cartwheeling, dancing, and holding hands.

Health

Fat Shaming Shouldn’t Be Part of Our “New Normal”

August 25, 2020August 25, 2020 - by Erika Thorkelson

Even in a pandemic, our culture is obsessed with controlling our bodies

Environment

Lockdown Let the Earth Breathe. What Do We Do Next?

August 24, 2020August 24, 2020 - by Sarah Ratchford

COVID-19 could be a turning point in climate activism—but only if we play it right

Business

Ditch the Sweatpants

August 17, 2020August 17, 2020 - by Josh Greenblatt

The business of fashion is in crisis. But as our lockdown outfits get weirder, they’re also closer to representing who we really are

Illustration of a doctor watching a house with a parent and child playing in the yard. A blank space separates the doctor from the house. The background is bright orange.

COVID-19

Health Care Workers Still Fear Bringing the Pandemic Home

August 6, 2020August 7, 2020 - by Mitchell Consky

We may have flattened the curve, but nurses, doctors, and staff can’t relax—the worst may be yet to come

Illustration of a public transit bus on a pedestal. The color scheme is blue, yellow, and orange.

Cities

The Fight to Save Public Transit

August 4, 2020August 18, 2020 - by James Wilt

COVID-19 has accelerated an already dire transit crisis. Why can’t we make ridership free?

Illustration of a couple sitting at a restaurant table in front of a blue sky–printed curtain. The curtain is slightly pulled back as a waiter emerges; behind it is the inner workings of a restaurant kitchen.

Business / September/October 2020

Is Dining Out Dead?

July 23, 2020August 21, 2020 - by Corey Mintz

Some experts predict that 60 percent of restaurants won’t survive the lockdown. Here’s what chefs, owners, and their employees are doing to stay alive