How the Coronavirus is Killing the Middle Class

Plus: The testing needed to reopen the U.S., “murder hornets,” and remembering the double-rainbow guy. View in browser | Update your preferences Dispatch How the Coronavirus is Killing the Middle Class As the economic shutdown stretches from weeks to months, many who were already struggling must confront an even more uncertain future. By Eliza Griswold News Desk How Much Testing Does the U.S. Need to Reopen? Public-health experts believe that the country is not administering enough covid-19 tests. There is far less consensus about what an adequate number might be. By Robert P. Baird Daily Comment Fleeting Moments of Clarity in the Senate Coronavirus Hearing The mood reflected a lack of consistent focus in the federal government’s response to the crisis. By Amy Davidson Sorkin Our Columnists China’s Slow Rebound Points to an Extended U.S. Slump Even some of the stronger spots in the Chinese economy appear to reflect precautionary consumer behavior. By John Cassidy PAID POST "A story worthy of Michael Crichton." –Richard Preston A riveting thriller about a global pandemic—"Sweeping, authoritative, and genuinely intelligent…it reads as if it’s been shot out of a cannon" (Dwight Garner, The New York Times)—from Pulitzer Prize–winning and best-selling author Lawrence Wright. Culture and More Culture Desk Do “Murder Hornets” Really Exist? The answer hinges on a peculiarity of the Japanese language. By Matt Alt Postscript The Joy of Paul (Bear) Vasquez, the Double-Rainbow Guy A viral video captured the mindfulness and joy that his longtime friends say were his hallmarks. By Charles Bethea Page-Turner “Diary of a Drag Queen” and the Journey to Self-Invention Drag, Tom Rasmussen implies, means dreaming up something better than what you’ve been given. By Katy Waldman Humor from The New Yorker Daily Shouts Recent Headlines from Hang Gliding Daily Magazine “Hang Gliding in the Age of the Coronavirus,” “Social Distancing: Basically No Problem While Hang- Gliding,” and more fascinating articles. By Sean McGowan Daily Cartoon Thursday, May 14th By Tom Toro This e-mail was sent to you by The New Yorker. To ensure delivery, we recommend adding newyorker@newsletters.newyorker.com, to your contacts, while noting that it is a no-reply address. Please send all newsletter feedback to tnyinbox@newyorker.com. For more from The New Yorker, sign up for our newsletters, shop the store, and sign in to newyorker.com, where subscribers always have unlimited access. Contact us with questions. View our Privacy Policy Unsubscribe Copyright © Condé Nast 2020. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.