March 31, 2020 — A roundup of the latest news about COVID-19

Maybe we should all wear masks in public, 261 million of us are asked to stay home, and cars line up for miles at a food bank. Here’s the latest on the virus, at home and around the world:

• There are now more than 800,000 confirmed cases worldwide, and nearly 39,000 deaths. The U.S. has almost 165,000 cases, and close to 3,200 deaths.
• The CDC is considering whether we should all be wearing masks in public.
• At least 261 million people in the U.S. are now living under stay-at-home orders.
• The FDA has authorized the widespread use of certain unproven drugs to fight coronavirus.
• The Washington Post created a tracking map that lets you see how many cases and deaths are in your county.
• The governor of New York, which has more than one-third of the country’s cases, implores health care workers from less hard-hit parts of the U.S. to travel there to help. A plane full of volunteers has already responded from Georgia.
• A major pharmaceutical company plans to start testing a coronavirus vaccine by September.
• It’s not just medical supplies: Baby formula, diapers, and wipes are in short supply.
• Hundreds of cars lined up for a giveaway at a Pittsburgh food bank, causing a major traffic jam. Food banks across America are reporting a 40% increase in demand.
• China has begun to track asymptomatic patients as new cases of infection rise.
• A look at the front lines of the fight against coronavirus around the world.
• Are mass disinfections smart or dangerous?
• Sesame Street has enlisted the Muppets to teach your children how to wash their hands properly.
• An Australian astrophysicist got magnets stuck up his nose while trying to invent a device to warn you when you’re touching your face.
• How introverts and extroverts handle being quarantined.
• Today’s smile: Watch Sicilian twin boys play Coldplay on the violin while under quarantine.