The U.S. Department of Labor reported more than 9 million Americans filed for unemployment insurance over the past two weeks.
While millions of people are laid off, there’s another set of individuals who work in industries the nation collectively asked not to slow down. These are the essential workers. They ensure the hundreds of thousands of people social distancing, or sheltering in place, can continue to live their lives.
On this edition of River to River, host Ben Kieffer is joined by Jennifer Sherer, director of the University of Iowa Labor Center, to discuss how the pandemic has impacted workers’ rights and labor issues in this new work environment.
And what happens to COVID-19 patients who reach the ICU? Nicholas Mohr, associate professor of emergency medicine, anesthesia - critical care and epidemiology at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, joins the program to answer some listener questions.
Have a question that wasn’t answered in the program? Submit it to our news team. This input helps inform Iowa Public Radio’s ongoing coverage of COVID-19.
Guests:
- Jennifer Sherer, director of the University Of Iowa Labor Center
- Nicholas Mohr, associate professor of emergency medicine, anesthesia - critical care and epidemiology at the University Of Iowa Carver College Of Medicine
