This podcast takes you to several cities/countries affected by Covid-19 to discuss social, economic, and political challenges facing their societies, with emphasis on the most vulnerable groups and on what this pandemic reveals about the human condition (wow, big phrase). Based on personal and incisive conversations with various interlocutors on location, we hope both to learn from others and to provide some solace as we address how we are collectively experiencing and dealing with similar challenges.

We will be speaking with our guests, one or several at a time, via Skype, and will try to have brief, informative, and non-draining calls within 20-30 minutes.

Statistics - As of March 2020
- 5,000 Palestinian prisoners currently in Israeli jails.
- 432 in administrative detention.
- 183 children.
- 43 female prisoners.
- Since 1967, over 800,000 Palestinians have been imprisoned.
- 4 Palestinian prisoners confirmed to be infected with coroanvirus.
- 50 Palestinian homes demolished
- Since 1967, 18,000 houses Palestinian homes have been demolished
- 6,000 homes were demolished immediately after the 1967 war.
- Home demolition as collective punishment: https://www.btselem.org/topic/punitive_demolitions

Hosted by Noura Erekat and Bassam Haddad
Production Set by Khalid Namez
Edited by Alicia Rodriguez
Directed by Bassam Haddad
Research by Naim Mousa

On Vancouver: 2 April 2020

This podcast takes you to several cities/countries affected by COVID-19 to discuss social, economic, and political challenges facing their societies, with emphasis on the most vulnerable groups and on what this pandemic reveals about the human condition (wow, big phrase). Based on personal and incisive conversations with various interlocutors on location, we hope both to learn from others and to provide some solace as we address how we are collectively experiencing and dealing with similar challenges.

We will be speaking with our guests, one or several at a time, via Skype, and will try to have brief, informative, and non-draining calls within 20-30 minutes.

Canada
- Total cases: 12,924
- Total deaths: 214
- Total recovered: 2,322
- Total active cases: 10,388
- Total in serious/critical condition: 120
- Total cases per 1 million people: 342
- Total deaths per 1 million people: 6
- First recorded case was on February 23.
- Total tests carried out: 302,745
- Tests per 1 million people: 8,021

British Columbia specifically
- Total cases: 1,174
- Total cases in Greater Vancouver area: 541
- Total deaths: 35
- Total recovered: 673
- Total active cases: 466
- Total in serious/critical condition: 64
- First recorded case was on January 27.
- Total tests carried out: 47,352

Hosted by Noura Erekat and Bassam Haddad
Production Set by Khalid Namez
Edited by Alicia Rodriguez
Directed by Bassam Haddad
Research by Naim Mousa

This podcast takes you to several cities/countries affected by Covid-19 to discuss social, economic, and political challenges facing their societies, with emphasis on the most vulnerable groups and on what this pandemic reveals about the human condition (wow, big phrase). Based on personal and incisive conversations with various interlocutors on location, we hope both to learn from others and to provide some solace as we address how we are collectively experiencing and dealing with similar challenges.

We will be speaking with our guests, one or several at a time, via Skype, and will try to have brief, informative, and non-draining calls within 20-30 minutes.

US Statistics
- Total confirmed cases in the US: 133,146 (as of 2pm on 3/29)
- Total deaths in the US: 2,363 (as of 2pm on 3/29)
- Case fatality rate in the US: (#deaths/#confirmed cases): 1.6% (as of 11pm on 3/27)
- Total cases per 1 million people in the US: 402(as of 2pm on 3/29)
- Total deaths per 1 million people in the US: 7
- First case recorded in the US: January 20 (Snohomish, Washington)
- Total number of test kits available: I wish I knew!
- Total number of tests performed daily: 65,000 (as of 3/26)
- Total number of tests performed: ~685,000 (as of 11pm on 3/27)
- Tests per capita in the US as whole: 177 tests per 100k people.
- NY has the highest testing rate: 627 tests per 100k people.
- Total number of ventilators: ~172,700 (~160,000 available +12,700 in national stockpile)
- After Trump enacted the Defense Production Act on 3/27, factories like GM are mandated to begin manufacturing ventilators - as many as 10,000/month.
- Total number of ICU beds: ~925,000
- Total number of ICU beds per 1,000 people: 34.7
- Water security in places like Flint, Michigan. Under pressure the state issued a moratorium of water shutoffs.
- Nearly 3,000 households are without running water
- A number of states/communities are struggling as COVID-19 is spreading in homeless populations and among SRO/housing project residents.
- Homeless people are at double the risk of contracting the virus.
- Cramming 200-300 people in a single homeless shelter is the norm in many cities, increasing the likelihood of transmission.
- 30% of homeless people have chronic lung disease, according to a study published last year.
- The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness estimates that there are 567,700 homeless people in the country.
- While San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced a $5 million emergency fund and public health order to help vulnerable populations, including the homeless, many activists insist that is not enough.
- In Boston, 8 homeless people have already tested positive for the virus.
E.g. Population density is one of the factors in community spread in NYC
- New York City, Westchester, Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, Orange, and Erie county are the hardest hit areas in New York State. They are also all the top 10 most densely populated counties in the state.

Hosted by Noura Erekat and Bassam Haddad
Production Set by Khalid Namez
Edited by Alicia Rodriguez
Directed by Bassam Haddad
Research by Naim Mousa

This podcast takes you to several cities/countries affected by Covid-19 to discuss social, economic, and political challenges facing their societies, with emphasis on the most vulnerable groups and on what this pandemic reveals about the human condition (wow, big phrase). Based on personal and incisive conversations with various interlocutors on location, we hope both to learn from others and to provide some solace as we address how we are collectively experiencing and dealing with similar challenges.

We will be speaking with our guests, one or several at a time, via Skype, and will try to have brief, informative, and non-draining calls within 20-30 minutes.

Data shown is as of April 1, unless stated otherwise.
Qatar
- Total cases: 781
- Total deaths: 2
- Total recovered: 62
- Total active cases: 717
- Total in serious/critical condition: 6
- Total cases per 1 million people: 271
- Total deaths per 1 million people: 0.7
- First recorded case was on February 28.
- Carried out almost 9,000 tests (as of March 18).

UAE
- Total cases: 664
- Total deaths: 6
- Total recovered: 61
- Total active cases: 597
- Total in serious/critical condition: 2
- Total cases per 1 million people: 67
- Total deaths per 1 million people: 0.6
- First recorded case was on January 28.
- Carried out more than 220,000 laboratory tests across the country (as of March 30).
- Evacuated over 1,700 nationals and "those accompanying them" from countries abroad.
- Opened drive-through testing facility that can service 600 people a day, with priority given to the elderly, the pregnant and those with underlying health problems.

Saudi Arabia
- Total cases: 1,720
- Total deaths: 16
- Total recovered: 264
- Total active cases: 1,440
- Total in serious/critical condition: 31
- Total cases per 1 million people: 49
- Total deaths per 1 million people: 0.5
- First recorded case was on March 1.
- State authorities seized over 5 million masks that were hoarded by businesses and people.
- Released 250 immigration detainees to help contain the spread of the virus.

Oman
- Total cases: 210
- Total deaths: 1
- Total recovered: 34
- Total active cases: 175
- Total in serious/critical condition: 3
- Total cases per 1 million people: 41
- Total deaths per 1 million people: 0.2
- First recorded case was on February 23.

Kuwait
- Total cases: 317
- Total deaths: 0
- Total recovered: 80
- Total active cases: 237
- Total in serious/critical condition: 13
- Total cases per 1 million people: 74
- Total deaths per 1 million people: 0
- First recorded case was on February 23.
- Brought back more than 2,700 citizens from countries abroad.

Bahrain
- Total cases: 567
- Total deaths: 4
- Total recovered: 316
- Total active cases: 247
- Total in serious/critical condition: 2
- Total cases per 1 million people: 333
- Total deaths per 1 million people: 2
- First recorded case was on February 23.
- Carried out almost 19,000 tests (as of March 20).

Hosted by Noura Erekat and Bassam Haddad
Production Set by Khalid Namez
Edited by Alicia Rodriguez
Directed by Bassam Haddad
Research by Naim Mousa

This podcast takes you to several cities/countries affected by Covid-19 to discuss social, economic, and political challenges facing their societies, with emphasis on the most vulnerable groups and on what this pandemic reveals about the human condition (wow, big phrase). Based on personal and incisive conversations with various interlocutors on location, we hope both to learn from others and to provide some solace as we address how we are collectively experiencing and dealing with similar challenges.

We will be speaking with our guests, one or several at a time, via Skype, and will try to have brief, informative, and non-draining calls within 20-30 minutes.

Statistics - as of March 29
- Total confirmed cases: 38,309
- Total confirmed deaths: 2,609
- Total confirmed recoveries: 12,391
- Total active cases: 23,278
- Total open critical or severe cases: 3,206 (14%)
- Average daily number of deaths in past week: 136/day

Some prominent figures who have died from the disease: Mohammad Mirmohammadi (Member of the Expediency Council), Nasser Shabani (Senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Commander), Fatemeh Rahbar (conservative politician and four-time Parliamentarian, died before the start of her fourth term)
Some prominent figures who have contracted the disease: Iraj Harirchi (Deputy Minister of Health), Ahmad Amirabadi Farahani (MP, Qom), Ali Akbar Velayati (Senior Advisor to Supreme Leader Khamenei for International Affairs)

Some important dates:
January 26th: Government claims COVID-19 has not and will not spread to Iran
On February 19, the Ministry of Health announced two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the city of Qom, which is a center for religious learning in the country. The Ministry later announced that both individuals died. On February 21, new cases were reported in Tehran and the province of Gilan. Parliamentary elections were held to record low turnout despite the risk of spreading contagion.
On March 9, approx. 70,000 detainees are released on medical furlough
On March 13th, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei implies that the virus might be a "biological attack"
On March 19th, March 20th, and March 25th, there were revolts of incarcerated people in Tabriz and in two cities in the province of Lorestan in response to COVID-19 fears and to new lockdown measures introduced in wake of the spread of COVID-19.

Hosted by Noura Erekat and Bassam Haddad
Production Set by Khalid Namez
Edited by Alicia Rodriguez
Directed by Bassam Haddad
Research by Naim Mousa

This podcast takes you to several cities/countries affected by Covid-19 to discuss social, economic, and political challenges facing their societies, with emphasis on the most vulnerable groups and on what this pandemic reveals about the human condition (wow, big phrase). Based on personal and incisive conversations with various interlocutors on location, we hope both to learn from others and to provide some solace as we address how we are collectively experiencing and dealing with similar challenges.

We will be speaking with our guests, one or several at a time, via Skype, and will try to have brief, informative, and non-draining calls within 20-30 minutes.

Iran - data shown is as of March 29.
- Total confirmed cases: 38,309
- Total deaths: 2,640
- Total recovered: 12,391
- Total cases per 1 million people: 456
- Total deaths per 1 million people: 31
- First case recorded on February 19.
- About 6,000 people are being tested daily (This data is based on an article written on March 14).
- Estimates put the death toll at around 3.5 million by late May, when the outbreak is expected to peak.

Hosted by Noura Erekat and Bassam Haddad
Production Set by Khalid Namez
Edited by Alicia Rodriguez
Directed by Bassam Haddad
Research by Naim Mousa

This podcast takes you to several cities/countries affected by Covid-19 to discuss social, economic, and political challenges facing their societies, with emphasis on the most vulnerable groups and on what this pandemic reveals about the human condition (wow, big phrase). Based on personal and incisive conversations with various interlocutors on location, we hope both to learn from others and to provide some solace as we address how we are collectively experiencing and dealing with similar challenges.

We will be speaking with our guests, one or several at a time, via Skype, and will try to have brief, informative, and non-draining calls within 20-30 minutes.

Cairo
- Total confirmed cases: 442
- Total deaths: 21
- Total recovered: 95
- Total cases per 1 million people: 4
- Total deaths per 1 million people: 0.2
- First case recorded on February 14.
- At least 97 foreigners who visited Egypt since mid-February showed symptoms of, or tested positive for the virus.

Hosted by Noura Erekat and Bassam Haddad
Production Set by Khalid Namez
Edited by Alicia Rodriguez
Directed by Bassam Haddad
Research by Naim Mousa

This podcast takes you to several cities/countries affected by Covid-19 to discuss social, economic, and political challenges facing their societies, with emphasis on the most vulnerable groups and on what this pandemic reveals about the human condition (wow, big phrase). Based on personal and incisive conversations with various interlocutors on location, we hope both to learn from others and to provide some solace as we address how we are collectively experiencing and dealing with similar challenges.

We will be speaking with our guests, one or several at a time, via Skype, and will try to have brief, informative, and non-draining calls within 20-30 minutes.

Dublin Statistics - (numbers shown are in for the entirety of Ireland unless stated otherwise)
- Total confirmed cases: 539 (in Dublin)
- Total deaths: 7
- Total recovered: 5
- Total cases per 1 million people: 269
- Total deaths per 1 million people: 1
- First case recorded on February 19.
- 17,992 tests carried out so far, 93% returning as negative.
- Nearly half of all coronavirus cases in Ireland are in Dublin.
- It is estimated that there could be 15,000 cases in Ireland by the end of the month.

Hosted by Noura Erakat and Bassam Haddad
Research by Naim Mousa
Production Set by Khalid Namez
Edited by Alicia Rodriguez