Making Sen$e Jul 30 How a crumbling antibiotics infrastructure could yield ‘catastrophe’ The antibiotics industry has suffered an alarming collapse that has become even more troubling as secondary bacterial infections threaten patients with COVID-19. Why has production of these vital medicines stagnated, and what can be done to address the problem? Economics…
Making Sen$e Jul 29 As a virus ravages the world, antibiotic makers are in disarray COVID-19 can be accompanied by secondary bacterial infections with deadly consequences. But the industry that researches and produces antibiotics to fight such illnesses has been upended -- and the pandemic is only making things worse. Now, medical experts worry about…
Making Sen$e Jul 23 Some parents may be pushed out of the workforce due to lack of child care In the U.S., child care was expensive and difficult to obtain long before the pandemic. But coronavirus has closed schools, forced parents to work from home and shuttered some care facilities for good. With COVID-19 surging in much of the…
Making Sen$e Jul 15 The economics behind racial coronavirus disparities African Americans face immense disparities across a broad range of categories, including economic. That history of disadvantage is making the current problems of COVID-19 even worse. Economics correspondent Paul Solman reports.
Making Sen$e Jul 02 How the pandemic is reshaping American manufacturing Long before the coronavirus pandemic, manufacturing in the U.S. was transformed -- and with it, daily life. Now COVID-19 is delivering a new blow to the industry. But some companies are pivoting to create the personal protective equipment that the…
Making Sen$e Jun 25 With food-delivery apps like Uber Eats, who’s actually making money? During the pandemic, Americans have replaced dining out with take-out and delivery meals. As a result, more customers and restaurants are relying on apps like Grubhub and Uber Eats to transport food. But restaurants say the apps consume their profits,…
Making Sen$e Jun 18 State reopening plans force trade-offs between health and economy The staggering number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits underscores just how many are struggling financially due to the pandemic. While the economic damage from shuttering businesses and staying home is undeniable, public health experts worry that the pressure to reopen…
Making Sen$e Jun 11 Pandemic highlights the extra hardships faced by black business owners Shutting down the U.S. economy in an effort to control the coronavirus outbreak came at enormous cost to American businesses. But the damage borne by African American entrepreneurs has been especially significant. Paul Solman reports on how black business owners…
Making Sen$e Jun 04 American skyscrapers face an uncertain future amid coronavirus Fears of the coronavirus pandemic and the sharp shifts by companies to allow employees to work from home could devastate the nation’s office skyscrapers, some economists say. But real estate moguls say the office as we know it isn't dead…
Making Sen$e May 28 Could the pandemic usher in a new era of working from home? Many Americans are working from home during the coronavirus pandemic, and it’s unclear when people will or should return to the workplace. The shift toward more remote work could have significant repercussions for employees, companies and the marketplace. Economics correspondent…