April 27, 2020 - PBS NewsHour full episode

As the U.S. grapples with the novel coronavirus, a bipartisan group is putting together an ambitious plan to scale capacity to track and contain the virus. Andy Slavitt, former director of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the $46 billion proposal, which would expand contact tracing capabilities as well as provide income for people during isolation.

In our news wrap Monday, South Korean officials renewed calls for caution amid speculation about Kim Jong Un. Rumors regarding the North Korean leader’s well-being have swirled as he has disappeared from view in recent weeks. Also, the United Nations reports that civilian deaths from fighting in Afghanistan during the year’s first quarter were the lowest for that period since 2012.

Weeks into the social distancing driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, some states are beginning to lift restrictions -- while others are extending them. How do business owners and customers feel about the decision to reopen? John Yang talks to Bill Nigut of Georgia Public Broadcasting and Anna Rau of Montana PBS about what they are seeing in their states, which are attempting a phased approach.

Cases of COVID-19 have been rising in some rural parts of the U.S. -- many of which were already squeezed for medical care before the pandemic. With fewer resources available in these places, a spike in patients requiring hospitalization and intensive care can be especially dangerous. William Brangham talks to Dr. Shanti Akers, a pulmonologist at the Phoebe Putney Health System in Albany, Georgia.

The spread of COVID-19 has dramatically altered the way Americans both live and die. We asked our viewers to share their stories about losing loved ones during the pandemic, whether to COVID-19 or to something else. Amna Nawaz reports on the strange and sorrowful process of grief for people in isolation.

Medical student Choumika Simonis is sheltering in place in Harlem but will soon be a doctor on New York City's front lines. Her mother, Clemene Vertus, who emigrated from Haiti in the 1980s, lives in Queens and has been working as a certified nursing assistant at a VA home. Although the crisis has kept them apart, we bring them together to share their Brief But Spectacular take on each other.

NPR’s Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report join Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest political news, including the evolution of the White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing, President Trump’s shifting approval ratings and possible electoral implications for Senate races this fall.