on July 2. Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images

A healthcare worker zips up a protective barrier in the Covid-19 Unit at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston on July 2.

Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images

The spread of the virus exceeds our capacity to test, contact trace, and isolate those who test positive. Some public health experts say the only option that remains is a second shutdown. NPR's Rob Stein reports on what that would look like.

Derek Thompson, writer and editor at The Atlantic, says there's another part of our virus strategy we may need to rethink. He calls it 'hygiene theater.'

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This episode was produced by Brianna Scott, Lee Hale and Brent Baughman. It was edited by Sami Yenigun and Beth Donovan with fact-checking from Anne Li. Our executive producer is Cara Tallo.

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