“I’m always driving, going back-and-forth between nursing homes, the hospital, and the morgue. All these roads should be empty if you ask me. But now I see people out running errands, rushing back into their lives, and it’s like: ‘Why? What reason could possibly be good enough?’ Sometimes, I think about stopping and showing them one of the empty body bags I have in the trunk. ‘You might end up here. Is that worth it for a haircut or a hamburger?'” The science is interesting. The politics is infuriating. But there’s nothing quite as engaging as the simple, human stories of the pandemic. And no one is better at capturing those voices that WaPo’s Eli Saslow. Listen to the voice of Michael Fowler, Dougherty County coroner, on the reopening of Georgia. “I don’t believe in getting hysterical. It’s doesn’t do any good. This is a numbers-and-facts job. But we have numbers and facts that are screaming out by themselves.”

+ “Researchers tracking smartphone data say they recently made a disturbing discovery: For the first time since states began implementing stay-at-home orders in mid-March to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, Americans are staying home less.” I hit the road for a bit yesterday (I swear, it was essential), and the traffic was pretty typical for a Saturday.

+ WaPo: “After shutting down much of American life in March and keeping people home throughout April, governors are preparing to lift restrictions as the calendar turns to May — and cross their fingers that the novel coronavirus doesn’t come roaring back.” Will we be smelling May flowers or yelling, Mayday? May the force be with you.