HBO Max is slowly giving us more reasons to forget its predecessors ever existed (RIP HBO Go) by dropping a handful of new shows and theatrical releases this month. To recreate the moviegoing experience at home, we’ve got Harriet, Midway, and Last Christmas. To binge something funny, there’s Close Enough and Expecting Amy. And for some more familiar fare, there’s a new season of Room 104 to anticipate.

Here’s everything coming to (and leaving) HBO Max this July.

Harriet (2019)

It’s kind of the perfect time to check out this Cynthia Erivo-starring biopic about famed abolitionist Harriet Tubman. Though we’re all probably familiar with Tubman’s story on the most basic of levels — she liberated hundreds of slaves through her Underground Railroad and her work as a spy for the Union — the film marks the first time her story is being told in full. And Erivo scored an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of the fearless freedom fighter, which should tell you just how good this movie is.

Close Enough (series premiere)

Jason Mantzoukas, Danielle Brooks, and Kimiko Glenn make up some of the voice cast for this new adult animated comedy landing on HBO Max this month. The show revolves around a millennial couple trying to raise their young daughter in L.A. When their friends — a pair of divorced narcissists — come to stay with them, their life quickly spirals out of control.

Expecting Amy (series premiere)

Comedian Amy Schumer documents her pregnancy journey in this new series for HBO Max. Schumer, who’s known for her give-no-f*cks humor takes the same approach to impending motherhood, unashamedly detailing all the highs and lows of what it’s like prepping for your first child.

Here’s what’s coming to HBO Max this July:

Avail. 7/1
Absolute Power, 1997
The Adventures of Pinocchio, 1996
The Amazing Panda Adventure, 1995
American Graffiti, 1973 (HBO)
American History X, 1998
Angels in the Outfield, 1951
Angus, 1995
August Rush, 2007
The Bachelor, 1999
Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero, 1998
Batman and Harley Quinn, 2017
Batman vs. Two-Face, 2017
The Batman vs. Dracula, 2005
Batman: Assault on Arkham, 2014
Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders, 2016
Batman: Under the Red Hood, 2010
Batman: Year One, 2011
Beautiful Creatures, 2013
Beerfest, 2006
The Big Year (Extended Version), 2011 (HBO)
Bishop’s Wife 1947
Blade 2, 2002
Blade, 1998
Blade: Trinity, 2004
Blazing Saddles, 1974
Blood Work, 2002
Born to Be Wild, 1995
The Boy Who Could Fly, 1989
Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason, 2004 (HBO)
Catch Me If You Can, 2002
Clara’s Heart, 1988
The Conjuring, 2013
Cop Out, 2010
Creepshow, 1982
Death Becomes Her, 1992 (HBO)
The Departed, 2006
The Dirty Dozen, 1967
Dirty Harry, 1971
Doc Hollywood, 1991
Dolphin Tale, 2011
Dumb & Dumber, 1994
Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd, 2003
Enemy of the State, 1998 (HBO)
The English Patient, 1996 (HBO)
The Enforcer, 1976
The Exorcist, 1973
Fantastic Four, 2005 (Extended Version) (HBO)
Flags of Our Fathers, 2006 (HBO)
Flushed Away, 2006 (HBO)
Four Christmases, 2008
Fred Claus, 2007
Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home, 1995
Free Willy 3: The Rescue, 1997
Free Willy, 1993
Free Willy: Escape from Pirate’s Cove, 2010
Freedom Fighters: The Ray, 2017
The Gauntlet, 1977
Get Smart, 2008
Good Girls Get High, 2019
Green Lantern: Emerald Knights, 2011
Green Lantern: First Flight, 2009
The Green Pastures, 1936
Grumpier Old Men, 1995
Grumpy Old Men, 1993
A Guy Named Joe, 1943
Heartbreak Ridge, 1986
The Horn Blows at Midnight, 1945
Horrible Bosses, 2011 (Extended Version) (HBO)
In Secret, 2014 (HBO)
In Time, 2011 (HBO)
Inkheart, 2009
Innerspace, 1987 (HBO)
Insomnia, 2002
J. Edgar, 2011
Jack Frost, 1998
Jane Eyre, 2011 (HBO)
Jeepers Creepers 2, 2003 (HBO)
Jeepers Creepers, 2001 (HBO)
JLA Adventures: Trapped in Time, 2014
John Q, 2002 (HBO)
Journey to the Center of the Earth, 2008
Justice League vs. Teen Titans, 2016
Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, 2010
Justice League: Doom, 2012
Justice League: Gods and Monsters, 2015
Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, 2013
Justice League: The New Frontier, 2008
Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, 2015
Justice League: War, 2014
Kill Bill: Volume 1, 2003
Kill Bill: Volume 2, 2004
Kiss of the Dragon, 2001 (HBO)
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, 2003
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, 2001
The Last Emperor, 1987 (HBO)
Last Knights, 2015 (HBO)
The Last Samurai, 2003
Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League vs. Bizarro League, 2015
Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: The Flash, 2018
Lego DC Super Hero Girls: Super-Villain High, 2018
Lego Justice League: Cosmic Clash, 2016
Lego Justice League: Gotham City Breakout, 2016
The Letter, 2020 (HBO)
Life Is Beautiful, 1998 (HBO)
Little Big League, 1994
Little Manhattan, 2005 (HBO)
Little Nicky, 2000
The Longest Yard, 2005
Loser Leaves Town, 2020 (HBO)
Love Don’t Cost a Thing, 2003
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, 1983
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, 1985
Magnolia, 1999 (HBO)
Malibu’s Most Wanted, 2003
Mars Attacks, 1996
Megamind, 2010
Message In A Bottle, 1999
Michael, 1996
Mickey Blue Eyes, 1999
Money Talks, 1997
Monkey Trouble, 1994
Moonwalk With Me, 2019 APAV Short (HBO)
Mr. Nanny, 1993
Munich, 2005 (HBO)
Music and Lyrics, 2007
Nancy Drew, 2007
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, 1989
National Lampoon’s European Vacation, 1985
National Lampoon’s Loaded Weapon, 1993
National Lampoon’s Vacation, 1983
Necessary Evil: The Super-Villains of DC Comics, (Documentary Premiere)
New Looney Tunes
Now and Then, 1995
Orphan, 2009
Osmosis Jones, 2001
Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, 1985
The Polar Express, 2004
Pop Star, 2005
Power, 1986
The Resurrection Of Gavin Stone, 2017 (HBO)
Rich and Famous, 1981
The Right Stuff, 1983
Rumor Has It, 2005
Saving Private Ryan, 1998
Sesame Street Presents Follow That Bird, 1985
Showgirls, 1995 (HBO)
Something to Talk About, 1995
Space Jam, 1996
Spies Like Us, 1985
Star Trek, 2009
Stay, 2005 (HBO)
Sudden Impact, 1983
Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay, 2018
Superman II, 1981
Superman III, 1983
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, 1987
Superman Returns, 2006
Superman: Brainiac Attacks, 2006
Superman: The Movie, 1978
Superman: Unbound, 2013
Sweet November, 2001
Take the Lead, 2006
Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny, 2006
Tequila Sunrise, 1988
The Talented Mr. Ripley, 1999 (HBO)
Thirteen Ghosts, 2001
Tightrope, 1984
Tom & Jerry: The Movie, 1993
The Towering Inferno, 1974 (HBO)
Troy, 2004
True Crime, 1999
Twelve Monkeys, 1995 (HBO)
Unforgiven, 1992
Vegas Vacation, 1997
Watchmen (movie), 2009
What’s Your Number?, 2011 (Extended Version) (HBO)
The Women, 2008
Wyatt Earp, 1994
Yogi Bear (Movie), 2010
Yours, Mine, and Ours, 2005
Zoetic, 2019 APAV Short (HBO)

Avail. 7/3
Los Futbolismos (Aka The Footballest), 2020 (HBO)

Avail. 7/4
Midway, 2019 (HBO)

Avail. 7/7
Blue Exorcist, Seasons 1 & 2
Your Lie in April, Season 1
91 Days, Season 1

Avail. 7/9
Close Enough, Series Premiere
Expecting Amy, Docuseries Premiere

Avail. 7/11
Sesame Street, Season 50 Finale (HBO)
Last Christmas, 2019 (HBO)

Avail. 7/13
Foodie Love, Series Premiere (HBO)

Avail. 7/14
Inuyasha, Season 1
Showbiz Kids, Documentary Premiere (HBO)

Avail. 7/15
Smurfs, Season 1

Avail. 7/16
House of Ho, Series Premiere

Avail. 7/17
Abuelos (Aka Grandpas), 2020 (HBO)

Avail. 7/18
Harriet, 2019 (HBO)

Avail. 7/21
Bungo Stray Dogs, Seasons 1-3
Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Season 1

Avail. 7/23
Tig N Seek, Series Premiere

Avail. 7/24
Room 104, Season 4 Premiere (HBO)
La Gallina Turuleca (Aka Turu, The Wacky Hen), 2020 (HBO)

Avail. 7/25
Motherless Brooklyn, 2019 (HBO)

Avail. 7/28
Aldnoah.Zero, Season 1
Mob Psycho, Season 1
Stockton On My Mind, Documentary Premiere (HBO)

Avail. 7/30
The Dog House – UK Edition, Season 1
Frayed, Series Premiere

Avail. 7/31
Los Lobos, 2020 (HBO)

Here’s what’s leaving HBO Max in July:

Leaving 7/5
Crazy Rich Asians, 2018 (HBO)
The Nun, 2018 (HBO)

Leaving 7/7
The Defiant Ones (HBO)

Leaving 7/30
Blindspotting, 2018

Leaving 7/31
A Christmas Story, 1983
Analyze This, 1999
Aquamarine, 2006 (HBO)
Blood Diamond, 2006
Bowling For Columbine, 2002 (HBO)
Boys Don’t Cry, 1999 (HBO)
Casino Royale, 1967 (HBO)
Casino Royale, 2006 (HBO)
Crimson Peak, 2015 (HBO)
Final Destination, 2000
For Love Of The Game, 1999 (HBO)
Friday the 13th, 2009
Hairspray (Musical Remake), 2007
Hairspray, 1988
Happy Feet, 2006
Intolerable Cruelty, 2003 (HBO)
King Arthur (Director’s Cut), 2004 (HBO)
Long Shot, 2019 (HBO)
Look Away, 2019 (HBO)
Mamartuile, 2018 (HBO)
Man Of The House, 1995 (HBO)
Mildred Pierce 1945
Now, Voyager, 1942
Once Upon A Crime, 1992 (HBO)
Pet Semetary, 1989
Presumed Innocent, 1990
Pride and Prejudice, 1940
The Polar Express, 2004
Quantum Of Solace, 2008 (HBO)
Recreo, 2019 (HBO)
Rio, 2011 (HBO)
Rock The Kasbah, 2015 (HBO)
Season Of The Witch, 2011 (HBO)
She’s Funny That Way, 2015 (HBO)
The Goonies, 1985
The Honeymooners, 2005 (HBO)
The Island, 2005 (HBO)
The Merchant Of Venice, 2004 (HBO)
The Neverending Story, 1984
The Predator, 2018 (HBO)
The Sun Is Also A Star, 2019 (HBO)
The Take, 2016 (HBO)
TMNT, 2007
When Harry Met Sally, 1989
X-Men, 2000 (HBO)

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NBA players who went abroad at the start of the league’s COVID-19 hiatus were supposed to have returned stateside to join their teams by June 15, according to The Athletic. One player who did not get the opportunity to do that is Denver Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic, and per a report, that’s because Jokic tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Adrian Wojnarowski and Brian Windhorst of ESPN bring word that Jokic returned to Serbia, and last week, he was tested for the virus that has more than 9 million documented cases worldwide. In a bit of good news, Woj and Windy report that Jokic has been asymptomatic, and that the expectation is that he’ll get the green light to head to Denver soon.

It should be noted that timelines for recovery from COVID-19 vary from person to person, but hopefully Jokic will get the all clear as soon as possible. Earlier in the day, Wojnarowski reported that teams around the league are anticipating a number of positive cases to be identified, as clubs are going to begin testing their players as they begin to report to their home markets.

As The Athletic’s timeline for squads other than the Toronto Raptors laid out, teams will begin reporting to their practice facilities on July 1 and taking flights to Orlando, the site of the bubble league, beginning on July 7.

Noted cinephile Quentin Tarantino needed a considerable amount of funding back when he was shopping The Hateful Eight, thanks to his plan to not only shoot with 70mm film but also retrofit theaters so they could properly project the movie. The iconic director had a specific plan in mind, so he was in for quite the shock when he had a meeting with Universal boss Jeff Shell.

According to a new profile of Shell in the Wall Street Journal, the Universal studio chief decided to pitch Tarantino an entirely different approach to The Hateful Eight, which went over about as well as expected. Tarantino clearly wanted a return to the classic cinema form of shooting and releasing on actual 70mm film, and what he was offered was, well, the exact opposite of that.

Mr. Tarantino, a die-hard cinephile, wanted to release the movie on 70-millimeter theatrical prints that required special projectors for the big screen.

Jeff Shell, at the time the head of the Universal studio, voiced his own pitch. “What if we released it on iPhones?” he said.

“Great,” Mr. Tarantino replied, and stormed out of the meeting.

Ultimately, Tarantino reunited with The Weinstein Company, which plunked down money for the 70mm release only to take a financial hit when The Hateful Eight only brought in $155 million at the box office. And speaking of the theatrical release, Tarantino is still salty after arranging for Hateful Eight to play at the famed Cinerama Dome, which was a huge deal to him growing up in Los Angeles. However, as Tarantino tells it, The Hateful Eight was forced out of the Cinerama Dome by Disney who allegedly threatens to pull Star Wars: The Force Awakens from every Arclight theater if it didn’t bump Tarantino’s movie so the Star Wars movie could play at the Dome for an additional two weeks.

“I would never work (with Disney) in any way, shape or form after what they did to me,” Tarantino said a few months after the incident. “They f—ed me over.”

(Via WSJ, IndieWire)

If nothing below suits your sensibilities, check out our guide to What You Should Watch On Streaming Right Now.

Eric Andre: Legalize Everything (Netflix stand-up special, Tuesday) — This New Orleans-filmed special shows Eric Andre once again busting through comedic boundaries while taking on the wars on sex, drugs, and… fart jokes? Alright.

Netflix has also dropped many other comedy specials over the past few months, and here are the highlights:

Pete Davidson: Alive From New York — From SNL to a ton of upcoming movies, Pete Davidson’s doing everything, and now, he’s got his very first Netflix original comedy special. Yes, he’s dropping all kinds of unfiltered anecdotes on everything from his SNL-related discomfort to his Louis C.K. beef and Ariana Grande relationship.

Patton Oswalt: I Love Everything — The Emmy and Grammy winning comedian brings his newest comedy special to the streaming giant. Look forward to anecdotes involving a full-scale Millennium Falcon replica and how home buying gets tied to the term “suicide squad.” Stick around for the post-credits bonus, in which Patton introduces another one-hour comedy special, Bob Rubin: Oddities & Rarities.

Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours To Kill — The legendary Jerry Seinfeld has dropped his second Netflix special. Expect him to keep mining everyday life to unveil comedy in the commonplace. Although the title of this special feels Bond-esque, Seinfeld doesn’t disappoint those expecting his trademarked sharp perceptions about everyday life.

Hannah Gadsby: Douglas (Netflix stand-up special) — The newest Netflix comedy special arrives today with Hannah Gadsby following up on Nanette with a second turn named after one of her dogs. Gadsby’s hope was that Douglas would “inspire comedy disobedience,” according to Netflix, and this LA-filmed special promises to upend all expectations.

Marc Maron: End Times Fun — The long-time standup comic, GLOW star, and prolific podcaster unleashes his latest comedy special. Expect Maron’s thoughts on cell phones, vaccinations, and Tumeric. Oh, and he’s definitely talking about his ongoing beef with Marvel movie fans.

Taylor Tomlinson: Quarter-Life Crisis — Taylor Tomlinson has made a high-spirited appearance on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, and Netflix now presents her first comedy special. Over the course of an hour, Tomlinson will discuss how she’s leaving the mistakes of her early 20s behind her (and tell us why why your twenties are not truly “the best years of your life”).

Tom Segura: Ball Hog — This special promises to not be for the faint of heart, and Segura is leaving no target-stone unturned. He tackles emotionally fragile people, arguments with one’s family, up-ending expectations, and he offers some common sense on following dreams, live from a recent performance in Austin, Texas.

Here are a few options elsewhere on TV:

Stargirl (CW, 8:00 p.m.) — Pat confronts Courtney about recruiting issues with the new JSA while Barbara’s stepping out elsewhere in support of Mike.

Dirty John (USA 10:00 p.m.) — The Betty Broderick Story is an irresistibly trashy series that’s even dirtier that last year’s effort. Betty continues to spiral this week, and the train just won’t stop.

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert — John Bolton, Leslie Odom Jr.

The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon — Lin-Manuel Miranda, Kenya Barris, Michael Stipe & Big Red Machine

The Late Late Show With James Corden — Will Ferrell, Billy Porter, Phoebe Bridgers

Late Night With Seth Meyers — Chelsea Handler, Andrew Rannells

A Baltimore restaurant has released a public apology after refusing to serve a black woman and her son because of its dress code. In a video taken of the incident, the boy’s mother, Marcia Grant, clearly points out that while her son, Dallas, wasn’t allowed to be seated, a white child who is wearing a very similar outfit was eating in the restaurant.

The white manager at Ouzo Bay verbally ties himself into knots over why the black child cannot be seated in the restaurant but the white kid —who he can clearly see out the window — was eating with his parents.

The video shows that the black child is wearing athletic shorts, tennis shoes and an Air Jordan T-shirt. The white child, who appears to be just getting up and leaving the table after eating, also has on tennis shoes, an athletic shirt, and blue shorts that may or not be athletic in nature.

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“I’m sorry, I would love for you to be able to come back and eat here,” the manager said.

“So you’re telling me my son can’t eat here because he has on athletic stuff?” Grant pushes back.

“No, no, no, just the shorts,” the manager replied. “It is part of our dress code.”

The problem is that the manager is really sticking to his guns and splitting hairs over the two nearly identical outfits. He could have seen the similarities and let them sit down to eat, but he instead refuses service to them when he should have given them the benefit of the doubt.

At that point, it’s nearly impossible not to see his decision as being discriminatory. Especially when he states that the white child’s shirt wasn’t athletic but also admits that he didn’t get a “good look” at the shirt.

Plus, he’s a child. It’s not like his choice of dress is going to disturb other patrons.

“This was not about dress code it was about a black child being treated differently than a white child,” Grant wrote on Instagram. “My 9yo was so hurt to see a white child that looked like one of his friends at school and somehow you adults can not seem to understand that this was not about dress code.”

The restaurant’s parent company, Atlas Restaurant Group, apologized for the incident and said the manager had been placed on indefinite leave. It also immediately changed its dress code so that children 12 and under will not have to adhere to one as long as they are accompanied by a parent.

The incident calls attention to the sometimes not-so-subtle dress codes at bars and restaurants that are aimed at specific ethnic groups. Some places specifically call out baggy clothing, Jordan shoes, flat-bill hats, facial tattoos, and doo-rags.

While others have codes that are ambiguous and allow the door person to make a judgements based on their personal prejudices.

Ouzo Bay’s vague ban on athletic shorts invites the manager to project their own biases on the customers, allowing situations where black patrons are discriminated against and white are allowed to eat.

In the end, the sad news is that a nine-year-old boy had to face the ugly reality of racial inequality in America by seeing it in full view, first-hand. “He’s 9 years old. It was so hard for him. He goes to a school that’s about seventy-percent white,” grant told Black News Network.

“They always teach the kids they are the same,” she added. “It was really hard for Dallas to see a kid that looked like one of his friends at school sit and eat there and he couldn’t.”

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After several years as the primary songwriter in Australian indie group Teeth And Tongue, Jess Cornelius is ready to pivot to a solo career. Since making the switch, Cornelius has also undergone some major life changes. Cornelius picked up and moved from Australia to LA with her partner and shortly afterward found out she was pregnant. The singer translated these experiences into song, and Cornelius has shared the lead single, “Body Memory,” off her debut solo album, Distance.

“Body Memory” arrives alongside a comical video. The singer, dressed head-to-toe in a royal blue sweatsuit, dances across the dusty hills of California. In a statement, Cornelius said the visual changed directions as soon as she arrived on location:

“Originally I had a much more elaborate, narrative-based concept, where I was this woman running away from a cult, (hence the tracksuit and Nikes), to be filmed in Oildale and Posey where my partner, Joe, is fixing up an old cabin. At the last minute, we decided to drive to Lake Isabella because of supposed good visuals there. I was grumbling all the way there about how the location wouldn’t fit with my shot list, but when we got there and I started dancing on rocks, we just threw away the shot list and made it up as we went along. The editing was fun because I’m teaching myself Premiere Pro (thanks YouTube tutorials) and I got to throw every hilarious video effect at it. We were also heavily influenced by Laraaji’s videos, obviously.”

Listen to “Body Memory” above.

Distance is out 7/24 via Loantaka Records. Pre-order it here.

LeBron James and Draymond Green have had a number of high-profile battles over the years. Despite this — and despite how heated some of their interactions have been — the pair have made it clear that they respect one another as players and as individuals. Green took that respect to a new level on Tuesday, when he expressed his hope that James will one day seek the nation’s highest office.

Green, who is part of James’ recently-announced “More Than A Vote” initiative, appeared on ESPN’s First Take and got asked about the power James has in the world of basketball. He did not hesitate to share how he views James on and off the court, culminating in his endorsement that James should seek out the presidency some day.

“I think LeBron yields a lot of power, as he should,” Green said. “I think arguably the greatest player of all time, you look at his resume, it’s flawless on and off the court. The things that he’s been able to do on the court, obviously spectacular, but it’s more important the things that he’s been able to accomplish off the court, and that’s where he gets the utmost respect from me from.

“It’s not about, for me, what he’s done on the basketball court,” Green continued. “As a competitor, I enjoy playing against him, enjoy playing against the best. But what he’s done off the court, the initiatives that he’s been able to lead, and this is just another example of that. I have the utmost respect for him, hopefully he [will] run for president one day.”

An individual expressing their admiration for James and even going as far to say that he should enter politics one day is nothing new, but this is extremely high praise from Green. Time will tell if James is going to run for president — 2020 is obviously not happening, and who knows if he’ll still be playing in 2024, so maybe 2028 will be his time to shine. If this does happen some day, James would certainly hope that he’d do better than the last NBA champion who made a bid for the White House.

It’s been about four months since COVID-19 was officially deemed a pandemic, and despite the fact that people nationwide are rushing to get back outside, the virus hasn’t gone anywhere. While public concern over COVID seems to have shifted from full-blown terror to irresponsible boredom, the numbers keep climbing. Though CNN reports that 17 states across the country are reporting a decline in new cases — including New York, the springtime epicenter of the virus in America — 23 states are reporting a rise in cases.

As of Mid-June, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University, 9 million people worldwide have been infected with the coronavirus, resulting in over 468,000 deaths. In America, over 2.5 million people have become infected with the virus, resulting in over 120,000 deaths nationwide. CNN reported last week that ten states saw a record number of coronavirus cases — with Alabama, Arizona, California, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, and Texas all reporting their highest seven-day averages since the start of the pandemic. This week, states like Florida and Texas have continued to see a rise in cases.

Anyone hoping that the coronavirus would sort of just… disappear with the arrival of summer weather needs to accept that that isn’t going to happen. Even accounting for increased testing, the data doesn’t support a summer slowdown in much of the country. As states continue to ramp up their reopening processes, it’s important that we each take stock of everything we currently know about how this virus is transmitted. That way, if we do decide to venture outside, test the waters in a park or public space, or try a contact-less road trip, we’re doing our part not to further spread the virus in our communities. Keep in mind that while in all likelihood you’ll survive your brush with COVID-19 (assuming you don’t have any preexisting conditions), being a carrier puts vulnerable populations around you at risk.

This is a communal issue: we all have a responsibility to help keep people safe. Because, you know, we’re living in a society. So read up on everything currently known about COVID-19 transmission.

What Scientists Know

According to the CDC, COVID-19 is spread from an infected individual by way of respiratory droplets that are dispersed when talking, coughing, sneezing, and even breathing. When enough virus from an infected individual enters your respiratory system, the virus makes its way to the respiratory tract, where it binds to ACE-2 receptors, replicates, and causes infection. While surfaces can become contaminated, the Wall Street Journal reports that scientists have found that contraction of the virus by way of contaminated surfaces, or brief and fleeting encounters with infected individuals, is highly unlikely and that the major way a person contracts the virus is through extended periods of interaction in a poorly ventilated space.

That means that things like plexiglass barriers at the market, good ventilation systems, outdoor dining, and yes, wearing masks, actually are an effective way of preventing spread.

How Effective Are Face Masks?

We know N95 masks filter out over 95% of viral particles when worn correctly. So those definitely work. But what about that stylish new cloth face mask you’re rocking? Is that doing anything? While scientists can’t say how definitively effective a cloth mask is, several studies have shown that face mask requirements are keeping us safer. A lot of mask haters out there will quickly point out that face masks don’t protect a non-sick person from getting sick, but they can prevent a sick person from easily spreading the virus. Respiratory droplets can survive in the air and linger in aerosols, so the less respiratory droplets an infected person is spreading, the better, and since you can have the coronavirus and be completely asymptomatic, it’s just safer if everyone wears one.

A study published in The Proceedings Of the National Academy of Sciences found that mask policies in the epicenters of the Wuhan and New York City outbreaks may have prevented tens of thousands of infections. Researchers in the study noted a change in infection trends in both Italy and New York City once governments enforced mask-wearing. In New York City, mask-wearing policies resulted in a 3% per day decline in the city’s daily infection rate. The researchers concluded that “Face covering prevents both airborne transmission by blocking atomization and inhalation of virus-bearing aerosols and contact transmission by blocking viral shedding of droplets.”

Similarly, a review of over 170 observational studies published in The Lancet, found that face masks could result in a large reduction of risk of infection, especially when combined with physical distancing.

How Serious Is Asymptomatic Spread?

Pretty serious. While the World Health Organization seemed to suggest last week that asymptomatic spread was very rare, they’ve since reclarified their position and the hard truth is we just don’t know how much asymptomatic spread has driven the number of cases globally. What we do know is that whether you’re asymptomatic or not having the virus means you’re capable of spreading it.

WebMD points to a study conducted by The Scripps Research Institute that suggests that as many as 45% of people infected with COVID-19 show no symptoms. When you consider that respiratory droplets containing infectious viral loads can be spread by simply talking and breathing, and nearly half of all people infected with the virus have no symptoms, it’s seems at (at least on an intuitive level) likely for an asymptomatic person to spread the coronavirus without even knowing they have it.

Which is just another reason you should absolutely wear your mask.

Exposure Time Matters

Prolonged exposure to the virus is a major factor in the transmission of COVID-19. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, John Brooks, the chief medical officer for the COVID-19 response team at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention defined prolonged exposure as 15 minutes or more of unprotected contact with someone less than six feet away.

“The longer you spend in that environment… the more virus you breathe in, the more it can build up and establish infection,” says Erin Bromage, a comparative immunologist, and professor of biology at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, while speaking to CNN, “It’s always a balance of exposure and time. If you get a high level of exposure, it’s a short time (to infection, and if you get a) low level of exposure, it’s a longer time before that infection can establish.”

Poorly ventilated spaces in which people are in close proximity, sharing air, is a recipe for what is called a “superspreading” event, like what happened in a Washington church choir practice in March — where a single infected individual infected 87% of the attendees after a 2 1/2 hour practice. CNN also points to an incident at a restaurant in Guangzhou, China on January 24th, where a single infected person spread the virus to four people are their table, two people at a nearby table, and another three at another nearby table after an air conditioner in the restaurant recirculated the respiratory droplets to other patrons.

As you can imagine, these dangers pose a risk as we begin to reopen the economies of several states and allow in-person dining and church services to continue. It’s also the reason why we shouldn’t have gyms, concert venues, indoor conferences, or bars opened until we develop widespread testing, contact tracing, and systems to isolate those who have become infected or exposed.

Are Any Treatments Promising?

While it’s true that a majority of people who contract coronavirus will suffer little more than symptoms that match a fever, a new study published in Lancet Global Health found that 22% of the entire global population has at least one pre-existing health condition that would put them at risk for suffering severe symptoms from COVID-19 infection. If you’re one of those 22% percent with a pre-existing condition or even know someone who is, that’s a pretty scary fact. Hydroxychloroquine, a drug once touted by President Trump as a “miracle,” has been found to be ineffective by studies conducted by the Veterans Health Administration and the University of Minnesota, and the drug’s emergency use authorization has since been revoked by the FDA. However, Remdesivir, another promising early drug has been shown in a study by the New England Journal of Medicine to reduce deaths amongst several ill patients and reduce the time patients spend in the hospital.

Additionally, a recent clinical trial conducted by researchers at the University of Oxford found that a cheap commonly prescribed steroid, dexamethasone, can greatly reduce mortality among hospitalized patients on ventilators and oxygen support. But while some drugs have proven promising in the treatment of COVID-19, it’s important to remember that none of them are cure-alls.

What We Don’t Know

Unfortunately, the list of things we don’t know about the virus is pretty substantial. One of the major things we don’t know yet is just how much viral load it takes to cause an infection or whether that varies from person to person. We also have no idea whether people who have contracted the virus now have long term antibodies to provide immunity to future infection. That leaves prospects like a second wave doubly troubling.

But the biggest and most important thing we still don’t know is when we’ll have access to a viable vaccine. Market Watch reports that there are currently 13 vaccine candidates for COVID-19 in clinical trials, and while some studies show promise, the process for a vaccine to be developed safely can take years. Just this morning, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told Congress that he is “cautiously optimistic” for a vaccine by the end of 2020.