Fifth & Mission

The flagship news podcast of the San Francisco Chronicle. Producer/host Cecilia Lei and co-host Laura Wenus discuss the biggest stories of the day with Chronicle journalists and newsmakers from around the Bay Area. | Get full digital access to the Chronicle: sfchronicle.com/pod

News
Politics
951
What Will Our New Normal Be? A Doctor's View
Dr. Jessica Briggs, an infectious disease fellow at UCSF, discusses what Bay Area life will look like as the coronavirus crisis plays out over the next year — and why she's recruiting recovered COVID-19 patients for her new study.
21 min
952
The Future of the Bay Area Economy
New data shows unemployment is at record levels in the region, with as many as 1 in 6 San Franciscans out of work. So why are some tech stocks are at an all-time high? Business Editor Owen Thomas discusses the future of the local economy.
26 min
953
The Critical Barrier to Reopening California
Gov. Gavin Newsom started slowly easing restrictions in California on Wednesday. But he also dramatically revised upward how many daily coronavirus tests would need to be done before the state can reopen.
17 min
954
Coronavirus Was Killing in February: Why It Mat...
A person infected with COVID-19 died in Santa Clara County on Feb. 6, a stunning discovery that adds to the evidence that coronavirus was in the United States far earlier than once thought. Erin Allday on what this means.
17 min
955
Why COVID-19 Has Hit the Mission and Bayview So...
City Hall reporter Dominic Fracassa joins Heather Knight to discuss why people living in the Zip codes around those areas are more likely to get the coronavirus than those in wealthier neighborhoods.
20 min
956
Keeping San Francisco Voters Safe From COVID-19
David Campos, chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party, is calling for an all vote-by-mail election in November so voters don't have to go to the polls during the coronavirus pandemic.
24 min
957
Troubles with Coronavirus Testing
Regular and widespread testing might be the biggest hurdle to overcome before the U.S. can return to normal. But California is still struggling with getting tests where they should go and clearing the backlog.
18 min
958
It’s All Political: Kamala Harris "Would Be Hon...
In this episode of the Chronicle’s It’s All Political podcast, California Sen. Kamala Harris reveals what she'd say if Joe Biden asked her to be his running mate. In an interview with Joe Garofoli and Tal Kopan, she says she's "very concerned" about being able to do oversight on the $2 trillion that Washington is spending on coronavirus pandemic relief —and what she's doing about it.
36 min
959
Devastation at Nursing Homes
Long-term care centers around the country are becoming deadly hot spots for the coronavirus. Reporters Jason Fagone and Megan Cassidy discuss criminal investigations into one Bay Area nursing home.
23 min
960
Coronavirus Danger in the Tenderloin
Jose Ramirez, executive director of St. Anthony’s, says City Hall has left the Tenderloin out of its response to the coronavirus pandemic, and the neighborhood is as crowded and neglected as ever.
23 min
961
Health Workers Exposed to Coronavirus
More than 2,700 health workers in California have COVID-19. Heather Knight talks to reporter Mallory Moench about what frontline workers are afraid of, what protection they need and what information they want about exposure.
14 min
962
Why San Francisco Won't Close Streets
Rec and Parks director Phil Ginsburg explains why the city is not following Oakland's lead of shutting down miles of roads to cars during the coronavirus shutdown to allow walkers and bicyclists to spread out — even in Golden Gate Park.
22 min
963
Understanding Dr. Fauci's History
Dr. Anthony Fauci worked with a president who was spreading disinformation about a virus long before Donald Trump. He helped the country fight AIDS during the Reagan administration. Peter Hartlaub dives into the Chronicle archives.
18 min
964
Armistead Maupin Consoles Us
The beloved author of the "Tales of the City" series has been offering virtual readings during the coronavirus shutdown, including the first chapter of his latest book in the classic series of San Francisco novels.
13 min
965
How Close Is the Coronavirus Peak?
Scientific models can’t predict the future, but they can give a pretty good idea of what it might look like. Erin Allday discusses the science of disease modeling, and how it could affect plans to start a return to normalcy.
25 min
966
Why Animal-to-Human Viruses Are on the Rise
Scientists are increasingly concerned that environmental degradation is linked to an increase in the transmission of viruses — like the coronavirus from animals to humans. Reporter Kurtis Alexander explains.
17 min
967
Heather Knight Joins Fifth & Mission as Co-Host
To better cover the coronavirus pandemic and its fallout, City Hall columnist and San Francisco City Insider host Heather Knight joins Fifth & Mission as co-host with Audrey Cooper.
11 min
968
Wear a Mask! But How?
Health officials say everyone should wear a mask when going out during the novel coronavirus pandemic. Tony Bravo talks about how the fashion industry is stepping up to produce them, and how you can make your own.
20 min
969
Homelessness, Fare Evasion Worsen on BART
Essential workers who rely on BART feel even less safe in transit than they did before coronavirus prompted shelter-in-place orders and caused huge drops in ridership. Phil Matier on the eerie situation aboard the trains.
21 min
970
More Trouble Aboard the Theodore Roosevelt
Matthias Gafni discusses his troubling report about how the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt is being cleaned with few safety precautions in the wake of the resignation of Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly.
26 min
971
We’ve Flattened the Curve — Now What?
The pace of the coronavirus outbreak is slowing down in the Bay Area, and the number of new cases may even be falling in San Francisco. Can we declare victory yet? Erin Allday discusses what this means for life in the Bay Area.
25 min
972
Exclusive: Listen to Acting Secretary of the Na...
Fifth & Mission presents the raw audio of a speech given by Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly to the crew of the nuclear aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt Monday. Modly relieved Capt. Brett Crozier of his command of the ship last week after Crozier pleaded for help with a coronavirus outbreak in a letter to the Navy. Crozier has since tested positive for COVID-19.
16 min
973
“I Am Risking My Health By Being Here”
Listen to the voices of San Francisco workers who have either lost their jobs to the coronavirus shutdown or must continue to work — possibly endangering themselves — amid the pandemic.
14 min
974
First Responders Sickened, Sidelined
Reporter Megan Cassidy joins Audrey Cooper to talk about what local police, fire and ambulance companies are doing to limit exposure for health care workers. Plus: Why is one ambulance company considering furloughing its EMTs?
17 min
975
Homeless and Coronavirus Positive
San Francisco has recorded its first instance of a homeless person testing positive for coronavirus. Kevin Fagan on the steps officials are taking to contain the virus before it sweeps through the unhoused population.
22 min