While still trying to feed their families back home. Soledad im soledad obrien. Welcome to matter of fact. The number of coronavirus cases in the United States spiked, quickly topping 3 million, but this isnt a new wave. Dr. Anthony fauci warned this surge is still part of our first battle with virus. So what happens if the country does not get covid19 under control . Historians urged us to take the long view. Reminding us of another time, and another pandemic. In which warnings that were of death. Special contributor joy chan on those lessons from history. Joie the year was 1918. The world was at war. Joie a silent threat loomed at home. And yet the band played on. America entered the great war a year earlier. With patriotism at a fever pitch. Everbody was supposed to contribute to the cause. Thats right. We have to remember that america, in 1917, was really a nation going to war. And they were going to war with a very profound propaganda campaign. Joie Kenneth C Davis wrote the dont know much about series, although he actually knows a lot about history. His latest book is more deadly than war about the 1918 flu and its connections to combat. What was america like in 1918 . The United States had stayed out of that fight for three years. To declare war on germany. He time, a very small navy. So everything had to be started from scratch. Joie the buildup took about a year and americas young soldiers were ready at the very moment, spring 1918 when another enemy arrived. The flu. This flu struck suddenly, it struck without warning, and it was like nothing that anyone had ever seen before. It was killing healthy young farm boys at a remarkable ate. They were turning blue, literally dying within hours, joie but america was focused on getting the dough boys to europe, with predictable consequences. Those troop transports were disease carriers. They were like hotbeds of infection. Someone called them floating coffins. Joie the flu had already gone global, but neutral spain got the blame. It was not at war. Papers in some combatant nations were. So the first real published report in europe of an epidemic comes out in madrid. Almost instantly it becomes known as the spanish flu. It certainly did not start there. Joie the flu deaths slowed by summer, but then a kind of patriotic fever reignited the pandemic, and this is where it killed. This became a holy crusade. And part of that crusade was to sell war bonds, known as liberty loans. Joie philadelphia leaders planned a huge liberty loan parade, despite doctors urging a halt. The Health Commissioner let the march go on. 200,000 people crowded the streets of philadelphia. Within two days of that parade, every hospital bed in philadelphia was filled. It was an extraordinary outburst of death and outbreak of death. Joie other cities were better at social distancing, at least for a time. But in just one year, the flu claimed some 675,000 american lives and somewhere between 50 and 100 million worldwide. We are still uncovering evidence of how far and how terrible the plague of 1918 was. Joie davis is quick to say the 1918 flu isnt exactly like covid19. Still, he sees warning signs. This did not go away when flu season was over in the springtime or the summertime. It came back in september, more virulent, more violent, more lethal than it was in the first round. The federal government took a very handsoff attitude. They also were not honest. And many local officials were not honest. Time and time again you saw local officials say, its just the flu. And it wasnt just the flu. It was something much worse. We have to be able to rely on honest, factual government information based on data and science. Not gut instincts, not what somebody thinks. Joie posing the question, by lowering science, is history destined to write another chapter of tragedy . Matteroffact three meals a day. We go inside and American Community trying to stop a worldwide hunger crisis, one meal at a time. Plus, times almost up for the extra 600 dollars in unemployment benefits. Soledad what needs to be in the next stimulus . Why your family could feel the impact, even if youre still working. Still fresh. Unstopables inwash scent booster. Downy unstopables. Polo marco. polo si . Marco. polo scusa . Marco. polo ma io sono marco polo, ma playing marco polo with marco polo . Surprising. Ragazzini, io sono marco polo. Si, sono qui whats not surprising . Geico helping you save even more on car and motorcycle insurance. Ahhh. Polo. Marco. polo now get an extra 15 credit when you switch before october 7th. Soledad congress has said it is a matter of when, not if theyll create a second stimulus package. But will it be enough . The first included an extra 600 weekly unemployment payment. Its set to expire at the end of this month. Without an extension jobless benefits revert to their old levels which are low by design to encourage people to look for work. But its hard finding a job during a pandemic. Economists say that extra 600 dollars spurred spending which helped prop up the economy. Economist Heidi Shierholz joined me to talk via skype. Welcome back. Heidi, nice to have you back. Its been a few weeks since weve spoken. So id like to start with an assessment, the cares act. Give me an assessment of how you think it has provided aid for families, how its impacted the economy. Heidi i think the way to sum up the cares act is that it was really good and it wasnt enough. So a couple of things that it did that were really great was that it expanded Unemployment Insurance benefits in a couple of ways. It expanded the the set of people who are eligible for Unemployment Insurance benefits and it increased the benefits that people get. Those have been incredibly important to making sure people who have lost their jobs in a pandemic through no fault of their own are being able to make it month to month. But one of the problems with that is some of those provisions are set to expire in about two weeks. Soledad so lets go to that. Those benefits, 600 additional dollar payment, as you mentioned, set to expire in the end of july. Give me a sense of how much of a difference that made specifically for certain families that got that money. And if nothing happens in the next couple of weeks after its set to expire, whats potentially the implication of that . Heidi its huge. That 600 has just meant the difference between people really being able to make it monthtomonth and not. If that expires, people out of work will have to subsist on regular state unemployment benefits, which are incredibly stingy. It varies state to state, but for most people, it replaces about 40 of your prior earnings. Most people cant live on 40 percent of their prior earnings without drastically cutting back their spending. People will fall into poverty. People will see a real decline in living standards. So letting that expire would be a huge disaster for recipients. But then the other piece of this thats equally as important is it actually hurts all of us. It hurts the whole economy. If we allow that 600 to expire, because that 600 is supporting around five million jobs right now. Soledad were in the middle of massive unemployment right now, the numbers surpassing those numbers in the great depression. Theres been a racial impact to that. I think that is often not really spoken about. Can you fill me in on that . Heidi yeah, its really stark. So this happens in all recessions. But in this one, its particularly dramatic that black and Brown Workers are seeing more job loss. Theyre getting hit harder by this recession. And so one of the things that means is that black and Brown Workers are being more helped by the provisions of Unemployment Insurance benefits. And so if we allow those to expire, it will hit black and brown communities more. Soledad so what needs to be in the next stimulus . Heidi i would say the top priority is additional aid to state and local governments, which is state and local governments are seeing a massive decline in their tax revenues. They have balanced budget requirements. So if the federal government and it wont just mean Public Sector workers lose their jobs. The Ripple Effect will mean a ton of private Sector Workers lose their jobs, too. So on the order of five million jobs will be lost if the feds dont step in and fill in those state and local budget shortfalls. And then another key thing they need to do is extend the expansions of Unemployment Insurance that were in the cares act and areset to expire far earlier than they should. Soledad economist heidi shareholders, nice to have you. Thanks for talking with me up. Always glad to check in and get an update. Coming up, a look at a different part of the pandemic. The hunger crisis. I think our community is going to be facing a different kind of genocide. They are solely depending on us. Can refugees in america feed the growing need for help across the globe . Plus, is the Electoral College in trouble . 10 electors tried to switch it up in 2016. And the Supreme Court said ummmm no. This cheeseburger is the best its about to get bester baby menutaur make it a double, yeah nice mane try my 5. 99 southwest cheddar cheeseburger combo and make it a double for a buck more. Order now with no contact delivery. Get a load of my southwest cheddar cheeseburger. Let menutaur make it a doubleeee, yeah its beautiful say what . I said its bea. Try my 5. 99 southwest cheddar cheeseburger combo and make it a double for a buck more. Order now with no contact delivery. Soledad welcome back to matter of fact. Long before covid19 swept the globe immigrants and refugees living in the u. S. Were a major lifeline for their families and the economies they left behind in underdeveloped or wartorn countries where poverty and starvation are common place. As a group, refugees send about 500 billion dollars back home. Now the pandemic threatens that pipeline. Our correspondent Jessica Gomez traveled to lincoln, nebraska, which has a Large Population of resettled refugees, many struggling to help their families here and on the other side of the globe. Business was really great until covid19. Jessica insurance adjuster seif balul. These days, taking work when he can get it. People start to work from home so they are not traveling a lot. Jessica but balul is not complaining. The refugee who fled civil war in Eastern Sudan at 19, has seen much tougher times. I have to go to the well two miles to get water every day. I was little. No running water, no electricity. Jessica balul, who later joined the u. S. Army, and was deployed to iraq says the ability to help his family back home, has inspired him since the day he left. So i have to succeed no matter what. For them. Jessica far from Eastern Sudan. Surrounded by farm fields. Lincoln is home to the university of nebraska. And more than 30,000 refugees welcomed from all over the world. While contributing to the local economy, lincolns refugees, like others around the u. S. , are also a vital source of support for their home countries. Corrections officer justin mori sending home as much money as he can every month. If i have the capability of eating three meals a day and somebody there couldnt find something for a day, why would i not share one meal with him . Jessica but mori is lucky. His job is essential. With covid19 shuttering businesses for months now, for many, the money is not there, to send home. I can go from country to country to showcase how this situation is truly on the brink of catastrophe for countries who depend on outside support. Jessica humanitarian organizations like the United Nations world food programme. Sounding the alarm. Covid 19 not only slowing down the critical flow of money into developing nations. The virus, causing a breakdown in the food supply chain. With restricted trade, transportation and closed borders, help is not getting where it needs to go, fast enough. It is critical that we get the economies going again in a safe way. The downstream impact literally means millions of people may die. Jessica guli kariff, a substitute teacher, who also works to help the persecuted yezidi people. Many in refugee camps in iraq. But donations have slowed down. And without work, kariff doesnt have money to help her own family back home. I think our community is going to be facing a different kind of genocide. Because now they are solely depending on us. Jessica the Asian Community and Cultural Center helping lincolns refugees who are feeling the pressure. It is a stress to work hard enough in order to live your life but also have a little extra to send. That sense of responsibility is for me, i cannot fail. Jessica seif baluls income, down about 50 , but hes lesshey in sudan. They struggle. They dont have a lot. I dont want them to struggle. Jessica but more bad news, the money hes sent for weeks is stuck 8 hours away from his family. Food is running out. I dont know what to do. I am helpless. Jessica helpless and thousands of miles away from home. In lincoln, nebraska, for matter of fact, i am Jessica Gomez. Still ahead, the Supreme Court makes a decision on how the next president gets elected. birds singing bouncy keyboard music [announcer] food delivery just got more rewarding. package crashing into ground now that gruhhub gives you rewards when you order. dog barking did you order tacos again . device beeping boom, rewarded with a perk like 5. 00 off. Ordering dinner for the family . Voila rewaand a side of quiet. Grubhub gives you rewards for rewarding yourself, with food. doorbell ringing [crowd] grubhub scooter horn beeping soledad now a segment we call, were paying attention, even if youre too busy to. A Supreme Court ruling that Electoral College delegates cant go rogue. What does that mean . Theyre the people who actually pick the president. They pledge to cast their votes in the Electoral College based on who wins their states popular vote. Each state has the same number of electors as it has members of congress. Plus three for d. C. Ten electors tried to switch it up invote as they wanted to. The Supreme Court said, you dont. In 2016, President Trump won the Electoral College by 77 votes, so the 10 rogue votes werent a game changer. But they could have been if the margin was closer. Coming up, soledad reflects on the nations moment of reckoning on race. When it comes to parenting, youre a pro. You know reflexes are key. You know your kid doesnt step around puddles. And wet shoes, not cool. You know what else isnt cool . Those cheap leaky diapers. Because with luvs, you get the prolevel leak protection youre looking for. Luvs, parent like a pro doprevagen is the number oneild mempharmacistrecommendeding . Memory support brand. You can find it in the vitamin aisle in stores everywhere. Prevagen. Healthier brain. Better life. For spending a perfectly reasonable amount of time on the couch with tacos from grubhub . Grubhubs gonna reward you for that with a 5 off perk. doorbell rings [crowd] grubhub fireworks exploding biggest bay area county. The new changes they re making before you can go workout. Plus, a call to defund one east bay police department. The actions activists are taking before the City Council Reviews the issue. Monday morning from 4 30 to 7. Soledad welcome back. Inequality, inequity, racism have touched every institution in america. From housing to health care from education and our criminal justice system. Nothings exempt. Not even journalism. I recently wrote an oped piece for the New York Times called, me too moment for journalists of color. I share a story from when i was an onair reporter in san francisco. I saw my new colleagues having a lively conversation and wanted to jump in. I discovered that they were talking about the affirmative action hire, who surprise was me. At least, thats how they saw me. It didnt matter that id been a researcher and producer at nbc news or that i had gone to harvard. What mattered was my race. Its a story too familiar to many journalists of color, who are only now feeling empowered to speak up about how theyre treated in newsrooms and how people of color are portrayed in stories. And how often coverage is crafted as though the only people listening, watching or reading are white. How can we report on a lack of diversity in other industries without acknowledging its also a problem in our field . According to a 2019 report by over the past 15 years, only 38 percent of newsrooms gaine percent became less diverse. I get it. I am fortunate to have a platform for telling stories, often about people overlooked or undervalued. And, to host conversations with voices as diverse as america. And im betting that you as viewers want more of that. I know i do. Im soledad obrien, and well see you next week for matter of fact. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] hello and welcome to Asian Pacific america. Im robert handa, your host for our virtual show here on nbc bay area. We start with Michael Sarah of the Japanese American Museum of san jose, which is trying to stay accessible during this time of coronavirus. Well talk to them about their oral history project, a way to stay involved online. Then we meet up with Community Activist who is on a mission to promote the