Last month, the 2021 Academy Award nominees were sent a letter stating that the 2021 Oscars had a dress code. “We’re aiming for a fusion of Inspirational and Aspirational,” the letter said, “which in actual words means formal is totally cool if you want to go there, but casual is really not.”

Apparently, Questlove didn’t get the memo since he showed up on the red carpet wearing Crocs. Or maybe he nailed the dress code. Rather than opt for any pair of gardening shoes, Questlove brought out a pair in gold and paired it with an all-black ensemble that screamed evening wear. Not to mention, it was only four years ago that Balenciaga sent Crocs down the runway in Paris. Plus, gold was the biggest color trend of the night.

Still, not everyone agreed with Quest’s fashion choice. One person on Twitter claimed this was a DIY job, a bad one at that, tweeting, “Sir! Your spray paint is chipping off your Crocs.”

Sir! Your spray paint is chipping off your crocs. pic.twitter.com/Hvw7Eduy2h

— Justice served! 🖤✊🏾 (@raynebowmom) April 25, 2021

Most though were happy to see Questlove put comfort first while still staying on-trend — and we can’t help but agree.

Questlove’s golden #Oscars crocs are guaranteed to make you smile. https://t.co/YkIulRAeyi pic.twitter.com/zB30Dy0oqc

— Vogue Runway (@VogueRunway) April 26, 2021

They used to laugh at me back in high school for wearing crocs. Now look. 🔥🔥🔥

— 约翰 约翰 (@JohnPocasangre) April 26, 2021

He also wasn’t the only one who chose to go more casual with his choice of shoe. Nomadland director Chloé Zhao wore a Hermes gown, which she unexpectedly pair with a pair of white sneakers to the awards show where she became the second woman to ever win Best Director.

Chloe Zhao becomes 2nd woman ever to win Best Director Oscar.
And she does it with a powerful, concise speech.
And in sneakers! pic.twitter.com/nTT1vqNT6A

— Julie Cohen (@FilmmakerJulie) April 26, 2021

Chloé Zhao about to win multiple Oscars while wearing sneakers

— Jock Demy (@ThatSashaJames) April 25, 2021

i had already intended only to wear sneakers to formal events due to my busted-ass post-car crash back/legs, but now chloe zhao is my patron saint of the best and smartest style choices

— Anne T. Donahue (@annetdonahue) April 25, 2021

While we’ve long rejected mandated dress codes in favor of self-expression, we can’t help but note that Crocs and sneakers might be the “inspirational and aspirational,” not to mention refreshing, fashion this Oscars red carpet needed.

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When H.E.R. showed up on the 2021 Oscars red carpet in a beaded purple jumpsuit, fans immediately started making comparisons to Prince. Turns out, that’s exactly what the artist was going for.

The designer behind the look, Peter Dundas, told InStyle that H.E.R., who was nominated for Best Original Song, wanted to pay homage to Prince with her Academy Award fit. “H.E.R. expressed how Prince has been a lifetime inspiration for her and had built the foundation for her musical identity,” he said.

Specifically, the sheer, custom Dundas wide-legged jumpsuit-and-cape ensemble was inspired by Prince’s look at the 1985 Oscars. That was the year he won Best Original Song for “Purple Rain” from the film of the same name.

h.e.r. paying homage to prince with her oscars fit. pic.twitter.com/PMietGCpYP

— k.❦ (@NINETIESRNB) April 25, 2021

While it might be an homage, Dundas found a way to make the look all her own. Look close, and you’ll see that embroidered on the edge of H.E.R.’s cape and jumpsuit are the lyrics to her nominated song “Fight For You” from Judas and the Black Messiah. To complete the look, she also matched a pair of round Desierto frames with lavender lenses to her outfit.

Apparently, the color is also very personal to the singer. “H.E.R.’s mother has always wanted her to wear blue on the carpet,” her stylist Wouri Vice told InStyle. “And we felt this was the perfect opportunity.” 

Between the nods to Prince and her mom, let’s hope this look brings her all the good luck tonight.

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A post shared by H.E.R. (@hermusicofficial)

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Zendaya might not be a 2021 Academy Award nominee, but, when it comes to her red carpet fashion, the Euphoria star is still one of the night’s winners in our eyes. The presenter commanded the red carpet in not one, but two of this season’s biggest trends when she appeared in a midriff-revealing Valentino gown in yellow.

Zendaya went bold in a highlighter-like hue that will make you wish it was summer already. She even matched her mask to the dress which is making us want a big glass of lemonade while also listening to Beyoncé’s Lemonade, which just celebrated its fifth anniversary two days ago and also featured a very good yellow dress (“Hold Up”). Coincidence? We’d like to think not.

Zendaya’s stylist Law Roach posted a video of her on the red carpet trying to contend with the wind. Of course, nothing, not even Mother Nature, can stop Zendaya from slaying a red carpet and continuing her reign as one of the best-dressed award season attendees.

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A post shared by Law Roach (@luxurylaw)

Zendaya wasn’t alone in sporting a cut-out look on Sunday evening. Best Actress nominees Carey Mulligan, Andra Day, and Vanessa Kirby also rocked the peek-a-boo look, solidifying it as the biggest fashion trend of the show.

While midriff cut-outs were a huge trend on the fashion runways, we didn’t expect celebrities to embrace cutouts on the formal red carpet. Yet after seeing the impossibly glam looks, we have all the proof we need to make a case for midriffs appearing at every award show going forward.

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The Oscars statuette has some competition at the 2021 Academy Awards. A major trend on this year’s red carpet was dressing in all gold. Perhaps, the nominees were hoping their shiny looks will bring them good luck during the show. Either way, their outfits were standout.

Best Actress nominee Carey Mulligan wore a two-piece Valentino Couture look, showing off a bit of skin in a bandeau top. The Promising Young Woman star paired the crop top with a voluminous skirt that’s looked made for social distancing on the red carpet.

Fellow Best Actress nominee Andra Day also showed out in a custom-made peek-a-boo gown from Vera Wang Haute. According to E!, Wang worked with a welder to help craft the gold gown made of actual metal.

Not to be outdone, two-time nominee Leslie Odom Jr., for Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Song for One Night In Miami, also rocked head-to-toe gold in a double-breasted, gilded Brioni suit. Alexa, play Harry Styles’s “Golden” on repeat. 

Whether or not, these celebrities take home the coveted statues, their looks already won the Best-Dressed Award in our book.

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Over the past few weeks, Rihanna has convinced everyone they need a leather blazer, sheer pants, and bangs. Now it’s time to add high-heeled flip-flops to the list.

Rihanna recently stepped out, in Los Angeles, wearing a comfy tracksuit with a bowling bag, trucker hat, and a pair of strappy periwinkle flip-flops. Look close, and you’ll see that these are no ordinary flip-flops, these have a stiletto. It’s comfort in the front, fashion in the back. Not to mention a throwback to the late ’90s/early ’00s.

RiRi isn’t the only one jumping on the heeled flip-flops trend for spring. The thong sandals that were once deemed controversial — and even crowned the “most hated sandal trend” — are having a moment. Fancy flip-flops were all over the spring ’21 runway popping up in shows from Stella McCartney, Acne Studios, and Tom Ford. These designers gave the humble flip-flop a much-needed makeover that played with proportions and added details that turned them into a trendy staple. (Again.)

Now with Rihanna’s latest endorsement, it’s clear, heeled flip-flops are sticking around — just in time to show off that at-home pedicure.

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

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The rumors are true: Gucci and Balenciaga teamed up (sort of), and the results were on full display in Gucci Aria, a film by Floria Sigismondi and Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele.

However, Michele doesn’t consider this a collaboration. According to the press release, the crossover is a “hacking” of Balenciaga’s creative director Demna Gvasalia’s “nonconformist rigor.” Here’s another way of putting it: Michele is “swiping a selection of his Balenciaga designs for the Aria collection.” Call it what you want, it’s a sight to behold.

The 15-minute clip filled with “Gucci”-centric songs by Lil Pump, Bhad Bhabie, and Rick Ross shows off Michele’s newest collection, which marks Gucci’s 100th birthday. (Highlight: The cueing up of Rick Ross’s “Green Gucci Suit” just as a model in a velvet green suit strutted down the runway.) There were major equestrian vibes, with models in riding boots and hats carrying riding crops down the runway. But these looks aren’t intended for the stable. Delicate lace layers, brightly colored feather and fur accents, and exquisitely tailored velvet suits in jewel tones made these ensembles something thoroughly glamorous.

Of course, the real standouts of the collection were the pieces that featured both the Gucci and Balenciaga logos. There were Gucci handbags with gold Balenciaga “B” buckles. And sequined suits emblazoned with the names of both houses cut in the hourglass silhouette that Gvasalia has become known for. Most exciting might be how Gucci combined Balenciaga signatures like big square shoulders and sparkly fabrics to create something entirely singular.

Both fashion houses are no strangers to collaborations: Gucci x North Face earlier this year; the Balenciaga designed Crocs back in 2017. But a collection that sees the meeting of two designers of this caliber is still surprising in the luxury fashion world, even if both brands are owned by Kering.

That said, this high-end co-op by Gucci feels rather on-brand for the Italian fashion house. Under Michele, Gucci has flipped the script of what a fashion show looks like. After leaving the official Fashion Month calendar, in November, the brand threw their own GucciFest that not only showcased the new collection in a series of films but also spotlighted emerging designers.

For Michele, this new collection is about evolution. It’s “an alchemical factory of contaminations where everything connects to anything,” he wrote in a statement. “A place where thefts and explosive reactions happen: a permanent generator of sparkles and unpredictable desires.” 

In text messages between Michele and Gvasalia, which were posted to Gucci’s Instagram Story, the two talk about missing in-person fashion shows and the importance of the 100-year-old brand. Gvasalia even remembers, in the ’90s, buying a tiny sample bottle of Gucci Envy perfume because, according to him, it was the only thing he could get in post-USSR Georgia where he’s from. “I actually still have at home,” he writes.

Gvasalia also seemed to be a fan of Gucci’s latest collection, writing that “it looks really cool how you translated those pieces into your universe.”

To see the translations IRL, watch the video below.

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Get ready to soak up the sun in a new collaboration from & Other Stories and Rejina Pyo. The London-based, Seoul-born designer teamed up with the Swedish retailer for a versatile and affordable womenswear collection that features fashion’s biggest color trend: yellow. Appearing everywhere on the fall ’21 runways, the bright hue is one Pantone said we should look out for in the latter part of this year, too. No surprise, Pyo is ahead of the curve.

The 11-piece limited collection, which will be available online and in select stores on Thursday, features Pyo’s signature sculpted dresses and relaxed tailoring in bold colors. While it is an accessible collection — the line ranges from $119 to $249 — the designer wanted it to feel luxurious, crafting it “from a combination of sustainably-sourced and long lasting premium materials.” The designs are made with a combination of premium silk and wool sourced through The Responsible Wool Standard.

The capsule collection, designed with busy women in mind, features a silk halter midi dress in bright orange and a boxy padded shoulder wool blazer that pairs perfectly with a pair of pleated high waist wool shorts. But the standout look from the collab is the marigold-hued midi dress with ruched puff sleeves, a Pyo staple. Fittingly, L.A.-based floral designer Brittany Asch models the sunflower-bright look.

“I am inspired by women who follow their passion and make it their path,” Pyo said in a press release about the collection which also features Lotta Klemming, Sweden’s only female oyster diver, and Poppy Okotcha, a U.K.-based grower and forager, as models. “That energy and free spirit resonate with me.”

For any other free spirits, the Rejina Pyo x & Other Stories Co-Lab will be available on April 15 on stories.com.

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When TikTok speaks, Celine listens. Well, at least, when Gen Z is speaking about skinny jeans being out. On Wednesday, Celine (virtually) presented its Winter ’21 collection, and baggy jeans made up more than a few looks.

Teased as a continuation of the luxury brand’s Summer ’21 collection, the new line was a “utopian parade and melancholic daydream of youth interrupted,” according to the show’s notes. Yet seeing an abundance of wide-legged denim cuts in the show, which took place in the garden of Versailles, made it clear the kids are alright.

From cardigans paired with boyfriend jeans to military jackets over bootcut denim, comfort reigned in Celine’s new collection. Perhaps, these layered denim looks are in preparation for all of us heading back into the world as vaccine rollouts continue.

The looser-fit jeans worn with oversized coats feel like an easy upgrade to our less-structured WFH wardrobe. Even better, Celine found a way to take the crop top into winter. It’s as easy as adding an oversized tweed blazer or puffer jacket on top.

The fact that this collection feels like it’s sure to get TikTok’s approval feels very on-brand for Hedi Slimane, who, since taking over for former Celine creative director Phoebe Philo in 2018, has pushed the brand in a more youthful direction. Just a year into the job, he enlisted Atlanta-based TikTok star Noen Eubanks as the new face of Celine.

See the new collection in full, below.

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White Castle isn’t just serving up hamburgers, it’s serving up fashion looks, too. And it’s all thanks to White Castle’s new collaboration with Telfar.

In honor of the fast-food chain’s 100th birthday, designer Telfar Clemens, known for his covetable Shopping Bag, is putting his own stamp on the company’s uniforms — again. In 2017, Telfar designed uniforms for White Castle team members, but, this time, he’s expanded the range, creating four new designs for the square burger joint’s 10,000 employees. The new line includes T-shirts, polos, aprons, and visors. At the request of team members, Clemens also designed a durag, marking the first time the hair accessory is being offered as part of the official uniform, according to the company’s press release.

The designs feature White Castle’s signature gothic font and royal blue hue (though workers will have color options including light blue and black). To mark the momentous occasion for the makers of the Crave Case, some of the tops read “100 years and counting.”

To launch the new White House x Telfar uniforms, employees from various chains from Telfar’s hometown of New York City were asked to model the looks as part of a portrait series shot by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr. But Jamie Richardson, a vice president at White Castle, made it clear that these uniforms look just as good off-duty.

“Telfar has taken our uniform to a new place,” Richardson said in a statement, “creating something that’s distinctive, attractive and comfortable, and something our team members will feel great in whether they’re at work or hanging out with friends and family.”

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A post shared by @telfarglobal

Of course, the next question is, “Can I get some of those?” Well, kind of. Right now, non-employees can get their hands on a limited-edition White Castle collection that Telfar designed in connection with the uniform launch. Hats, hoodies, durags, and T-shirts are available to buy with proceeds going to the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Liberty and Justice Fund, which provides bail to imprisoned minors.

While this may seem like an unexpected collab, Telfar’s relationship with White Castle goes way back. In 2015, the brand asked the fast-food chain to sponsor its show at New York Fashion Week. White Castle did — and even hosted an afterparty at its Time Square restaurant. “White Castle supported us before our success and we consider them family,” Telfar’s creative director Babak Radboy said in a press release. “It’s still the only thing open after midnight in Telfar’s hood—seeing our uniforms there means something to us, and so we take it personally.” 

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When Ariana Grande isn’t singing her favorite Disney hits — in six-part harmony — she’s using her self-quarantine to play around with her hair. In her latest Instagram post, Grande is showing off honey brown locks that are as sweet as can be. 

The weekend shot shows Grande lounging around her house with her hair half-up, half-down, accessorized with an immaculate cat eye. Oh, and the most natural-looking honey highlights that act like a halo around her face. Even better, Grande’s highlights show how you can take a sunny winter look right into spring since most people aren’t able to see a hairdresser. 

No caption needed for this selfie since this hair speaks for itself. Seriously, this is already one of our favorite things. Alexa, play “7 Rings.” Her hair? We want it — and would pay a pretty penny to get it. More importantly, though, we want to know if she did her hair herself. If so, we’d love an IG Live tutorial like, now, since it might be the only thing that will keep us from cutting our own bangs. 

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A post shared by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande) on May 3, 2020 at 11:03am PDT

Grande’s quarantine hair has been a real journey. From going a bit lighter with her brunette tresses to embracing her natural curls to giving her signature high ponytail a bit of a rest, it’s hard to know what Ari’s hair will look like when she’s done social distancing. 

That’s certainly one way to keep the TikTok impersonators from stealing your look.

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex might officially be ready to spill the royal tea. 

A new tell-all called Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family is slated for release this summer. While it is certainly not the first book about Harry and Meghan Markle, this one stands out for one very good reason: the couple reportedly both gave their permission for the book — along with an interview. So this hot tea, well, it would be straight from the source.

While no official announcement regarding the biography has been made by its publisher, Dey Street Books, although Refinery29 reached out for more details, the Amazon listing for Finding Freedom promises “unique access” to Harry and Meghan’s life, which is now officially non-royal. The change has reportedly not been easy for Harry, who has been spotted volunteering with Meghan in Los Angeles, where they currently call home.

“For the very first time, Finding Freedom goes beyond the headlines to reveal unknown details of Harry and Meghan’s life together,” the Amazon description of the 320-page book states, “dispelling the many rumors and misconceptions that plague the couple on both sides of the pond.”

While “few know the true story of Harry and Meghan,” the book’s writers, journalists Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, who both cover the royal family, are in a position to get it. They are able to write about “the young couple’s lives as few outsiders can,” the book’s description boasts, and were able to get those closest to the couple to participate. 

It is unclear who in Harry and Meghan’s inner circle spoke to the writers of the book. The couple reportedly spoke to the authors before they left the U.K. It is also yet to be seen how deep the book will dive into Meghan’s relationship with her father, the birth of their son Archie, or their decision to take a step back from the royal family. 

Still, Finding Freedom promises to be “an honest, up-close, and disarming portrait of a confident, influential, and forward-thinking couple who are unafraid to break with tradition, determined to create a new path away from the spotlight, and dedicated to building a humanitarian legacy that will make a profound difference in the world.”

Finding Freedom is out August 11.

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President Donald Trump called for the reopening of America’s gyms days after unveiling the federal government’s three-phase plan to reopen the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic — and after a phone call with the owners of some major fitness companies, including SoulCycle.

On Thursday, Trump announced the guidelines for Phase One, which looked to reopen restaurants, movie theaters, places of worship, and large sporting venues, as well as gyms, “if they adhere to strict physical distancing and sanitation protocol,” according to a White House memo titled “Guidelines for Opening Up America Again.” 

Trump called for the reopening of gyms after a call with SoulCycle’s owner, Stephen Ross, and others on the president’s economic revitalization task force that includes Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Jimmy John Liautaud of the Jimmy John’s restaurant chain, and Bahram Akradi, chief executive of health club chain Life Time, according to The Daily Beast. Critics believe that call influenced his decision to include gyms in the first wave of businesses targeted to reopen. In an email statement to The Daily Beast, a Related spokesperson wrote, “Stephen Ross never discussed gyms, exercise clubs or anything like that with the President and this story is factually incorrect garbage.” 

Even if Ross wasn’t discussing the business of his gyms, which also includes Equinox, Blink Fitness, and Pure Yoga, someone was. Crunch’s CEO, Jim Rowley, told NBC News that he gave money to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) to help its lobbying efforts to get gyms included in the first phase. But even he was surprised that it worked. “It was probably the first time I’d smiled in 30 days,” Rowley told NBC. The IHRSA also thanked Trump in a personal letter, calling it a “small victory.”

The newly released guidelines are designed to “mitigate the risk of resurgence” of COVID-19 and “to protect the most vulnerable,” according to the White House. But medical experts say reopening gyms would have adverse effects. “Gyms are like a petri dish,” Lawrence Gostin, director of the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University, told The Daily Beast. 

At a gym, Gostin noted, people will be in tight indoor spaces where they will be coughing, sneezing, sweating, and touching multiple surfaces. They will be sharing equipment that will be hard to disinfect properly. “Literally all of the heightened risk factors for COVID transmission are all entwined together in a gym,” he said, adding that “there was certainly no attempt” by the White House “to put in any scientific evidence as to why they’re safe or how they could possibly be made safe.”

In an interview with Cheddar, Planet Fitness’s CEO, Chris Rondeau, talked about what social distancing at a gym might look like. Rondeau said he will be “reiterating cleaning policies and procedures with his staff,” but also plans to follow the lead of a gym that recently reopened in Asia, which “unplugged every other piece of cardio, so that forced some space between treadmills, for example,” he said. “That might be one thing we have to do at the beginning.” 

Last month, Dr. David Thomas, a professor of medicine and director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, told The New York Times that there was a lower risk of contracting COVID-19 from a gym than at a church service. However, gym-goers should be careful of infected surfaces such as equipment since the virus can live on metal, glass, and plastic for up to nine days. 

It’s why Thomas suggested taking matters into one’s own hands when returning to the gym. “I’ll probably bring my own wipes,” he told The Times. “I’ll know that they’re the right wipes and they have the right concentration of alcohol.”

COVID-19 has been declared a global pandemic. Go to the CDC website for the latest information on symptoms, prevention, and other resources.

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The U.S. is bracing for its most difficult week yet in the fight against COVID-19. In an interview with Meet The Press, U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams warned, “The next week is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment. It’s going to be our 9/11 moment. It’s going to be the hardest moment for many Americans in their entire lives, and we really need to understand that if we want to flatten that curve and get through to the other side, everyone needs to do their part.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s latest social distancing guidelines recommend all Americans wear cloth face masks when outdoors, a voluntary measure that President Donald Trump said he will not follow. This is in addition to the CDC’s previous directives that Americans maintain a distance of at least six feet from others, do not congregate in groups larger than 10, and wash their hands for 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer frequently. In an effort to make sure Americans continue to practice safe social distancing, the White House’s latest recommendation is that Americans stop going to the grocery store and other similar tasks unless absolutely necessary.

During the White House coronavirus task force briefing on April 4, Dr. Deborah Birx, Trump’s coronavirus response coordinator, said, “The next two weeks are extraordinarily important. This is the moment to not be going to the grocery store, not going to the pharmacy, but doing everything you can to keep your family and your friends safe and that means everybody doing the six-feet distancing, washing their hands.”

A day later, Dr. Anthony Fauci, an infectious disease expert on the coronavirus task force, told Face The Nation that there are signs that mitigation is helping stop the spread of COVID-19. “I’m not saying we have it under control,” Fauci said. “That would be a false statement. We are struggling to get it under control.”

It is why the next two weeks are so important in America’s fight against the virus. The next six to seven days is when current COVID-19 hotspots Detroit, New York, and Louisiana are predicted to reach a peak based on data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. New hotspots are reportedly emerging in Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Washington, D.C., according to the White House. The hope is proper social distancing could help slow the spread in those areas.

Nine states have yet to declare a formal statewide stay-at-home order, which instructs all residents who are not essential workers to stay home. On Face The Nation, Fauci urged those states to take such measures immediately. Whether you live in a big city or a small town, “this virus doesn’t discriminate,” he said. “And sooner or later, you’re going to see a surge of cases.” 

That is why Fauci warned viewers that things will get worse before getting better. The number of new cases will soon begin to plateau in states where they have seen an increase in cases, a sign that the U.S. is flattening the curve, but Fauci said “the deaths will lag by…one or two weeks or more.

“This is going to be a bad week. It is going to be shocking to some,” he added. “It certainly is really disturbing to see that, but that’s what’s going to happen before it turns around.”

More than 9,000 people in the U.S. have died from COVID-19, but a report in The New York Times states the current data understates the number of fatalities “as a result of inconsistent protocols, limited resources, and a patchwork of decision-making from one state or county to the next.” The White House projected that at least 100,000 people could die because of the virus.

COVID-19 has been declared a global pandemic. Go to the CDC website for the latest information on symptoms, prevention, and other resources.

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Chelsea Clinton raised a question about the leadership in America’s fight against COVID-19. In an April 3 tweet, Clinton laid out her resume: a “Masters in Public Health; wrote my doctoral dissertation on global efforts to tackle AIDS pandemic; co-authored a book on global health governance; teach MPH courses on health systems & global health.” Yet, even with her vast experience in global public health, she writes, “I’m not qualified to lead a national #covid19 effort.” 

Clinton’s subtweet wasn’t about her qualifications — it was about Jared Kushner’s, who is overseeing the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s distribution of medical supplies to hospitals and health care providers. She’s not the only one talking; other critics have said he’s “overseeing a shadow task force with no oversight,” according to NPR. 

Kushner is a real estate executive and a senior advisor to his father-in-law, President Donald Trump, who has no previous experience in public health. Early on it was reported in The New York Times that Kushner’s early involvement in the fight against coronavirus “was in advising the president that the media’s coverage exaggerated the threat.” 

(Keep thinking: I’ve a Masters in Public Health; wrote my doctoral dissertation on global efforts to tackle AIDS pandemic; co-authored a book on global health governance; teach MPH courses on health systems & global health & I’m not qualified to lead a national #covid19 effort.)

— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) April 4, 2020

As of now, critics say Kushner isn’t part of the solution, but part of the problem, complicating the White House’s efforts to get ahead of the crisis with inaccurate information and broken promises like widespread drive-thru testing and a nationwide screening website to be created by Google. Neither has yet to materialize.

When Kushner led the White House briefing on the coronavirus pandemic on April 2, he revealed that Trump and Vice President Mike Pence were looking to him for “out-of-the-box” ideas on how to combat the virus. He did not offer ideas, but instead pushed states to be more resourceful with their medical supplies and not rely so heavily on the federal government’s supply. “The notion of the federal stockpile was it’s supposed to be our stockpile,” Kushner said. “It’s not supposed to be states’ stockpiles that they then use.” 

However, many pushed back on Kushner’s comments of the stockpile. “I would dismiss what Mr. Kushner said,” Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly told NPR’s Here & Now. “That is absolutely not the way it is supposed to work,” she said, explaining that the federal stockpile is a backup for states in need and that the Trump administration had a “very late start” on filling it. “And we’re all paying the price for that right now.”

Days later, CNN reporter Daniel Dale tweeted that a government website’s definition of the federal stockpile had been changed to more closely reflect Kushner’s. The government claimed the changes to the website were made prior to Kushner’s remarks, NPR reported, despite the screenshots from Dale showing otherwise.

After Jared Kushner’s comment about how the Strategic National Stockpile is not supposed to be for states, lots of people pointed to the fact that its own website says it is.

The language on the website has now been changed.

My screenshot from last night vs. one from today: pic.twitter.com/UwJFAr7uoV

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 3, 2020

“FEMA was brought into the response to provide logistics support and the White House should let them do their work,” Mississippi Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, told The New York Times on April 2. “There is no reason for Jared or any other inexperienced person to be getting in the way of that.”

Especially when the U.S. is bracing for the worst in the coming days. “The next week is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment. It’s going to be our 9/11 moment. It’s going to be the hardest moment for many Americans in their entire lives,” U.S. Surgeon General Vice Admiral Jerome Adams told Meet The Press on April 5. 

Noah Bookbinder, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, argued that the lack of government transparency right now is as dangerous as Kushner’s inexperience. “As the seriousness of this pandemic continues to grow,” Bookbinder wrote in a statement, “the public needs to understand who in the White House is making policy decisions, who from private industry is influencing those decisions, and how decisions to address this pandemic are being made.”

Jeremy Konyndyk, a former United States Agency for International Development (USAID) official who helped manage the response to the Ebola crisis during President Barack Obama’s administration, told The New York Times that disaster response requires discipline and a leader who does not undermine the experts. Even if Kushner “were the most competent person in the world, which he clearly isn’t,” Konyndyk said, “introducing these kinds of competing power centers into a crisis response structure is a guaranteed problem.”

It causes an unnecessary and dangerous disruption, which is something Kushner has taken pride in in the past. Andrea Bernstein, journalist and author of the book American Oligarchs: The Kushners, the Trumps, and the Marriage of Money and Power, told The New York Times that Kushner “really sees himself as a disrupter” and “believed he could do it better than anybody else, and he had supreme confidence in his own abilities and his own judgment even when he didn’t know what he was talking about.”

As the U.S. braces itself for the worst week in its right against coronavirus, states should be able to look to the federal government for real guidance and support in how to move forward. They need to know they can trust their leaders, which is why it’s more important now than ever to get advice from experts such as Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s top medical expert on the coronavirus pandemic and a member of Trump’s task force. 

Florida Rep. Donna E. Shalala, who led the Department of Health and Human Services during President Bill Clinton’s administration and was Fauci’s boss at that time, told The New York Times, “During a health emergency, it’s the scientists and physicians that are the credible people to the American public. Not politicians.”

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Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul announced on Sunday he has tested positive for COVID-19. A tweet from his official account stated that Paul, who is also an eye doctor, was “feeling fine and is in quarantine. He is asymptomatic and was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events.” However, Paul “was not aware of any direct contact with any infected person,” according to the tweet.

Paul has been working remotely for the past ten days, “hence virtually no staff has had contact with Senator Rand Paul,” a subsequent tweet stated. But, Paul “expects to be back in the Senate after his quarantine period ends.” Those who have tested positive for COVID-19 and continue to be asymptomatic may end their home-isolated quarantine seven days after their first positive diagnostic test, according to the latest recommendations from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention.

For the time being, Paul “will continue to work for the people of Kentucky at this difficult time.”

He expects to be back in the Senate after his quarantine period ends and will continue to work for the people of Kentucky at this difficult time. Ten days ago, our D.C. office began operating remotely, hence virtually no staff has had contact with Senator Rand Paul.

— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 22, 2020

The Senate is currently working to pass a coronavirus aid bill that would include access to free coronavirus testing and secure paid emergency leave. Last week, Paul delayed the aid bill with a doomed amendment that would have required “a Social Security number for purposes of the child tax credit, and to provide the president the authority to transfer funds as necessary, and to terminate United States military operations and reconstruction activities in Afghanistan.”

On Friday, March 20, Paul announced his COVID-19 Recovery Act, telling The Hill that his bill would “ensure businesses are not forced into bankruptcy or closure due to new mandates, while also seeking to guarantee that every person who needs assistance is able to receive it.” Earlier this month, Paul was the sole “no” vote on an $8 billion coronavirus funding bill. 

Paul is the third member of Congress to announce a positive coronavirus diagnosis, following Florida Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart and Utah Rep. Ben McAdams.

COVID-19 has been declared a global pandemic. Go to the CDC website for the latest information on symptoms, prevention, and other resources.

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A rising number of millennials are being hospitalized for coronavirus. This is despite recommendations to practice social distancing to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Against the Centers for Disease Control’s recommendations only gather in groups of 10 or less, far too many people took a spring break trip to Florida’s beaches last week, which have not yet been closed statewide by Gov. Ron DeSantis. 

The mayors of popular Florida spring break destinations including Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa Bay, and Naples have closed the beaches locally, which were packed with people who were not staying at least six feet apart, over the past week. However, the governor still hasn’t closed all of Florida’s beaches despite ordering the closing of gyms, fitness centers, and banning in-restaurant dining but allowing them to remain open for deliveries. On Tuesday, March 17, DeSantis finally issued guidelines for “no group on a beach more than 10 and you have to have distance apart if you’re going to be out there,” as a statewide order.

On Thursday, DeSantis doubled down, saying he had no plan to close Florida’s beaches and pointed to the U.S. Surgeon General to explain why. “[The government] wants you to social distance, of course. But they actually encourage people to get fresh air,” he said, via Politico. “They just don’t want you congregating in big groups. And so if you have a Floridian that goes and walks their dog, like a married couple on the beach, as long as you’re not within six feet of each other, they view that as a healthy thing.”

DeSantis stated that he supports the decisions made by local officials to close beaches, saying, “but since I issued my directive, anybody who’s put that in place — spring break’s done. Any place to go for bars and all this — done. They don’t have a place to go.”

However, experts worry that DeSantis is not taking the coronavirus pandemic seriously enough and needs to put in place more drastic measures to promote social distancing for non-essential workers, including Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried. On Saturday, She called for a state-wide “stay-at-home order” for all non-essential workers, which is similar to what the governors of California, New York, Illinois, Connecticut, and New Jersey have ordered.

In a letter to DeSantis, Fried wrote that “shutting down one of the nation’s largest states is a decision that will have an economic impact — but it is a decision that will save lives.” 

DeSantis has previously stated he would not order people to stay in their homes unless it was absolutely necessary. On Friday, he said he would continue to promote social distancing. “That’s a more sustainable model,’’ he said. “And the more people are shut in, I think the more anxious they get.”

Florida has seen the rate of infections grow “more than seven-fold in the last week” with more than 200 new confirmed cases, bringing the state total to 763, according to The Miami Herald. There have been 12 confirmed deaths from COVID-19. 

Critics of DeSantis also claim there is substantial evidence that Florida is historically slow to act in emergencies like this. Slate’s Mark Joseph Stern, a Florida native, painted a frightening picture of what doctors will have to contend with in the face of coronavirus due to DeSantis’ inaction. 

Due to an overwhelming amount of cases and a lack of medical equipment, Stern wrote that doctors will have to choose “which lives are worth saving from COVID-19, a ghastly dilemma they might have had to face less often had DeSantis followed other governors in shutting down schools, beaches, bars, restaurants, and theme parks much earlier in an effort to flatten the curve.”

For now, the majority of those cases are in South Florida, but Mark Lipsitch, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told The Miami Herald that “more stringent measures are needed” to stop statewide spread. Especially in a state where more than 20% of the state’s 21.5 million residents are over 65, according to the United States Census Bureau. Those over 60 and those with underlying medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease are considered the most vulnerable to get coronavirus, according to the CDC. 

COVID-19 has been declared a global pandemic. Go to the CDC website for the latest information on symptoms, prevention, and other resources.

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In the time of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s best to stay inside where you can read a good book, enjoy a few coronavirus memes, and catch up on all those Netflix shows piling up in your queue. But it’s important to remember that social distancing is not a snow day. It’s a way to responsibly slow down the coronavirus outbreak. So, how does social distancing slow down an outbreak?

Well, if you have seen the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s much shared graph aimed at “flattening the curve” you know that self-quarantining could have a big impact on combating the spread of COVID-19. Without public intervention, which includes social distancing or the conscious effort of reducing close contact between people, roughly a third of Americans — more than 100 million people — could get coronavirus, according to The New York Times. Limiting our interactions with other people now will lessen the rate of infection and deaths from the disease later. Basically, we all need to work together as a community by staying apart. 

So what are the rules of social distancing? The dos and don’ts of self-quarantining during coronavirus are simple. If you are able to work from home, do so. Instead of going out to the movies or a bar, stay in. Cancel playdates and hangouts at other peoples’ homes for the time being. Reschedule that date or plan on getting creative. Limiting your exposure to people outside of those you share a home with will lessen the risk of spreading the disease. When in small gatherings try to keep your distance — the recommendation is at least six feet apart, according to Dr. Asaf Bitton — and wash your hands frequently.

1. A very short thread on the power of data graphics and scientific communication.

Roughly a week ago, some very smart person* sat down, drew this graph, and saved lives.

(*It’s 2 AM. Without an economist subscription, I can’t quickly discover whom. Maybe someone can help.) pic.twitter.com/eU71Eu60eS

— Carl T. Bergstrom (@CT_Bergstrom) March 6, 2020

Yes, you can go outside for a walk or a bike ride, but again, maintain a safe distance. However, try to limit unnecessary trips to coffee shops or the gym; it’s best to be home as much as possible. When grocery shopping, try to go during off-peak hours to mitigate exposure to others. When you are out, assume surfaces are not being cleaned as often as necessary. Coronavirus can survive on metal for up to five days, glass for four to five days, and plastic for up to nine days, according to a study recently conducted by the Journal of Hospital Infection — so wash your hands before touching your face. In general, wash your hands frequently and use hand sanitizer when unable to wash with soap and water. If you are feeling ill, contact your medical professional so they can help you figure out the next steps. 

While the CDC has advised that the most vulnerable to coronavirus — those over 60 and those with underlying medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease — should “avoid crowds as much as possible,” all of us should heed that advice. 

Why? Well, as Emily Landon, an infectious disease specialist and hospital epidemiologist at the University of Chicago Medicine, told Vox, “If more of us do that, we will slow the spread of the disease. That means my mom and your mom will have a hospital bed if they need it.” The more healthy and young people who practice social distancing the better we will all be.

Now, self-quarantining might sound like a rather lonely undertaking, but that’s what our phones are for, right? You don’t need to halt all communication just because you’re limiting your person-to-person interaction. Give your grandma a call or FaceTime your friends and family. It’s a way to feel connected without any worry about getting someone else sick. Right now, is there anything more reassuring than that?

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Simone Biles celebrated her 23rd birthday with a gold medal-worthy clapback aimed at USA Gymnastics and its mishandling of Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics doctor who is serving a life sentence after being found guilty on charges of child pornography and sexual misconduct.

USA Gymnastics sent the most decorated gymnast of all time a birthday tweet that said: “We know you will only continue to amaze us and make history!” Biles made it clear what she wanted and that is not well-wishes. She fired off a shot heard round the Twitterverse. “How about you amaze me and do the right thing,” Biles tweeted, “have an independent investigation.”

Biles is one of more than 150 women and girls who accused Nassar of sexual assault over his 25 years working for USA Gymnastics. She has been an outspoken critic of how USA Gymnastics handled the Nassar case, both before and after his January 2018 conviction. 

how about you amaze me and do the right thing… have an independent investigation https://t.co/58Gc9QUk76

— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) March 14, 2020

Last year, USA Gymnastics proposed a $215 million settlement that would go to those who were sexually abused by Nassar under the pretense of giving them medical treatments. However, Biles wanted the institution to launch an investigation to better understand how Nassar was able to prey on so many young women, and how the sport’s governing body attempted to cover up his crimes.

“Still want answers from [USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee],” she tweeted last month. “Wish they BOTH wanted an independent investigation as much as the survivors & I do.” 

Biles’ birthday tweet, which kicked off her “Jordan year” — a nod to the G.O.A.T. Michael Jordan’s number — earned 392,000 likes (and counting) as of publication. Not a bad birthday present for the gymnast, who is currently training for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. However the support from her fellow Team USA teammates might be the icing on the cake. 

Aly Raisman, another survivor of Nassar’s abuse, posted Biles’ tweet on Instagram, captioning it, “This. Is. AWESOME.”

View this post on Instagram

This. Is. AWESOME. @simonebiles I love you!!!! 💪

A post shared by Alexandra Raisman (@alyraisman) on Mar 14, 2020 at 12:50pm PDT

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Former Vice President Joe Biden won the South Carolina primary, making it his first time getting the largest number of votes in the 2020 Democratic presidential race. It was also his first primary win in his three bids for president. It was a decisive victory in which Biden earned nearly 50% of the votes — a large victory over the current frontrunner, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

His victory was in large part due to his support from African-Americans. He earned 64% of the Black vote, who make up more than half of the Democratic electorate in South Carolina, according to The New York Times.

“All of you who have been knocked down, counted out, left behind — this is your campaign,” Biden told the South Carolina crowd at his victory rally. “Just days ago, the press and the pundits had declared this candidacy dead. Now, thanks to all of you, the heart of the Democratic party, we’ve just won and we’ve won big because of you.”

Sanders came in a distant second, earning 19.9% of the vote. Billionaire Tom Steyer (with 11.3%), former South Bend, IN Mayor Pete Buttigieg (8.2%), and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren (7.1%) rounded out the top five in the primary.

Going into Super Tuesday, Biden’s win gives him a much-needed boost, but Sanders has a commanding lead in the delegate race. Sanders is leading in Texas and is tied with Biden in North Carolina, according to a NBC News/Marist poll, which was conducted before Biden’s primary win. Both are key Super Tuesday states that will divvy up a combined 338 delegates. 

The results of the March 3 vote, which includes delegate-rich California, could also help thin out the presidential candidate pool. After South Carolina, Steyer dropped out of the race, despite his third-place finish in the state.

While Sanders is still the Democratic frontrunner, Biden has positioned himself as the alternative to the progressive candidate. In a new interview, Biden went as far as to claim that Sanders is not fit to lead the party.

“I think Bernie Sanders’ positions on a number of issues, even in the Democratic party, are very controversial,” Biden told Meet The Press after South Carolina, adding the American people “are not looking for revolution, they are looking for results, they’re looking for change, they’re looking for movement forward.”

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