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As millions of people go online to
stay productive and connected while try-
ing to “flatten the curve” of the COVID-
pandemic, they’re putting the Internet it-
self under enormous pressure. A home or
neighborhood Internet connection is like a
highway: the more traffic being sent back
and forth, the longer it takes for data to get
where it needs to go—and traffic world-
wide is up 35% in the past two weeks, says
networking firm CenturyLink. As the off-
line world seems to grind to a halt, is there
enough bandwidth to go around?
Demand is highest in the evening right
now, says CenturyLink CTO Andrew
Dugan. That suggests that while people may
be shifting their typical workplace Internet
use to the home, they’re also online more
than usual after hours, watching movies and
chatting. Some services, like Netflix and
YouTube, are already reducing the quality
of some content in Europe to manage de-
mand; similar steps could be taken in the
U.S. Meanwhile, Internet providers are aug-
menting their networks to handle the load.At the same time, many are relaxing their
data limits, which is good news for monthly
bills but may encourage even more use.
People who need a faster connection may
consider paying for a higher-speed package,
but advertised speeds are rarely guaranteed.
And even if their access is uninterrupted,
the COVID-19 outbreak will still put a spot-
light on the broadband gap. A 2015 Pew sur-
vey found that 15% of rural U.S. households
lacked broadband access, making it harder
or impossible to work or learn remotely.
Advocates say it’s a problem that needs
addressing sooner rather than later. “We
should celebrate that so many people have
the ability to [work remotely], but we have
to recognize that there are disconnected
people among us who don’t,” says FCC com-
missioner Jessica Rosenworcel.
In the meantime, just as you shouldn’t
hoard toilet paper or soap, don’t be a band-
width hog—turning off devices when they
aren’t in use can help free up bandwidth for
your neighbors on the same local network.
—pAtrick lucAs AustinGOOD QUESTION
We’re online more than ever right
now. Can the Internet keep up?SPOTLIGHT
How COVID-
affects
pregnancy
Pregnancy can be an
uncertain time even
without a pandemic. Now
researchers are rapidly
trying to figure out the risks
of COVID-19 to pregnant
women and newborns.
U.S. experts say that
for now, pregnant women
should follow general
guidelines, including hand-
washing, and continue
to attend their prenatal
checkups. The World Health
Organization agrees, say-
ing there is “no evidence”
that pregnant women are
at higher risk from COVID-
19 but that because of
changes in their bodies and
immune systems, they can
be badly affected by respira-
tory infections.
So far, there is no data
suggesting an increased
risk of miscarriage or that
the virus can pass on to a
developing fetus. Although
a newborn baby in London
tested positive for the virus
in mid-March, it’s unclear
whether the virus was
transmitted in the womb or
during labor. So far, children
account for a tiny share
of COVID-19 infections;
however, of children who
do develop severe cases,
infants under 12 months
are most at risk.
One encouraging fact is
that the virus that causes
COVID-19 has not been
found in breast milk. The
CDC advises a mother who
is symptomatic to take
precautions, including
wearing a face mask while
breastfeeding, but experts
don’t recommend mothers
with symptoms stop
breastfeeding—particularly
because antibodies in the
milk can help fight the virus.
—Madeline RoacheNOTE: YEAR-OVER-YEAR SALES ARE FOR THE WEEK ENDING MARCH 14, FROM NIELSEN RETAIL MEASUREMENT SERVICES
SOURCES: KROGER; AMAZON; ATA; ATRI; UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA; TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY; TYSON FOODS; US FOODS
GROCERS Major chains like
Kroger are hiring employees
and increasing pay. They are
limiting some purchases and
are reducing shopping hours to
stock and sanitize the stores.PRODUCTION So far, COVID-19 hasn’t
disrupted farming, but demand is
shifting. Sales of dried beans are up
231% year over year. Rice is up 166%.
Even some perishables are up 50%.TRANSPORT
To meet that
need, highway-
safety regulators
relaxed limits on
driving hours for
truckers carrying
critical goods.
Trucks are
moving faster as
a result of less
car traffic.FOOD SERVICE
Companies
that supply
restaurants, like
US Foods, are
contracting their
workers to grocery
suppliers and re-
routing inventory
to supermarkets.STORAGE To focus on
household staples,
including food
items, Amazon is
halting deliveries of
nonessential goods to
its warehouses.PROCESSING Tyson
is deploying more
worker shifts and
adjusting production
lines. Four million lb.
of chicken nuggets
and patties for
places like schools
have been repack-
aged for stores.RACING TO
RESTOCK
The U.S. has plenty
of food, but shelves
are empty. Here’s
how the supply
chain is reacting to
a surge in demand.BRLEDE.indd 13 3/25/20 4:17 PM