March 20, 2020 - PBS NewsHour full episode

More of the country shut down Friday to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus. New York and Illinois joined California in ordering everyone except essential workers to stay home. Meanwhile, President Trump invoked emergency powers to move medical supplies amid growing questions about shortages of masks and ventilators. And Italy's death toll leapt by more than 600. William Brangham reports.

In our news wrap Friday, at least 17 police and soldiers were killed in an apparent insider attack in Afghanistan. Officials said security forces joined Taliban fighters assaulting a base in one of the deadliest attacks since February's U.S.-Taliban agreement. Also, former presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg is transferring $18 million from his campaign to the Democratic National Committee.

Dr. Anthony Fauci heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease and is one of the top public health officials in the U.S. He’s helping to lead the national response to the novel coronavirus pandemic. On Thursday, Fauci joined Judy Woodruff to discuss the crisis, including what we have learned from other countries, the status of testing for COVID-19 and how we can slow its spread.

Should the U.S. have been better prepared for the coronavirus pandemic? Experts both inside and outside of the government have sounded the alarm for years about the possibility of a dire public health crisis. One of them was Dr. Kenneth Bernard, an epidemiologist and former special assistant on biosecurity. He joins Nick Schifrin to discuss a lack of "advance planning" and what should happen next.

In the United Kingdom just days ago, the attitude toward the novel coronavirus pandemic was “keep calm and carry on.” Now, however, the stakes are higher -- and the national feeling more grim. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has ordered pubs and restaurants to close and residents to work from home. He’s also promising billions in relief. Special correspondent Malcolm Brabant reports.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest political news, including a surreal week in which much of American daily life shut down, bright spots of people helping each other in a time of need, President Trump’s handling of the crisis, the ongoing issue of political polarization and how government should respond.