What’s hot at grocery stores; How COVID-19 could change nursing homes forever: CBC’s …

Will COVID-19 bring real change to long-term care?

A year before the pandemic, Marketplace‘s hidden cameras exposed staffing dangers in long-term care homes. Now, nursing homes — including the one featured in our original investigation — are at the centre of the coronavirus outbreak. Will the pandemic bring a real fix to the system? David Common reports. 

What we’ve been buying at grocery stores during the pandemic

Not so shockingly, sales of coffee, alcohol and cleaning products are up. Meanwhile, flour sales — as the rise of baking photos on Instagram and Facebook has suggested — have been way up. But sales of some items, like cosmetics and hair styling products, are down, a likely reflection of physical distancing. 

Health Canada authorizes test for COVID-19 antibodies

Health Canada says the test will be used in laboratories to detect COVID-19 antibodies and help contribute to a better understanding of whether people who have been infected are immune to the virus. Back in March, Marketplace investigated the fight to sell antibody tests in Canada.

Need a ride from Uber? You’ll need to wear a mask

The San Francisco-based technology giant says drivers won’t be able to pick up customers until they have verified they are wearing a mask via photo-recognition software built into the Uber app.

What else is going on?

Health Canada issues recall of some KN95 masks made in China
The organization says the recalled respirators “pose a health and safety risk to end users.”

Some grocery chains now require shoppers to wear a face mask
Longo’s, T&T Supermarket and Costco in the U.S. now say customers must wear some kind of face covering.

A major airline will ‘most likely’ go bust this year because of COVID-19, Boeing CEO says
Airlines have been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic harder than most sectors, as global demand for travel has slowed to a crawl. 

How local businesses are adapting to curbside pickup
Some stores welcome the service, but others say it’s not feasible.

Marketplace needs your help

Technology is keeping us connected like never before, especially with physical distancing measures in place. But what happens when the devices we rely on breakdown? Were you able to get your smartphone, tablet or computer fixed? How much did it cost? Share your breakdown stories with us by emailing caitlin.taylor@cbc.ca

We want to know how companies have been treating you during the pandemic. Have you had trouble getting refunds for concert or theme park tickets, vacation home rentals or flights? Do you have any customer service horror stories? Email andrew.sampson@cbc.ca

Catch up on past episodes of Marketplace on CBC Gem.