COVID-19 became a pandemic because too many of the countries struck by the virus failed to detect and suppress outbreaks as fast as possible. But the coronavirus could usher in an era of intense health surveillance.

Why it matters: From location-detecting smartphones to facial recognition cameras, we have the potential to track the spread of disease in near real-time. But the public health benefits will need to be weighed against the loss of privacy.

The longest bull market of all time is over — so, what now? That's the question facing millions of individual investors in the U.S. and around the world.

The bottom line: How worried you should be depends entirely on your time horizon, and when you might need to start spending the money y0u have saved up in the market.

Two aspects make the COVID-19 pandemic unlike any disaster we've experienced in memory: its global nature and its unknown duration.

Why it matters: As the coronavirus spreads across the country, we'll need to fight a medical war on all fronts at the same time, stressing our ability to respond. And we may need to keep up that fight — and the disruptive social distancing accompanying it — for months or longer.

People experiencing homelessness don't have access to the recommended precautions to stave off the coronavirus.

The state of play: They often don't have access to places to wash their hands, many sleep outside in crowded encampments, and social distancing is next to impossible in crowded shelters.

The novel coronavirus can spread faster in densely populated cities than in rural areas, but rural America has a higher-risk population and fewer safety-net programs for people who get sick.

By the numbers: Rural residents are, overall, older than urban dwellers and are therefore more susceptible to this virus. Per Census Bureau data, 17.5% of the rural population is 65 or older.

Medicare said yesterday that it will temporarily pay providers for a much broader range of telehealth services.

Why it matters: This will allow seniors — who are particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus — to avoid going to hospitals or doctors' offices for routine care that can be provided virtually. This, in turn, reduces their exposure to the virus.

Roughly half the country says they don't trust traditional media, like cable TV and newspapers, very much or at all to accurately deliver information about the novel coronavirus, according to a new Axios/Ipsos poll. That number sinks even lower for digital media and online news companies.

Why it matters: While the government and health officials are able to provide important safety and procedural information about the virus, it's the role of the media to provide key research and analysis that enriches the public's understanding. The lack of trust in the media means society could be less informed.

Experts and lawmakers are beginning to call for extraordinary measures to alleviate medical shortages that could cripple the U.S. response to the coronavirus.

Why it matters: These shortages affect both testing and treatment, and if they persist, could also thin the ranks of health care workers able to help treat coronavirus patients. And the only solution may be for the federal government to get involved.