Here's what we're following today. Essential workers will strike nationwide on Friday to demand safer conditions during the coronavirus outbreak. Others are using May Day to demand an end to stay-at-home orders they say are ruining livelihoods and irreparably harming the economy.

by Korva Coleman and Jill Hudson First Up Michael Dwyer/AP Here's what we're following today. Essential workers will strike nationwide on Friday to demand safer conditions during the coronavirus outbreak. Others are using May Day to demand an end to stay-at-home orders they say are ruining livelihoods and irreparably harming the economy. Employees at Target, FedEx, Amazon and its subsidiary Whole Foods, and other companies will either stage mass sickouts or simply walk off the job in various cities to demand time off, hazard pay, sick leave, protective gear and cleaning supplies, The Associated Press reports. Joe Biden addressed allegations of sexual assault by former Senate staffer Tara Reade for the first time Friday, saying in a statement “They aren’t true. This never happened.” The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee said he is asking officials to locate Reade’s alleged written complaint from 1993 and release it to the public. President Trump on Thursday announced an independent commission focused on safety in nursing homes during the coronavirus outbreak. The move comes after nursing home operators have been clamoring for more equipment and testing. FEMA also announced it will send two shipments of personal protective gear to every nursing home, each shipment containing a one-week supply, by July 4. The New York City subway system will soon begin halting service every night from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. so that trains can be disinfected. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called the move "unprecedented" and “a massive undertaking.” Essential workers will be able to take alternative transportation for free. California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered all Orange County beaches and state parks closed after crowds packed the shoreline during a heat wave last weekend. Officials in less-populated areas of the state have called on Newsom to allow them to reopen. American Airlines and United reported Thursday combined losses of nearly $4 billion. Few industries have been as hard-hit by the pandemic as airlines, as the number of air travelers has plummeted 95% over the last two months. It's not just that people aren't flying now. They are also not booking for future travel, decimating the airlines' balance sheets. Newsletter continues after sponsor message Today's Listen Elissa Nadworny/NPR May 1 is typically the day many college-bound students have to make up their minds about where they'll go. But because of the added stress of the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 400 schools have moved the deadline to June 1. But making a decision doesn’t clear up the uncertainty of what will happen in the fall. (Listening time, 3:46 or read the story) Thousands of people went to YouTube Thursday night to watch musicians sing about space, isolation and getting through tough times. Sting and Daveed Diggs were two of the performers for the National Air and Space Museum’s virtual concert, "Space Songs Through The Distance." (Listening time, 1:41) The Picture Show Dorothea Lange/Courtesy of the Museum of Modern Art, New York Photographer Dorothea Lange had an eye for capturing what was going on around her. Across her body of work there are intimate glimpses of Great Depression bread lines, Japanese American internment camps during World War II and migrant farm workers — including the subject of perhaps her most famous portrait, Migrant Mother. A retrospective of Lange's work at New York City's Museum of Modern Art opened in mid-February and promptly closed less than a month later because of the coronavirus pandemic. Now, perhaps more than ever, Lange's portraits of humanity and adversity still have a lot to say. (Listening time, 4:12 or read the story) Before You Go Apple TV+ With Spike Jonze's new documentary, Beastie Boys Story, now streaming on Apple+ and Damien Chazelle's The Eddy on the way, here are 20 television series or specials to pass the time at home — or inspire your next playlist. Anderson Cooper is a new dad, reports CNN. Wyatt Morgan Cooper was born on Monday weighing 7 pounds 2 ounces. Antarctica and Greenland have lost enough ice that they could fill Lake Michigan, according to data from a new NASA satellite.  Are you struggling with mental health during the pandemic? We are here to listen to your story and hope to use your experience to inform and help others. Please consider sharing your experience by clicking here.  Sign Up For The New Normal So much has changed quickly and we're all feeling a little unmoored. We hope our new newsletter, The New Normal, can help you work through what's happening now and get through whatever is next. We're all in this together. If you are interested in seeing what it is all about, please subscribe here. Thursday’s Daily newsletter incorrectly reported that 30 million Americans filed for unemployment claims over the last five weeks. The correct time frame is six weeks.  — Suzette Lohmeyer contributed to this report.  Follow The New Normal on Instagram! Sign up for The New Normal, NPR's daily coronavirus email.  What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: dailynewsletter@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Music, Politics, Health and more!