National Post drops paywall on coronavirus coverage

The National Post is dropping its paywall on all stories related to the coronavirus outbreak, effective immediately.

We know many of our readers will be practising social distancing and self-isolation over the coming weeks as schools, offices, restaurants and places of worship close their doors. We want to ensure they can stay informed about the steps governments are taking to react to the outbreak, the latest recommendations from public health officials and the impacts to our economy.

“Our readers can count on us for everything from breaking news to FAQs about COVID-19 to information for how to keep themselves safe,” said Lucinda Chodan, senior vice-president, editorial, for Postmedia, which owns the National Post.

The paywall is being removed from coronavirus stories at all Postmedia websites across Canada until further notice.

Postmedia, like other news organizations, instituted a paywall to help subsidize our journalism. But these are unprecedented circumstances, Chodan said.

There are now more than 400 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Canada and 175,000 worldwide. To combat the outbreak, the Canadian government announced it would be shutting down its borders to most non-citizens while continuing to dissuade any large public gatherings.

The latest stories about the coronavirus outbreak will immediately be visible on the home pages of our National Post and Financial Post websites. Readers can also find them through our social media pages on Facebook and Twitter.

The National Post newsletter, Posted, will also be heavily focused on the COVID-19 story in the weeks ahead. It will include links to the day’s big news and commentary, as well to stories about the impact of the pandemic on our social lives.