COVID-19 Update: November 30, 2020: A Surge Upon a Surge

The words above are those of Dr. Anthony Fauci who predicts the next few weeks will be among the most challenging of the pandemic. Still, there are reasons to hope: Moderna will apply for emergency authorization for its coronavirus vaccine, giving us two weapons in the war. The two presidential administrations are now conferring about vaccine distribution. Now if we could only get some relief legislation from Congress...

The latest:

The US passes 13 million cases of COVID-19, with no end in sight: tinyurl.com/y4oygsye. The country also records 109,671 new cases on Sunday, the highest number yet: tinyurl.com/y64vh8mx.

Moderna applies for emergency authorization for its vaccine: tinyurl.com/y2h4392j. Two-shot vaccines will pose a logistical challenge in the US: tinyurl.com/yyewrzry.

Dr. Anthony Fauci foresees some tough weeks coming: tinyurl.com/y5ywsglh. Dr. Deborah Birx urges all Thanksgiving travelers to get a COVID-19 test, adding that anyone who traveled for the holiday should assume that he or she was exposed to the coronavirus: tinyurl.com/y6jurgxm.

Van Morrison and Eric Clapton record a song, the proceeds of which will go to Morrison's lockdown relief fund for musicians: tinyurl.com/y4arnwyn.

A pandemic? Bah! Humbug! Theatres around the US find innovative ways to deliver A Christmas Carol to audiences: tinyurl.com/yxm4d25a.

Food for thought:

What Germany can teach us about responding to the pandemic: tinyurl.com/y5wy34bx.

Why shutdowns might not have to be all or nothing: tinyurl.com/yyj72rkc.

With the pandemic going strong, should Europe's ski resorts open for the season? tinyurl.com/yxkuwxy5.

The CDC calculates that for every reported instance of COVID-19 infection, there may be eight that aren't: tinyurl.com/y6sjzaat.

Around the country:

In California:

The pandemic has spread to every corner of the state: tinyurl.com/yxfv36yw. San Diego County sets a new record on Friday, with 1,859 new COVID-19 cases: tinyurl.com/y4fvn339. COVID-19 hospitalizations hit a new high: tinyurl.com/y2c8zvhx.

Overnight location filming in Los Angeles is banned for a month, because of the surge: tinyurl.com/yyjacwvf.

Disney announces plans to terminate 32,000 employees in the first half of 2021: tinyurl.com/yx8w66bp.

In Colorado:

The mayor of Denver tells residents not to travel for Thanksgiving; then he gets on a cross-country plane -- for Thanksgiving: tinyurl.com/yxl9nwu5.

The governor and his partner both test positive for COVID-19: tinyurl.com/yy83dwcj.

The Denver Broncos come to their Sunday game with the New Orleans Saints with all their quarterbacks exposed to the coronavirus and ineligible to play: tinyurl.com/y2b8oxzp.

In Florida:

Carlos Gimenez, former mayor of Miami Dade Country and congressman-elect, tests positive for COVID-19: tinyurl.com/y24tro7r.

In Illinois:

A new study details the enormous stress the pandemic is placing on the state's teachers: tinyurl.com/y2jlxwex.

In Maryland:

The state reports 1,923 new cases on Monday, including its first death of a child under nine: tinyurl.com/y6dvbz72.

Willie Snead is the 23rd member of the Baltimore Ravens to end up on the reserve/COVID list: tinyurl.com/y5r6t4hx.

In Nevada:

On Tuesday, the state reports 3,159 new cases, the first time the state has broken 3,000: tinyurl.com/y2b5nyjr.

On Saturday, the state reports a five-day streak of record-breaking hospitalizations: tinyurl.com/y3n5b59w.

In New York:

The state closes in on a 4% positivity rate, which is up considerably from the summer, when it was under 1%: tinyurl.com/y6luoabz. COVID-19 cases have increased tenfold over the last month in the Buffalo area: tinyurl.com/y3n4jbdf.

Some New York City schools will start reopening on December 3: tinyurl.com/yybo2czk.

Police shut down a party for 400 (mostly unmasked) in Manhattan: tinyurl.com/y3an6zn5.

In South Dakota:

The state sets another record, with 54 deaths on Saturday: tinyurl.com/yyquvdkv.

In Vermont:

The state went without a single COVID-19 death between July and November 4. That's likely to change as the number of new infections has risen alarmingly: tinyurl.com/yy7lhosm.

In Wyoming:

The governor has long resisted a mask mandate; now he has COVID-19: tinyurl.com/yxfgxqzd.

Around the world:

In China:

The government is bent on rewriting the COVID-19 story, trying to prove, against the evidence, that it didn't start in Wuhan: tinyurl.com/y4d8e278.

In France:

Cinemas are set to reopen on December 15: tinyurl.com/yxjbyrp5.

In Hong Kong:

An outbreak in a dance hall, leading to 500 COVID-19 cases, sends the city back into semi-lockdown: tinyurl.com/y5c94cc2.

In the UK:

Despite questions about the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, the government is moving ahead with plans for a rollout: tinyurl.com/y67h67zr. The government appoints a vaccines minister to oversee the process: tinyurl.com/y43b64hb. Hospitals are told to prepare for a rollout in as little as ten days: tinyurl.com/y2hp9fum.

Inside the attempt to test the entire population of Liverpool for COVID-19: tinyurl.com/y3942rzp.

London theatres look set to reopen in December: tinyurl.com/y5gtsdch.

Entertainment:

On December 6 at 2:00pm ET (available for seven days), The Gilmore presents Yefim Bronfman. Live-streamed from New York's Steinway Hall, Yefim Bronfman performs two Beethoven piano sonatas-Op. 10, No. 3 in D major and the Appassionata -- and Debussy's Suite bergamasque. Tickets at www.TheGilmore.org.

MCC Theater will present a benefit performance of the Lucille Lortel and Drama Desk Award winning play School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, by Bioh and directed by Kamilah Forbes. The cast includes Cynthia Erivo, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and Amber Riley. School Girls will stream on Sunday, December 13, 2020 at 3:00pm ET on MCC Theater's YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/mcctheater. Tickets are available now at mcctheater.org.

Molière in the Park will stream Christina Anderson's Pen/Man/Ship, directed Lucie Tiberghien, co-presented with the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF), and in partnership with the Prospect Park Alliance, LeFrak Center at Lakeside. The cast includes Crystal Lucas-Perry and Kevin Mambo. It streams live on Saturday, December 12 at 2:00pm EST and 7:00pm EST. A recording of the live stream will be available on MIP's YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/moliereinthepark) until Monday, January 4. Viewing is free. Reserve at www.eventbrite.com/e/penmanship-by-moliere-in-the-park-registration-129065639803.

One Night Only: The Best of Broadway, featuring the casts of several Broadway shows, will air on NBC on December 10: tinyurl.com/y2jlt3gu.

The Metropolitan Opera streaming service this week focuses on stars in their signature roles: tinyurl.com/y2wp5k5v.

For your pleasure:

Orchestrator/arranger Alan Williams and a legion of West End musicians present the Overture of Overtures: tinyurl.com/y69llo8v.

That's all for today. Stay safe. -- DB

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Previous LSA COVID-19 Updates: plasa.me/lsacovid19resources.