COVID-19 Update, September 9, 2020: School in Session

Operation Warp Speed hits a speed bump -- but don't panic yet. Progress on a relief bill continues to go nowhere -- but you knew that. Today's news is all about our beleaguered school system, which is struggling to get started in a pandemic with no real leadership from the federal government. As you can imagine, it's a bumpy ride.

The latest:

The AstraZeneca trial is put on pause after one participant has an adverse reaction: tinyurl.com/y2fcqggp. Dr. Anthony Fauci calls the development unfortunate, but not uncommon: tinyurl.com/y6e6ulv4. Here's what the pause really means: tinyurl.com/yym97duu.

In Congress, the GOP pushes a reduced relief bill that is certain to be DOA: tinyurl.com/y4zrhjed.

Medical updates:

The much-touted COVID-19 antibody test has yet to arrive: tinyurl.com/y3nkmqpp.

Dr. Fauci, that voice in the wilderness of the Trump administration, admits to being frustrated by the absence of masks at the president's rallies: tinyurl.com/y3qpocd9.

Doctors continue to probe the link between COVID-19 and obesity: tinyurl.com/y5ucz447.

Two new studies suggest that saliva samples are just as effective in detecting the coronavirus as those invasive swabs: tinyurl.com/yyaf2aoz. A theory emerges that masks may also act as a kind of crude coronavirus vaccine: tinyurl.com/yxcntvnq.

New "hospital-at-home" programs aim to ease strain on the healthcare system: tinyurl.com/y6ntg9o5.

How to deal with mask-associated dry eye, which is a real thing: tinyurl.com/yy9tw2qd.

The state of our schools:

The school year begins with website crashes and cyberattacks: tinyurl.com/yyfob5ae.

Colleges struggle to handle students who test positive for COVID-19: tinyurl.com/y2wq2nsv. But experts says that shaming and zero-tolerance policies are making the campus situation worse: tinyurl.com/y6j5yj6o.

The online learning rules promulgated by one charter school chain are so tough that parents are revolting: tinyurl.com/y3r26zf9.

Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois goes under quarantine: tinyurl.com/y6f39uju.

Olympia High School, in Orange County, Florida, shutters after more than 150 students and staff are exposed to COVID-19: tinyurl.com/y696fn2j. More than 800 students and staff in Central Florida are under quarantine: tinyurl.com/y46zzwhh.

New York City schoolteachers return for the first time since March, and they're doing it very gingerly: tinyurl.com/y23tf5xq. Ten city schools with airflow issues are shut down for repairs: tinyurl.com/y4f8jga8.

Without football, State College, Pennsylvania becomes a ghost town: tinyurl.com/y4cusret.

Students, faculty, and staff at University of California San Diego oppose the school's reopening plan: tinyurl.com/y49wjajj.

The number of positive cases at San Diego State University hits 400: tinyurl.com/yy79lzm2.

In Spain, resistances rises among parents not eager to send their kids back to school: tinyurl.com/y42t93fz.

Music teachers face special challenges in the pandemic: tinyurl.com/y5vrzdg2. How do you teach design in a pandemic? tinyurl.com/y4b5xlpe.

Meanwhile:

There are, apparently, dozens of ways to rip off the Paycheck Protection Program: tinyurl.com/yx94m9lf.

Around the country:

In California:

An alternate version of the Burning Man Festival, held on a San Francisco beach, comes under fire for violating social distancing rules:tinyurl.com/y2eolvlv.

In Florida:

How the Jacksonville Jaguars fought the coronavirus: tinyurl.com/y6bgdcca.

In New York:

The governor accuses the president of "actively trying to kill New York City;" tinyurl.com/y3fuakao.

New York City's jazz clubs face a pandemic-induced extinction event: tinyurl.com/y5voerbw.

The pandemic empties out New York City's office buildings: tinyurl.com/yyngore7.

In South Dakota:

But hey, they got to ride their choppers: A new study indicates that the Sturgis motorcycle rally led to 260,000 infections and public health costs of $12.2: tinyurl.com/y5hteqxl.

The main road house in Sioux Falls cancels its upcoming season: tinyurl.com/yyngnub8.

Around the world:

In Italy:

Silvio Berlusconi's COVID-19 illness is apparently quite severe: tinyurl.com/y3vxmkem.

In the Netherlands:

The country experiences its biggest spike in COVID-19 cases since April: tinyurl.com/y6srnsbl.

In the Philippines:

Approximately 300,000 migrant seafarers are left to languish at sea: tinyurl.com/yxk565zq.

In the UK:

The government bans social gatherings of more than six people. Exceptions include schools, workplaces, and COVID-secure weddings -- but not theatres or concert venues: tinyurl.com/y6gn7qcm.

Education: "Tips for Mixing In-Ear Monitors on a Soundcraft Vi Console with Ashton Parsons," September 17 at 2:00pm CT; register at: tinyurl.com/yx9op62e.

For your entertainment:

Obie Award winner Metropolitan Playhouse offers a free reading of Cocaine, a one-act play by Pendleton King via live stream video, with talkback to follow, on September 12 at 8:00pm EST. Running time is 30 minutes. A talkback follows with Jeffery Kennedy, including audience questions via chat. Watch at www.metropolitanplayhouse.org.

An updated list of livestreamed jazz concerts: tinyurl.com/y575uzzt.

John Lloyd Young's Broadway will stream live from The Space in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 3 at 6:00pm ET. The pay-per-view concert is $30 and the concert with virtual after-party is $100 beginning at 7:45pm ET. The concert will be available to watch and re-watch for 48 hours after the live event. For tickets and additional information, go to www.thespacelv.com.

For your pleasure:

Robbie Robertson, Ringo Starr, and musicians around the world deliver "The Weight:" tinyurl.com/y2jwrp5n.

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

To receive your LSA copies at home (no charge), please email LSA@plasa.org or go to www.ezsubscription.com/lsa/mysubscription.

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