COVID-19 Update, April 23, 2020: Closing the Deal

The United States passes a milestone with 200 million vaccinations delivered. As a result, signs of life are everywhere, especially in the live events industry. Now comes the hard part: the effort to close the deal by convincing the vaccine hesitant/hostile to act in their own -- and everybody's -- best interest. Look for the government to step up its efforts to get jabs for everyone.

The latest:

Sobering statistics: COVID-19 has now killed three million people worldwide: tinyurl.com/s8vfbvs. The number of new COVID-19 cases worldwide has doubled in the last two months: tinyurl.com/58s4dkc4. Because of hot spots, new cases have risen 8% in the US over the last two weeks: tinyurl.com/yt6du6yf.

As President Biden hits his goal of administering 200 million vaccine doses in his first 100 days, he steps on the pedal, moving to speed up vaccinating everyone else: tinyurl.com/n7vfpxyw. Perhaps not surprisingly, vaccine resistance breaks down partly along gender lines: tinyurl.com/k5dy6ne6.

Moderna will make a third dose of its vaccine, to be used as a booster shot, in the fall: tinyurl.com/exk4pa.

The Small Business Administration announces that the Shuttered Venues Operator Grant, which so far has been a non-starter, will reopen tomorrow April 24: tinyurl.com/ykr6ps8p.

The State Department warns Americans against traveling to more than 80% of the world's nations, because of coronavirus concerns: tinyurl.com/4pchynyc.

Beware of con artists on the Internet selling "authentic vaccination cards:" tinyurl.com/pyc58y9s.

New unemployment claims come in this week at 547,000, rather lower than expected: tinyurl.com/km7v3t5x.

Food for thought:

Why countries that were quick to arrest the coronavirus have been slow to vaccinate: tinyurl.com/4emdmy74.

The once-promising idea of using plasma from COVID survivors as a treatment hasn't panned out: tinyurl.com/ywfhmeke.

People suffering from "long" COVID face additional health problems, increased risk of dying: tinyurl.com/3mj6s48u.

Around the country:

In California:

SeaWorld San Diego will allow out-of-state guests, as long as they are vaccinated; the rest of the state's theme parks are sticking with local business: tinyurl.com/uwxcjn3p.

Students, faculty, and staff at the University of California and California State University systems will have to be vaccinated for the start of the fall semester: tinyurl.com/t9mkw5nj.

In Florida:

Spring Break fallout: The number of people infected with new variants has exploded: tinyurl.com/29kp8h64.

In Illinois:

Fifty percent of residents over 16 have been vaccinated, but a new surge of infections keeps the state from reopening: tinyurl.com/the99487.

The surge is bad enough that hospital beds are filling up: tinyurl.com/hez5c9rz.

Chicago's mass vaccination sites open for walking appointments: tinyurl.com/yxnfvbd3.

DePaul University and Columbia College Chicago will require returning students to be vaccinated: tinyurl.com/3d7yax93.

In Massachusetts:

Boston's Huntington Theatre announces an in-person season starting in August: tinyurl.com/2wm4nmby.

In Michigan:

Rocker Ted Nugent, who denied the existence of the pandemic, gets a severe case of COVID-19: tinyurl.com/2ndppf55.

In Nevada:

Two Cirque du Soleil shows, O and Mystère, will reopen in Vegas this summer. Two other Cirque shows are also set to reopen elsewhere: tinyurl.com/u797a2p8.

The Burning Man Festival is considering mandating proof of vaccination for all attendees: tinyurl.com/24van6kw.

In New York:

As the state's positivity rate drops below 3%, Governor Cuomo further eases capacity restrictions on arenas, cinemas, museums, and zoos: tinyurl.com/2tyrn6bw.

Around the world:

In Brazil: The coronavirus devastates the nation's economy, leading to widespread hunger: tinyurl.com/jw76aa7h.

The government urges women to delay getting pregnant, because the local variant is hitting expecting mothers especially hard: tinyurl.com/uafsmjr8.

In Canada:

As the latest surge rages through Ontario, police are given sweeping new powers to enforce a stay-at-home order: tinyurl.com/3veece64.

In France:

The country trials a digital COVID travel certificate: tinyurl.com/ecxa8m27.

In India:

The nation breaks the record for most new COVID infections in one day - 315,000: tinyurl.com/3hsr27kc. The situation worsens, with 332,730 cases the next day. One hospital chain pleads for help, saying it is out of oxygen: tinyurl.com/3e2d65w2.

In Israel:

With most of the country vaccinated, it's party time: tinyurl.com/4d8nenfm.

In Japan:

The government declares a state of emergency in Tokyo as new COVID infections surge just three months before the start of the Olympics: tinyurl.com/k7kjahcx.

Entertainment:

4Wall Entertainment has released a second episode of the animated series, Light Humor, now available for streaming on the company's Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram channels. Titled "The Focus," it is written by Cory Pattak with animation by Skylar Smith. The executive producers are Pattak, Jeff Croiter, and Drew Quinones. Al Ridella is the consulting producer. The cast includes Lindsay Nicole Chambers, Jorge Arroyo, John Anselmo, Ebony Madry, Oscar Del Aguila, and Brian MacDevitt. Check it on on Facebook: fb.watch/51kyHleSpV/ or YouTube: youtu.be/r9d0BIPIQ8I.

Tony Award-winning actor, singer, and dancer Sutton Foster is back on stage at City Center for a concert, Bring Me to Light, with her friends Raúl Esparza, Joaquina Kalukango, Kelli O'Hara, and Wren Rivera. The song list celebrates Broadway favorites. It runs April 28 through May 31; tickets are $35 tinyurl.com/24u7r2v8.

A new seven-part miniseries, titled The Destruction of Jane, begins weekly installments April 29 at 8am ET. Inspired by the infamous film Tarzan the Ape Man, starring Bo Derek and Miles O'Keeffe, it is an unauthorized parody of the King of the Jungle, told from the point of view of Miss Jane Parker. It features cameo appearances by Mario Cantone and Randy Rainbow: tinyurl.com/v63sancz.

Chicago's Goodman Theatre streams a reading of Max Yu's Nightwatch, directed by Chay Yew. It premieres April 24 and runs through May 9: GoodmanTheatre.org/Encore.

Great Barrington Public Theatre presents the world premiere of David Mamet's Four American Women, starring Rebecca Pidgeon, Heidi Sulzman, and Yolonda Ross. It streams April 26 -- May 9; tickets are $24: tinyurl.com/3zsds5ce.

Irish Repertory Theatre streams Little Gem by Elaine Murphy and directed by Marc Atkinson Borrull, with Brenda Meaney, Lauren O'Leary, and Marsha Mason. It premieres April 27 at 7pm ET and runs through May 9 in free scheduled streams. Beginning on Monday May 10 it will be available to watch on demand from IrishRep.org.

Lincoln Center Theatre is now streaming its production of The Royale, by Marco Ramirez, directed by Rachel Chavkin. The cast includes McKinley Belcher III, Khris Davis, Montego Glover, John Lavelle, and Clarke Peters: tinyurl.com/59tnspes.

Metropolitan Playhouse presents a free livestream, with a talkback to follow, of Bertha, the Sewing Machine Girl -- Part Two, by Charles Foster. It runs April 24 at 8pm ET through April 28 at 10pm ET. running time is one hou: www.MetropolitanPlayhouse.org/watchbertha.

Mint Theater Company is currently streaming A Picture of Autumn by N.C Hunter, directed by Gus Kaikkonen through June 13. The production, which can be viewed for free, features Christian Coulson, Barbara Eda-Young, Jonathan Hogan, George Morfogen, and Jill Tanner. It features design by Charles Morgan, costume design by Sam Fleming, lighting design by William Armstrong, sound design by Jane Shaw: tinyurl.com/zatv7sx2.

New Normal Rep presents Two Sisters and a Piano, written and directed by Nilo Cruz (Anna in the Tropics). Streaming on demand now through May 23 at NewNormalRep.org. Tickets are $25, $10 for students, and theatre professionals. The cast includes Jimmy Smits, Gary Perez, and Daphne Rubin-Vega.

Rock of Ages: All-Star Reunion Concert, will feature Kye Gass, Chris Hardwick, Kate Rockwell, Mitchell Jarvis, Wesley Taylor, and Becca Kötte. It happens April 24 at 8pm ET. Tickets are at tinyurl.com/34yuyk8j.

Theater in Quarantine, a pandemic performance laboratory from writer, director, and performer Joshua William Gelb and choreographer Katie Rose McLaughlin, and New Georges present the world premiere of All The Different Ways That Commodore Matthew Perry Could Have Died Before Opening Japan But Didn't by Julia Izumi. Set to premiere on April 29 on YouTube, All The Different Ways... is directed by McLaughlin and Gelb, who performs live from his converted closet. The production features animation by Caroline Voagen Nelson, visual and costume design by Peiyi Wong, and sound design by Renee Yeong: tinyurl.com/2cbph7de.

Weekend Playlist:

Sutton Foster and company tap their way through Anything Goes: tinyurl.com/2ces83h6.

Glen Hansard offers "When Your Mind's Made Up:" tinyurl.com/4ff5cyde.

Iggy Pop delivers "The Passenger:" tinyurl.com/5yudxrmu.

Colin Donnell offers "Someone to Watch Over Me:" tinyurl.com/jsrce45b.

Norm Lewis takes on "Stars" from Les Misérables: tinyurl.com/34344ney.

That's all for the week. Have a great weekend. Stay safe. Vaccinate. - DB

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