COVID-19 Update, September 1, 2020: Herd Immunity

Today's the day:

Here's how to watch all the events of the industry's Red Alert: tinyurl.com/y28gal6h.

But before you watch, write to Congress:

NAMM urges the industry to get behind the RESTART Act: tinyurl.com/yxgx4mqc.

While the above is going on, the concept of herd immunity is the new darling of the Trump Administration.

The latest:

Scott Atlas -- a neuroradiologist, not an epidemiologist -- the president's latest pandemic advisor, pushes (and, in some cases, has already implemented) policies that strive for herd immunity: tinyurl.com/y65jyyks. According to the Mayo Clinic, 200,000,000 will have to be infected with COVID-19 before herd immunity is achieved -- a number that would surely result in millions of deaths: tinyurl.com/yca5fyun. One big supporter of the herd immunity idea is the governor of Florida: tinyurl.com/y62qod9w. More on why health experts think herd immunity is a terrible idea: tinyurl.com/y6ygok94. Herd immunity explained, and why the US has far to go in achieving it: tinyurl.com/y28fnmfr.

Inside the conspiracy theories that are stoking fear of a COVID-19 vaccine: tinyurl.com/y64tk4po.

You won't be surprised to hear that Zoom's profits have quadrupled since last year: tinyurl.com/y5svgef3.

The Department of Health and Human Services is bidding out a $250 million contract for a PR campaign to "defeat despair and inspire hope" in the pandemic: tinyurl.com/yyt58y5v.

On a more practical note, European Commission signs onto the COVAX plan to purchase and distribute a vaccine when it becomes available: tinyurl.com/y3jwxow2.

On a less practical note, some scientists are cooking up their own home-brewed vaccines and are trying them on themselves: tinyurl.com/y2qaj83c.

Meanwhile:

As infections spread across college campuses, health experts are telling schools to keep ailing students on campus: tinyurl.com/yxszjvlr.

As restaurants reopen, they struggle to hire enough staffers: tinyurl.com/yypbcgfx.

Food for thought:

The US needs to up its game in COVID-19 research: tinyurl.com/y28uw2hl.

A doctor explains why the US has failed to contain the pandemic: tinyurl.com/y5y38b6e.

Around the country:

In California:

The state legislature sends a package of relief measures to the governor for his signature: tinyurl.com/yyo6y268.

Businesses in some areas begin to move back indoors: tinyurl.com/yynm4y3q.

Kindergarten attendance plunges in Los Angeles: tinyurl.com/yy3b4epm.

Mark Mothersbaugh, of Devo, recounts his struggle with COVID-19, which included delusions: tinyurl.com/y54qnhy4.

In Florida:

Miami-Dade's online learning system continues to be plagued by glitches and crashes: tinyurl.com/y23pp96a.

In addition to praising the herd-immunity concept, as noted above, the governor pushes the White House's current position of testing only the symptomatic for COVID-19: tinyurl.com/y2otkap2.

With Orange County's tax revenue decimated by the pandemic, work on the convention center grinds to a halt: tinyurl.com/yxlnsj2j.

The governor extends the moratorium on evictions until October 1: tinyurl.com/yy3se83n.

UCF will open its football season with a game allowing 25%-of-capacity attendance: tinyurl.com/y3qr6nwr.

SeaWorld Orlando plans cut-down versions of its Halloween and Christmas events: tinyurl.com/yyl283dw.

In Illinois:

Chicago restaurant owners push back against $10,000 fines for breaking social distancing rules: tinyurl.com/yy7qkzgo.

A local report on the Red Alert: tinyurl.com/y6przljs.

In Louisiana:

A LSU football star, widely expected to be a top-five NFL, declines to play this season: tinyurl.com/yyp3y9ub.

In Massachusetts:

Boston's famed Faneuil Hall struggles to survive the pandemic: tinyurl.com/y232ehjn.

Boston University restricts information about infected students, keeping faculty in the dark: tinyurl.com/y5fsg5et.

In Michigan:

Detroit turns Belle Isle Park into a memorial for COVID-19 victims: tinyurl.com/y2m63y68.

In New York:

New York City postpones in-person schooling from September 10 to September 21: tinyurl.com/y5fnbobn.

The US Open begins, without fans: tinyurl.com/y6las2kp.

In South Carolina:

The University of South Carolina suspends students and Greek Life organizations for ignoring COVID-19 safety rules: tinyurl.com/yxz9mjrh.

In Washington State:

With Canadians not visiting, the town of Point Roberts is withering away: tinyurl.com/y6jnbqde.

Around the world:

In Australia:

The former prime minister advocates eliminating lockdown rules, and if elderly people get sick, "letting nature take its course:" tinyurl.com/yxalu9fr.

In China:

Life has largely returned to normal: tinyurl.com/y5yxg56f.

In Germany:

Protestors spit at the health minister, calling him a "gay pig:" tinyurl.com/y4c7jfqt.

In Hong Kong:

The government rolls out a mass COVID-19 testing program; its citizens decline to take part: tinyurl.com/y2w6tazf.

In India:

The country's pandemic-hit economy shrinks by 24%: tinyurl.com/y4pdzaes.

In Ireland:

Tighter social restrictions drive down the country's infection rate: tinyurl.com/y25wupg2.

In Mexico:

A private health insurer will offer free COVID-19 tests in Tijuana: tinyurl.com/y3brgnez.

In Poland:

Flights from 44 countries are banned: tinyurl.com/y34mfvod.

In Russia:

The country surpasses one million COVID-19 cases: tinyurl.com/y2vexmml.

In South Korea:

The country's zero-tolerance approach involves arresting those who break social distancing rules: tinyurl.com/yyq7zcgx.

Education:

New webinars from Martin by Harman: "Lighting for Houses of Worship: Touring, Multi-Location, and Large Campus with Jarrad Donovan," September 8, at 9:00pm CT; register at: tinyurl.com/y2ncryvg. "Drawing a Useful Lighting Plot with Michael Sharon," September 24, at 11:00am CT; register at: tinyurl.com/y4zet3qz.

For your pleasure:

Brenda Braxton offers "Don Juan," her signature number from Smokey Joe's Café: tinyurl.com/y6f8w595.

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

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