COVID-19 Update, September 3, 2020: Rush to Judgment

The government moves into high gear, preparing to distribute a vaccine in time, even though none have yet been found to work. Optimism or something else? If the rush to judge one of the vaccines a winner makes you nervous, consider how nobody in DC feels any urgency about passing a relief bill to help Americans put food on the table today. It's not surprising that a majority of Americans believe the government has bollixed its response to the pandemic.

The latest:

The CDC sends an "urgent" request to the nation's governors, telling them to be prepared to distribute a vaccine by November 1. Funny timing, no? tinyurl.com/y36uqlh9. A debate erupts over the FDA's rush to get a vaccine into circulation by Election Day: tinyurl.com/y2svhlxd. Dr. Anthony Fauci says a vaccine could go into production before trials are completed if the results are overwhelmingly positive: tinyurl.com/yxjb3t4e. Gerald Ford rushed out a vaccine; it was a fiasco: tinyurl.com/yydzgo35. A new poll reveals a majority of Americans think the government's response to the pandemic is making it worse: tinyurl.com/y2srnw7p.

What we know about the CDC's vaccine plans: tinyurl.com/y5jy73mn.

Trials begin for the GlaxoSmithKline/Sanofi vaccine: tinyurl.com/y5ux296s.

Unstimulating news: Senator Mitch McConnell pours cold water on the idea of quick passage for a pandemic relief bill: tinyurl.com/y3tjz8s7.

Meanwhile:

To snitch or not to snitch? The pandemic poses a dilemma for college students: tinyurl.com/y5cs8tl9.

Botched deals and bad personal relationships -- Peter Navarro, tasked with government purchase of medical supplies, comes under scrutiny: tinyurl.com/yxzh6l8a.

Citing federal public health laws, the Trump Administration announces a four-month moratorium on evictions: tinyurl.com/y3sqrc2e.

August was the deadliest month for California and Idaho in the pandemic; Iowa is fast-becoming the new COVID-19 hot spot: tinyurl.com/y28az4oe. More hotspots emerge in the Midwest: tinyurl.com/yypaz73g.

Two top media investors warn that the theatrical movie business faces years of pain: tinyurl.com/y6tl3ouv.

Two types of steroids prove effective in treating severe COVID-19 cases: tinyurl.com/y3jd4yv9.

US jobless claims drop of 881,000: tinyurl.com/y2mduw94.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and his entire family have gone through COVID-19: tinyurl.com/y46reg67.

Food for thought:

Do toilets help spread the coronavirus? tinyurl.com/y24zhylh.

A fascinating and plausible new theory suggests why some who contract COVID-19 experience such devastating symptoms and aftereffects: tinyurl.com/y4dwlvbx.

Around the country:

In California:

UC San Diego looks to enroll volunteers in a trial for the AstraZeneca vaccine: tinyurl.com/y6zepjak.

San Diego State University puts campus classes on hold following a COVID-19 outbreak: tinyurl.com/y63dv38g.

San Francisco drag queens mobilize to deliver meals to those isolated by the pandemic: tinyurl.com/y3j24wd7.

Many Los Angeles dance studios shutter for good: tinyurl.com/y4534png.

San Diego Symphony cancels dates at least through January: tinyurl.com/yyzz8qtc.

The talent agency UTA furloughs more employees but also reinstates full salaries: tinyurl.com/yyhakhgv.

In Florida:

Kids today: A 16-year-old is arresting for hacking the Miami-Dade online learning system, throwing its pandemic education plans into chaos: tinyurl.com/y4nyj5xs.

COVID-19 complications are rising among the state's children, most of them Black and Hispanic: tinyurl.com/yxfywaf7.

This year's edition of Art Basel Miami Beach is canceled: tinyurl.com/y6yky6b3.

A drive-in food bank in Orlando caters to furloughed Disney employees; the car line often extends for two miles: tinyurl.com/y5vsq6e2.

Visit Florida, trying to scare up some tourist dollars, launches a campaign to promote in-state vacations: tinyurl.com/yxm5zzls.

The state is rated by Oxfam as one of the worst for workers in the pandemic: tinyurl.com/y65duh54.

In Illinois:

Dr. Deborah Birx sounds the alarm about counties where the COVID-19 positivity rate ranges between 5 - 10%: tinyurl.com/y3f7uqal.

United Airlines will cut 16,000 jobs: tinyurl.com/y2t9baro.

The state gets approval for $300 weekly unemployment benefit from FEMA: tinyurl.com/y2vp5tso.

University of Illinois racks up more than 800 new COVID-19 infections since August 24: tinyurl.com/y2kdkhfp.

In New York:

The Costume Industry Coalition announces an emergency fund for pattern makers, cutters, milliners, stitchers, tailors, and other workers: tinyurl.com/y2zuz7fm.

In Texas:

The death from COVID-19 of an assistant director raises new fears about working on sets: tinyurl.com/y3j24wd7.

Around the world:

In Australia:

The pandemic triggers the country's first recession in decades: tinyurl.com/y3u5zmjf.

In Italy:

The Venice Film Festival opens, the first such event since the pandemic began: tinyurl.com/y5l5nwh9.

Long-running politician/scandal magnet Silvio Berlusconi tests positive for COVID-19: tinyurl.com/y2g56mk9.

In Spain:

New COVID-19 infections are spreading faster than in the US: tinyurl.com/yyg8hkyh.

In the UK:

Boris Johnson refuses to meet with families bereaved by COVID-19, claiming that they are litigating against the government; the families deny the claim: tinyurl.com/y5b4km5d.

The race is on to find 200 passengers on a flight from Crete last week; eight have already tested positive for COVID-19: tinyurl.com/y4mqag5t.

A must-have for parents with small children, sales of Lego products soar in the pandemic: tinyurl.com/y3l7jv3s.

Losses:

Baseball legend Tom Seaver, 75: tinyurl.com/y5wbtrpf.

Education:

"How Lighting Can Help Fight COVID-19," Thursday, September 10 at 4:30pm EDT. As the race toward a COVID-19 vaccine continues, how do we reduce transmission in the meantime? Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) -- the process of using directed UV light energy to inactivate bacteria, mold spores, fungi, and viruses -- may have an important role to play in reducing transmission in shared spaces. Join the panel of experts as they discuss the research, tools, and opportunities of harnessing UV light to effectively mitigate virus exposure in the built environment. Detailed speaker information to follow. Register at tinyurl.com/yy2gbyvz.

For your entertainment:

On September 17 at 7:00pm ET, playwright Paula Vogel presents a reading of Bulrusher, by Eisa Davis, with André Holland, Kara Young, and Edmund Donovan, among others. Go to: tinyurl.com/y4g7pjsd.

September 16 - 19, Michael Sheen, David Threlfall, and Indira Varma will star in an online production of Brian Friel's Faith Healer for London's Old Vic Theatre. The production will stream live for five performances from the Old Vic stage, with the empty auditorium as a backdrop. Matthew Warchus will direct. For tickets: tinyurl.com/y2r4x3a2.

On September 13 at 8:00pm, actor/pianist Hershey Felder presents George Gershwin Alone, the story of America's great composer, who with the groundbreaking Rhapsody in Blue, made a "Lady out of Jazz." The show incorporates the composer's best-known songs from "The Man I Love" and "Someone to Watch Over Me," through the hits of An American In Paris and Porgy and Bess, to a complete performance of Rhapsody in Blue. The show was seen on Broadway some years ago. Tickets are $55 per household. For tickets: tinyurl.com/y5tmfyrd.

For your pleasure:

Judy Kuhn offers "What Can You Lose?", by Stephen Sondheim: tinyurl.com/y4kglyku.

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

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