COVID-19 Update, November 4: There's Got to Be a Morning After

It's the day after the election and America is on edge, waiting to find out the winner of the presidential contest. (Possibly by the time you read this, we will know something; then again, maybe not.) The outcome will have many implications, not least for the handling of the pandemic. As you will read below, things are not going well, in the US and elsewhere.

The latest:

As the nation goes to the polls, COVID-19 surges in the Midwest and Southwest. Hospitals in Nebraska are starting to limit elective surgery; hospitals in Iowa and Missouri are worried about bed capacity: tinyurl.com/y6mc3poc.

As the coronavirus spreads across Europe, even Sweden is looking at tougher restrictions: tinyurl.com/yxv4p7hk.

The weekly number of children with COVID-19 reaches an all-time high: tinyurl.com/y4bcykcc.

As the president muses about ways of getting rid of Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dr. Deborah Birx sends a memo warning that the US is "entering the most concerning and most deadly phase of the pandemic:" tinyurl.com/yyttyjwp.

Rapid coronavirus tests underperform markedly with asymptomatic infected persons: tinyurl.com/yxgj8f4a.

The hunt is on for nurses at short-staffed small and rural hospitals struggling with the pandemic: tinyurl.com/y5ztjujg.

Cruising from the US remains suspended through December 31: tinyurl.com/y3qj8jn6.

Unions and performing arts companies battles over pandemic pay cuts: tinyurl.com/y364rv6r.

Private job creation for the month of October comes in at 365,000, well below the expected figure of 600,000: tinyurl.com/y4h2ngrf.

Food for thought:

How COVID-19 may trigger dangerous blood clots: tinyurl.com/yylarwdx.

You don't have to worry about those tests that show a drop in antibodies in people who have had COVID-19: tinyurl.com/y2wacc22.

Around the country:

In California:

Los Angeles County continues to see a worrisome uptick in new COVID-19 cases: tinyurl.com/y58jvsdw.

Santa Clara County sues a local church for holding services with up to 600 attendees not wearing masks: tinyurl.com/y3ac46ar.

In Florida:

The states records more than 4,000 new COVID-19 infections for the third day in a row: tinyurl.com/yx94ymaq.

According to the CDC, the state's rising number of coronavirus cases puts it in the red zone: tinyurl.com/y4rkyafr.

The AdventHealth network seeks candidates for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine trial: tinyurl.com/yxop6x89.

In Kansas:

Thanks to the pandemic, AMC Theatres quarterly earnings fall more than 90%: tinyurl.com/y5s7ght2.

In Maryland:

The state reports 1,000 new coronavirus infections today, the highest number since August: tinyurl.com/y235ul38.

In Massachusetts:

The state imposes tougher new social-distancing restrictions, including a broader mask mandate: tinyurl.com/y5pe29b6.

In Minnesota:

The state breaks the daily record for new COVID-19 infections for the third time in a week: tinyurl.com/yxsyjos4.

In Nevada:

The infection numbers are going up, both in populous Clark County and across the state: tinyurl.com/y564o2uy.

In New York:

The governor criticizes the White House's vaccine plans, saying it masks an attempt to collect data on undocumented immigrants: tinyurl.com/yxw53hmp.

Mayor Bill de Blasio says that the city's COVID-19 numbers are not satisfactory: tinyurl.com/y3sambn7.

Businesses connected to the NYC subways -- i.e., those located underground -- are especially badly hit by the pandemic: tinyurl.com/yyjnbumu.

In Ohio:

The state breaks another record, with 4,000 daily coronavirus infections: tinyurl.com/y4253kfn.

In Texas:

Houston Grand Opera cancels the rest of its 2020 - 2021 mainstage season: tinyurl.com/yxrkqgfw.

American Airlines slashes it December schedule of flights by 50%, thanks to low demand: tinyurl.com/y2t2yoth.

In Wisconsin:

AJ Dillon, of the Green Bay Packers, tests positive for the coronavirus: tinyurl.com/yxmxsvl2.

Around the world:

In the Bahamas:

The islands are open for tourism; visitors will be required to take rapid antigen tests: tinyurl.com/y5a7dafc.

In Canada:

Even as the pandemic surges, the country keeps its schools open: tinyurl.com/y5zyu8fr.

In Finland:

The Finnish National Opera premieres a Mozartean spoof titled Covid fan Tutte: tinyurl.com/y64ecv4y.

In Germany:

The government turns to antigen testing as a way of keeping nursing homes open: tinyurl.com/y6b5hflt.

In Jordan:

The country, once a COVID-19 success story, is faced with a new wave of infections: tinyurl.com/yyc5po5x.

In the UK:

Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces blowback from both sides for his decision to put the country under lockdown: tinyurl.com/y5jfcvpt. Government ministers, not up to speed on the new rules, spread confusion with incorrect statements: tinyurl.com/yxw2qs79.

London theatre productions can continue to rehearse and stream during the new lockdown: tinyurl.com/y5ghf955.

The government launches a rapid-testing trial in Liverpool: tinyurl.com/y22onq6l.

Education:

New webinar from JBL: "Snapshot Strategies (With Multitrack Audio) with Mihály András and Dávid Rikk," November 17 at 11:00am CT: tinyurl.com/yybsjhdf.

New webinar from Martin by Harman: "The History of Nightclubs and Architainment with Marsha Stern," November 11 at 11:00am CT: tinyurl.com/y3l3k4ba.

For your entertainment:

In partnership with the free broadcast and digital platform All Arts, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, along with seven leading regional theaters, presents the broadcast premiere of Until the Flood, by Dael Orlandersmith. It's a one-woman show based on extensive interviews following the 2014 shooting of black teenager Michael Brown by white police officer Darren Wilson. It premieres nationwide November 15 at 8:00pm ET on the free All Arts app and www.allarts.org and in the New York metro area on the All Arts TV channel.

Stage Aurora Theatrical Company will present Broadway Celebrates Veterans Day, a virtual concert of Broadway performers celebrating military veterans and those who have served -- and are currently serving -- in the Armed Forces. Performers include Robert Cuccioli, Darius De Haas, Jarrod Emick, Cady Huffman, Randy Redd, Desmond Richardson, Ben Vereen, Natasha Yvette Williams, and Vanessa Williams. The concert will stream on the Stage Aurora Theatrical Company's YouTube page (www.youtube.com/user/StageAurora beginning November 7 at 12:00pm and will be available for viewing through November 11. Attendance is free with a suggested donation of $25. Proceeds from the concert will benefit Northeast Florida Women Veterans of Jacksonville and Stage Aurora Theatrical Company: www.stageaurora.org.

Stars in the House will present its next offering of Plays in the House, which airs special performances of live readings of classic, award-winning plays until Broadway reopens. Performances are free and will remain online for four days after the initial live broadcast. November 16 (at 8:00pm ET) will offer a performance of Shaw's rarely performed Man & Superman, adapted and directed by David Staller, featuring Robert Cuccioli, Claybourne Elder, Santino Fontana, Nikki M. James, Christine Toy Johnson, Rob McClure, John-Andrew Morrison, Margaret Odette, Vishaal Reddy, and Lenny Wolpe. The performance is a benefit for the Actors' Fund: www.starsinthehouse.com/.

Armie Hammer will star in a Veterans Day benefit presentation of Sundogs, a new play by Howard Emanuel directed by Heather Arnson. It will premiere on Play-PerView on November 8, at 7:30pm EST, with a video-on-demand link available for immediate purchase and viewable from November 9 through November 12. Proceeds from the event will go to stopveteransuicide.org/ and www.thewda.org/, a new not-for-profit theater company that will be developing outreach to the veteran's community, including placing vets in jobs throughout the entertainment industry. The cast includes Jenn Gambatese and Tobias Segal. Tickets at tinyurl.com/y4n7ggcq.

Obie Award winner Metropolitan Playhouse presents its next free screened reading: Shell Shock, by Eugene O'Neill, livestreamed at no charge, with talkback to follow, on November 7 at 8:00pm ET. Running time is 30 minutes, with a talkback to following, including audience questions via chat: www.metropolitanplayhouse.org.

For your pleasure:

Lucie Jones sings "A Way Back to Then," from the musical [Title of Show], by Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell: tinyurl.com/y3c52hcl.

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

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