COVID Update, April 9, 2021: Racing Against Time

In terms of the pandemic, the US is suffering from a split personality. Even as the federal races to get the population vaccinated in a matter of weeks, cities and states are opening up and dropping restrictions -- and, once again, the infection numbers are rising. The new cases tend to be among the young and are far less fatal -- and let's not forget the effects of long COVID on so many -- but none of this is helpful in terms to getting life back to normal. We're getting there but the road is getting bumpier.

The latest:

Setting a new record, the US administers four million vaccine doses in a single day: tinyurl.com/t9zysmmm. It also moves the deadline for total eligibility ahead to April 19: tinyurl.com/rb4y3b2h. By this weekend, half of Americans will have gotten at least one jab: tinyurl.com/z3d52tbx. Twenty percent of the US population is now vaccinated, but the rest of the world lags far behind: tinyurl.com/wt5329ee.

Still, the spread of coronavirus variants is blocking progress: tinyurl.com/3rxwnsza. The UK variant is now the dominant variant strain in the US: tinyurl.com/z3d52tbx. And Dr. Anthony Fauci notes that new infections have plateaued at a "disturbingly high level: tinyurl.com/ftrb7ayd . And the number of cases in the US involving the Brazilian variant is rising: tinyurl.com/yjy6b3kn.

Illustrating the crazy disparities of the pandemic, five states -- Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania -- are responsible for 43% of the new COVID-19 cases logged in the last week: tinyurl.com/4h9bdn9c.

One in three people who develop COVID-19 will suffer from subsequent neurological or psychiatric conditions, a new report finds: tinyurl.com/388f8v3d.

Johnson & Johnson tests its vaccine on kids aged 12 - 17: tinyurl.com/96mpcja>.

New research indicates that the Moderna vaccine is still going strong six months after inoculation: tinyurl.com/w7rx9yw7.

The CDC issues new guidelines to allow cruising to return, although no date has been announced: tinyurl.com/8m9rpuh7.

A new vaccine in development promises to be longer-lasting and easier to make than the current models: tinyurl.com/4su9be8v.

Here come the scammers peddling fake vaccine documents: tinyurl.com/2dcz8uw2.

The first day of the SVOG program is a disaster, paralyzed by technical glitches: tinyurl.com/3c3s3xfy.

Actors' Equity issues new guidelines that assume everyone on a production is vaccinated; gone are some of the most onerous requirements including a ban on public transportation: tinyurl.com/8vewffym.

If you wreck it, they will come. The global demolition derby Godzilla vs. Kong. sets a pandemic box office record, indicating that audiences are gear to return to at least some movies: tinyurl.com/88dy6e7n.

JPMorgan Chase chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon predicts a post-pandemic economic boom lasting in to 2023: tinyurl.com/rkbdkzt9.

Meanwhile, new employment applications for the week come in 744,000, rather higher than expected: tinyurl.com/mc22n32m.

As economies open up, restaurant workers scramble to get vaccinated: tinyurl.com/pmfhxxj8.

Food for thought:

Can theatrical fog be used to treat airborne microbes? tinyurl.com/4frmmun4.

Is the pandemic approaching its fourth wave or last gasp? Experts disagree: https://tinyurl.com/sjzu2fm6.

White evangelicals emerge as the most vaccine-resistant group in the US: tinyurl.com/vpt64r5y.

Youth sports programs may be the source of many variant outbreaks: tinyurl.com/4sym4mwk.

Children who develop the entirely asymptomatic version of COVID-19 can develop a debilitating inflammatory syndrome after the fact: tinyurl.com/y7k4cjjy.

Why you shouldn't be in a rush to laminate your vaccine card: tinyurl.com/vwek7z5z.

Around the country:

In California:

The state aims to reopen fully on June 15, although masks will still be required: tinyurl.com/5faj5fum.

Indoor concerts, theatre, and other gatherings will be allowed starting April 15; restrictions on audience size will apply and audience members must be able to prove they have been tested or vaccinated for COVID-19: tinyurl.com/7bhwf6n7.

The state's beaches fill up with unmasked fun-seekers, causing local authorities to panic about a COVID resurgence: tinyurl.com/zthm6utd.

South Coast Repertory, in Costa Mesa, returns to live performances outdoors this summer: tinyurl.com/2f7kmeps.

In the District of Columbia:

The entire season-opening series between the Mets and the Nationals is postponed, the delay caused by testing and contact tracing following COVID-19 diagnoses among the Nationals: tinyurl.com/57m5mep9.

The Kennedy Center expects to be back in full swing after Labor Day: https://tinyurl.com/42ezj2n4: tinyurl.com/42ezj2n4.

In Florida:

Daily new infections top 7,900 on Thursday, a horrifying spike, and the biggest number since February: tinyurl.com/k734khj7. A shortage of Johnson & Johnson vaccine means a cut in the state's allotment for the week: tinyurl.com/c9k3ufm4.

Governor DeSantis issues an executive order banning vaccine passports: tinyurl.com/n7z9tkb5.

People 16 and over can now get vaccinated: tinyurl.com/4rf5bbr6.

Norwegian Cruise Line will require all crew and passengers to be vaccinated on Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceana, and Regent Seven Seas ships: https://tinyurl.com/y3hzsf4z.

Miami/Dade County lifts most COVID restrictions on boats, parks, etc.: https://tinyurl.com/stktx6ek.

Disney World opens up a vaccine site for its employees: tinyurl.com/u9v6ns5x.

With Spring Break over, Miami Beach ends its curfew: tinyurl.com/c93t8kcb.

The state sues the CDC, trying to force a reopening of the cruise industry: tinyurl.com/25mnc4cf.

In Illinois:

New mass vaccination sites open in the Chicago are to reach underserved communities: tinyurl.com/432x442z.

The state reaches a level of new infections not seen since January: tinyurl.com/f493re42.

A stay-at-home order is imposed at new infections spike at University of Chicago: tinyurl.com/3vsjs52s.

In Indiana:

The death, from COVID-19, of a University of Alabama superfan leads to fears of coronavirus spread at the NCAA tournament: tinyurl.com/3x3zkr7b.

In Maryland:

To prevent additional catastrophic errors, Johnson & Johnson will take over the plant where 15 million doses of its vaccine were accidentally mixed with the AstraZeneca formula: tinyurl.com/dww7e5nc.

In Massachusetts:

The outbreak on Cape Cod leads the state to have the greatest number of new cases of the P.1 coronavirus variant: tinyurl.com/y58ppz78.

Vaccine eligibility expands and the public school system returns to in-person learning: https://tinyurl.com/abrb5byw.

Berkshire Theatre Group will offer an in-person summer season: tinyurl.com/8b5kkpac. So will the nearby Williamstown Theatre Festival: https://tinyurl.com/pxb5e9ak.

In Michigan:

The state reports its highest new infection figures since December: tinyurl.com/4w2ntkcw.

In Mississippi:

The state is loaded with vaccine, but not enough people willing to take it: tinyurl.com/6wx7ct8v.

In Montana:

Governor Greg Gianforte, who dropped the state's mask mandate, tests positive for COVID-19: tinyurl.com/2a57vp9a.

In New York:

It's a baby step, but still: As part of the state's pop-up performance program, Savion Glover and Nathan Lane appear in front of a tiny, socially distanced audience at Broadway's St. James Theatre: tinyurl.com/337uu5hp.

Mayor De Blasio says that New York City's beaches and pools will open on time: tinyurl.com/7ef5wzew.

Several Broadway shows are selling tickets for performances beginning in September: tinyurl.com/3dua98sh.

In Ohio:

The state enlists the J&J vaccine in a plan to get all college students inoculated: tinyurl.com/4vy9pk5z.

In Texas:

Governor Greg Abbott joins Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida in banning vaccine passports: tinyurl.com/yzbem8fp.

In Wisconsin:

How the state went from COVID basket case to vaccination pace-setter: tinyurl.com/2udswtnv.

Around the world:

In Argentina:

President Alberto Fernández tests positive for the coronavirus, even after getting two doses of vaccine; fortunately, his symptoms are mild: tinyurl.com/3hyectr2.

In Brazil:

"A biological Fukushima:" The county is set to pass the US at its lowest point in sheer numbers of COVID-19 deaths: tinyurl.com/hrnba8rt. President Bolsonaro says the disaster is just a reason to complain about him: tinyurl.com/4rpsydac.

In Canada:

Several provinces, battling a new surge, impose stricter lockdowns: tinyurl.com/4r59pfea. Ontario's will last a month: tinyurl.com/sy3e9xru.

Many theatres are using the pandemic to upgrade their venues and make them more COVID-safe: https://tinyurl.com/3umwway7.

In China:

The government launches a scheme of color-coding buildings to promote vaccination: tinyurl.com/34nfz67a.

In France:

The French Open has been postponed a week, due to the pandemic: tinyurl.com/3ct8nbbd.

In Germany:

European health regulators say that blood clots are a rare, but real, side effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine: tinyurl.com/udch46w3.

In India:

Big cities face tighter lockdowns as another COVID surge looms: tinyurl.com/4b3m9u7w.

In Israel:

The Green Pass, a vaccine passport, allows its holders to attend concerts, restaurants, and sporting events: tinyurl.com/xnb799pc.

In San Marino:

The microstate inside Italy scores a supply of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, arousing envy in other European countries: tinyurl.com/mtnejtyy.

In New Zealand:

The country authorizes a two-way travel bubble with Australia: tinyurl.com/53mbnuw5.

In North Korea:

The country is the first to withdraw from this summer's Olympics over coronavirus fears: tinyurl.com/2f8cr2bs.

In Thailand:

An outbreak in Bangkok may take two months to get under control: tinyurl.com/28re8c5e.

In the UK:

The government will test a vaccine passport plan: tinyurl.com/8z43j5hk.

Entertainment industry figures express "deep concerns" about it: tinyurl.com/ybnez6b7.

A new government plan will provide two free COVID tests a week to everyone in England: tinyurl.com/4pvhjrft.

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in London announces a summer season: tinyurl.com/yru83f3v.

Education:

New webinar from Martin by Harman: Adapting Lighting Design for Livestreaming with Rob Sinclair, April 14, at 11am CT; register at: tinyurl.com/2bwv8rj4.

Lighting manufacturer Prolights will host a series of webinars on April 13 and 14; details are at: tinyurl.com/n6n6dzd8.

Entertainment:

On April 14 at 7pm ET, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will stream Night Creature, set to music by Duke Ellington: tinyurl.com/ttz3cs6p.

Innovation + Soul, the 2021 Jazz at Lincoln Center gala, premieres April 14 at 7:30pm ET and runs on demand April 15-25. It's hosted by Dee Dee Bridgewater and honors Jon Batiste and Charles Phillips. Includes appearances by President Bill Clinton, Anna Deavere Smith, Veronica Swift, Lil Buck, Pedrito Martinez, Michael Rodriguez and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. Tickets are $30 for a performance-only pass or $35 for the performance and full recording: tinyurl.com/4sh4zyej.

Metropolitan Playhouse presents a new free livestreamed reading with talkback to follow: The Chip Woman's Fortune, by Willis Richardson. It streams April 10 at 8pm ET through April 14 at 10pm ET. Running time is one hour: tinyurl.com/ur54bww4.

Out of the Box Theatrics and Holmdel Theatre Company's acclaimed production of the musical The Last 5 Years will return for livestreaming April 12-25. For tickets, visit www.ootbtheatrics.com/l5y .

Red Bull Theater will present a new dramatization of John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost, adapted and directed by Michael Barakiva. The cast includes Jason Butler Harner, Sheldon Best, and Robert Cuccioli, among others. It is in two parts: The Fall of Lucifer will premiere live on Monday, April 12. A recording of that livestream will be available until 7pm EST on April 16. Part 2, Eve and Adam will premiere live on Monday, April 26. A recording of that livestream will be available until 7pm EST on Friday, April 30. Tickets are pay what you can, and advance reservations are recommended: tinyurl.com/9ksps8e4.

San Francisco Opera streams the double bill The Fall of the House of Usher, comprising one-act operas by composers Gordon Getty (Usher House) and Claude Debussy (La Chute de la Maison Usher) based on Edgar Allan Poe's short story. The cast includes Jason Bridges, Anthony Reed, Jamielyn Duggan, and Jacqueline Piccolino. David Poutney directs. The creative team includes Niki Turner (production designer), David Haneke (video designer), and Tim Mitchell (lighting designer): sfopera.com.

TheaterWorks Hartford will stream The Sound Inside by Adam Rapp, directed by Rob Ruggiero and Pedro Bermudez, starring Maggie Bofill and Ephraim Birney. The play was seen on Broadway in autumn 2019. The creative team includes Lawrence E. Moten III (scenic designer), Alejo Vietti (costume designer), Amith Chandrashaker (lighting designer), Billy Biyona (music), and Massive Productions (sound recording and mixing). It streams April 11 -- 30. Purchase tickets at twhartford.org/.

WP Theater will stream Weightless, a theatrical concert film featuring the musical storytelling of Bay Area indie rock band The Kilbanes -- married songwriting and performing duo Kate Kilbane and Dan Moses -- under the direction of Tamilla Woodard (Where We Stand, Hadestown). The film will stream on April 15 - May 30 at WPTHEATER.org. The creative team includes Katherine Freer (animator and editor), Yee Eun Nam (animator), Peggy Peralta (cinematographer), David Israel Reynoso (production and costume designer), and Gregory T. Kuhn (sound editor).

Weekend playlist:

Savion Glover and friends offer a display of tap virtuosity: tinyurl.com/s9nebr7y.

Shoshana Bean and a gaggle of gifted musicians come together to debut "Amplify," written by Lynne Shankel for last week's Maestra Music Awards: tinyurl.com/3x8cv3j5.

In honor of the recently announced Neil Diamond musical A Beautiful Noise, here's the man himself, with "Sweet Caroline:" tinyurl.com/2dppujef.

Audra McDonald offers a haunting rendition of "Summertime:" tinyurl.com/2byve27v .

Aussie pop star/West End leading man Jason Donovan offers one of hits, "Too Many Broken Hearts" tinyurl.com/2necajwf.

That's all for this week. Have a good weekend. Stay safe. Vaccinate. - 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