Coronavirus Update: April 15

US: Over 619K Cases - 27K Dead - 47K Recovered

Worldwide: Over 2M Cases - 131K Dead - 504K Recovered
 

U.S. Retail Sales Suffer Biggest Plunge on Record:
Commerce Department reports retail sales dropped 8.7% in March
U.S. retail sales suffered a record drop in March as mandatory business closures to control the spread of the novel coronavirus outbreak depressed demand for a range of goods, setting up consumer spending for its worst decline in decades.

The Commerce Department on Wednesday said retail sales plunged 8.7% in March, the biggest decline since the government started tracking the series in 1992, after falling by a revised 0.4% in February.

The drag on sales in most retail categories from social restrictions far outweighed a surge in receipts at online retailers like Amazon, and grocery stores and pharmacies as consumers stocked up on household essentials such as food, toilet paper, cleaning supplies and medication. cnbc.com

NRF's calculation of core retail sales show March sales were up 1.7%
NRF's calculation of retail sales - which excludes automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants in order to focus on core retail - showed March was up 1.7 percent seasonally adjusted from February and up 4.5 percent unadjusted year-over-year.

The difference between the Census Bureau and NRF numbers is because the categories NRF excludes saw some of the biggest hits. In addition to bars and restaurants being closed, gasoline sales were affected both by fewer people driving and lower gas prices while auto dealers were among those affected by stay-at-home orders. nrf.com

NRF: Retail industry leaders inform President Trump's advisory group on reopening the US economy

NRF Foundation now offering free online skills training during health crisis


What the C's Read
Coronavirus Has Pushed A Rapidly Growing List of Retailers to the Edge
With consumers' heightened awareness of the danger of being in confined places with strangers, it is highly unlikely they will flock to stores and malls even once they reopen. Anxiety and a healthy paranoia are likely to linger - possibly for a long time.

Neil Saunders of GlobalData Retail estimates more than 190,000 stores have been closed, accounting for nearly 50 percent of U.S. retail square footage. That effectively closes down the nation's roughly 1,200 malls and most stores in strip shopping centers and on America's Main Streets.

With little or no revenues coming in for these non-essential retailers - traditional department stores, fashion, and luxury retailers being the most profoundly affected - many of the most prominent mall-based retailers, which have been struggling for years from falling sales and weighted down by too much debt, are teetering on the brink.

Retail Bankruptcy Watch List Is Growing therobinreport.com

How Big Are The Coronavirus Retail CEO Pay Cuts?
As of this week, more than one million retail jobs have been eliminated, either through layoffs or furloughs, mainly because tens of thousands of retail locations have been closed indefinitely. And while those impacted may say the semantics between a layoff and a furlough is meaningless, many retail CEOs are at least making an effort to level the playing field by cutting their own salaries as well as those of some senior executives.

In the bigger picture of these massive layoffs, these actions may not be moving the financial needle substantially and are as much about public relations as fiduciary correctness. It shouldn't be forgotten that much of a modern corporate CEO's compensation is in the form of bonuses, stock options and other perks. Most of these announcements over the past few weeks refer only to "salary" - not total take-home pay.

In the business of retailing, the pay cuts range from 100% to substantially less. Some companies have left it vague, perhaps on purpose. Here's a cross-section of retailing companies and their announced pay cuts. Note that these are for the CEO only; cuts to chairmen, other C-level executives and additional executives may or may not be the same. forbes.com

New Retail Layoffs & Furloughs:

Best Buy to furlough about 51,000 employees as its stores remain closed to customers

True Religion furloughs nearly 1,000 full- & part-time employees, 92% of total workforce
 

Survey Shows How the Security Industry is Mitigating Risk during COVID-19

How is the enterprise security industry working to keep facilities and employees safe? What new challenges do you face each day, particularly as employees work from home offices? In new research, Security Magazine and Clear Seas Research, a BNP Media company, examines:

● The impact of the pandemic on the industry
● Measures being taken to keep employees, customers and other healthy/safe
● How industry professionals are managing current business activities and planning for the future

Here are some of the results of the research, Security & Critical Facilities Industry Perspective, from two surveys: one conducted the week of March 23, 2020 and survey results from the week of April 2, 2020.

Security professionals ranked their top concerns accordingly. The second survey reveals professionals are now generally more concerned than they were before in the following areas:

● 80 percent of survey respondents are now more concerned with their friend/family becoming infected by COVID-19, a total increase of 26 percent. A total of 46 percent are now more concerned of becoming personally infected by COVID-19 (an increase of 15 percent).

● 59 percent are more concerned about skilled labor shortages, a total increase of 27 percent.

● 74 percent are now more concerned about supply chain interruptions, a total increase of 24 percent.

● 37 percent are now more concerned about IT cybersecurity with remote employees, a total increase of 17 percent.

● 74 percent are now more concerned about business stability for the next 12 months, a total increase of 10 percent.

● 74 percent are now more concerned about achieving business goals over the next three months, a total increase of five percent. Over the next six months, however, six percent of survey respondents are less concerned about achieving business goals.

● There is now less concern about employees not showing up for work (41 percent compared to 46 percent), and a slight decrease in concern about the current economy (74 percent compared to 77 percent) securitymagazine.com

Kroger Wants Its Half-Million Employees Designated First Responders
So They Can Get Masks and Gloves
Attempting to help its 460,000 supermarket and drugstore personnel get personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 outbreak, The Kroger Co. asked both federal and state governments Tuesday to declare its workers temporary emergency personnel. An official designation as "extended first responders" would give them high-priority access to surgical masks, protective gloves, and other gear to help prevent coronavirus infection.

Workers at supermarkets and pharmacies stand at the front line of those who are supplying essentials such as food and healthcare supplies to Americans during the pandemic. The job necessarily involves a high level of exposure to the general public and potential infection. The hazards are starkly illustrated by the announcement of the deaths of four Kroger employees yesterday in Michigan, the state currently with the most COVID-19 cases after New York. fool.com

East Rutherford, NJ: American Dream Megamall Opens COVID-19 Testing Center as Launch Gets Further Pushed Back
As the coronavirus pandemic delays American Dream's planned opening, the megamall is turning its facilities into a COVID-19 testing site. In partnership with Hackensack Meridian Health and Agile Urgent Care, the East Rutherford, N.J. complex has created an appointment-only drive-thru testing center intended mostly for police officers, first responders and health-care professionals. Community members can schedule a telemedicine visit, and can be seen at the site if they meet certain criteria. Testing began at American Dream on Monday and there is no firm end date in sight as of now. footwearnews.com

McDonald's relationship with US franchisees is fraying over coronavirus relief
The coronavirus pandemic is straining McDonald's relationship with its U.S. franchisees once again. The fast-food giant is pushing for franchisees to do more to protect their workers, while franchisees are asking for more financial relief to keep them afloat. Franchisees operate 95% of McDonald's 14,000 U.S. restaurants.

McDonald's is deferring rent for three months for franchisees to lessen the financial blow of social distancing measures. Only about one-third of its U.S. franchisees will be asked to pay March rent. Operators who have seen the sharpest sales drops are also receiving deferrals on service fees. cnbc.com

UK: Co-op hires extra security, warns criminals targeting stores
during pandemic it is 'not worth the risk'
Central England Co-op, which has over 260 food stores and petrol stations, revealed it was working closely with police forces across 16 counties to let it be known that any type of crime from burglaries to violence and aggression towards staff would 'not be tolerated' as it works hard to keep stores open and provide access to vital and food essentials.

Extra measures being put in place include additional security guards to ensure shoppers are safe and adhere to social distancing.

Craig Goldie, Loss Prevention Manager, said: "During these uncertain times we all having to adapt but one thing that remains constant for us here at Central England Co-op is our zero tolerance towards all types of crime. bmmagazine.co.uk

COVID-19 forces retailers to lengthen return windows
Macy's, Gap and other retailers are adjusting return windows to ease customers' worries about getting their money back, if they buy clothing and other items online as stores are dark.

Longer return windows add another level of complexity to how retailers are managing their businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. Most are still unsure of when their shops will be able to safely open again. And some are operating their online businesses with reduced staffing - after having furloughed store and warehouse workers, as business dried up and states ordered nonessential retailers shut.

The challenges - such as trying to resell returned merchandise and simply finding enough workers to help process returns in distribution centers - could end up hurting department store chains and apparel retailers the most. cnbc.com

U.S. Payments Forum Educates on Consumer Interactions at the Point of Sale to Inform Practical Safety Guidance During Coronavirus Outbreak
As the global COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, many U.S. states are looking to establish best practices to keep citizens safe when making purchases at physical retail locations. The U.S. Payments Forum released today a resource to provide education on consumer interactions with payment terminals that can be used to develop practical guidance for safer in-store payments.

Download Here - "Consumer Interactions at the Point of Sale" - This resource:

● Outlines ways a consumer can complete a transaction while reducing physical interactions with a payment terminal, including contactless payments and paying online

● Educates on types of interactions consumers have at payment terminals, including PIN entry, loyalty information capture, opting for cash back, selecting receipt options and more

● Provides access to tips for a cleaner payment experience for merchants and consumers uspaymentsforum.org

Supporting Employees with Coronavirus
The coronavirus pandemic is drastically changing how and where businesses are operating. Despite the upheaval, one thing hasn't changed: an employer's duty to protect employees' privacy should they become infected.

Be prepared to communicate with your staff and help employees connect with resources they may not know about. Protecting the privacy of an employee with the virus and other workers' wellness is paramount. Support will likely need to extend beyond traditional sick leave and well wishes for a rapid recovery.

Protecting Privacy - Supporting Employees - Obligations to All Staff shrm.org

All essential businesses in New York state must provide face masks to employees by 8 pm TONIGHT

Airport shops see business disappear as flights are cancelled

Walmart reserving morning pickup hour for at-risk customers

Ollie's DLPM Richard Reid Interviewed - Discount Chain Opening 3 New Stores Today

Convenience Retail Industry Pivots for Long-Term COVID-19 Impact

WorkTaps, the Mobile-First Employee Referral Software for Hourly Workers, Offers Free Access to Its Hiring Network Amidst COVID-19 Crisis

McDonald's in China apologizes for sign banning black people amid coronavirus

Retailers lead mask production to combat COVID-19

David's Bridal, Joann team up to make masks

Anonymous donor gives every household in an Iowa town $150 in gift cards

The $1,200 stimulus checks are arriving. People are mostly spending them on food
 

ICE HSI launches Operation Stolen Promise to combat COVID-19 fraud
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) announced Wednesday the launch of Operation Stolen Promise to combat COVID-19 related fraud and other criminal activity. The operation intensifies collaboration with multiple federal departments and agencies, along with business and industry representatives. Surging criminal activity surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic requires an equally robust investigative response to protect the American public.

Criminal organizations that have historically been engaged in financial scams are pivoting to exploit the coronavirus pandemic and the associated stimulus package for illegal financial gains. These networks are smuggling and selling counterfeit safety equipment and prohibited testing kits, medicines, and hygiene products, as well as running illicit websites to sell their merchandise. In the coming weeks, it is expected that financial fraud scams involving financial relief, COVID-19 stimulus checks, and traditional boiler room operations will increase. All these fraud scams also impact government public benefit agencies that are in the process of distributing aid and providing assistance.

As of April 14, HSI special agents have opened over 130 investigations nationwide, seized over three million dollars in illicit proceeds; made nine arrests; executed seven search warrants; sinkholed over 11,000 COVID-19 domain names and worked alongside U.S. Customs and Border Protection to seize over 225 shipments of mislabeled, fraudulent, unauthorized or prohibited COVID-19 test kits, treatment kits, homeopathic remedies, purported anti-viral products and personal protective equipment (PPE). The launch of the operation is in direct response to a significant increase in criminal activity. ice.gov

Spotting and blacklisting malicious COVID-19-themed sites
Since last December, over 136,000 new COVID-19-themed domains have popped up and, while many host legitimate websites, others have been set up to serve malware, phishing pages, or to scam visitors.

SpyCloud researchers have also discovered that existing community threat intelligence feeds such as Google Safe Browsing, OpenPhish or ThreatsHub flag only a small percent of the domains as malicious.

"One potential reason is that the feeds we used have a focus on threat intelligence specific to phishing and malware, not necessarily scam sites. In addition, these feeds are sometimes automatically ingested into security products, increasing the potential impact of false positives because they could cause service disruptions in corporate and private networks," the researchers noted. helpnetsecurity.com

How you'll get Apple and Google's contact tracing update for your phone

The tech giants say everyone will get access to the framework for tracking tools, regardless of which version of iOS or Android they use. Not everyone is convinced.

Apple and Google are working together on a major effort to stop the spread of COVID-19 that uses signals from people's phones to warn them if they've been in contact with someone who's tested positive for the disease.

The joint project takes advantage of two of the world's most popular operating systems -- Apple's iOS and Google's Android -- to potentially reach billions of people. The tools will use Bluetooth radio technology to support apps that will be developed by public health authorities. Google and Apple will initially begin releasing updates in May, the tech giants said during a joint briefing Monday.

The two companies plan to build the tracing capability into their mobile operating systems, building off the public health apps. Once it's part of the OS, tracking could be even easier, but that will require people to update their phone software, a problem that dogs the industry. A software tool, after all, is only as effective as the number of people who can access it. cnet.com

The Real-World Challenges of COVID-19 'Contact Tracing'
There have recently been several proposals for pseudonymous contact tracing, including from Apple and Google. To both cryptographers and privacy advocates, this might seem the obvious way to protect public health and privacy at the same time. Meanwhile other cryptographers have been pointing out some of the flaws.

There are also real systems being built by governments. Singapore has already deployed and open-sourced one that uses contact tracing based on bluetooth beacons. The UK's National Health Service is working on one too.

But contact tracing in the real world is not quite as many of the academic and industry proposals assume. Contact tracers have access to all sorts of other data such as public transport ticketing and credit-card records.

Although the cryptographers - and now Google and Apple - are discussing more anonymous variants of the Singapore app, that's not the problem. Anyone who's worked on abuse will instantly realise that a voluntary app operated by anonymous actors is wide open to trolling. lightbluetouchpaper.org

We may need 300,000 contact tracers to defeat COVID-19. We have 2,200

More top companies ban Zoom following security fears

Microsoft takes a not-so-subtle shot at Zoom's security woes with new Teams ad

ThreatList: Skype-Themed Apps Hide a Raft of Malware

Twiggs County, GA: Trucker stole 'large quantity' of Academy Sports merchandise
A Texas Freight Services truck driver is accused of stealing "a large quantity" of merchandise from Academy Sports Warehouse. According to the Twiggs County Sheriff's Office, Keith Edward Tedder was arrested early Tuesday and is charged with multiple counts of felony theft by taking. Investigators got a complaint from Texas Freight Services, Inc. about three boxes of Academy Sports Warehouse merchandise discovered on its property in Jeffersonville. Surveillance video from the trucking company showed Tedder, a Texas Freight yard truck driver, leaving boxes of the merchandise at the terminal and then later putting them in his personal vehicle. Tedder did this over a period of 22 days, according to the sheriff's office. On Tuesday, investigators took out a search warrant at his home in Jeffersonville, where they found the merchandise. Tedder is currently being held at the Twiggs County Jail and additional charges are possible pending the investigation. wgxa.tv