US: Over 11.5M Cases - 252K Dead - 7M Recovered
Worldwide: Over 55.6M Cases - 1.3M Dead - 38.7M Recovered

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 225   Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 143
*Red indicates change in total deaths

U.S. COVID Cases Up 82% Over Last Two Weeks

Retailers Are Bracing for Impact
As Pandemic Lockdowns Return, But This Time It Will Be Different
Oregon will implement a partial lockdown for two weeks, while New Mexico has issued stay-at-home orders for 14 days. The former will allow retailers to stay open at reduced capacity, while the latter is shutting non-essential businesses.

Chicago, meanwhile, became the biggest American city to take aggressive action, issuing a stay-at-home advisory and asking residents to cancel their Thanksgiving plans. And in New York this week, restaurants and bars were ordered to close at 10 pm.

There’s no question that the new restrictions will have an impact on retail as the holiday shopping season kicks into high gear — but the outlook isn’t as dire as March and April when operators faced an unprecedented situation. Since then, more than 100,000 small businesses have shuttered, while large retail bankruptcies and closings have also added up.

For those stores left standing, an intense focus on safety has been key, and that should serve them well in the weeks and months to come.

“Since the onset of the pandemic, retailers have been implementing safety protocols and spending billions of dollars to ensure the health and safety of their associates and their customers,” said Jason Straczewski, VP of government relations and political affairs for the National Retail Federation.

That’s why the NRF is calling on states to allow retailers — both essential and non-essential — to remain open. footwearnews.com

Governors Are Starting to Shut it Down
Governors ratchet up coronavirus restrictions ahead of Thanksgiving
Leaders are closing businesses or curtailing hours and other operations, and they are ordering or imploring people to stay home and keep their distance from others to help stem a rising tide of infections that threatens to overwhelm the health care system.

Thanksgiving was on the minds of leaders nationwide as they issued tougher restrictions amid fears that the holiday will lead to more infections.

Vice President Mike Pence sounded an upbeat tone Monday on a call with governors, saying that the government is ready to help states where hospitals are nearing capacity and emphasizing that vaccines are coming.

“America has never been more prepared to combat this virus,” he said. latimes.com

McD's “Safety Reaffirmation Visits” in Thousands of Stores by Dec 31st
Community Commitment: Leading Industry Roundtables

McDonald's and franchisees to make safety checks as 'COVID fatigue' grips
McDonald's Corp will inspect all its U.S. restaurants to ensure compliance with safety standards as coronavirus cases surge again and "COVID fatigue" sets in, according to an internal note seen by Reuters on Friday.

“It is apparent we are entering what many predicted would be the most difficult period of the pandemic,” said the note, from McDonald’s Chief Field Officer Charlie Strong and two U.S. franchisees who lead internal relations with the corporation.

The so-called “safety reaffirmation visits” were developed jointly with franchisees, the note said, and should be concluded by Dec. 31. The company may conduct follow-up visits where necessary.

In a separate blog post on Friday, McDonald’s USA President Joe Erlinger said the burger chain would soon convene industry roundtables to share key lessons learned. “McDonald’s success — just like the success of Walmart, Apple, Starbucks, or any other U.S.-based business — depends on all of us getting back to some version of normal as quickly as possible,” he wrote. reuters.com

Editor's Note: Bet you LP is helping to lead that effort and possibly an outside third party.

Experts Warn: "The Worst is Yet to Come"
Why Texas Was the First State to Surpass 1M COVID-19 Cases
Texas' grim distinction as the national leader in COVID-19 infections came as little surprise to some medical experts, who blamed politicians for conflicting messages about the virus and warned the worst is yet to come.

Texas this week breached a milestone of 1 million cumulative cases since the start of the pandemic, recording more infections than any other state. For reference, more people have been infected in the Lone Star State than live in Austin.

Texas had more newly reported cases in the last week — an average of about 8,520 daily — than other large, hard-hit states, such as New York, California and Florida. Only Illinois has a higher seven-day average.

Reopening of businesses, cooler weather and fatigue from prolonged social isolation — are contributing to higher levels of transmission. Those factors have been paired with unique features of the virus, including a high level of contagiousness, significant asymptomatic transmission and an ability to spread over the summer months, that have made containment difficult. govtech.com

Calif. Pulls Emergency Brake - 94% Lockdown - 1M+ Have COVID
California dramatically rolls back reopenings amid unprecedented COVID-19 surge
Faced with a skyrocketing number of new coronavirus cases, California officials pulled what they characterized as an emergency brake, announcing that much of the state will move back into more restrictive reopening tiers.

Once the changes go into effect Tuesday, roughly 94% of Californians will live in counties placed in the strictest purple category of the state’s reopening roadmap. Many businesses in those counties will have to suspend or severely limit their indoor operations. CA's four-tier, color-coded system.

“We are seeing community spread broadly now throughout the state of California,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday. “We are now moving backward, not forward,” he acknowledged.

The most populated counties in the Bay Area were also sent to the purple tier, including Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa and Solano counties. All eight counties in the San Joaquin Valley are also now in the purple tier.

The number of those infected with COVID-19 who are ill enough to require hospitalization has also spiked in recent weeks. latimes.com

Reinfections May Be More Severe
Though Rare, The Number Of Reinfections With Covid-19 Is Growing
Recent studies show that naturally acquired protective immunity to contraction of SARS-CoV-2 is relatively short-lived. Perhaps three to 6 months. This is indeed typical for many types of coronaviruses, with the caveat that antibodies are just one part of the immune response. There is emerging data that suggests longer-lasting T-cell immunity based on previous experience with coronaviruses related to SARS-CoV-2.

Nevertheless, reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 is possible. Researchers have published case studies with unequivocal supporting evidence for reinfection. Some scientists are now convinced that reinfections are not only scientifically real, but also no longer merely a remote possibility.

While most second time around infections have been milder or no worse than the first, some have been more severe. Clinicians haven’t discerned a clear-cut pattern yet. And so, once an approved coronavirus vaccine becomes available it may need to be taken annually. Moreover, as with influenza, over time vaccine developers may have to contend with different strains of SARS-CoV-2 and adjust their vaccines accordingly.

People who have been infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19 might believe that they are now protected against future infection. They’re not necessarily. edmdigest.com

Safe Shop Assured Certification
FriendShip Kitchen Awarded Safe Shop Assured Certification

The convenience retailer is the first in the U.S. to be certified for its commitment to essential store safety measures.

FriendShip Kitchen, the retail division of Fremont-based Beck Suppliers, is the first retailer in the U.S. to be awarded Safe Shop Assured certification.

Safe Shop Assured certification may be earned by retailers who satisfy a nine-point checklist of essential safety measures. At FriendShip Kitchen, Safe Shop will be showcased through branded signage, floor distancing stickers, hand sanitizer stations, and more. Each touchpoint serves as a signal of the company’s commitment to implementing and maintaining high standards.

Safe Shop is a joint venture between Paragon Solutions and WTWH Media, the publisher of CStore Decisions. The strategy and development of the program is informed by a multi-generational and diverse independent board of retailers, suppliers, and retail experts. Ongoing independent inspection and verification protects the integrity of the program by ensuring compliance from participating retailers. cstoredecisions.com

Safe Shop Assured exists to serve the evolving needs of retailers in the new normal. Our goal is to independently certify retailers who meet essential safety standards, therefore providing peace of mind to employees and customers.

Optics matter. Becoming Safe Shop Assured offers peace of mind for your customers and employees. Seeing Safe Shop Assured materials at your store communicates to your customers that your brand is participating in this program because it cares about their health and safety. Professional displays of accountability reflect well on you as the retailer. safeshopassured.com

CDC November 16th, 5 pm
This message includes updates on the COVID-19 response from CDC

The COVID-19 Outbreak is a rapidly evolving situation and information will be updated as it becomes available.

6 Sections: Prevent Getting Sick, COVID-19 in Close Quarters, COVID-19 Safety, Isolation and Precautions, Dinning Precautions, U.S. Cases  cdc.gov

Pandemic Pushes People to Do Things They Normally Wouldn't
Or is it merely Transference - One Criminal Activity Shutdown & Another Door Opens?
Top Maine Law Enforcement Cautions Residents About Becoming “Money Mules”
"According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, more than 300 Maine residents have become “money mules” during the pandemic. The “money mule” scam has escalated in Maine since the beginning of the pandemic."

According to the FBI, a money mule is someone who transfers illegally acquired money at the direction of another. Criminals recruit consumers to receive money and then physically or electronically move it through their own bank accounts, or to assist with moving money in other ways. justice.gov

Second Wave of COVID Deaths to Hit Connecticut Is Widespread