US: Over 16.7M Cases - 306K Dead - 9.7M Recovered
Worldwide: Over 72M Cases - 1.6M Dead - 51M Recovered

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 225   Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 163
*Red indicates change in total deaths

First Covid-19 Vaccine Given to U.S. Public

The first U.S. Covid-19 vaccinations outside of clinical trials began Monday, kicking off the most urgent mass immunization campaign since polio shots were rolled out in the 1950s.

A nurse in New York was among the first to receive the shot Monday morning, and health workers throughout the U.S. were also set to receive the newly authorized vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE. Pfizer shipped vaccine vials out Sunday, and hospitals and health departments across the country received them early Monday.

Some 145 U.S. hospitals and other sites were slated to receive vaccine doses Monday, followed by 425 on Tuesday and 66 on Wednesday, according to Gen. Gustave Perna, chief operating officer of Operation Warp Speed, the federal initiative to deliver Covid-19 vaccines.

Only a small percentage of the population will get access to the shots initially, as early supplies are limited. Pfizer is shipping out nearly three million doses in this first wave, with more expected in coming weeks. Pfizer expects 25 million doses will be available in the U.S. by the end of the month. Another Covid-19 vaccine, from Moderna Inc., could add to the supply of doses this month if it is authorized, which could happen later in the week. Both vaccines are given in two doses, three or four weeks apart. wsj.com

  FedEx, UPS announce first deliveries of COVID-19 vaccine in US

Is retail ready to distribute the COVID- 19 vaccine?
With the FDA's emergency approval late Friday of a vaccine co-developed by Pfizer, the nation is now counting on retail to help execute the nation's most ambitious vaccination campaign in history.

On Dec. 21, CVS and Walgreens will start administering vaccinations at the more than 70,000 nursing homes and long-term care facilities across the U.S. Early next year, they'll be joined by Walmart, Costco, Kroger and others for a broader vaccine distribution as supply expands enough to reach the general public.

One early challenge, however, appears to be finding enough pharmacists to deliver the shots. A Bloomberg article reports Walgreens is offering $500 referrals and up to $30,000 sign-on bonuses for eligible pharmacists and technicians, while CVS is making aggressive pitches to independent pharmacists. Both drug store chains insist they're on pace to meet their hiring goals.

Preparing pharmacies to receive first and second doses remains a moving target as many details of the government's distribution plan remain unclear and states ultimately decide how to allocate Covid-19 vaccine supplies. Transporting and storing also present major challenges as the initial COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer need to be shipped in subzero temperatures.

Theft of the highly-coveted vaccines is also a concern.

Finally, retailers may need to step up as advocates for the vaccine. A survey from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about half of Americans want to get the vaccine as soon as possible, another quarter aren't sure and the remaining quarter aren't interested. retailwire.com

Can a company Mandate? The answer is: Yes.

The Debate Roiling Boardrooms Around the World
Should Companies Require Employees to Take the Vaccine?
Depending on the poll you read, 40 to 50 percent of Americans say they will not get a coronavirus vaccine when it first becomes available to them.

Widespread coronavirus vaccinations are not only the best way to keep people from dying, they will also help revive business and the economy.

There is a way to get greater compliance: Businesses, which have spent the past several years championing their social responsibility, can require vaccination of employees and, in many cases, customers.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, told me that until 75 percent of people are vaccinated, we should all continue to wear masks and maintain social distancing, even if we've been vaccinated. That means movie theaters, indoor dining, sporting events and travel would remain challenged.

Mandating vaccines would be especially important to help protect workers in minority and lower socioeconomic communities that have been hardest hit in the pandemic. According to a Pew Research poll, only 42 percent of Black Americans intend to get vaccinated.

Beyond social welfare, there's a persuasive argument that a vaccination mandate could be considered a workplace benefit: If employees knew that everyone around them is vaccinated, they would feel more comfortable working there.

Some companies could even require their customers to be vaccinated, which would have a bigger impact on the compliance rate and show genuine leadership.

The law establishes that both the public and private sector can require vaccinations.

Executives from various industries all said they planned to recommend the vaccine, but not make it compulsory. Several said that they have tried to create a culture of trust, and a vaccine mandate would undermine that trust. Others worried about legal liability if an employee had adverse side effects from the vaccine. Some said they would like to mandate the vaccine, but worried that a backlash could spiral into a public-relations nightmare. nytimes.com

Full Shutdown Coming to NYC?
NYC could face 'full shutdown' beyond indoor dining, de Blasio warns
As vaccines began being put into arms in New York City and indoor dining was shut down again Monday, Mayor Bill de Blasio warned that additional restrictions could be coming - potentially including a return to a full shutdown.

"There's the potential of having to do a full pause, a full shutdown, in the coming weeks, because we can't let this kind of momentum go," de Blasio said on CNN when asked about comments made by Gov. Andrew Cuomo last week, in which the state's top executive said a fuller shutdown could be in the offing this winter.

"We're seeing the kind of level of infection with the coronavirus we haven't seen since May and we have got to stop that momentum - or else, our hospital system will be threatened," de Blasio said. nypost.com

New York City Restaurants Face Bleak Winter With No Indoor Dining
On Friday, a surge in coronavirus infections prompted Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to announce a ban on indoor dining in New York City restaurants. This past weekend was the last time New Yorkers would legally be able to eat indoors at city restaurants for the foreseeable future, a reversal that reflected the worsening conditions of the pandemic. Now, thousands of restaurants face an uncertain future as they brace for brutal winter months that could reduce business to new lows.

Restaurants across the city are moving to lay off waiters, servers and bartenders, throwing the workers' lives in turmoil and presenting a new setback in New York's economic recovery. Some restaurants will shut entirely for the winter months. Others, confronting daunting rent payments and mounting bills, wonder how, if at all, they will survive.

The governor said on Friday that the city was currently on a trajectory to hit 90 percent of its hospital capacity, at which point he would close down all nonessential businesses. He described the prohibition on indoor dining as an attempt to avoid such a move. nytimes.com

Genetec Report: State of the Physical Security Industry During Pandemic
Genetec Inc. ("Genetec"), a leading technology provider of unified security, public safety, operations, and business intelligence solutions, today shared the results of a state of the industry report based on insights from over 1,000 physical security leaders. The report looks at how the physical security industry is reacting to the threat of COVID-19, how security professionals are coping, and how day-to-day operations and plans are affected for the coming year.

Physical security industry challenges and priorities - in and out of the pandemic

Not surprisingly, the survey reveals that COVID-19 has led to a focus on security efforts to ensure the safety of people and facilities. For the majority of security professionals, the top three challenges during the pandemic are: managing employee/visitor safety; dealing with physical security threats (e.g. vandalism, theft, break-ins, etc.); and the remote management and securing of buildings.

However, while the pandemic has brought on numerous new challenges, the vast majority of organizations have had to face them creatively. The survey showed that 68% of respondents reported project delays/downsizing or cancellations this year; however looking into 2021 48% expect budgets to stay flat or increase with a focus on ongoing investment in existing systems and deployment of tools to support ongoing response to the pandemic.

With pressing new requirements and more limited resources, physical security organizations are stressed but finding ways to pivot to address extraordinary circumstances. Using resourcefulness and creativity, many security professionals (48%) are looking to existing systems to help them face these new challenges.

Physical security is behind in cloud adoption | Cyberattack risks remain |  Read more here

Safer Way to Shop?
Gift Card Sales Up 400% in September/October
Gift card sales increased by fourfold in September and October, according to InMarket, a marketing platform and app developer based in Los Angeles.

Consumers see gift cards as a safer way to shop since they can order them online or do curbside pickup. But in an uncertain economy and nearly half of small businesses reporting they need relief funding to stay in business, many may close permanently before gift cards can be cashed in. startribune.com

KPMG Survey: 82% Are Letting Employees Decide
When They Feel Safe & Comfortable Returning To The Office

Only 27 percent of employers plan to return office-based employees to
physical locations in the near term.

Only 27 percent of employers plan to return office-based employees to physical locations in the near term, with most pushing back the reopening of their workplaces to later in 2021, and some permanently not requiring a return to the office, according to a new KPMG survey, "Return to the Workplace," of U.S. senior executives at 100 companies that represent approximately five million employees in total.

The survey results also indicated that 82 percent of companies are letting employees decide when they feel safe and comfortable returning to the office, with only 18 percent mandating that employees return to the office by a certain date, at this time. prnewswire.com

California: 12-county San Joaquin region is out of ICU beds as COVID-19 surges

Bill Gates says lockdowns could continue into 2022 and believes restaurants will be closed for the next six months

New variant of Covid-19 identified in UK, as London heads back into strict lockdown

Most Americans Plan To Celebrate The Upcoming Winter Holidays At Home, In Small Groups And Virtually
 

Q3 Cargo Theft Up 27%
The COVID-19 pandemic has provided an opportunity for cargo thieves, with third-quarter thefts increasing each month year-over-year, according to data from CargoNet.

The Verisk Analytics-owned data firm, which tracks cargo thefts, found that combined, there were 319 reported cargo thefts in Q3 this year, compared to 259 in Q3 2019. September saw a 26.92% increase year-over-year.

CargoNet found a similar theme in Q2 as well. Thefts in Q2 increased 371 in 2020, with a 91.43% year-over-year increase in April alone, compared to 257 in 2019.

For years, electronics were the No. 1 item cargo thieves targeted, but the 2008 Great Recession shifted that. The economic toll the recession took on Americans shifted buying habits, and thieves responded.

"By 2010, food and beverage became the Number 1 stolen commodity," Cornell said. "During economic crisis, people go back to basics - you're going to clothe yourself, you're going to feed yourself.

"As we sit here today, food and beverage has held that Number 1 spot since then," he added.

"The natural thought is that the cargo thieves are out there stealing the PPE and masks, and there has been some of that ... but the industry did a pretty good job to make sure those commodities were not stolen,"

"There has been an ongoing shift from full truckload theft to pilferages of loaded trailers while the trailer is at rest," CargoNet reported. "Burglary and theft incidents - most commonly, trailer break-ins and pilferages - have risen steadily each year and accounted for 22% of all reported thefts in Q3 2020." freightwaves.com

The 'New World of Retail'
e-Commerce Jobs

Holiday retail workers seek "temporary lifeline" in warehouse jobs,
if they can find one
The balance of available holiday jobs this year has radically shifted from storefront to warehouse and delivery amid record purchases online. And with millions of retail workers in the United States and Europe already laid-off, competition for what remaining jobs are left is fierce, economists say.

The supply of available holiday jobs in U.S. customer-facing retail fell by a third to 302,100 this year from around 466,400 jobs last November.

Macy's cut seasonal hires to 25,000 this year from 80,000 in 2019. JC Penney hiring just 1,700 people in contrast to 37,000 last year.

Meanwhile, applications for U.S. storefront retail positions have jumped by around 34% year-on-year.

In Europe, the data paints a similar picture of lower vacancies and rising applications.

Glassdoor saw a 120% year-on-year increase in applications for e-commerce roles like delivery drivers, warehouse workers and order pickers in the United States and a 45% jump in the UK.

"This is likely a window into the new world of retail," Daniel Zhao, senior economist at Glassdoor, said. "What was done out of necessity during a pandemic is likely to become an annual online shopping tradition for future holidays." reuters.com

How retailers are preparing for more returns than ever this holiday season
Right now, retailers are focused on getting items to customers in time for the holidays. But come January, they'll have a new headache to contend with: processing all of the items that ultimately get returned. To prepare, many retailers have extended their return policies, giving customers more days to send back unwanted items. They're also trying to give customers more ways than ever to return items. Retailers like Lululemon and Levi's have made it easier for customers to initiate returns within their mobile apps, while returns processing startups like Happy Returns and Narvar have struck partnerships with companies like FedEx and Walgreens so that shoppers can make returns at more places than just a retailers' store. modernretail.co

Time is running out for online holiday orders,
as retailers move up shipping deadlines
The Covid-19 pandemic has created a boom in online orders that has overwhelmed capacity limits for shippers like UPS, FedEx and the U.S. Postal Service. Three billion packages are expected to ship between Thanksgiving and Christmas, up almost 40% from last year, according to delivery analytics firm ShipMatrix. Of those, 2.5 million are expected to be delayed. In response, retailers have moved up their standard shipping deadlines to receive orders by Christmas Eve earlier than in years past. forbes.com

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Target lengthens pre-holiday store hours and shortens special senior hours


Quarterly Results
Costco Q1 comp's up 17%, online sales up 86%, net sales up 16.9%