US: 32.6M Cases - 584.2K Dead - 25.2M Recovered
Worldwide: 145.4M Cases - 3M Dead - 123.4M Recovered

Former Senior Loss Prevention Executive
Know of any fallen LP exec? Let's remember & recognize.

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 279  
Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 287
*Red indicates change in total deaths

From Worst to First in California
California Moves to Reopen Businesses, Welcome Customers Back into Stores as Infection Rate Declines
Just a few months ago, California was the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. Hospitals in Los Angeles were drowning in patients, and ambulances were idling outside with people struggling to breathe, waiting for beds to open.

The death count was staggering - so many that morgues filled and refrigerated trucks were brought in to handle the overflow.

Now as cases spike in other parts of the country, California has gone from worst to first with the lowest infection rate in the U.S. even as it has moved quickly to reopen more businesses with greater customer counts and allow larger gatherings.

A scramble to get COVID-19 vaccinations has given way to an open invite in many places. Where people lined up hours and counties struggled to get doses, there now appears to be a glut of the shots in many locations.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has been allowing businesses and schools to reopen by county based on case levels. At different points in the pandemic, he has faced heavy criticism for being too restrictive, and now some worry he is moving too quickly.

All counties have improved enough to move out of the strictest of four tiers, and 38 of the 58 counties - accounting for 87% of the state's population - now are in the second least-restrictive tier. Newsom said he plans to lift most remaining coronavirus restrictions by June 15. cp24.com

Mass Vaccination Sites Shutting Down Due to 'Lack of Customers'
The U.S. begins closing mass vaccination sites as demand falls
County health departments that a month ago couldn’t keep up with vaccine demand have now started closing some of their mass vaccination sites for lack of customers, and some counties are declining vaccine shipments.

Now that more than half of adults in the United States have received at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose and the country has surpassed 202 million administered doses, demand for shots appears to be slowing in many areas. White House and health officials are comparing the next phase of the vaccination campaign to a get-out-the-vote effort.

The largest vaccination site in Las Vegas, the Cashman Center, will close on May 5 as the list of open appointments grow and the lines to be inoculated have dwindled. Palm Beach County in Florida said on Tuesday that it would shut its three mass vaccination sites. In Galveston County, Texas, a mass drive-through clinic at a county park won’t operate after May 1.

“We got about 50 percent of our people vaccinated,” he said, “and we recognize that next 25 percent is going to be a lot harder than the first.” nytimes.com

Health Officials Concerned
Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Set to Outpace Demand
The nation’s supply of Covid-19 vaccines is set to outpace demand in the next two to four weeks, according to a national health nonprofit, as state health officials pivot from managing a flood of interest in the shot to persuading people to get it.

In Texas, Austin-area leaders held a joint meeting last week to workshop how to increase Covid-19 vaccine outreach efforts as 10,000 local immunization appointments went unfilled. In California, the administrator of a Los Angeles Covid Vaccine Hunters Facebook page posted that the hunt is over; doses are plentiful. In Birmingham, Ala., the county health director told reporters Tuesday he is ready to get down on his knees and beg residents to get shots.

As of Thursday, 52% of adults in the U.S. had gotten at least one dose of a vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That proportion ranged from 72% in New Hampshire to 39% in Mississippi.

Many people aren’t opposed to the vaccine but are either unmotivated to go out of their way for it, or limited by transportation, scheduling or other barriers, Dr. Sell said. wsj.com

456 Grocery COVID-19 Deaths & 91,400 Infections of Exposures
Grocery worker COVID-19 infections, deaths rise: UFCW report
Union applauds chains helping to drive vaccinations for frontline associates

Since March 1, the number of grocery workers infected or exposed to coronavirus has climbed 24%, while deaths from the virus have jumped 30%, UFCW reported Thursday. The union said the upsurge follows store outbreaks at Whole Foods Markets, Costco Wholesale, Trader Joe’s and other grocery retail chains across the country.

Among UFCW members nationwide, there have been a total of 456 deaths from COVID-19 and at least 91,400 infections or exposures to the virus among frontline workers. UFCW said its latest estimates include 178 deaths and at least 39,900 infections or exposures among grocery workers; 132 deaths and 22,200 infections or exposures among meatpacking workers; and 50 deaths and 11,700 infections or exposures among food processing workers.

Overall, UFCW represents 1.3 million workers in the grocery store, meatpacking, food processing, health care, retail sectors, among other industries.

UFCW cited The Kroger Co., Aldi, Lidl, Publix Super Markets, Target and Trader Joe’s as some of the retailers incentivizing workers to go and get a COVID vaccine.

UFCW added that it also has secured on-site vaccinations for frontline workers at Albertsons Cos. supermarkets, CVS Pharmacy stores, Tyson Foods, Cargill and National Beef, among other U.S. grocery retail and food industry employers. supermarketnews.com

Surveys Nationwide Are Showing Similar Trends
Not much deviation between surveys week after week

U.S. Workers Split on Employers Requiring COVID-19 Vaccination Proof & Management of Unvaccinated Workers
Younger Workers More Excited, Anxious About Returning to Workplace

Employees Expecting a Different Workplace; Want Employers Involved in Safety Protocols
The 2021 Eagle Hill Consulting COVID-19 Vaccines and the Workplace Survey measures employee sentiment about COVID-19 vaccines, returning to the workplace, as well as testing and safety protocols. Read the infographic here.

"Workers remain split on employee vaccine requirements, and we're also seeing differing views on whether workers should provide proof of vaccinations before returning to work," Jezior added. "Another sticky issue for employers is how to handle employees who choose to remain unvaccinated – should they be permitted to interact in-person with colleagues and customers or be given special allowances to work from home?"

"The bottom line for employers – they have to keep the lines of communication open with employees and really listen and respond to their concerns. Employees know their workplace will be different, but managing any type of change is often met with resistance. The stakes are even higher when workplace changes involve employee health and safety," Jezior explained.

Differing Employee Views on Unvaccinated Employees

● More than half (55 percent) of workers say non-vaccinated employees should not be given special allowances to work from home.

● Close to half of workers (44 percent) say non-vaccinated employees should not be allowed to travel for work.

● Many workers (39 percent) say non-vaccinated employees should not be permitted to work in-person with customers.

● More than one-third of workers (35 percent) say non-vaccinated employees should not be allowed to work in-person with co-workers.

● The vast majority of workers (83 percent) say non-vaccinated employees should be able to stay with their employer.

Employees Have Mixed Views on Returning to the Workplace

● Gen Z and Millennials are most excited about returning to workplace, 47 percent and 30 percent, respectively, which is substantially higher than their Gen X (26 percent) and Boomer (15 percent) counterparts.

● Yet, younger workers are more concerned about contracting COVID-19 at work – Gen Z at 28 percent, Millennials at 26 percent, Gen X at 23 percent and Boomers at 14 percent.

COVID Testing & Safety Protocols

● Regarding social distancing, 84% concur that employers should require or encourage social distancing.
● Regarding masks, 81% agree on employers requiring or encouraging mask use. prnewswire.com

Millennial & Gen Z Consumers Top Group For Not Standing in Lines
Long Wait Lines Caused by COVID Occupancy Limits Cost Retailers $100B
Customers are walking out of stores due to long lines caused by COVID-19 occupancy limits, and U.S. retailers are losing substantial revenue.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, 25% of respondents said they are “much more likely” to avoid entering stores or are more likely to walk out of stores without buying anything because of lines for service. An additional 28% of consumers said they were “more likely” to do so. Quidini calculations indicate U.S. retailers are losing a total of $100 billion per annum in immediate lost revenue opportunity as a result.

Respondents’ biggest concerns when waiting in lines are contracting COVID-19 at 47%, lack of comfort (35%), lack of certainty and information (34%), wasting time (28%), and disliking waiting in poor weather conditions such as rain or snow (26%). chainstoreage.com

Kroger Taking Heat for Closing Stores Over $4 Hazard Pay Ordinances
‘It’s devastating’: As a Seattle QFC store winds down, neighbors and politicians thank employees, criticize closure
Saturday will be the final day for the QFC in Seattle’s Wedgwood neighborhood, and on Thursday afternoon, a somber crowd of soon-to-be former customers and neighbors, along with TV crews and a few political officials, gathered for a bittersweet send off for the store’s 51 employees.

Shortly after 3 p.m., around a dozen employees, some with tears in their eyes, filed out the front doors to a round of applause, warm words of thanks and individual checks of $205.88, courtesy of a neighborhood fundraising effort.

A QFC spokesperson said all employees at both locations had been offered positions at other stores. seattletimes.com

EEOC Comes Out With Bold Message
Coronavirus is not a 'get-out-of-jail card' for ADA compliance, EEOC commish says
As the pandemic evolves and the country's response shifts, employers must remember that ADA regs still require individualized assessments.

The coronavirus pandemic does not absolve employers of their Americans with Disabilities Act responsibilities, a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission official told attendees at an April 8 American Bar Association conference.

"There are likely to be significant changes to key underlying assessments in the ADA space, namely what constitutes a direct threat, and what rises to an undue hardship," Andrea Lucas, an EEOC commissioner. hrdive.com

Michigan among a few states seeing a spike in COVID cases among children

Covid case numbers continue to decline in Pennsylvania

Ohio's statewide case rate falls after month of increases

6 things you must do if you’re planning to work remotely permanently


Retail Sales Surge in the UK as COVID Restrictions Ease
UK retail sales jump 5.4% as businesses grow at fastest rate since 2013
The partial reopening of Britain’s locked down economy has stimulated the fastest private sector growth in more than seven years, according to a closely watched monthly update of the economy.

Retail sales volumes in the UK jumped 5.4% in March from the previous month, as coronavirus restrictions began to ease. This is up from February’s 2.2% growth, and far stronger than the 1.5% gain expected by the City.

Figures just released by the Office for National Statistics showed that compared with March last year, sales were up 1.6%. However, over the three months to March, sales volumes fell 5.8% on the previous three months, due to the latest lockdown.

Some travel and social distancing restrictions were lifted in England at the end of March, leading to higher consumer spending, the ONS said. The strongest growth in March was in clothing stores (up 17.5% on the month), other non-food stores (up 13.4%) and petrol stations (up 11.1%), the first monthly growth since October. theguardian.com

Lockdowns Begin in Germany
Germany to impose 'emergency brake' law across almost entire country to curb Covid infections
Germany's new "emergency brake" rules for areas with high Covid-19 infection rates, intended to curb the spread of the virus, will come into force Saturday, Health Minister Jens Spahn said. They will affect almost the entire country.

The controversial new law gives the national government power to impose lockdowns on states for the first time, ending the patchwork of state-by-state measures.

The federally imposed shutdown will affect almost all of Germany, with only a few municipalities having low enough levels of transmission to avoid the restrictions. cnn.com

Why India's COVID tsunami should concern Americans
 

Amazon's 'Just Walk Out' Going Full-Size Supermarket
Amazon's automated checkout is coming to full-size supermarkets
Amazon.com is poised to bring its automated checkout technology to full-size supermarkets, a significant milestone in the race to revolutionize how people buy their groceries.

Planning documents for a 34,000 square feet store under construction in Brookfield, Conn., contain all the hallmarks of an Amazon Fresh grocery store and also identify a dozen entry and exit gates as well as ceiling-mounted racks to run wiring to camera arrays, a setup that until now has only appeared in Amazon Go convenience stores.

Amazon appears to have solved a significant technical challenge, creating a grab-and-go system that can handle scores of shoppers at once and cover large supermarkets without being prohibitively expensive to build and operate. The breakthrough, if it works, would catapult Amazon ahead of rivals, which are testing similar camera-based technology developed by various startups. Executives at these companies have acknowledged that they are perhaps a year or two away from installing cashierless systems in full-sized supermarkets.

Widespread adoption of automated checkouts will likely fuel critiques from labor unions that have accused Amazon of seeking to eliminate cashiers, one of the most common jobs in the U.S. The company has said the goal of its Just Walk Out program is shopper convenience, not cutting labor costs. Amazon says it has created thousands of grocery jobs since the launch of the first Fresh store last year.

Amazon has been working for years to streamline its Just Walk Out system, making the gear more cost effective for its own stores as well as appeal to other companies that might license the technology. post-gazette.com

New Product Recall Regulations Coming?
After a child died in a Peloton treadmill accident, US lawmakers push for new product recall powers
A group of US lawmakers on Thursday introduced a bill to give US regulators more power to recall products deemed to be dangerous. It follows the news of Peloton's refusal to recall its $4,295 Tread+ treadmill, after reports that a child died and others were injured while using the machine.

Peloton insisted that the machine was safe to use, provided customers follow the instructions and warnings. Critics said US regulators should be able to enforce product recalls, rather than just request them.

A law – Section 6(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Act – prevents regulators from enforcing recalls and lets manufacturers restrict information released by regulators if there is a problem with a product. The new bill introduced Thursday aims to revoke that section of the law.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, one of the three lawmakers to introduce the new bill, said in a statement Thursday that current laws "allow companies to call the shots on how and when to notify the public about their hazardous products, keeping important safety information from the public."

Reps. Jan Schakowsky and Bobby L. Rush are the other two lawmakers who introduced the bill. Elliot Kaye, a commissioner for the CPSC, said in 2019 that "people die because of Section 6(b). It is that simple."

The new legislation – the Sunshine in Product Safety Act – would revoke Section 6(b) and allow the CPSC "to communicate vital health and safety information about potentially dangerous products to consumers without risking retaliation by the manufacturer," the three lawmakers who put forward the bill said.

Peloton did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment on the new bill. In a previous comment, a spokesperson told Insider that "a recall has never been warranted." businessinsider.com

Retail Must be Ready for 'Normalization'
Retailers' next challenge: Bringing consistency to the frontline
Since March 2020, retailers have operated in crisis mode. Some retail chain locations were more prepared technologically and physically to quickly offer longer store hours, BOPIS, or curbside pickup than others. Various grocery stores in the same chain and the same city were better able to keep supplies like paper goods in stock than other ones.

Retailers, especially grocers, can't assume that their pandemic-induced sales boost they've enjoyed will continue as people return to offices and restaurants.

This means that retailers need to ensure they are front and center in their customers' minds as life finally begins to normalize and consumers have more options. Retailers in all segments must have a strategic approach to ensure consistent experiences for customers and employees, regardless of the store location or shopping channel used.

With so many changes coming out of the retail space, retailers and their frontline employees must be agile. They must have training methods that work in this fast-moving environment. What's more, those training methods must ensure frontline employees feel engaged, appreciated, and prepared to adjust, perform their roles while providing an outstanding customer experience. chainstoreage.com

Three Questions You'll Need to Answer When Planning Hybrid Conferences
Hybrid conferences may be the next big thing in meetings, but because they involve face-to-face and virtual participants, they come with their own unique set of planning challenges.

Planning a conference that includes both in-person and virtual components is no easy feat and requires meeting professionals to consider additional logistics and possibly new technology solutions. Here are three questions to answer during the early stages of planning.

How do we staff a hybrid conference? Hybrid meetings will require even more staffing adjustments to make sure attendees have a worthwhile experience.

Do we need different marketing strategies? Registration numbers for virtual conferences increase dramatically the week before and even past the event’s start date. To maximize your online audience increase your marketing efforts the week before the event.

How do we facilitate connections between in-person and virtual participants? Some ways that organizers have overcome this challenge: putting a screen onstage to allow remote attendees to take part in a presentation and ask questions, hiring a virtual emcee to who collects questions and comments from the remote audience, and handing out tablets to in-person attendees to allow them to have one-on-one chats with virtual participants. associationsnow.com

Retail Impact of $15 Minimum Wage
Chipotle will raise prices by 2-3% if a $15 minimum wage passes
Raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour would require Chipotle to increase its menu prices, but the move would be "manageable," the company's chief financial officer said.

For customers, this could mean an additional charge of about $0.20 to $0.35 per meal, as the average person spends about $11 on a burrito or other meal at Chipotle.

Other restaurant chains, including Waffle House, have discussed the impact of higher wages and an increase in prices on their menus.

Restaurants have been forced to hike prices in the past in response to increases in the minimum wage at the state level. Executives at The Cheesecake Factory and Texas Roadhouse told Insider's Kate Taylor they have raised menu prices in the past because of state minimum-wage increases. businessinsider.com

Tractor Supply to Open 80 New TSC & 10 New Petsense Stores in 2021
& Remodel 150 to 200 Stores

Victoria's Secret owner wants to sell the lingerie brand in $2B deal

NYC rents are in free fall, now reaching record lows


Quarterly Results
Tractor Supply Q1 comp's up 38%, e-commerce up 'triple digit percentage', net sales up 42.5%

Sketchers Q1 DTC comp's up 10.2% (up 25.7% domestically - down 27.4% internationally), DTC e-commerce sales up 143%, DTC sales up 18.1%, total sales up 15%

Canada's Metro Q2 comp's up 5.5%, sales up 5.1%