US: 33.7M Cases - 600.1K Dead - 27.1M Recovered
Worldwide: 163.8M Cases - 3.3M Dead - 142.2M Recovered

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Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 279  
Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 298
*Red indicates change in total deaths

Full Normalcy Coming?
723 Epidemiologists on When and How the U.S. Can Fully Return to Normal

Government mandates are lifting, but these experts say the pandemic won't really end nationally until more people, including children, are vaccinated.

Covid-19 cases are decreasing in the United States, and masks are no longer required everywhere, but the pandemic is not over - and won't be until younger children can also be vaccinated, epidemiologists said in a new survey by The New York Times.

The true end of the pandemic - when it becomes safer to return to most activities without precautions - will arrive once at least 70 percent of Americans of all ages are vaccinated, they said. Adolescents just began receiving vaccines this week, and those for children younger than 12 are not yet approved.

They are optimistic this will happen, even if not as quickly as many Americans hope. In five years, they expect Covid-19 will be more like the flu, circulating at a lower rate and with some deaths every year - but no longer a public health crisis necessitating lockdowns. nytimes.com

Retailers Enact 'Honor System' for Masks
Major U.S. retailers drop mask requirements for vaccinated shoppers
A growing number of major retailers are lifting mask requirements for those who are fully inoculated after new federal guidance, largely moving to an honor system in which they trust that only vaccinated people will bare their faces.

The guidance lifts the masking requirement for fully vaccinated people in most settings - though not on transit, in health care facilities or in certain crowded areas - while affirming that local regulations should still be respected. Fully vaccinated, according to the guidance, means two weeks after receiving a second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech's or Moderna's vaccine, or the single dose of Johnson & Johnson's.

Walmart announced on Friday that fully vaccinated customers would no longer need to wear masks, and that fully vaccinated employees would no longer need to as of Tuesday.

Target, Costco and Publix are also lifting mask requirements for vaccinated people. Starbucks will also make masks optional for vaccinated customers starting on Monday, unless local regulations require them.

Many retailers said they would not require proof of vaccination. Costco, for instance, said it would instead "ask for members' responsible and respectful cooperation with this revised policy."

Trader Joe's will no longer make vaccinated customers wear masks, although face coverings are still required for employees, Kenya Friend-Daniel, a spokesperson, said in a statement.

CVS plans to continue mandating face coverings for shoppers for now. nytimes.com

Retail Workers Don't Want to be the 'Vaccine Police'
CDC cheered and criticized for new mask guidance
Some health and law experts told CNBC it would further complicate public health efforts to end the pandemic, adding it is "nearly impossible" to police the use of face masks because there is no way to know who is vaccinated and who isn't. More than half of the population still haven't gotten the shots, they said, risking more outbreaks from unmasked, unvaccinated individuals.

"While we all share the desire to return to a mask-free normal, today's CDC guidance is confusing and fails to consider how it will impact essential workers who face frequent exposure to individuals who are not vaccinated and refuse to wear masks," Marc Perrone, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, said in a statement. "Essential workers are still forced to play mask police for shoppers who are unvaccinated and refuse to follow local COVID safety measures. Are they now supposed to become the vaccination police?"

Lisa LaBruno, senior executive vice president of retail operations and innovation for the Retail Industry Leaders Association, told CNBC the new guidance "creates ambiguity for retailers because it fails to fully align with state and local orders."

"These conflicting positions put retailers and their employees in incredibly difficult situations. We urge state and local governments to coordinate with the CDC as additional guidance is issued on the road to normalcy," she said in a statement.

"I hate to say 'It's complicated,' but it's complicated," said David French, a lobbyist for the National Retail Federation. On one hand, the CDC guidance could bring more clarity, but it also makes things more complex since businesses won't know who is or is not vaccinated - and neither will customers. cnbc.com

'Mass Confusion' for New York Businesses Over New Mask Guidance
Six NY county execs urge Cuomo to adopt CDC's latest mask guidelines
Six county executives in New York - Republicans and Democrats - publicly urged Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday to adopt the CDC's guidance allowing vaccinated people to ditch their mask in most circumstances.

"As we continue to see active cases, hospitalizations and deaths steadily dropping day by day and more people receiving vaccinations, the Governor should implement the CDC's common sense guidance."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave the green light Thursday for fully vaccinated Americans to go mask-free inside and outdoors - but Cuomo has refused to sign off, saying the state needs to "review" the new guidelines.

The conflicting stances from the feds and Albany has caused mass confusion in the Empire State, as businesses are forced to explain to irate vaccinated customers that they have to stay masked. nypost.com

Kroger's Pandemic 'Hero Pay' Controversy Continues
Kroger, Blasted for Ending Hazard Pay, Gave CEO $22 Million

Kroger Co. Chief Executive Officer Rodney McMullen found himself in a hailstorm of criticism last spring over hazard pay to frontline workers.

In early 2020, as the coronavirus swept across the U.S., McMullen announced a $2 hourly hazard increase, or "Hero Bonus," for store and warehouse workers. Two months later, the company ended the raise -- even as critics pointed out that the hazard remained.

McMullen, meanwhile, collected a $22.4 million pay package for 2020 -- his largest haul since he became Kroger's boss in 2014.

The package, disclosed Thursday in a regulatory filing, rose almost 6% from the prior year thanks to a bigger bonus, a larger package of stock awards and a salary increase. Pay for Kroger's median employee fell 8% to $24,617.

Kroger posted record revenue last year as scores of Americans stockpiled groceries and ate most meals at home. Precarious conditions for frontline workers led to calls for higher wages from unions, lawmakers and even President Joe Biden, who campaigned on raising the minimum federal hourly rate to $15. Many of the largest U.S. employers have moved to boost pay, including Amazon.com Inc. and McDonald's Corp. bloomberg.com

'Rescued by the Vaccine'
How the United States Beat the Variants, for Now
The surge experts had feared ended up a mere blip in most of the country. The nationwide total of daily new cases began falling in April and has now dropped more than 85 percent from the horrific highs of January.

Experts point to a combination of factors - masks, social distancing and other restrictions, and perhaps a seasonal wane of infections - that bought crucial time for tens of millions of Americans to get vaccinated. They also credit a good dose of serendipity, as B.1.1.7, unlike some of its competitors, is powerless against the vaccines.

"I think we got lucky, to be honest," said Nathan Grubaugh, an epidemiologist at Yale University. "We're being rescued by the vaccine." nytimes.com

Racism-COVID Connection
Fauci says it is 'undeniable' that racism has made Covid worse in US

"COVID-19 has shone a bright light," on American society's failings, said the president's chief medical advisor.

White House chief medical advisor Anthony Fauci told the graduating class of 2021 Sunday that "the undeniable effects of racism" have led to disparities that negatively affected people of color throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking to Emory University graduates by webcast, Fauci said that "COVID-19 has shone a bright light," on American society's failings, The Associated Press reported. But Fauci told the audience the cause of the disparities were caused largely by societal determinants instead of medical comorbidities.

The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases urged the class not to forget the "disproportionate" rate at which COVID-19 hospitalized and killed people of color, adding that the root issues will take decades to correct, according to the AP. thehill.com

Meijer, Kroger among businesses keeping COVID-19 mask requirements

Apple reportedly says masks are still mandatory at US stores

Experts worry about rapidly changing mask policies across the U.S.

Retailers Can't Return to 24-Hour Service Due to Worker Shortage
24/7 Shopping Might Be Slow to Return, Even as America Reopens

The US is finally reopening after more than a year of COVID-19 restrictions, but some things may never be the same.

Restrictions are finally lifting as more of the population gets vaccinated, but conditions aren't what they were before, making it unlikely stores will return to 24/7 hours any time soon. Workers are hesitant to take on the risks of nighttime schedules, people have changed their shopping habits during and pandemic, and the labor shortage is making staffing stores and restaurants extremely difficult.

Nearly half of all US restaurants say they are "severely understaffed," and even getting applicants in the door has been a struggle. Some chains are turning to large-scale hiring events to screen swaths of candidates at once, with perks like cash just for showing up and drive-thru interviews at some stores.

The National Coalition of Associations of 7-Eleven Franchisees (NCASEF), which represents about 7,200 US locations, sent a letter to corporate leaders saying the shortage of workers and higher operating costs have led to a "very dire" situation.

Staying open for longer hours, as the company has instructed owners to do by May 24, isn't feasible, they said. Franchisees say finding staff for overnight shifts is "extremely challenging," and overnight sales do not necessarily cover the costs of labor.

Low traffic overnight hours can also bring risks of theft, violence, and intoxicated drivers, which may not be worth it to many operators or workers.

McDonald's, which just announced plans to raise wages at company-owned restaurants, is suffering from many of the same issues. Franchisees who can't find staff to cover hours largely blame enhanced unemployment benefits. businessinsider.com

The rise of curbside pickup: Best practices for retailers
Retailers of all types would do well to develop their curbside pickup capabilities further, writes Euromonitor International's Bob Hoyler.

According to a Walmart spokesperson, "The customer told us they want one pick-up spot, and they want that pick-up spot to be outside."

Of all the competing service models in the e-commerce space, the curbside pickup model is perhaps most uniquely suited to the realities of the North American retail landscape. Unlike BOPIS, which remains the dominant mode of click-and-collect service globally, curbside pickup allows for a customer with a vehicle to avoid stepping foot in potentially crowded stores altogether.

A strikingly high share of consumers indicate they will continue to utilize curbside pickup beyond the pandemic.

There are a handful of curbside pickup best practices that retailers may utilize to improve their prospects.

Update inventory in real time

Retailers must ensure that they update the available inventory on their websites and mobile apps in real time, so customers cannot place an order for an item that might be out of stock when they arrive.

Provide easy-to-follow instructions

It is vitally important that retailers provide clear instructions on their websites and mobile apps outlining how to use curbside pickup at their stores. Retailers should also send a personalized email with detailed instructions on how to use the service to first-time curbside pickup customers.

Keep the customer in mind when setting pickup locations

Whenever possible, curbside pickup access points should be located in designated parking lot areas in front of the store, with signage clearly indicating where customers are expected to wait.

Don't forget about impulse purchases

Retailers - particularly those in the grocery space - should ensure they provide suggestions to their customers as to additional items to purchase on their websites and mobile apps during the online checkout process. Ideally, this should take the form of a, "Did you forget any of these items?" page, referencing the customer's prior purchase history that pops up before the final checkout screen. retaildive.com

Retail Wage Complaints Continue
A Starbucks worker reveals the average customer order costs more than she makes an hour
With the US job market heating up, a shift supervisor at an Atlanta Starbucks told Insider she's leaving for a job with better pay and benefits. The final straw for leaving her job of two years, she said, was realizing how her pay compared to the increasingly pricey drinks Starbucks sells.

"The thing that really radicalized me was that our starting wage ($9) is less than one average customer's ticket," she told Insider.

Workers told Insider that customizations with the expectation of fast food delivery is unsustainable. Some workers say the company has not adjusted staffing needs appropriately to deal with the new volume. businessinsider.com

Get Ready for Expensive Summer Holidays
From hot dogs to fuel, here are some of the products in short supply
Everywhere you look, there seems to be a new shortage popping up in America's currently very strange economy. From chicken to gas, it's getting harder to come by items as supply-chain issues, outsized demand, and the climate crisis all converge to choke accessibility.

But as Americans learn to live in a new normal yet again - this time with vaccines, fewer masks, and slightly eased pandemic-era restrictions - demand for things like travel and hotels is on the rise. With a long weekend coming up, Americans are ready to get back into the world. But the economy may not be ready for them: Here are the shortages that could plague Memorial Day weekend:

Restaurant service - Fuel - Bacon and hot dogs - Imported goods like wine and cheese - Hotels and motels - Airfare - A new or used car - Fireworks - Chlorine businessinsider.com

Casey's completes 94-store acquisition


Last week's #1 article --

Violence Surges in America
There Have Been, On Average, 10 Mass Shootings In U.S. Each Week This Year
When a man walked into a birthday party in Colorado Springs, Colo., over the weekend, killing six people and then himself, it was the deadliest mass shooting in the state since March, when a rampage at a grocery store left 10 people dead.

We're just 18 weeks into 2021, and already the U.S. has experienced 194 mass shootings. That averages out to about 10 a week.

The tally comes from the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as an incident in which four or more people are shot or killed, excluding the shooter. The full list can be found here.

While a rise in gun sales and divergence of some public health funding could be linked to the spike in gun violence in recent months, experts say it can be a challenge to isolate any single cause. And advocates against gun violence lament the limited legislative response from Washington so far. npr.org