US: Over 13.8M Cases - 273K Dead - 8.1M Recovered
Worldwide: Over 63.4M Cases - 1.4M Dead - 43.8M Recovered

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 225  
Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 154
*Red indicates change in total deaths

'A natural disaster in all 50 states' is unfolding
just as travelers disperse nationwide after Thanksgiving
As millions of Americans head home after Thanksgiving, the coronavirus could be hitching a ride -- threatening to plant seeds of infection across the country as the US on Sunday topped more than 100,000 new cases for the 27th consecutive day.

A surge of new travel-related infections could overwhelm hospitals already stretched to capacity. Hospitalizations of Covid-19 patients reached a record high of 93,238 on Sunday, trumping Saturday's record-breaking 91,635 figure, according to the Covid Tracking Project.

"There's no way that the hospitals can be fully prepared for what we're currently facing," emergency medicine physician Dr. Megan Ranney said. "This is like a natural disaster occurring in all 50 states at the same time. There are not adequate beds. There are not adequate staff. And because of the lack of national preparation, there are still not adequate supplies." cnn.com

Birx says Americans who gathered for Thanksgiving
should assume they're infected and get tested
Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, warned Sunday that Americans who traveled for the Thanksgiving holiday and attended large gatherings should assume they were infected with COVID-19 and get tested within the next few days.

"We know people may have made mistakes over the Thanksgiving time period," Birx said in an interview with "Face the Nation." "If you're young and you gathered, you need to be tested about five to 10 days later. But you need to assume that you're infected and not go near your grandparents and aunts and others without a mask." Birx also said it's crucial to avoid others with comorbidities. cbsnews.com

Fauci says Christmas and New Year’s restrictions will be necessary due to holiday coronavirus wave
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said on Sunday that the U.S. is heading into a difficult period of the coronavirus pandemic. He said current restrictions and travel advisories will be necessary for the Christmas holiday season. While the CDC warned people against traveling for Thanksgiving, more than 9 million people traveled in airports running up to and after the holiday. cnbc.com

Walmart, Grocers Can Avoid New Mexico Shutdowns With Covid-19 Testing
New Mexico officials are offering grocery stores, retailers and other essential businesses a way to avoid shutdowns when workers become infected with Covid-19: regularly test all employees.

Supermarkets, big-box retailers and hotels that pay for regular testing and contact tracing of their workers will be exempt from two-week shutdowns the state has imposed on stores with infected employees as cases rise. Under the new agreement, companies must foot the bill for the measures, test workers every two weeks and share those plans with New Mexico health officials. wsj.com

Restaurant Holdouts Defy Covid-19 Shutdown Orders
Some restaurants and bars are rejecting a new round of shutdown orders, saying that serving customers indoors is their only way to stay in business and that they can do so safely. Restaurants and trade groups have filed lawsuits against the bans and criticized policies that they say have made restaurants scapegoats for Covid-19’s spread. Restaurant operators in Pennsylvania, New York City and Illinois have held rallies calling for dining rooms to stay open.

A September study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concluded that adults who tested positive for Covid-19 were twice as likely to have reported dining at a restaurant as those who tested negative. Scientists say the new coronavirus is more likely to be transmitted inside where people are in close contact and not wearing masks.

Illinois was the first state to ban indoor dining again this month, followed by Michigan, Washington, Minnesota, Kentucky and most of California. New Mexico and Oregon have eliminated table service altogether. New York City officials have warned they could suspend indoor dining if cases rise further. wsj.com

New York implements emergency hospital measures as Covid cases surge
The New York State Department of Health is implementing emergency hospital measures to help hospitals cope with the surge in Covid cases and hospitalizations as the outbreak grows more severe across the state, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Monday. Cuomo said if some parts of the state hit a “real hospitalization crisis,” the state could implement a regional New York Pause, which “is basically a stop.” He added that the number one priority is ensuring the state has enough hospital capacity to treat all patients. cnbc.com

Los Angeles orders more restrictions as coronavirus surges
Los Angeles County announced a new stay-home order Friday as coronavirus cases surged out of control in the nation’s most populous county, banning most gatherings but stopping short of a full shutdown on retail stores and other non-essential businesses. The three-week “safer at home” order takes effect Monday. It came as the county of 10 million residents confirmed 24 new deaths and 4,544 new confirmed cases of COVID-19. apnews.com

With more restrictions to take effect, some L.A. County restaurant holdouts defy COVID-19 shutdown orders

San Francisco implements new COVID-19 restrictions amid ‘aggressive’ surge

Rhode Island Enters 2-Week Coronavirus Shutdown

NYC to reopen schools with new COVID testing plan beginning Dec. 7

NYC Covid Positive Rate Hits 4%; Rockefeller Tree Visits Limited

First ‘mass air shipment’ of Pfizer’s Covid vaccine arrives as airlines prepare for more

Brits who refuse COVID-19 vaccine may be denied entry to restaurants, bars

UK study: Covid infections in England fall by 30% over lockdown
 

Why 'Safe Shop' Certification Is Needed

By Frank Beard, director of Safe Shop

Imagine that retailers could obtain a third-party seal of approval if they have the right policies and procedures in place. By displaying this seal of approval on a window, a door, or even in marketing communications, they could signal that their commitment to store safety is recognized by an independent organization.

Consumers don’t even have to know the ins and outs of the certification process. Simply observing that third-party approval exists will create an instant point of distinction. The point is that they have it, and their competitors don’t. That’s a meaningful difference.

For the retailer, this would enable a different conversation about safety. It would also allow them to communicate better with current and prospective employees. Nobody wants to feel as if their workplace will jeopardize their wellbeing, and third-party certification would help them feel better about where they work.

It’s for these reasons that I’m thrilled to be part of the newly created Safe Shop certification program.

After much consultation with a diverse board of suppliers, retailers and industry experts, we established a nine-point checklist of safety measures that represent today’s table stakes. Some of these are COVID-related, given the realities of the present moment, but the checklist is intended to represent what matters with or without the pandemic.

Retailers who meet these requirements can apply for Safe Shop Assured certification. Once each measure is verified, we work with retailers to integrate Safe Shop in a way that makes sense for their brands. It can be as minimal as a sticker on a window, or as multifaceted as branded floor stickers, sanitizer stations, cleaning checklists and forecourt signage. Everyone has different needs. cstoredecisions.com

FBI posts decline in Black Friday gun checks;
still the fourth-largest one-day total ever
The FBI posted a nearly 8% decline in background checks for Black Friday gun purchases, even as the coronavirus pandemic, volatile social protests and election-year politics have driven a year-long surge in firearm sales. While the 186,645 checks represented a slight drop from 2019, this year's number still marked the fourth-largest one day total on record.

Background checks, required for purchases at federally licensed firearm dealers, are not a measure of actual gun sales, but the National Instant Criminal Background Check System is a way to gauge market demand. The number of firearms sold Friday is likely higher because multiple firearms can be included in one transaction by a single buyer. usatoday.com

Walgreens Employees in California Secure $4.5 Million Wage Deal
A $4.5 million settlement between Walgreens Co. and nearly 2,650 employees in California received preliminary approval from a federal judge in Sacramento, bringing the parties closer to resolving a class action over alleged state wage violations. Participating class members will split $2.83 million under the deal, with each expected to receive an average payment of about $1,210 depending on how many weeks they worked during the relevant period.

Lead plaintiff Lucas Mejia  sued Walgreens in 2018 on behalf of other similarly situated employees under California’s Labor Code and Private Attorney Generals Act. He alleged Walgreens rounded down employees’ hours on their timecards, required them to undergo off-the-clock security checks before and after their shifts, and failed to pay premium wages for missed meal breaks. bloomberglaw.com

Part of J.C. Penney exits bankruptcy
Most of J.C. Penney’s stores are set to exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy, with Simon Property Group and Brookfield Capital Partners as the new owners of the retail chain. The same, however, is not yet true for 160 Penney locations and its distribution centers as the would-be purchaser, PropCo.1, has yet to finalize a court-approved plan. As it stands, Penney’s operations will exit bankruptcy next year. The parts of the newly-divided company have agreed to work together when that happens. retailwire.com

Former Chief of Online Retailer Zappos Dead at 46
Tony Hsieh, the technology entrepreneur and venture capitalist who built Zappos into a $1 billion internet shoes and clothing powerhouse, died on Friday in Bridgeport Hospital in Bridgeport, Conn. after injuries suffered in a house fire on Nov. 18.  in New London, Conn., according to Megan Fazio, a spokeswoman for the Downtown Project in Las Vegas, a revitalization effort which Mr. Hsieh oversaw. nytimes.com

Ohio: Beachwood Place mall adds gun sniffing dogs to security program
The owners of Beachwood Place are taking steps to improve safety after another recent shooting on mall property. Starting this week, specially trained canines who can detect firearms will patrol the shopping center with security officers. The canines are part of a program called Vapor Wake Public Safety Canine Detection (VWK9). cleveland19.com

NYC Christmas tree supplier claims Home Depot, Whole Foods sold counterfeit firs
Evergreen East, a Wisconsin-based Christmas tree cooperative that bills itself as “New York’s finest Christmas tree sellers,” alleges Home Depot, Whole Foods and their supplier conspired last year to scam Big Apple tree buyers by labeling cheaper Canadian Balsam firs as pricey Fraser firs — the Cadillac of conifers, according to court papers. The Manhattan federal court complaint alleges that during the 2019 Christmas season, the retailers “sold potentially hundreds of thousands of Balsam Fir trees which they intentionally mislabeled and falsely advertised as Fraser Fir trees.” nypost.com

For some apparel retailers, Q3 was a comeback quarter
The pandemic has complicated an already tough market, but a few players managed to get it right in the period.

Sycamore snaps up Ann Taylor, other remaining Ascena brands for $540M

Dick's plans new outdoor concept, Public Lands, for 2021 launch