US: Over 15.3M Cases - 291K Dead - 8.9M Recovered
Worldwide: Over 68.1M Cases - 1.5M Dead - 47.2M Recovered

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 225   Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 162
*Red indicates change in total deaths

U.S. Covid Deaths Match April Peak With Hospitals Still Filling
The U.S. is now averaging about as many deaths per day from Covid-19 as it was in April when the pandemic ambushed the New York area. The seven-day average of reported fatalities rose to 2,201 on Sunday, just one shy of the peak on April 18, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Average daily deaths had been predicted in the range of 1,643 to 1,886 through Dec. 26, according to a four-week forecast from the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Reich Lab.

Several large states, including California, New York and Pennsylvania, are facing alarming upward momentum in Covid-19 hospitalizations. It’s likely that reported fatalities will increase further due to the lags between infections, deaths and when the deaths are disclosed.

Indeed, many deaths reported in the past week are still coming out of the Midwest, suggesting the worst numbers are yet to come for the Northeast and West, which are in the throes of viral surges. bloomberg.com

Happy 'V-Day'
‘Route out’ of pandemic: UK gives 1st COVID-19 vaccine doses
A retired British shop clerk received the first shot in the country’s COVID-19 vaccination program Tuesday, the start of an unprecedented global immunization effort intended to offer a route out of a pandemic that has killed 1.5 million.

Margaret Keenan, who turns 91 next week, got the shot at 6:31 a.m. on what public health officials have dubbed “V-Day.” She was first in line at University Hospital Coventry, one of several hospitals around the country that are handling the initial phase of the United Kingdom’s program. As luck would have it, the second injection went to a man named William Shakespeare, an 81-year-old who hails from Warwickshire, the county where the bard was born. apnews.com

FDA says Pfizer COVID vaccine is highly effective, even after first dose
The coronavirus vaccine manufactured by Pfizer and BioNTech is highly effective and poses no significant safety risks, according to documents published by a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel Tuesday. The positive results could mean that FDA clearance for the two-dose vaccine could come shortly after the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee meets on Thursday to publicly review the evidence.

Agency staff conducted their own analysis of the research presented by the companies and found the vaccine was 95 percent effective at preventing COVID-19 infection a week after the second dose was administered. However, the results also show some protection begins even after the first dose. COVID cases tapered off in the vaccinated group shortly after the first dose was administered; 50 cases of COVID-19, compared with 275 cases in the placebo group, according to the report. thehill.com

Goldman Sachs expects COVID-19 vaccine to lift the economy in 2021
Jan Hatzius, chief economist at Goldman Sachs, thinks the wide distribution of COVID-19 vaccines will help lift the U.S. economy in 2021. Mr. Hatzius, who has forecast growth in the nation’s economy by three percent in the first quarter, raised his entire year projection from five to 5.3 percent.

“We estimate the vaccine boost based on the assumption of a sharp bounce-back in the most virus-sensitive industries, with reopening of businesses, reduced risks, pent-up demand for services, and a significant amount of accumulated excess savings all providing a tailwind,” he said. finance.yahoo.com

Whistleblower Raid in Florida
'They pointed guns at my kids': Florida police raid home of fired data scientist who built state's COVID-19 dashboard
Florida police brandishing firearms raided the home of Rebekah Jones, the former state Department of Health employee who built the state's much-praised COVID-19 dashboard before being fired over what she said was refusing to manipulate data.

"They pointed a gun in my face. They pointed guns at my kids," Jones tweeted shortly before 5 pm Monday.

Jones — who launched her own COVID-19 dashboard after she was fired, and used crowdsourcing to raise money to support it — said agents knocked on her door around 8:30 a.m., took all her "hardware and tech" after showing her a warrant based on a complaint filed by the Florida Department of Health.

A video accompanying the post shows Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents in vests entering the house with guns drawn, asking who else was in the house. She said her husband and two children were inside as they escorted her out of the house. The video shows an agent entering the house with his gun drawn, calling for her husband to come down the stairs. When an agent told her to calm down, Jones said, "He just pointed a gun at my children!"

FDLE spokeswoman Gretl Plessinger sent a statement confirming the seizure of computer equipment at Jones' Tallahassee home and said agents are investigating. "FDLE began an investigation November 10, 2020 after receiving a complaint from the Department of Health regarding unauthorized access to a Department of Health messaging system which is part of an emergency alert system, to be used for emergencies only." usatoday.com

18 states now have contact tracing
Apple and Google’s COVID contact tracing tech is finally coming to California
After a month of testing on university campuses, California’s governor just announced that the state is launching its COVID contact tracing app to the public this Thursday, December 10th. The app is called CA Notify, and its launch makes California the 18th state (plus Washington, DC) to release a contact tracing app. It’s also the largest to have done so since the technology was announced in April. The first app of its kind was released in Virginia back in August, so it’s been quite a long time coming, especially considering California is home to Apple and Google, the two companies that developed the contact tracing technology the app uses. theverge.com

Apple's Covid Response Was Extremely Apple
Deirdre O’Brien, Apple's Senior VP of Retail & People, knew how bad the novel coronavirus was before the rest of us. As Apple’s head of retail, she was privy in January to the news of a virus in China - and how serious it was. “It was truly amazing to see Apple go into just a crisis management mode,” she says, describing how Apple pulled together its teams in security, health, and safety, as well as outside experts in subjects such as epidemiology. “We quickly determined that we did not have enough good knowledge to continue to feel comfortable operating our stores. And so we decided to shut our stores down. And we also closed down our offices.” The company announced its China shutdown February 1; CEO Tim Cook made the final call. Though Apple wasn’t exactly an outlier - factories and businesses in China were widely shutting down by then - the experience would inform Apple’s retail strategy throughout the crisis. “Those learnings in China, we applied around the world,” O’Brien says, “and you saw that we were one of the first retailers to close our doors across the United States and Europe and other parts of Asia when it was the right time to do so.”

Apple’s 2020 is best viewed on a dual display. On one imaginary monitor, you’d see a montage of engineers, fabs, and factories churning out a new generation of iPhones, upgrading its iPads, and most emphatically, launching a supercharged, battery-sipping class of Macintosh computers. But on another monitor, you’d see closed stores, empty offices, and intense meetings of WFH execs deciding how to change the way the company sells and supports its products while the world was getting sick. wired.com

CVS asks healthcare pros for help stopping COVID-19
CVS Health is looking to hire thousands of qualified pharmacists, nurses and technicians to help administer vaccines at its pharmacies across the U.S. The drugstore chain is appealing to prospective employees for help in ending the pandemic that has disrupted so much of American life. retailwire.com

Predictions on the return of travel
Leisure travel has been slammed over the last nine months as border closings multiplied, cruises and tours were canceled and wary travelers rescheduled and demanded refunds. Yet, with news of a vaccine on the horizon, there is cautious optimism that travel will return, in some form, this spring and, maybe, return to something closer to normal in the coming year or years.

Here are predictions from those in the tourism industry and others about travel's prospects in the medium term: linkedin.com

American Airlines Offers Preflight COVID-19 Testing for All US Destinations with Travel Requirements

In a 4-Month Sample, D.C. Traces 14 Percent of COVID-19 ‘Outbreaks’ to Restaurants

Emergency room physician on battling COVID-19: We need to stop indoor dining
 

COVID-19 - The New Risk Prism
International SOS Risk Outlook 2021: Workforce Risk Reaches Five Year High
The risk level to the global workforce has reached its highest since 2016, according to the findings of the International SOS Risk Outlook 2021. The outlook reveals findings from the Business Resilience Trends survey of over 1,400 risk professionals across 99 countries, carried out by Ipsos MORI. It also brings together insights from the Workforce Resilience Council and extensive International SOS proprietary data.

INTERNATIONAL SOS TOP FIVE RISK OUTLOOK 2021 PREDICTIONS:

● Ecopolitical turbulence will exacerbate tensions, civil unrest and crime
● Pandemic borne crisis management teams will redefine Duty of Care practices
● The growing infodemic will increase demand for trusted sources of health & security information and advice
● Mental health issues will be a primary productivity disruptor
● Singular focus on Covid-19 will create risk blind spots

Workforce Risk perceived to be at 5 year high and expected to increase in 2021

Unsurprisingly, around eight in ten risk professionals believe the health and security risks faced by the workforce increased in 2020 (specifically for “domestic employees” (85%), “assignees” (81%), “student and faculty” (80%), “business travelers” (79%) and “remote workers” (77%)). Around half believe that this will increase further in 2021, a concern most acutely felt in Asia, especially among those responsible for assignees (60%) and business travelers (60%).

The respondents from the USA were most likely to report an increase in risk (91%). This is alongside a degradation in trust in local governments & health bodies; seen as a key challenge for a third (31%) of risk professionals surveyed – most acutely felt in the Americas (40%).

Dr Neil Nerwich, Group Medical Director at International SOS comments, “The Covid-19 pandemic has created a tripartite of crises, with public health, geopolitical and economic crises all impacting the workforce and business on a global scale. This has been exacerbated by an infodemic in an increasingly complex world environment. While the news of a potential vaccine is very positive and resources, including our Covid-19 website content and assistance services with Covid-19 evacuation capability, are providing direction and support, organizations will need to go through an evolution in their Duty of Care provisions. Just as 9/11 changed the way that employers saw their Duty of Care with respect to security issues, so the pandemic is destined to have a lasting change to employer approach to employee health threats.”

“The pandemic has triggered Board level decision-making on health issues, the increasing need for real-time expert medical guidance, and organizational responsibility for employee wellbeing including those working from home. As organizations strive to get back to business operations, Covid-19 will be the prism that most other risks will be seen through.” securitymagazine.com

Law Enforcement Going Above & Beyond
Florida: Polk County Deputy Raises Nearly $90,000 to Help Children with Speech, Hearing Impairments

A Polk County deputy had a goal of raising $40,000 for children with speech and hearing problems -- but he raised more than double that. It was a crowning moment for Lt. Jim Ostojic.  

"Receiving this award has been a great experience for me and I'm very appreciative of everyone who helped get me to this goal," he said. "I was able to raise $87,897.11."

He raised the money for the Mr. Central Florida campaign, an annual fundraising event for the Speech and Hearing Center. He even held a wiffle and kickball tournament to raise money for the center. 

"I think it's important that we not only as law enforcement officers, but as community members that we get out and help others. I thank that's important," Lt. Jim said.

A cause that Lt. Jim is proud to serve and protect. He donated more than 200 hours of his own personal time for this campaign. fox13news.com

  Thanks to Craig Cunningham, VP of Business Development at ACT, for this story submission.

Target joins other retailers, grocers in accusing chicken suppliers of price fixing
Target Corp. has joined a growing list of retailers suing the country's largest chicken suppliers over accusations of inflating poultry prices. In a federal lawsuit filed last week in U.S. District Court in Illinois, Target named 20 defendants including Tyson Foods, Pilgrim's Pride, Sanderson Farms and Perdue Farms.

Several well-known restaurant chains and grocers have signed onto the lawsuit including Cracker Barrel, Wawa, Hy-Vee and Aldi. Last week, fast-food restaurant Chick-fil-A also filed suit against poultry producers for price fixing.

The U.S. Department of Justice has been conducting an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into price fixing in the broiler-chicken industry, and several industry executives have been indicted, including the former CEO of JBS-owned Pilgrim's Pride. startribune.com

Seasonal retail hiring in November down 35% year-over-year,
while jobs in transportation and warehousing surged
Employers added 302,100 jobs in the retail sector in November compared to 466,400 during the year-ago period, according to an analysis of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics by global outplacement and business and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

So far this season, retailers added 544,900 jobs in October and November, 12.5% lower than the 622,500 jobs added in the same time period for the sector last year, according to the BLS's non-seasonally adjusted data. As of November 2020, 15,487,600 workers were employed in retail, down 3.7% from the same month last year.

Meanwhile, transportation and warehousing added 260,800 jobs in November, 118% higher than the 119,400 jobs added in November 2019. For the season, this sector has added 369,000 jobs, 137% higher than the 155,700 jobs added in the same period last year. chainstoreage.com

$70B in Holiday Returns Predicted
Retailers need more warehouse space to hold returned goods
With a record amount of returns projected to flow back to retailers this holiday season and in the coming years, the United States is going to need more warehouse space to handle them, according to a new report.

As much as $70.5 billion worth of holiday purchases this year are expected to be returned to companies by consumers, commercial real estate services firm CBRE forecast Monday. That will put additional stress on supply chains that are already working around the clock, at max capacity, to fulfill a surge in digital orders.

CBRE said the projected 73% jump versus a five-year average is largely due to more online shopping. E-commerce sales tend to have a much higher rate of return, up to 30%, than items purchased in stores. People buying apparel online, for example, might order two or three sizes to judge which one fits best, then send the others back. cnbc.com

Best Buy extends curbside pickup hours for holiday shopping
In the final weeks of a holiday season where consumers are looking for alternatives to in-store shopping, Best Buy is touting expanded pickup and delivery options. Those choices include 16,000 "alternate" pickup locations at partners like CVS Pharmacy, Michaels, Advanced Auto Parts and UPS, the electronics retailer said on Monday. retaildive.com

CEO quits to support wife's career
The co-CEO of Europe’s biggest online fashion retailer will step down from his role in 2021, saying he and his wife agreed that "her professional ambitions should take priority". Rubin Ritter, who is ending his contract at German firm Zalando two years early, says he wants to spend more time with his growing family. Ritter has led plans to improve gender equality at the company, writing in 2019 that the retailer wanted to achieve "balanced representation of both women and men" at all management levels by 2023. linkedin.com

Blockbuster Acquisition:
Security group G4S agrees to $5.08 billion deal with Allied, spurns Garda bid

Oregon adopts new moral fitness minimum standards for private security officers

Ikea is getting rid of its iconic catalog, one of the most popular books in the world, ending a 70-year print run

Mall Santas say vaccines could help them save Christmas