Tag: coronavirus

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Target & Walmart Will Begin ‘Metering’ Number Of Customers In Stores

Walmart stores doing more to protect customers and employees during coronavirus epidemic

Walmart stores doing more to protect customers and employees during coronavirus epidemic Walmart and Target have both announced new measures to encourage social distancing among its customers. According to Reuters, Walmart will:

• Limit the number of customers in a store to no more than 5 customers per 1,000 square feet. Employees will be at the doors admitting patrons one-by-one.

• The store is also providing masks and gloves for store associates, doing staff temperature checks and expanding paid leave policies.

• Next week, some stores will be implementing one-way movement through aisles.

On Thursday, Target announced it would begin “metering” the number of customers inside all of its nearly 1,900 stores starting Saturday. “To promote social distancing with its team and guests, Target will monitor store traffic, and meter, or limit, the number of guests inside stores, when needed,” reads a press release from the company. “Occupancy limits will vary by location and be determined by the store’s specific square footage to enhance the average space per person and reduce the possibility of congestion,” continued the statement. “If metering is required, a Target team member will provide a designated waiting area outside with social distancing markers.”

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The Daily Show: Supercut Of Fox News’ COVID-19 Coverage

Remember when COVID-19 was declared a “Democratic hoax” by Donald Trump? Remember when all of Fox News fell over itself to announce we had practically “nothing to fear” from the virus? Pete Hegseth on Fox & Friends: “The more I learn about coronavirus, the less concerned I am.” Man, how I’d love to hear what they think about their dumb AF comments today. But, come to think of it, they probably still believe them. From The Daily Show with Trevor Noah:

Hannity. Rush. Dobbs. Ingraham. Pirro. Nunes. Tammy. Geraldo. Doocy. Hegseth. Schlapp. Siegel. Watters. Dr. Drew. Henry. Ainsley. Gaetz. Inhofe. Pence. Kudlow. Conway. Trump.

Today, we salute the Heroes of the Pandumbic.

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Times Square: Empty Chairs & Empty Tables Send Secret Message Of Strength

(image via Tom Viola/Facebook)
The photo above was shared on Facebook by my friend Tom Viola, who heads up the world’s leading HIV support organization, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Tom writes that an intrepid staff member made the trip into the BC/EFA offices slathered in hand sanitizer to pick up mail and donation checks for their COVID-19 Emergency Fund. The staffer looked out the office windows and amid abandoned Times Square saw a secret message of strength and spirit. I’ll let Tom explain the photo, but for reference know that you’re looking down into the heart of Times Square at the TKTS booth.

Times Square may be abandoned but our hearts are not bereft. Earlier today, a member of the BC/EFA staff made the solo trip to the office – in a mask and gloves, slick with Purell and taking every precaution – in order to retrieve mail and deposit the large donations that are coming in as checks for our COVID-19 Emergency Fund.

In looking out my office window, this is what was seen below. Fashioned out of now-empty tables and chairs. Done not knowing if anyone would see. A message of hope, renewal, and assurance that Broadway and NYC will be back. Thank you! I LOVE NEW YORK! We will be back one day soon to fill that very plaza in celebration.

As most folks know, New York City has become the epicenter of the coronavirus threat. On Friday, New York state reached a grim milestone as the coronavirus has now killed more New Yorkers (2,935) than the terrorists who flew airplanes into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001 (about 2,700). And the death toll is only expected to grow. But New Yorkers are a tough bunch. Count on that.

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Hobby Lobby Closes All Stores Furloughing Employees Without Pay

Business Insider reports that Hobby Lobby will now close all stores nationwide after defying state lockdown orders relating to the ongoing coronavirus threat. Most employees will be furloughed without pay. The owner of Hobby Lobby, David Green, is worth an estimated $6.2 billion. So, you can see how he couldn’t possibly afford to pay his employees, right?

In a statement posted on the company website on Friday afternoon, Hobby Lobby announced it will furlough “nearly all store employees” without pay and “is ending emergency leave pay and suspending use of company provided paid time off benefits and vacation.”

“As the country continues efforts to manage and mitigate the devastating health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 virus, Hobby Lobby will, after careful consideration, close the remainder of its stores, and furlough nearly all store employees and a large portion of corporate and distribution employees, effective Friday, April 3rd, at 8:00 p.m,” Hobby Lobby posted on its website. “The stores will remain closed until further notice.”

According to three employees, each speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, managers at their stores called teams into a meeting to deliver the news on Friday afternoon.

“The line our manager gave us was, ‘The employees got what the employees wanted, the stores were closed,'” a Hobby Lobby employee in Indiana said. “My question was did God tell them they needed to closed the stores and not pay us?” ‘

On March 19, Green sent his employees a letter citing God as his justification for keeping his stores open. He wrote that his wife Barbara received a message directly from God about coping with the health crisis. God didn’t mention anything about paid sick leave, I guess…

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Dr. Fauci: “I Don’t Understand” Why The Entire Country Isn’t Under ‘Stay At Home’ Orders

(image via CNN)
During an interview with CNN Thursday night, Dr. Anthony Fauci said all Americans should be under a ‘stay at home’ order and the entire country should be operating via the same guidelines in terms of self-isolating in order to best bring the coronavirus to heel. “I don’t understand why that’s not happening,” said Fauci, a member of the White House COVID-19 Task Force. “As you said, the tension between federally mandated versus states’ rights to do what they want is something I don’t want to get into. But if you look at what is going on in this country, I do not understand why we are not doing that. We really should be.” As of today, there has not been a federally mandated order for the entire country regarding the ongoing coronavirus threat. Currently, 39 states and Washington, D.C., are under stay-at-home orders. Eleven states – all red states –  have not issued statewide orders. Six states have regions with local lockdowns – Alabama, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, and Wyoming. But it’s a total free for all in Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

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FDA Updates Blood Donation Guidelines For Gay/Bisexual Men

UPDATE: On April 2, the FDA posted new guidelines reducing the deferral period for men who have sex with men from donating blood and plasma from 12 months to 3 months. In a statement, GLAAD President and CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis said, “LGBTQ Americans can hold their heads up today and know that our voices will always triumph over discrimination.” “This is a victory for all of us who raised our collective voices against the discriminatory ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood,” she continued. “The FDA’s decision to lower the deferral period on men who have sex with men from 12 months to 3 months is a step towards being more in line with science, but remains imperfect. We will keep fighting until the deferral period is lifted and gay and bi men, and all LGBTQ people, are treated equal to others.“

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave permission last week for doctors to use plasma from coronavirus survivors as an experimental treatment for patients who become moderately ill from the virus. According to the New York Times, blood from people who have recovered may be teeming with antibodies, proteins created by the immune system to attack the virus. The approach has been used for decades in treating many infectious diseases like influenza and Ebola.

Vineet Menachery, a virologist at the University of Texas Medical Branch, told the Times, “Four to six or eight weeks after infection, their blood should be full of antibodies that will neutralize the virus and that will theoretically limit the infection.”

Although there aren’t any controlled studies to quantify the treatment, there have been reports from China regarding the approach being used on a small number of patients there. U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams and other health officials are asking for increased blood donations due to the ongoing COVID-19 threat, but most gay and bisexual men will not be able to donate plasma to help other patients. Even though we’re in the middle of a health crisis, the FDA still maintains gay and bisexual men who have had sex with men in the last 12 months are barred from donating blood of any type. The ban also applies to women who have had sex with bisexual men in the past year. Those requirements were established years ago due to fears of HIV infection through blood transfusions even though such thinking is now out-of-date with modern methods. The Red Cross has said that “blood donation eligibility should not be determined by methods that are based upon sexual orientation.” And a group of 17 U.S. senators have issued a public letter asking the FDA to review its current policy. The letter, signed by Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, and Cory Booker, encourages the FDA to “shift away from antiquated and stigmatizing donation policies to ones that are scientifically based.” Additionally, GLAAD and several LGBTQ organizations have launched a petition calling for the ban on gay and bisexual men to be lifted. The petition currently has over 17,000 signatures.

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2020 Provincetown Bear Week Canceled Thanks To Coronavirus

Even though the event is over three months away, Provincetown Bears have announced this year’s Bear Week in the Massachusetts getaway has been canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 threat. Bear Week Provincetown is traditionally one of the busiest weeks in the Provincetown summer season. The event draws in gay bears and big boys from all over the world. Originally scheduled for July 11, 2020 – July 19, 2020, the weeklong program of pool parties, dance parties, comedy shows, and leather events didn’t look feasible with the social distancing guidelines that have been announced for the foreseeable future.

(image via Provincetown Bears)
In a statement, the organizers say “Members of our board have watched the rampant developments of the coronavirus pandemic and we believe that it is not advisable for us to host the crowded parties this summer that are the hallmark of Bear Week.” “Provincetown Bears cares deeply about the health and safety of our Bear community,” write the organizers. “We hope to see you again in Provincetown for Bear Week next year. Dates for Bear Week Provincetown 2021 are July 10 to 18, 2021.” Those who had already registered for 2020 events will get a refund. Provincetown Bears mentions it may take a couple of weeks to process the refunds. Additionally, some P-town hotels and guest houses have offered to roll deposits over to the 2021 events. While Provincetown Bears aren’t involved in those private businesses, they do encourage folks to allow funds to roll over in an effort to help the small businesses through this difficult year. It’s important to note, however, that Provincetown will be open for business at some point this summer season once health officials give the go-ahead. The P-Town Bears want you to know “local business owners, entertainers, lodging keepers, and the managers, chefs, and staff at your favorite restaurants and bars look forward to offering all that Provincetown is famous for when they open for the season.” Check out some pics from last year’s Bear Week in Provincetown via Instagram.

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#daddyAF #bearweek #bearweek2019

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Solid Good Tea was nuts! #ptown #bearweek

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Good Night: Ben Platt & Casts Of ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ Sing “You Will Be Found”

Hey, folks. I usually end the day with my News Round-Ups, but this feels a little better tonight. Tonight, The Late Late Show with James Corden closed with Tony Award-winner Ben Platt joined by members of the Broadway and touring companies of the smash musical Dear Even Hansen singing, appropriately, “You Will Be Found.” This feels like a better note to end the night. Thanks for reading TRR folks. Have a great night. (and wash your hands…) …signed, human being, me…

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NJ: Couple Charged For Holding 40+ Party In Front Yard

(stock image via Samantha Gades/Unsplash)
Folks, stop with the f**king parties. Ok? From NBCPhiladelphia:

Lakewood Police and Ocean County prosecutors said Eliezer Silber, 37, and Miriam Silber, 34, held a gathering of 40 to 50 people in the yard and street in front of their home Sunday. Police dispersed the crowd and charged the Silbers with five counts of endangering the welfare of a child, one count for each of their five kids who were in the home.

“My Office will prosecute any individual who defies or breaks the law, State of Emergency or otherwise. Everyone must respect and follow the law,” Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a statement.

The Silbers were apparently holding a bat mitzvah in their home, New Jersey State Police Col. Patrick Callahan said at a news conference Monday. Since Gov. Murphy’s executive order, Callahan added, police statewide have dealt with 70 compliance issues and 34 indictable offenses.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is not suffering fools lightly:

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White House: U.S. COVID-19 Deaths Could Range From 100,000-240,000

Dr. Anthony Fauci speaks in the White House press room (image: public domain)
A sobering reality: at today’s coronavirus briefing at the White House today, Dr. Anthony Fauci was asked by CNN’s Jim Acosta, “Should Americans prepare for the likelihood that there’ll be 100,000 Americans that will die from the virus?” Dr. Fauci responds, “The answer is yes.” Folks watching the briefing noted Donald Trump handed off the more sobering announcements. You’ll recall on March 9, downplayed COVID-19 saying 37,000 Americans died from the flu last year. Watch below.