Pollstar: Live events industry lost $30B due to pandemic
By MESFIN FEKADU AP Music Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Due to the global coronavirus pandemic, concert trade publication Pollstar puts the total lost revenue for the live events industry in 2020 at more than $30 billion. Pollstar on Friday said the live events industry should have hit a record-setting $12.2 billion this year, but instead it incurred $9.7 billion in losses. In March hundreds of artists announced that their current or upcoming tours would need to be postponed or canceled because of the pandemic. With just a few months on the road, Elton John’s “Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour” tops the year’s Top 100 Worldwide Tours list with $87.1 million grossed.

Gov. Wolf, Sec. of Health Announce New Protective Mitigation Efforts to Put Pennsylvania on Pause through Early January

Gov. Wolf Limited-Time Mitigation Order
Sec. Levine Limited-Time Mitigation Order

Harrisburg, PA – As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine today implored Pennsylvanians to take the next three weeks and stand united against the virus by adhering to existing mitigation orders and stricter efforts announced today.

“Today I am announcing additional, temporary COVID-19 protective mitigation measures in the commonwealth,” said Gov. Wolf. “With these measures in place, we hope to accomplish three goals: First, stop the devastating spread of COVID-19 in the commonwealth. Second, keep our hospitals and health care workers from becoming overwhelmed. And third, help Pennsylvanians get through the holiday season – and closer to a widely available vaccine – as safely as possible. This is a bridge to a better future in Pennsylvania.”

The new, limited-time mitigation orders take effect at 12:01 a.m. on December 12, and remain in effect until 8 a.m. on January 4, 2021.

“Each of the last two days we have reported the highest number of deaths since the beginning of the pandemic,” Dr. Rachel Levine said. “In the past week, we have reported close to 1,100 new deaths from COVID-19 across Pennsylvania. The virus continues to strain our health care systems and the dramatic rise in cases among all age groups, including among school-age children, is alarming. Since the start of the pandemic, there have been more than 37,500 cases among children age 5 to 18, yet 9,500 of those cases occurred in the past two weeks.”

The Order provisions outlined here are accompanied by supportive data used in part to make these decisions. The data provides a sampling of research that supports why limiting gatherings, reducing occupancy, and temporarily suspending some activities, among other efforts, are considered vital to stopping the spread of COVID-19.

Two recent studies, one by Yale University and one by Stanford University, substantiate more than one of these mitigation efforts. Links to the full studies and additional data and research can be found on the Department of Health’s data page, here.

Limited-Time Mitigation efforts announced today include:

In-Person Dining and Alcohol Sales

• All in-person indoor dining at businesses in the retail food services industry, including, but not limited to, bars, restaurants, breweries, wineries, distilleries, social clubs, and private catered events is prohibited.
• Outdoor dining, take-out food service, and take-out alcohol sales are permitted and may continue, subject to any limitations or restrictions imposed by Pennsylvania law, or this or any other Order issued by the Sec. of Health or by the governor.

Multiple studies have found indoor dining to drive case increases and fatalities. A study by JP Morgan analyzed credit card spending of more than 30 million Chase cardholders and Johns Hopkins University’s case tracker and found that higher restaurant spending in a state predicted a rise in new infections there three weeks later. Additionally, research from Stanford University found that restaurants accounted for a significant amount of new infections while research from Yale University found that closing restaurants reduced fatality rates.

Indoor Gatherings and Events

• Indoor gatherings and events of more than 10 persons are prohibited.
• Churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, and other places of congregate worship are specifically excluded from the limitations set forth above during religious services, these institutions are strongly encouraged to find alternative methods for worship, as in person gatherings pose a significant risk to participants at this time. While this an incredibly difficult recommendation to make, particularly at this time of year, faith leaders must carefully weigh the health risks to their congregants given the immense amount of community spread of COVID-19.

A new study from Stanford University and published in the journal, nature, used cellphone data collected from 10 U.S. cities from March to May to demonstrate that restaurants, gyms, cafes, churches and other crowded indoor venues accounted for some 8 in 10 new infections in the early months of the U.S. coronavirus epidemic.

Outdoor Gatherings and Events

• Outdoor gatherings and events of more than 50 persons are prohibited.

According to a Yale University study, limiting outdoor gatherings was among consistent policies found to reduce fatality rates.

The CDC states that medium-sized outdoor gatherings carry a higher risk of COVID-19 spread, even with social distancing. CDC notes that the more people an individual interacts with at a gathering and the longer that interaction lasts, the higher the potential risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 and COVID-19 spreading, and that the higher the level of community transmission in the area that the gathering is being held, the higher the risk of COVID-19 spreading during a gathering.

Capacity Limits for Businesses

• All in-person businesses serving the public may only operate at up to 50% of the maximum capacity stated on the applicable certificate of occupancy, except as limited by existing orders to a smaller capacity limit.

The same Stanford University study that collected cellphone data also noted that limiting indoor capacity can reduce COVID-19 transmissions.

Gyms and Fitness Facilities 

• Indoor operations at gyms and fitness facilities are prohibited.
• Outdoor facilities and outdoor classes can continue, but all participants must wear face coverings in accordance with the Sec. of Health’s Updated Order Requiring Universal Face Coverings, including any subsequent amendments, and practice physical distancing requirements.

According to a Yale University study, closing businesses like gyms was among consistent policies found to reduce fatality rates.

Entertainment Industry 

• All in-person businesses in the entertainment industry serving the public within a building or indoor defined area, including, but not limited to, theaters, concert venues, museums, movie theaters, arcades, casinos, bowling alleys, private clubs, and all other similar entertainment, recreational or social facilities, are prohibited from operation.

The CDC puts movie theaters and other indoor settings on its list of higher-risk activities for contracting COVID-19.

In-Person Extracurricular School Activities

• Voluntary activities sponsored or approved by a school entity’s governing body or administration are suspended, but these extracurricular activities may be held virtually. This includes, but is not limited to, attendance at or participation in activities such musical ensembles, school plays, student council, clubs, and school dances.

Our top priority is stopping the spread of this virus so students and teachers can return to their classrooms as soon as possible. Data from the Department of Health notes that one-quarter of the cases of COVID among school-age children have occurred within the past two weeks, increasing the need to keep children safe outside of school so that they can return to classrooms.

K-12 School Sports and Youth Sports

• All sports at K-12 public schools, nonpublic schools, private schools and club, travel, recreational, intermural, and intramural sports are paused.

The Pennsylvania Principals Association is recommending a delay to the start of the winter sports season. The surge in cases among school-age children increases the risk that asymptomatic participants will spread the virus at a game or practice, in the locker room, while traveling to and from events, or at team meals, parties or other gatherings.

Professional and Collegiate Sports 

• Professional or collegiate sports activities may continue in accordance with guidance from the CDC and the Department of Health.
• Spectators may not attend such sports activities in person.

The CDC warns large gatherings create a high risk of COVID-19 spreading.

“We know that COVID-19 thrives in places where people gather together,” Gov. Wolf said. “Therefore, these mitigation measures target high-risk environments and activities and aim to reduce the spread of this devastating virus.”

According to Yale University research, mitigation measures such as mandatory mask requirements, and gym and restaurant closures are policies that most consistently predict lower four- to six-week-ahead fatality growth.

“The work we do now to slow the spread of COVID-19 is not only crucial to keeping our fellow Pennsylvanians safe and healthy,” Gov. Wolf said. “It will help all of us get back to normal, and back to all of the things we’ve missed, faster. And it means more Pennsylvanians will be alive to celebrate that brighter future. This year, we show our love for our families and friends by celebrating safely and protecting one another.”

Gov. Wolf Limited-Time Mitigation Order
Sec. Levine Limited-Time Mitigation Order

Frequently Asked Questions

Gov. Wolf Amended Mitigation, Enforcement, and Immunity Order

DeGeneres: Positive test for coronavirus but ‘feeling fine’
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ellen DeGeneres says she’s tested positive for COVID-19 but is “feeling fine right now.” The producer of her daytime talk show says taping is on hold until January. DeGeneres said in an Instagram post that anyone who has been in close contact with her has been notified and that she’s following “all proper CDC” guidelines. DeGeneres promised to see her viewers after the holidays and called for them to stay “healthy and safe.” Reruns of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” were to air starting Thursday. When the coronavirus outbreak hit in March, the show shifted to taping without a studio audience. In September, it put fans into seats virtually.

First Lady Frances Wolf Tests Negative for COVID-19

Harrisburg, PA – First Lady Frances Wolf announced today that she has tested negative for COVID-19. She will continue to quarantine at home, as per CDC and Department of Health guidelines.

This comes after Governor Tom Wolf tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, December 8. Governor Wolf is in isolation at home, is feeling well, and continues to be asymptomatic.

“Tom and I are grateful for the well-wishes and support we have received,” said First Lady Wolf. “Please, on behalf of the more than 400,000 Pennsylvanians who have contracted this virus, the more than 12,000 who have died, and the healthcare and essential workers who are overwhelmed and scared, follow the direction of our doctors. Wear your masks. And, if you can, stay home.”

Department of Health Encourages Residents to Participate, Register Online as Organ and Tissue Donors  

HARRISBURG – In preparation of Pennsylvania’s second annual PA Donor Day on January 8, 2021, Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine today urged all Pennsylvanians to participate and register as organ and tissue donors through Donate Life Pennsylvania, the state’s online donation registry.

“The need for registered donors in Pennsylvania is now greater than ever; fewer people have registered as organ donors in 2020 than in previous years,” Dr. Levine said. “Registering to be an organ and tissue donor has the potential to save many lives and can take only a few seconds. Organ and tissue transplants have become an integral part of health care in the state and across the nation, so I am encouraging Pennsylvanians to register as an organ donor and learn more about the importance of organ and tissue donation.”

Nearly 7,000 Pennsylvanians are among the more than 100,000 Americans currently waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. The significance of PA Donor Day, January 8 or 1/8, serves as a reminder that one donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation and enhance the lives of 75 others through tissue and corneal donation.

“PA Donor Day is a special opportunity to create a unifying moment across our state; a day when we can all work together to do good, to encourage our family, friends, neighbors, colleagues and others to learn more about the life-saving impact of organ and tissue donation and to register,” said Susan Stuart, President and CEO of CORE. “By coming together on this one momentous day, we can help make a difference in the lives of so many Pennsylvanians.”

“More than 36,000 men, women and children are expected to receive a second chance at life this year through the gift of organ donation,” said Howard M. Nathan, President and CEO of Gift of Life Donor Program. “If every potential donor was registered, thousands of more lives would be saved in the U.S. each year. Registered donors make a difference and create positive momentum around this critical public health issue. We are grateful for those employers, organizations and individuals who are already planning to participate in our second annual PA Donor Day and encourage all Pennsylvanians to join us in saving lives.”

Donate Life Pennsylvania is a collaborative initiative between the Pennsylvania Departments of Health, Education and Transportation, and Pennsylvania’s two organ procurement organizations, the Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) and Gift of Life Donor Program (GOL). It is funded by residents of Pennsylvania through voluntary contributions included with driver’s license renewals, vehicle registrations and state income tax filings, or through direct check donations to the Governor Robert P. Casey Memorial Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Trust Fund in care of the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Trust Fund contributions are used to educate Pennsylvanians, build awareness about the importance of organ and tissue donation, and increase the number of people who register as organ donors on their driver’s license or state identification cards.

More information is available at donatelifepa.org, on Facebook at @DonateLifePennsylvania and on Instagram at @donatelife_pa.

For more information on organ donation or how to donate to the Governor Casey Trust Fund, visit www.health.pa.gov or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Harrisburg, PA — Governor Tom Wolf announced today that he tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday and is in isolation at home.

The governor released the following statement:

“During a routine test yesterday, I tested positive for COVID-19. I have no symptoms and am feeling well. I am following CDC and Department of Health guidelines. Frances has been tested and, as we await the result, is quarantining at home with me.

“I am continuing to serve the commonwealth and performing all of my duties remotely, as many are doing during the pandemic.

“As this virus rages, my positive test is a reminder that no one is immune from COVID, that following all precautions as I have done is not a guarantee, but it is what we know to be vital to stopping the spread of the disease and so I ask all Pennsylvanians to wear a mask, stay home as much as possible, socially distance yourself from those not in your household, and, most of all, take care of each other and stay safe.”

Harrisburg, PA – As the fall surge of COVID-19 cases continues to surpass record highs nearly every day and the state’s health care systems move precariously close to being overwhelmed, Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine today sounded the alarm to Pennsylvanians that mitigation efforts must be followed, or we risk tragic consequences.

“If we don’t slow the spread of this dangerous virus now, the reality is that COVID-19 will overwhelm our hospitals and our health care workers,” Gov Wolf said. ‘That’s dangerous for everyone who needs medical care in a hospital for any reason, because it stretches resources and staff to the breaking point.”

The number of COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania over the course of the pandemic has topped 400,000 – a total that was at 200,000 just six weeks ago. As of Thursday, December 3, the state has seen a seven-day case increase of 48,668 cases; the previous seven-day increase was 42,713 cases, indicating 5,955 more new cases across the state over the past week compared to the previous week.

The statewide percent-positivity went up to 14.4% from 11.7% last week. Every county in the state has a concerning percent positivity above 5%, considered a threshold for positivity being too high.

“This is a significant challenge for our health care system, one unlike our modern health system in Pennsylvania has ever faced,” Secretary of Health Dr. Levine said. “Sadly, we have now seen deaths from COVID-19 in every county in the state, and our hospitals in many locations are at or near capacity. The steps each of us take, as part of our collective responsibility, are essential to protect us from the spread of COVID-19.”

Crowded conditions and dwindling resources are a reality in hospitals across the commonwealth. And so are staffing shortages due to increased patient needs and medical workers falling ill themselves.

Dr. Levine announced last week that several hospitals in the southwest and southcentral regions of the state anticipated staffing shortages could occur within the next week.

While the Pennsylvania Department of Health and all of Pennsylvania’s health systems and hospitals collaborate regionally to share resources and to try to ensure the best possible care for every patient, this task is made immensely more difficult by the fact that COVID-19 is spreading dangerously everywhere in the commonwealth.

When every region in the state, every health system, and every hospital needs the same resources, the same number of staff, the same life-saving machines and medications, there is nothing left to share when things get worse.

Overwhelmed health care systems will affect everyone who needs emergency care, not just COVID-19 patients and that can lead to more people dying, including those who could have survived serious illnesses.

“This dangerous, disturbing scenario is not only possible, it becomes increasingly likely with every day that COVID continues to spread in Pennsylvania,” Gov. Wolf said. “It’s unimaginable and yet it is true. It is also unacceptable. We cannot allow our friends, neighbors, and family members to be struck down because of this virus, especially when a widely available vaccine is likely just months away.

“Right now, we all need to take a hard look at our choices and our actions and take every precaution to protect our neighbors, families, and friends, our doctors and our nurses, and every health care worker.

“We can stop the spread of COVID-19 if we work together. So please, stay home unless you need to go out, do not attend gatherings with people outside your household, and if you need to leave your home, wear a mask. We can prevent that worst-case scenario from becoming reality, but that means that all of us need to take this virus seriously because the virus is in control and we need to take back control.”

 

(File Photo)

(Beaver Falls, Pa.) Governor Tom Wolf, Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine and Deputy Secretary of Health Preparedness and Community Protection Ray Barishansky will host a virtual press conference Monday, December 7, 2020,  to provide an update on COVID-19 in the commonwealth. Reports have said the Governor is supposed to impose new restrictions on bars, restaurants , gyms and hair salons.

Beaver County Radio will broadcast the press conference on 1230 WBVP, 1460 WMBA, 99.3 FM, and on our website at beavercountyradio.com at 2 pm.

 

Among first acts, Biden to call for 100 days of mask-wearing
By ALEXANDRA JAFFE Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden says he will ask Americans to commit to 100 days of wearing masks as one of his first acts as president. He stopped just short Thursday of the nationwide mandate he’s pushed before to stop the spread of the coronavirus. The move would mark a notable shift from President Donald Trump, whose own skepticism of mask-wearing has contributed to a politicization of the issue. That’s made many people reticent to embrace a practice that public health experts say is one of the easiest tools to manage the pandemic, which has killed more than 275,000 Americans. The president-elect has frequently emphasized mask-wearing as a “patriotic duty.”

Facebook to remove COVID-19 vaccine-related misinformation
LONDON (AP) — Facebook says it will start removing false claims about COVID-19 vaccines, in its latest move to counter a tide of coronavirus-related online misinformation. The social network said Thursday that it will take down any Facebook or Instagram posts with false information about the vaccines that have been debunked by publich health experts. The U.S. tech giant is taking action as the first COVID vaccines are set to be rolled out. Facebook said it’s applying a policy to remove virus misinformation that could lead to “imminent physical harm.” Posts that fall afoul of the policy could include phony claims about vaccine safety, efficacy, ingredients or side effects.