(Bloomberg) — With triple-vaxxed Senators Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren, and celebrities like Queen guitarist Brian May all testing positive for Covid, echoes of “Is It Canceled Yet?” are dominating the global conversation about the pandemic.
Here’s what’s been canceled, moved or otherwise postponed.
Conferences
The World Economic Forum, scheduled for Davos, Switzerland, in January, has been put off until summer. It’s the latest big conference to reconsider an in-person gathering. Last week, JPMorgan Chase & Co. decided to go virtual with its 40th annual health-care conference. It was scheduled for Jan. 10-13 in San Francisco, but moved online after Moderna Inc. and Amgen Inc. dropped out.
Could CES 2022 be next? The show is scheduled to continue as planned. With some questioning whether they should go to Vegas next month for the world’s largest technology show, the organizers are providing a remote experience on a companion online platform with access to keynotes and conference sessions, as well as virtual networking with exhibitors and attendees.
Those who attend must be fully vaxxed and masked, and will be provided a free self test to be administered 24 hours prior to entry.
Companies, Universities
The surge is already having an impact on workplaces and on campuses. CNN closed its offices to nonessential workers last weekend. Apple Inc., Google and Uber Technologies Inc. have all delayed return-to-office plans indefinitely. Ford Motor Co. delayed its return until March. Lyft Inc. says workers don’t have to show until 2023.
On Monday, Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. and its Starz division closed offices because of outbreaks, according to Deadline.
NYU, Cornell, Middlebury and Princeton sent students home last week.
Holiday shows
Following the cancellation of “Hamilton” and The Rockettes in New York Christmas week, NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” decided to bar the studio audience this past weekend, the last episode of the season. The show also canceled the musical performance by Charli XCX.
“I am devastated and heartbroken,” the British singer-songwriter tweeted. In a taped sketch on the show, Pete Davidson sang “Goodbye for now, we’ll see each other again” as a washed up comic playing to an empty lounge — on Christmas Eve 2025.
However, MSG Entertainment said on Monday that Billy Joel, Phish and other concerts and events at Madison Square Garden in New York will go on as planned.
NBC also moved its televised New Year’s Eve party in New York with Carson Daly to Miami with Miley Cyrus and SNL’s Davidson. The Covid protocols there are less restrictive.
Paris, Rio de Janeiro and Los Angeles have all canceled their in-person New Year’s Eve celebrations.
This leaves the eyes on New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, who said he’ll announce before Christmas whether a fully vaccinated crowd will be allowed to gather outdoors in Times Square for New Year’s Eve. The preparations are still moving forward.
Sports
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has called for a “flexible response” to the rise in Covid cases, rescheduling a number of NFL games. The NBA has postponed five games and NHL many more, according to NPR.
Travel
Israel banned travel to the U.S. and Canada, France has closed to the U.K, and the Netherlands has gone into lockdown.
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