Coronavirus

Andy Reid’s iconic face shield just reached Hall of Fame status ... 'cause the Pro Football H.O.F. just announced the Chiefs coach's COVID-19-friendly look is getting put on display in Canton!!

The Hall of Fame announced the newest addition to its "Pro Football Today Gallery" on Monday ... which will now feature the same hat and face mask the legendary coach wore throughout part of the 2020 season.

Of course, Reid became an instant meme when his shield fogged up like crazy during Week 1 of the NFL season ... which Coach later referred to as "brutal."

After the game, Reid had their equipment director, Allen Wright, fix the issue with an anti-fogging product. He eventually switched to wearing a face mask in order to meet newly introduced league protocols.

The Hall points out it's the same mask Reid wore as he secured his 230th win as a coach during Week 9 ... when he moved into 5th place all time.

COVID-19 has claimed an astonishing number of American lives -- surpassing half a million Sunday -- more than we lost on the battlefield in three combined wars.

Compare the numbers .... there were 291,000 American deaths in WWII. There were 47,434 American battle deaths during the Vietnam War. There were 33,739 American battle deaths in the Korean War.

Compare those numbers to COVID ... as of this post 502,000 Americans have died, and the numbers keep going up. Despite the vaccines, some doctors and scientists believe there could still be a new, devastating wave of deaths because of highly-transmissible variants.

The good news, of course -- the vaccines are going into arms at a rapid pace .... lately around 1.5 million per day. Still, we are nowhere close to vaccinating enough people to achieve herd immunity. Around 70% of Americans -- possibly even more -- must be vaccinated to achieve that goal.

As you know ... there's a lot of skepticism over the vaccine for various reasons. Some people think it was rushed, and others -- especially African-Americans who endured shocking abuse in the disgraceful Tuskegee experiment -- just don't trust it or the government when it comes to vaccines.

There has been a slew of stories about the vaccines, suggesting they may not be effective as variants arise ... and lots of people resistant to the vaccines seem to be saying, what's the point?

In any case, we've lost more than half a million Americans to COVID.

"New Amsterdam" star Jocko Sims is shaking his damn head at the 2 young women in Florida who posed as grandmas to get the COVID vaccine ... but he concedes it just shows how desperate people are right now.

The TV doc -- he plays Dr. Floyd Reynolds on the medical drama -- was outside Rockefeller Plaza Friday in NYC when we downloaded him on the fake grannies who were somehow able to get their first dose ... but got busted trying to get their second vaccine shot.

Jocko's incredulous and calls the "little Mrs. Doubtfires" ridiculous for what they tried to pull ... especially when there's a clear reason why older people are getting vaccinated first.

He says it's an affront to those who've lost loved ones to the coronavirus and people struggling with it currently ... but at the same time, he does recognize it's a little funny.

A couple of Florida women tried to pull off a "Bosom Buddies"-esque ruse -- except they dressed up as old ladies -- in order to get vaccinated ... but it didn't work, at least not this time.

According to Dr. Raul Pino -- the health administrator for Orange County, FL -- the 2 women showed up at a coronavirus vaccination site this week "dressed up as grannies" in an attempt to get a shot.

Pino says their get-ups included granny glasses, but the women were only 34 and 44 years old ... and you have to be over 65 to be eligible for the COVID vaccine in the state.

Here's the thing, though -- Dr. Pino says the women presented valid Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cards indicating they HAD received their first vaccine doses, adding ... "I don’t know how they escaped the first time."

The health administrator claims there was another recent instance of a man trying to pretend to be his father of the same name in order to get a shot, and warned of people "faking it" in order to skip the line.

The 2 granny impersonators were not given the vaccine but were also not charged with any crime ... though they might be issued trespass warnings.

George Floyd's murder trial is set to begin next month -- pandemic be damned -- and the courtroom's setup shows extensive coronavirus precautions are being made.

Here's the first look at the 18th-floor courtroom at the Hennepin County Government Center, where on March 8 ... former Minneapolis PD officer Derek Chauvin will stand trial for Floyd's murder.

The room's been set up for COVID-19 safety, with what looks like socially distanced seating for the jury, plexiglass dividers for the attorneys, judge and those who take the witness stand ... and hand sanitizer everywhere.

As we've reported ... Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter for his role in Floyd's death. He's seen in the horrific arrest video with his knee pressed on Floyd's neck for roughly 8 minutes, including nearly 2 minutes after he stopped breathing.

Rough start to Cleveland's season -- Cy Young winner Shane Bieber has tested positive for COVID-19 ... but thankfully, he's said to be experiencing only "very, very mild symptoms."

Cleveland President Chris Antonetti announced Thursday the ace tested positive as he arrived to the team's spring training facility in Goodyear, AZ ... and is going through the proper protocols to ensure a safe return.

Antonetti added Bieber is expected to return to the team in a matter of days.

Bieber is the first big name out of spring training to test positive prior to the 2021 season ... and will almost certainly not be the last -- around 48 players (including names like Freddie Freeman and Juan Soto) reported having COVID-19 throughout last season.

Bieber is an absolute beast for Cleveland -- he led the American League in ERA, strikeouts and wins en route to his first Cy Young award in 2020.

Dolly Parton doesn't want a bust of her displayed outside the Tennessee Capitol ... she says the timing's just not right.

The legendary country singer turned thumbs down on a proposal from lawmakers in her home state that would honor her with a statue on Capitol grounds.

Dolly says there's just too much going on in the world to spend time, energy, effort and money on putting her on a pedestal ... so she doesn't feel the move would be appropriate.

DP makes some pretty good points and says she's asked state leaders to scuttle the bill, while also thanking lawmakers for holding her in such high esteem. She says she's honored and humbled by all the statue praise.

Dolly's leaving the door open for a Capitol grounds statue down the road ... she says she would proudly be immortalized in several years, or after she passes, if folks still feel she's deserving.

"Ah, like O.J. Simpson!"

That's how Boris Johnson chose to describe his struggle with a pair of latex gloves at a COVID vaccination site Wednesday ... and the British Prime Minister is now taking all sorts of heat for the quip.

The 56-year-old was out in Wales checking in on and helping out a Cwmbran vaccine center ... when he was handed a pair of mitts that were clearly just a little too small for his paws.

As Boris struggled to get covering over all five of his fingers ... he giggled, and then blurted out the O.J. joke.

People at the site laughed awkwardly at the comment ... with one of the workers adding, "Absolutely!"

The reference, though, now has Johnson in a bit of hot water ... with many wondering if a joke with roots in a murder trial is really the right move to make, particularly at COVID vaccine site.

"Johnson is the prime minister of the UK," one Twitter user wrote. "Is it too much to expect that he behaves with some dignity? Johnson's 'joke' is in severely bad taste."

Some on social media did find the humor behind the comment, however.

Still, Johnson has yet to address the remark since making it.

COVID is still messing with Jayson Tatum's lungs -- weeks after he was cleared to return to the NBA the Celtics star admits he's still having trouble breathing normally during games.

The 22-year-old Boston Celtics star tested positive for coronavirus on Jan. 9 -- but recovered quickly and was back on the court on Jan. 25 ... when he dropped 24 on the Chicago Bulls.

For the most part, he's looked great since the COVID leave -- but Tatum admits he's still not 100%

"I have experienced some games where, I don’t want to say struggling to breathe, but you get fatigued a lot quicker than normal," Tatum told the Boston Globe.

"Just running up and down the court a few times, it’s easier to get out of breath or tired a lot faster."

Tatum says his breathing has "gotten better" over time, but it's still an issue.

"It’s just certain stretches where breathing is a little out of whack," Tatum explained ... "and I talk to the medical staff and coaching staff about it."

As far as Tatum's stats ... his numbers have dipped since he returned to action, but nothing to panic about.

The Globe points out his shooting percentage from the field has dropped from 47.4% to 42.7% ... and his 3-point shooting is also down -- 43.8% to 36.9%.

"I guess it’s just a long process [to fully recover]," Tatum said.

Mardi Gras is a muted scene in 2021 due to coronavirus cancellations of almost all the festivities New Orleans is famous for this time of year ... and it's an eerie sight.

Bars are closed, Bourbon Street's blocked off, there are no parades ... and revelers loaded with beads and booze are not packing the streets to celebrate Fat Tuesday.

Compared to what went down in 2020 -- right before the COVID-19 pandemic really hit the fan -- it's pretty incredible, and a little depressing.

However, after the city announced it would be shutting down Mardi Gras events because of the pandemic, a silver lining emerged ... a house floats movement.

According to reports ... roughly 3,000 house floats have sprung up in the greater NOLA area in tribute to all the absent parades, and they're pretty awesome. They're calling it Yardi Gras!

Moneybagg Yo said he's made a bundle during the pandemic and that he didn't want it to end -- something he immediately regretted and took back.

The Memphis rapper issued a mea culpa Monday after a pair of cringe-worthy tweets about the coronavirus -- and how it had affected him (and his net worth) as well as others (in his eyes, anyway). All the tweets still seem to be live on his profile.

At first, he wrote ... "Not gone lie I made a couple Ms in da pandemic, ion want it to end Smiling face with open mouth and cold sweatHundred points symbolMan shrugging."

Moneybagg followed up by saying he thought the pandemic had helped a lot of people, but didn't really elaborate on how. Either way, it was a terrible take ... for which he apologized.

After catching backlash, Moneybagg wrote, "I apologize to everybody I offended my comment was very insensitive it was not my intent to hurt anyone." Seems he got the message that ... yeah, the pandemic actually hasn't been great for a lot of folks, despite his good fortune.

And yes, MY has had a relatively good year -- he dropped an album last January (pre-pandemic) which charted well on the Billboard 200 ... and then dropped a new single, "Said Sum," this past November, which has also found its way onto the charts with staying power.

Dr. Fauci has a million new reasons to smile, 'cause the guy just came up on a boatload of cash for sticking to the facts and the science during the pandemic.

The director of the NIAID was just awarded a million-dollar cash prize from the Dan David Foundation -- an Israeli nonprofit that funds and advocates for breakthroughs in science and technology. He's one of three recipients to get a cool mil ... all for "defending science."

There are past, present and future categories for the winners, and DF got etched in as the man of the present in the field of public health ... due to his work speaking on behalf of vaccines -- plus, everything else he's done on the pandemic front, in 2020 and beyond.

The Dan David Foundation said Fauci's storied legacy in HIV and AIDS research was also considered in granting him the award.

It's interesting ... although the org didn't mention Trump by name, they certainly alluded to him in their remarks -- saying, in part, they were giving this to Tony for "courageously defending science in the face of uninformed opposition during the challenging COVID crisis."

You'll recall ... Fauci recently said it was "liberating" to be able to speak truthfully and freely about how best to fight the virus, without a de facto muzzle on him from the very top.

Michael Jordan is donating $10 MILLION to open 2 new health clinics near his hometown of Wilmington, North Carolina ... specifically to help people in need.

The NBA legend is working with Novant Health -- a non-profit health care group with hospitals and medical centers throughout NC.

Novant says MJ's donation will bring "comprehensive primary care, including behavioral health and social support services, to the area’s most vulnerable communities."

The 2 clinics funded by Jordan's donation are scheduled to open in early 2022 -- and both centers will offer "much-needed services to those who are uninsured or underinsured."

Jordan -- who previously donated $7 mil to open 2 centers in 2017 -- says he's extremely proud to "bring better access to critical medical services in my hometown."

"Everyone should have access to quality health care, no matter where they live, or whether or not they have insurance. Wilmington holds a special place in my heart and it’s truly gratifying to be able to give back to the community that supported me throughout my life."

Novant says the 2 clinics MJ opened in 2017 have already seen more than 4,500 patients, in addition to providing critical COVID-19 response.

The locations have also administered close to 1,000 COVID-19 vaccine shots -- "with plans to scale up vaccination efforts even further as supply increases."

Valentine's Day is usually rush hour at Las Vegas wedding chapels, but a bunch of Elvis pastors WILL be lonesome this weekend ... due to the pandemic.

According to the Graceland Wedding Chapel ... it conducted a whopping 75 ceremonies on V-Day 2020 -- just weeks before COVID-19 changed the world -- but it only has 50 on the books so far for 2021.

The famous chapel tells TMZ ... roughly half its business typically comes from international guests, but with coronavirus travel restrictions that number's a big, fat zero this year.

Graceland says it hopes to get 60 wedding ceremonies booked before Sunday, but that's still a significant decline of at least 20 percent.

A rep for Chapel of the Flowers tells us their wedding ceremony bookings are also down 20 percent this year compared to last ... but it's even worse at a couple other spots.

Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel says it's down 50 percent for V-Day, and like Graceland ... the lack of international couples is crushing its bottom line. As of now, it says it only has 17 wedding reservations for Sunday ... which is incredibly low.

The owner of Bliss Wedding Chapel, which just opened in October, tells us he's been banking on a Valentine's Day surge for some much-needed cash ... but it's not happening.

He says he's been in the biz for a while and would expect a solid 50 ceremonies under normal conditions ... but COVID's limited bookings to just 26, so far.

One thing the chapels cited for their struggles is having to operate at half-capacity. Like the Bliss owner put it -- weddings are the opposite of social distancing, so couples who would be forced to cut the guest list are simply opting to wait or go elsewhere.

Avril Lavigne and Mod Sun have a big day in store Sunday ... Valentine's Day, because they made it clear Friday night -- they're a couple.

They hit up BOA Steakhouse in WeHo for Mod Sun's album release party for "Internet Killed the Rock Star." It's his 4th album and Avril's featured in one of the songs -- "Flames."

They were hand-in-hand as they had their temps checked at the door, before walking in. Two things seem clear -- they're a couple, and they both take COVID super seriously. Both Avril and Mod Sun are masked up and, as they hop in their SUV after dinner, they immediately hit the hand sanitizer pump.

Before leaving, Mod Sun drops $100 on roses ... a little pre-Valentine's Day celebration.

It's interesting ... a dude in an "Internet Killed the Rock Star" shirt is filming, so maybe Avril and Mod Sun are going to the next level ... a reality show?!??

No more fans at the Australian Open ... at least for the next week.

With the number of COVID cases in the Australian state of Victoria rising to 19 -- officials decided it was best to go back into a state-wide lockdown.

Officials declared the state would return to Stage 4 restrictions on Friday -- which means Victoria will effectively be in a state of lockdown for at least 5 days in the hopes of stopping a possible spread of the virus.

As soon as the announcement was made, tournament officials began asking fans to leave the tennis courts, ASAP.

Roughly 6 million people live in Victoria -- and now they will only be allowed to leave their homes for essential activities like shopping for food, work, medical treatment, etc.

The Australian Open tournament director, Craig Tiley, said the event will continue ... but in a bubble environment where fans will not be allowed to attend until the restrictions have been lifted.

"Play will continue, the players will compete in a bubble not dissimilar to what they've been doing for the last year," Tiley said.

"Those that will be allowed on site will be players and direct support teams, as well as staff members unable to do their work from home. ... Those essential to the delivery of the event will be on site."

Top players from all over the world had flown to Australia for the tourney -- including Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, Rafael Nadal and more.

In fact, Serena had praised the country for its handling of COVID and gushed about how nice it was to play in front of crowds again.