Coronavirus

It's 2021 or bust for the Tokyo Olympics ... this according to the IOC president who says they simply can't afford to push the Games any further.

"You cannot forever employ 3,000 to 5,000 people in an organising committee," Bach told BBC Sport ... "You cannot have the athletes being in uncertainty."

Of course, the Olympics were initially scheduled for 2020 -- but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Olympic Committee agreed to postpone to Summer 2021.

It's the first time in modern history the Olympics have been postponed.

But now, IOC President Thomas Bach says there's a limit to how far they can push the event ... explaining that if it's not safe to hold the Games in 2021, they're just gonna call the whole thing off.

"You cannot every year change the entire sports schedule worldwide of all the major federations. You cannot have the athletes being in uncertainty."

"You cannot have so much overlapping with a future Olympic Games, so I have some understanding for this approach by our Japanese partners."

Bach says the IOC is committed to the 2021 Games -- but he's keeping it real ... it's impossible to know for sure if the world will be ready for that kind of a gathering with the coronavirus threat still looming.

"We have to be prepared for different scenarios. There is the clear commitment to having these games in July next year."

"At the same time, looking at the scenarios this may require towards the organisation, with regard to health measures, these maybe need quarantine for the athletes, for part of the athletes, for other participants.

Vice President Mike Pence is sticking to the Trump administration playbook ... getting out in public without a face mask, despite close contact with Florida's Governor and citizens.

The Veep was down in Orlando Wednesday with Gov. Ron DeSantis and some other bigwigs, where they were chowing down at a restaurant called Beth's Burger Bar -- all to talk shop about safely reopening Florida's economy again.

Ironically ... the two politicos -- and just about everyone else inside -- didn't appear to observe much, if any, social distancing during lunch. In fact, they were all pretty darn close to one another ... and, of course, both men went mask-less.

It's not exactly a surprise Pence is flouting his own task force's recommendations here -- he's very rarely worn a face-covering ... despite the fact his own press secretary tested positive for the coronavirus.

Of course, the Prez and the VP are telegraphing the no-mask message to the masses, which arguably is fueling a growing rift in the country about this issue. It's even led to violence at times.

Oprah is looking out for folks in the cities she's called home ... giving grants to 5 areas through her $12 million COVID-19 relief fund.

O just announced a massive pledge Wednesday through her Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation, which is spreading the $12 million around underserved communities in places she's lived -- Baltimore, Chicago, Milwaukee and Nashville -- and Kosciusko, Miss., where she was born.

The beloved talk show host says wealthy people need to step up and donate, because the novel coronavirus is not going away. She says even when the virus is gone, people will still be reeling from the devastation it's causing their livelihoods, particularly folks who live paycheck to paycheck and are burning through savings amid the raging pandemic.

Oprah says she's donating to the 5 cities she once called home because it's important to look into your own backyard and your own neighborhood to see how you can help less fortunate souls.

O is giving $5 million to Live Healthy Chicago, an organization supporting seniors and other high-risk residents affected by COVID-19, after speaking with Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

Down in Nashville, where Oprah started her media career while living with her father, she's giving $2 mill to NashvilleNurtures, a collab between her alma mater Tennessee State University and Mount Zion Baptist Church. The funds will put food on the plates of 10,000 local families.

Over in Milwaukee, where Oprah lived with her mom, she's donating $100,000 to SaintA and The Nia Imani Family, Inc. to aid those in need of mental health care and housing.

Meanwhile, in Baltimore, where Oprah also built her media empire, she's giving funds to the Center For Urban Families and Living Classrooms Foundation.

And, in her birthplace, Oprah is donating another $115,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of East Mississippi.

As we reported ... Oprah announced her coronavirus relief fund in April, initially pledging $1 million to feed food-insecure Americans, and just last week she challenged 2020 graduates to find their essential service in her virtual commencement speech.

O says she challenged herself to do the same, and she's putting a lot of money where her mouth is.

Washington Redskins rookie Antonio Gandy-Golden says he tested positive for coronavirus back in March ... but is back to feeling "100%" after weeks of self-quarantine.

The 22-year-old receiver -- a 4th-round pick out of Liberty -- released a statement via his agent on Tuesday ... revealing he tested positive on March 24 while preparing for the 2020 NFL Draft.

"My symptoms thankfully were mild, but I self-quarantined for two weeks and followed all guidelines from health experts," Gandy-Golden said in the statement.

AGG says he was fully cleared on April 7 ... and doing much better now.

"I feel 100% now and can't wait to get on the field for the Redskins ASAP!"

Gandy-Golden was a standout WR for 4 seasons at Liberty -- he broke the single-game receiving yards record with 245 against New Mexico and finished his career with 3,722 total receiving yards.

Jason Wahler is lending a helping hand to grief-stricken families amid the COVID-19 crisis with something that goes a long way these days during quarantine ... free therapy.

The 'Hills' star has teamed up with singer Hilary Roberts and her organization, Red Songbird Foundation, to launch a campaign called #GiveGriefAChance just earlier this month, which aims at helping out those who've lost loved ones during the virus.

They're gifting free therapy sessions to those who weren't able to mourn traditionally because of the pandemic, and the mass shutdowns that followed -- which majorly impacted interments and funeral services just about everywhere. Without a proper goodbye ... closure is extremely difficult.

We're told Jason and Hilary have partnered with several master-level therapists from across the country to provide the free services -- which are done via Zoom -- and they're extending the offer through June 1 because it's become so popular.

The gesture compliments another great thing Hilary's doing ... she's donating 50% of the proceeds from her recent single, "Just Let Go," to those same grieving families. RSF has also doled out over a million bucks in scholarships to folks suffering from a number of afflictions, like substance abuse, trauma and mental health in general.

Bret Michaels ain't looking for nothing but a good time at a socially distant concert or ball game ... he's willing to strike a balance and compromise, as long as it's safe.

The Poison lead singer tells us he's seen clips from the first "socially distant" indoor concert during the pandemic -- a Travis McCready gig in Arkansas -- and says his band would gladly do the same, provided there are a few guarantees.

Bret, who is immunocompromised -- due to diabetes and skin cancer -- says everyone in the industry is itching to get back on stage ... and the minute he's assured it's safe and responsible, he's ready to rock. Hell, Bret's even willing to backpack to the venue!!!

At the Travis McCready concert, there was a small crowd and everyone was wearing masks. Folks had their temperatures checked before entering the venue, and bathrooms were limited to 10 people at once.

Bret admits the new normal will be a hard thing for artists like himself ... because nothing about a socially distant crowd screams Rock 'n' Roll.

How hard? Just watch him talk about compromise and respect in crowds instead of fans losing it in a mosh pit. The words did NOT flow easily off the tongue for Bret, but he's willing to do whatever's necessary to play live again or attend a sporting event.

Bottom line for Bret is we're all in this together, and that means we all must adjust. He also had a special message for our essential workers and folks on the front lines.

Jerry Jones is back at the Cowboys office for the 1st time since the pandemic suspended most NFL operations in March ... and the Dallas owner is calling the return a "big day for sports."

The NFL began allowing teams to return some of their employees to facilities Tuesday ... and 77-year-old Jerry was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for his comeback, sporting a mask and gloves on his way in.

"This is a big day for our clubs," Jones said. "I think it's a big day for the NFL. I think it's a big day for sports. It's a big day for building confidence."

According to the team, Jerry participated in a virtual owners meeting ... and the billionaire owner did it right from his desk at the Cowboys' pricey "Star" facility.

As for what Jerry sipped on for the meeting ... check out his big glass of iced tea!!!

Jerry also seemed super optimistic about NFL operations returning to normal sooner than later, saying, "In the days and weeks ahead I look forward to welcoming so many of our employees back to the workplace."

One positive side effect of coronavirus restrictions -- fewer car crashes -- is creating a negative side effect ... longer waits for organ donations.

The data makes it clear ... deaths from car accidents are the biggest single source of organs for transplant -- 33% to be exact -- according to the United Network For Organ Sharing, which runs the country's organ transplant system.

But, ever since the novel coronavirus started the wave of shelter-in-place orders across the country ... car crashes, and deaths from them, are in steep decline. In California, for instance, car fatalities were down 50% during the first 3 weeks of safer-at-home orders, according to a study by UC Davis.

Similarly, drowning deaths are also way down ... a whopping 80%.

Those numbers -- 2 very good things in a vacuum -- are bad news for people desperately waiting for new organs. It's also happening at a time of year when UNOS usually sees a surge in donations due to more people traveling ... which leads to more accidents on roads, and during vacations.

Organ donors from traffic deaths plummeted 23% nationwide from March 8 to April 11 compared to the same period last year, and organ donors dying in all other accidents were down 21% ... according to UNOS.

Emergency room visits are down too -- people are scared to go because of COVID-19 -- and that creates another problem. Many transplanted organs come from stroke and heart attack victims -- the 2nd and 3rd most common sources -- but now they're happening less frequently in hospitals ... rendering those organs useless for donation.

One Costco employee did what a lot of folks might be hesitant to do in these strange times -- putting his foot down over a face mask policy ... and kicking out a defiant customer.

Check out this video the guy shot of someone who appears to be a Costco manager recently giving him the boot when he tried walking up to the registers without a face covering. That's the new safety rule, Costco requires all shoppers and employees to wear one inside.

We gotta give this soldier, Tison, props for keeping his cool in the face of an unruly shopper, who tried shaming him by recording and blasting him on social media. But, Tison explained precisely why he was taking away the guy's cart, and then did exactly that.

The dude behind the camera said he was breaking Costco's rule because it's a free country and he's "not a f**king sheep." The rant didn't work though ... Tison took his crap and calmly walked away.

What's crazier is what happened later ... this pissed off Costco member hopped back online when he was home -- shirtless, no less -- and continued to rail against the "system." He claimed all this new must-wear-masks business is just about control, etc.

Although he was a total jerk about it, the fact is this guy is hardly alone in taking this stance against face masks. Hell, President Trump is pretty much the poster boy for the movement.

Of course, scientists are saying it until they're blue in the face ... the simple act of putting on a mask helps prevent the spread of the virus, and therefore, saves lives.

Americans and the rest of the world parking their asses at home during the coronavirus pandemic contributed to an extreme change in daily carbon emissions ... but don't get so geeked out just yet.

The COVID-19 "forced confinement" lowered levels by a whopping 17% in daily carbon emissions. These numbers haven't been seen since 2006 ... according to a team of international scientists which reportedly produced the first analysis to measure the pandemic-driven global drop in CO2. The measurements are from January through April of this year.

In the U.S., California and the state of Washington saw the biggest decline in emissions, produced from burning oil, gas and coal. Good news? For sure. But, the reality is ... this CO2 reduction, scientists say, won't put even the smallest dent on the global climate crisis.

As if 2020 wasn't bad enough already with COVID-19 and the brief, albeit terrifying, deadly hornets invading North America ... this year is reportedly still on track to be one of the five hottest years on record.

The lockdown measures are expected to have a long-term effect that could lead to the biggest annual decrease in emissions since the end of World War II. Even still, the international scientists say these reductions aren't giving them reason to celebrate.