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As coronavirus cases surge across the country, there also has been a spike in positive cases in Transportation Security Administration employees at the nation’s airports. There have been 24 new cases of COVID-19 among TSA officers at McCarran International Airport reported since Oct. 22, according to TSA data. Since the pandemic began, the total number of TSA employees testing positive for the virus at McCarran sits at 65. (Akers, 11/19)

In any other year, we'd be happily flying over the rivers and past the woods to get to Grandma's house more quickly for the holidays. But it's 2020, and globally there are more than 1.3 million deaths from the novel coronavirus so far -- with no end in sight. "I'm particularly worried about air travel," said pediatrician Dr. David Rubin, who directs PolicyLab, a research and public policy center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. The center is tracking Covid-19 cases in communities across the country. (LaMotte, 11/18)

Since the coronavirus pandemic began in March, many states have implemented rolling travel restrictions that change often. The coronavirus case rates in both a traveler’s origin and destination can determine if a trip across state lines — even a short one — could result in necessary tests or quarantine. Now with a surge of U.S. infections, even more states are updating their policies and tightening their restrictions ahead of the holiday travel season. (McMahon, 11/19)

KHN: Fear Of Flying Is A COVID-Era Conundrum

The holidays are approaching just as COVID-19 case rates nationwide are increasing at a record-breaking pace, leading to dire warnings from public health experts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued cautions and updated guidelines related to family gatherings. Dr. Anthony Fauci, a White House coronavirus adviser and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in interviews that his kids won’t be coming home for Thanksgiving because of coronavirus risks. “Relatives getting on a plane, being exposed in an airport,” he told CBS News. “And then walking in the door and saying ‘Happy Thanksgiving’ — that you have to be concerned about.” (Knight, 11/20)

Legendary college football coach Lou Holtz has confirmed he has tested positive for COVID-19. Holtz, 83, told ABC Columbia on Thursday that he is recovering from the virus. “I don’t have a lot of energy right now,” said Holtz, who's best known for his 11-year tenure at Notre Dame that included a Fiesta Bowl win and a national championship in the 1988 season. (Gardner, 11/19)

Sixteen days after landing on the reserve/COVID-19 list, Andy Dalton’s sense of taste and smell still elude him. “You can tell things are sweet,” the Cowboys quarterback said Thursday from the Star. “You can tell things are salty. You just don’t get the flavor with it.” After a whirlwind month battling a concussion and then the novel coronavirus, Dalton will settle for that. (Epstein, 11/19)

The Pac-12 Conference has approved a plan to allow member schools to schedule nonconference football opponents subject to certain conditions if games are canceled. The conference has had five of its 18 scheduled games during the first three weeks canceled amid COVID-19 issues. California and UCLA were able to schedule a game against each other last weekend on 45 hours’ notice after Cal’s game against Arizona State and UCLA’s matchup against Utah were canceled due to the Sun Devils and Utes having several positive COVID-19 tests. (11/19)

After two weeks away from her nightly MSNBC show, Rachel Maddow returned on Thursday night in a live-feed broadcast from her living room. As the show began, an emotional Maddow told viewers the reason behind her previously unexplained absence. Her partner of 21 years, the artist and photographer Susan Mikula, tested positive for the novel coronavirus almost two weeks ago and then became seriously ill. (Shepherd, 11/20)