Omicron Cancellations Are Piling Up: Here’s a Short List

(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.

Holiday shows

In a tweet citing “extreme uncertainty ahead” and multiple positive cases within the company, the producers of “Jagged Little Pill,” the Tony award-winning Broadway musical inspired by Alanis Morrissette’s hit album, have closed the production. 

Other Broadway shows including “Hamilton” and “Aladdin” have paused performances through Christmas week. The Rockettes canceled their Christmas Spectacular. Over the weekend, NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” opted to air without a studio audience and 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 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 to Miami, where Covid protocols are less restrictive. Miley Cyrus and Davidson will host. 

Paris, Rio de Janeiro and Los Angeles are among cities that have canceled in-person New Year’s Eve celebrations.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio 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.

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 as well. 

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 delayed return-to-office plans indefinitely. Ford Motor Co. delayed its return until March. Lyft Inc. says workers don’t have to return 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.

Sports

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell 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 closed to the U.K. The Netherlands has gone into lockdown. Meanwhile, Japan’s borders will remain closed to foreigners.

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