Is COVID-19 an act of God?

The business implications of the COVID-19 pandemic are wideranging and significant. Many businesses are dissecting the force majeure provisions in their contracts to determine if they can negotiate any relief from the pressure points caused by the pandemic. The most common force majeure event is an “act of God.” This article asks: under some circumstances, can the COVID-19 pandemic qualify as an act of God that triggers a force majeure clause?