We begin 2022 with world entering the third year of the pandemic. A scaled down Times Square crowd rang in the new year, as the most of United States faces explosive growth of daily new coronavirus cases. New infections are averaging nearly four hundred thousand a day, up a staggering two hundred percent over the last two weeks, yet hospitalizations are growing at a much slower rate than cases.

New York just hit a record, eighty-five thousand daily new cases. The Omicron variant is also partially to blame for the state’s highest hospitalization total since February. Florida reported fifty-six thousand new Covid cases, shattering its single day record. From the fireworks and revelers in Las Vegas, to the scaled-back celebration in Times Square, the brand-new year has begun with the same old pandemic getting even worse. At today’s Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Kaiser Permanente pulled twenty frontline workers who were supposed appear on this float to protect their health and safety. Cases in Los Angeles County have tripled in three days. More than one out of every five Covid tests is coming back positive. While some school districts have paused and will start the winter term virtually, most large school districts will bring kids back to the classroom on Monday. Parents have mixed feelings. New York’s health commissioner acknowledges pandemic fatigue amid the latest blizzard of new Covid cases. As we enter this third pandemic year, the CDC warned the Omicron fueled surge is particularly dangerous for those who are unvaccinated. They are ten times more likely become infected.

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• : to cause to gather : CONVENE. 召集

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