EditorsPicks

By KATHLEEN FOODY, Associated Press Troy Warren for CNT #COVID-19  #EditorsPicks CHICAGO (AP) — More than a year after the vaccine was rolled out, new cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. have soared to their highest level on record at over 265,000 per day on average, a surge driven largely by the highly contagious omicron variant. New cases per day have more than doubled over the past two weeks, eclipsing the old mark of 250,000, set in mid-January, according to data kept by Johns Hopkins University. The fast-spreading mutant version of the virus has cast a pall over Christmas and New…

By NICOLE WINFIELD, Associated Press Troy Warren for CNT #COVID-19  #EditorsPicks ROME (AP) — Christians around the world celebrated their second COVID-19 Christmas on Saturday with surging infections in many countries overwhelming hospitals, canceling flights and curbing religious observances, even as coronavirus vaccines were more available than ever. While some countries in Asia imposed restrictions to try to contain the highly contagious omicron variant, governments in Europe, the U.S. and elsewhere preached common sense despite reporting record daily cases this week, advising their citizens to use masks and voluntarily limit the size of holiday gatherings. The head of intensive care at…