A clue to why omicron is spreading so quickly

Also: Wu says Mass. & Cass tents to be cleared by Jan. 12; streaming rules, vinyl grooves [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  December 15, 2021 ⛅ Chance of showers in the morning. Becomes mostly sunny, with a high near 65. Good Morning Boston, It's official: The omicron COVID-19 variant has been [detected in Boston](. Here's what you need to know: - Of the three cases detected in Boston, none of the adult residents affected were fully vaccinated, and all three cases were mild. - Remind me, why are people concerned? Well, omicron's spread is already outpacing delta, which was thought to be pretty fast. It's already been detected in at least 77 countries worldwide. For more on the science behind why this variant may be so transmissible, read the story below. - To help us get through the seventh-inning stretch of this pandemic, [Fenway's mass vaccination site]( will be back up-and-running in January. The goal is to help more people get vaccinated or boosted quickly since commercial pharmacies are booking out weeks in advance. - Gov. Charlie Baker is also asking cities and towns across Massachusetts to consider setting up local clinics for residents to get vaccinated, especially as case numbers in the state are rising and hospitals are reaching capacity. - State lawmakers are also meeting today to talk about the surge in cases and how best to respond. Topics on the docket will likely include booster shots, hospital capacity, omicron and statewide mask rules. - There's now an indoor mask mandate in effect in Lowell. It's for everyone 2 and older, regardless of vaccination status, and will remain in place until at least February. - The Bruins will take the ice tonight, but they'll be down three players. Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and Craig Smith have all been benched due to COVID precautions. In non-COVID news: - The city's zoning commission voted to get rid of Boston's parking requirements for affordable housing developments. The hope is this will lower the cost of building affordable housing. Up until now, new residential units were required to provide a minimum number of parking spaces per unit. - PSA: Residents and businesses in Boston may be able to cut electric costs this winter. Mayor Michelle Wu says the average residential customer could save $27 a month compared to Eversource rates through the city's Community Choice Electricity program. You can learn more about the program [here](. P.S.– I know in yesterday's newsletter, I asked you to share the [most ridiculous pandemic-related scenarios]( you found yourself in this year. This is a reminder that Here & Now also wants to hear about the good stuff: [Your bright moments of 2021]( the things that brought you a little joy amid the angst. It's all about balance, right? Please contribute to both – we'd love to hear from you! Meagan McGinnes Senior Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [A tantalizing clue to why omicron is spreading so quickly]( A new study from the University of Hong Kong offers preliminary information that could explain why this new coronavirus variant may be more transmissible. [Read more.]( [A tantalizing clue to why omicron is spreading so quickly]( A new study from the University of Hong Kong offers preliminary information that could explain why this new coronavirus variant may be more transmissible. [Read more.]( [Boston's tent encampment to be cleared by Jan. 12, Wu says]( Wu's office highlighted three locations where dozens of beds are available or will become available "within weeks" to support those in need: the EnVision Hotel, a temporary site at the Roundhouse Hotel, and Shattuck Hospital Campus. [Read more.]( [Boston's tent encampment to be cleared by Jan. 12, Wu says]( Wu's office highlighted three locations where dozens of beds are available or will become available "within weeks" to support those in need: the EnVision Hotel, a temporary site at the Roundhouse Hotel, and Shattuck Hospital Campus. [Read more.]( [Conventions are making a comeback. But attendance still lags.]( The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority warns a full slate of events at its flagship venues — the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center and the Hynes Convention Center — does not mean a full recovery. It expects attendance in the first quarter of next year to be just 50% to 60% of what it was in 2019. [Read more.]( [Conventions are making a comeback. But attendance still lags.]( The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority warns a full slate of events at its flagship venues — the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center and the Hynes Convention Center — does not mean a full recovery. It expects attendance in the first quarter of next year to be just 50% to 60% of what it was in 2019. [Read more.]( [Streaming rules, but vinyl still grooves: Record stores see new generation of shoppers]( "Suddenly there was this swell of interest in vinyl, and it was mostly coming from young people," said Jack Woker, owner of Stereo Jack's in Cambridge. [Read more.]( [Streaming rules, but vinyl still grooves: Record stores see new generation of shoppers]( "Suddenly there was this swell of interest in vinyl, and it was mostly coming from young people," said Jack Woker, owner of Stereo Jack's in Cambridge. [Read more.]( [Trailblazing feminist author, critic and activist bell hooks has died at 69]( The prolific author, poet, cultural critic, feminist and professor, who wrote more than three dozen wide-ranging books, died Wednesday at her home in Berea, Ky. [Read more.]( [Trailblazing feminist author, critic and activist bell hooks has died at 69]( The prolific author, poet, cultural critic, feminist and professor, who wrote more than three dozen wide-ranging books, died Wednesday at her home in Berea, Ky. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - The National Archives has [released nearly 1,500 new documents]( on President John F. Kennedy's assassination. - From an Edgar Allan Poe play to Langston Hughes' "Black Nativity," here are [five things to do this weekend.]( - Not in the Christmas spirit? The Coolidge Corner Theatre is screening [three holiday slashers]( as a counteroffer. What We're Reading 📚 - Should Carrie Have Called 911? We Asked a Cardiologist ([Vulture]( - When vaccination signup sites were broken, they interrupted maternity leave to help ([The Boston Globe]( - Hallmark’s Christmas Movie Battle With Upstart Channel Means Double the Holiday Sap ([The Wall Street Journal]( Life Advice [This New England ski and snowboard guide will help you plan your next trip (Boston.com)]( Here’s what’s new at five popular mountains across New England. [Read more.]( [This New England ski and snowboard guide will help you plan your next trip (Boston.com)]( Here’s what’s new at five popular mountains across New England. [Read more.]( Before you go: [Festive or frightening?]( You tell me. Correction: In yesterday's newsletter, we incorrectly stated a grand jury dismissed indictments of two people charged over their roles at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home during the deadly 2020 COVID outbreak. The Superior Court judge dismissed the indictments. 😎 Forward to a friend. 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