COVID cases per day in Mass. up 80% from last month

Also: Biden extends student loan payment freeze; new law averts possible egg shortage in Mass. [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  December 22, 2021 🌞 Sunny, with a high near 32. Good Morning Boston, According to the National Weather Service, the snowiest Christmas Day in Boston is tied between 1974 and 2002. But how much snow accumulated on both of those days? You can [make your guess by 9 a.m.]( Here's what else you should know this morning: - There's a COVID outbreak at Boston Latin School. So far, there have been 36 positive tests reported in the last week, most involving students in upper grades. School officials say the spread is happening among students outside of school and that it's concerning. - But infection rates across Massachusetts are high. The seven-day positive test rate is now a little over 7% – the highest rate reported in nearly a year. We're averaging about 4,400 new cases a day, which is up nearly 80% from a month ago. And looking at the [wastewater data]( things look like they're only going to get worse. - To try to slow community spread, Salem is following Boston's lead. Starting next month, the city will require proof of vaccination at indoor businesses, like restaurants, gyms, movie theaters, museums and concert venues. It's also implementing an indoor mask mandate. - An indoor mask mandate also takes effect in Swampscott this evening. In non-COVID news: - If you have a phone that uses 3G wireless technology, it's time to upgrade! Telecom companies in Massachusetts and across the country are phasing out 3G beginning in the New Year to make room for newer, faster 5G connectivity. Verizon and AT&T are urging customers to replace their old phones as soon as possible to ensure they can dial for emergency services. - The Mashpee Wampanoag reservation was reaffirmed by the Biden administration yesterday, meaning it will remain federally protected and the tribe can continue to maintain its sovereign government. - PSA: There's an important open enrollment deadline today. If you need health insurance starting Jan.1, you have until midnight tonight to sign up for a plan through the Massachusetts Health Connector. If you don't need coverage for the start of January, you have a little more time. The annual open enrollment period ends Jan. 23. P.S.– We'll be taking a break from this newsletter next week, but fret not. We have one more, very special newsletter for 2021 hitting your inboxes tomorrow. I'll see you then. Meagan McGinnes Senior Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [As omicron surges, these states and cities are focused on giving out free COVID tests]( Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Washington, Iowa and Colorado all have programs to offer free COVID testing to some or all of their residents. So do Boston, Philadelphia and New York. [Read more.]( [As omicron surges, these states and cities are focused on giving out free COVID tests]( Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Washington, Iowa and Colorado all have programs to offer free COVID testing to some or all of their residents. So do Boston, Philadelphia and New York. [Read more.]( [Lawrence hospital chaplain reflects on pandemic's impact as Mass. approaches 20,000 COVID deaths]( Rev. Thomas "Mac" McSweeney estimates he's made about 6,700 patient visits during the pandemic. For COVID patients, he sometimes has to pray for them through a window or door. [Read more.]( [Lawrence hospital chaplain reflects on pandemic's impact as Mass. approaches 20,000 COVID deaths]( Rev. Thomas "Mac" McSweeney estimates he's made about 6,700 patient visits during the pandemic. For COVID patients, he sometimes has to pray for them through a window or door. [Read more.]( [President Biden extends student loan payment freeze through May 1]( President Biden extended relief for federal student loan borrowers for an additional 90 days because borrowers are "still coping with the impacts of the pandemic." Payments now resume May 1. [Read more.]( [President Biden extends student loan payment freeze through May 1]( President Biden extended relief for federal student loan borrowers for an additional 90 days because borrowers are "still coping with the impacts of the pandemic." Payments now resume May 1. [Read more.]( [New law averts possible 2022 egg shortage in Massachusetts]( Gov. Charlie Baker signed a bill Wednesday that sets new standards for the egg industry, averting what the industry had projected would be a scarcity of eggs available for sale in Massachusetts in 2022. [Read more.]( [New law averts possible 2022 egg shortage in Massachusetts]( Gov. Charlie Baker signed a bill Wednesday that sets new standards for the egg industry, averting what the industry had projected would be a scarcity of eggs available for sale in Massachusetts in 2022. [Read more.]( [Everyday people fear they have CTE. A dubious market has sprung up to treat them]( Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) goes far beyond the NFL. Everyday men and women worry they have the fatal disease, and they've turned to questionable brain products for help. [Read more.]( [Everyday people fear they have CTE. A dubious market has sprung up to treat them]( Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) goes far beyond the NFL. Everyday men and women worry they have the fatal disease, and they've turned to questionable brain products for help. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - With omicron, you need a mask that means business – and that's not cloth masks. Here's [why high-filtration respirators are better]( and how to find a legitimate one. - At OBERON, a theater with nightclub vibes, the American Repertory Theater provided an accessible venue to local performers. But the pandemic and a planned move to Allston prompted the A.R.T. to [prematurely close its beloved second stage.]( - Boston's First Night celebration on Dec. 31 will return in-person after last year’s programming went virtual due to the pandemic. Here's [what you need to know]( ahead of the big night. What We're Reading 📚 - Finding COVID tests. Scheduling booster appointments. Swabbing noses. Stressed moms have yet another job: medical practice manager ([The Boston Globe]( - Inside Track: An Oral History of Boston Gossip ([Boston Magazine]( - Yes, you'll get the virus: Why that doesn't mean "give up" ([The Body]( Tell Me Something Good [Those Legos under the tree might be worth more than gold one day]( Researchers from the Higher School of Economics found that select unopened Lego sets on the secondary market saw an average annual return of 11% — that's higher than gold. [Read more.]( [Those Legos under the tree might be worth more than gold one day]( Researchers from the Higher School of Economics found that select unopened Lego sets on the secondary market saw an average annual return of 11% — that's higher than gold. [Read more.]( Before you go: What happens when a [rare eagle to Asia]( is spotted in Massachusetts? You drive down from Maine to track the bird down and [live tweet the experience]( of course. 😎 Forward to a friend. 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