An ER at the center of the COVID storm

[Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  January 3, 2022 Mostly cloudy and windy, with a high near 27. Good Morning Boston, Welcome back, WBUR Today readers! I hope you had a restful (and healthy) holiday season. As COVID cases continue to surge, there's a lot being canceled or postponed. Here's a few highlights: - Many school districts today have a delayed opening, or are closing entirely, including Brookline, Lawrence, Lexington, and Cambridge, in order for teachers and staff to get tested. If you have kids in the public schools, be sure to check in with your district to see what their plans are. - Boston Public Schools' winter break lasts one more day — kids head back to school tomorrow. Today, Mayor Michelle Wu and schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius are sorting and handing out COVID tests and KN95 masks for teachers and school staff at the Campbell Resource Center for distribution to schools. - The state is putting jury trials on hold until the end of January, due to the rise in COVID cases statewide. Courts are being urged to conduct business remotely whenever possible. - Boston city employees who are able to work remotely are being told to do so; other employees will rotate in to provide services while keeping the number of people in city buildings to a minimum. P.S. - New year, new you? Author BJ Fogg says you should lower your expectations — it's easier to accomplish if they are much smaller than trying to change everything at once. Take 10 minutes to listen [here](. Meghan Kelly Multi-platform Editor [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [An emergency room in Everett at the center of the COVID storm]( Emergency rooms like the Cambridge Health Alliance hospital in Everett are seeing a surge in patients as they battle the latest COVID wave. [Read more.]( [An emergency room in Everett at the center of the COVID storm]( Emergency rooms like the Cambridge Health Alliance hospital in Everett are seeing a surge in patients as they battle the latest COVID wave. [Read more.]( [6 in 10 Americans say U.S. democracy is in crisis as the 'big lie' takes root]( On the anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, a new NPR/Ipsos poll finds that Americans are pessimistic about the future of democracy, as false claims about the 2020 election persist. [Read more.]( [6 in 10 Americans say U.S. democracy is in crisis as the 'big lie' takes root]( On the anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, a new NPR/Ipsos poll finds that Americans are pessimistic about the future of democracy, as false claims about the 2020 election persist. [Read more.]( [A pediatrician's advice to parents of kids under 5 on omicron, travel and daycare]( Amid the omicron surge there is understandable anxiety among parents, particularly for those with kids under 5. Pediatric infectious disease doctor Ibukun Kalu answers some of their questions. [Read more.]( [A pediatrician's advice to parents of kids under 5 on omicron, travel and daycare]( Amid the omicron surge there is understandable anxiety among parents, particularly for those with kids under 5. Pediatric infectious disease doctor Ibukun Kalu answers some of their questions. [Read more.]( [CDC could add a negative test to its new isolation guidelines, Fauci says]( The CDC recently cut the number of days it recommends COVID-positive people remain in isolation from 10 days to five, but it didn't require a negative test to leave isolation. [Read more.]( [CDC could add a negative test to its new isolation guidelines, Fauci says]( The CDC recently cut the number of days it recommends COVID-positive people remain in isolation from 10 days to five, but it didn't require a negative test to leave isolation. [Read more.]( [Twitter bans Marjorie Taylor Greene's personal account over COVID misinformation]( A spokesperson for the social media company said it had been clear that it would ban accounts for repeated violations of its COVID-19 misinformation policy. [Read more.]( [Twitter bans Marjorie Taylor Greene's personal account over COVID misinformation]( A spokesperson for the social media company said it had been clear that it would ban accounts for repeated violations of its COVID-19 misinformation policy. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - Writer William Sargent [considers]( E.O. Wilson's radical idea to set aside half the Earth for nature for our opinions desk, Cognoscenti. - [Here's what]( the new ban on surprise medical billing means for you. - A year after Capitol Police's darkest day, [its chief says]( the force is making gains. What We're Reading 📚 - How I demolished my life: A home improvement story ([The Atlantic]( - A Nation on Hold Wants to Speak With a Manager ([The New York Times]( - I’m a Doctor. Here’s How Omicron Is (and Isn’t) Changing My Behavior ([Slate]( In Memoriam [Remembering the smart, sharp, naughty Betty White]( Betty White was smart and sharp, sexy and versatile, for decades. Anyone who saw her as just a salty-mouthed grandma missed out. [Read more.]( [Remembering the smart, sharp, naughty Betty White]( Betty White was smart and sharp, sexy and versatile, for decades. Anyone who saw her as just a salty-mouthed grandma missed out. [Read more.]( Before you go: After two years of pandemic stress, I don't think it's a stretch to say we're all hoping for a more relaxed 2022. But here's the hard truth: chill vibes aren't just going to fall in to your lap! You have to do the work to decompress. Start by [watching some slo-mo videos of birds eating out of a photographer's hand](. 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.]( Support the news   Want to change how you receive these emails? Stop getting this newsletter by [updating your preferences.](  I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. 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