Eye-popping COVID case numbers; the value of keeping count; schools scramble to open

Plus, how to cope with flight delays and cancellations.

View this email online by Carol Ritchie Eva Hambach/AFP Via Getty Images The U.S. hit an astonishing milestone Monday: 1,082,549 new COVID-19 cases, a firestorm of infections driven by the highly transmissible omicron variant. That's more than twice the case count seen anywhere else globally since the start of the pandemic, For comparison: The U.S. was averaging about 70,000 cases a day just two months ago.  Monday's eye-popping numbers could be due to delays in reporting over the holiday weekend. But they could also be an undercount: With so many people testing at home — and so many having trouble finding tests or not trying at all — the true number of case is likely much higher, says Natalie Dean, an assistant professor of biostatistics at Emory University. That makes many wonder if these case numbers have any meaning at this point in the pandemic, but Dean says they're still useful because they reflect the level of infection in a community. Even if they aren't exact, she says, "We still are able to see these trends, these staggering increases in cases over time that really do reflect large epidemics." Many students were set to return to school today after winter break, but thousands will be back in front of a camera instead due to the latest surge. Atlanta, Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Cleveland are among the districts temporarily holding some or all classes online. Teachers in Chicago may vote today to refuse to teach in-person. Still, mayors, governors and the U.S. secretary of education have been speaking forcefully in favor of keeping schools open, and the vast majority of classrooms will stay open for in-person learning. Newsletter continues after sponsor message Before you go Nam Y. Huh/AP Skyrocketing COVID-19 infections and winter weather are wreaking havoc on air travel. Thousands of flights have been canceled, leaving travelers scrambling to figure out how to book new seats and get reimbursements. Here's what to do if you are one of them. Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from Vermont Public Radio (edit station). Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Daily News, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to New Normal emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy