New COVID-19 cases hit a record high in the US. Do you need to quarantine?

A 24 hour traffic jam in the snow, a smart retainer for texting with your tongue, and the ongoing Capitol riot investigation

JANUARY 5, 2022 THE BIG STORY   People were stuck in traffic for almost 24 hours in the Virginia snow A closed section of Interstate 95 near Fredericksburg, Virginia, during Monday's traffic jam from hell Virginia Department of Transportation via AP An "unprecedented" traffic jam forced hundreds of motorists to spend the night in their vehicles on Interstate 95 between Richmond, Virginia and Washington, DC.   How the hell did this happen? The gridlock resulted from a confluence of nightmarish factors. A winter storm dumped 12 inches of snow in the Fredericksburg area on Monday, freezing temperatures saw the roads turn to ice, large vehicles slid and crashed into one another, downed trees turned into yet more roadblocks, and then yet more snow and ice accumulated around the disabled vehicles, making it exceedingly difficult for rescue workers to clear the roads.   "What starts as a frustrating situation turns into a crisis for a lot of people," said Susan Phalen, who was caught in the traffic with her dogs for around 16 hours.   Gov. Ralph Northam said state officials had worked through the night to try to clear I-95. It took until late Tuesday afternoon for the Virginia Department of Transportation to finally announce there were no longer any stranded people on the road. 😷 STAYING ON TOP OF THIS (PANDEMIC)   New COVID-19 cases hit a record high in the US. Do you need to quarantine? Over 1 million Americans reported testing positive for COVID-19 in a single day, setting a new global record. Vaccines are reducing serious illness and death, but the country is nevertheless in a very steep growth period for new cases. The CDC updated its isolation guidelines on Dec. 27, recommending a shorter five-day quarantine period for asymptomatic people, and then again on Tuesday with additional recommendations around rapid antigen testing and travel. Reminders on the differences between quarantine and isolation, as well as how long to quarantine after exposure, can be found here. President Biden has announced that his administration will double its order of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID treatment pills to 20 million. The first batch of the FDA-approved oral drug was shipped out on Dec. 24. SNAPSHOTS What's happening to the Jan. 6 Capitol rioters? BuzzFeed News reporter Zoe Tillman and HuffPost reporter Ryan Reilly have been covering the investigation into the Capitol Riot and what consequences the mob participants are actually facing. Join them for a conversation today on Twitter Spaces at 1pm ET to hear them talk about the fallout one year later — and submit questions for Zoe and Ryan here.   Andy Cohen spoke out about his "stupid and drunk" New Year's Eve rant live on air. CNN told BuzzFeed News that he will return to host the NYE special again next year. Harry Potter producers accidentally used a picture of Emma Roberts instead of Emma Watson in Return to Hogwarts reunion. And that wasn't the only error in the anniversary special! WOULD YOU WEAR A TEXTING RETAINER?   One of the creators of Google Glass is experimenting with a smart retainer for texting with your tongue SilentSpeller reads tongue movements through the retainer's 124 sensors, according to researchers. Alex Olwal via YouTube / Via youtube.com Project SilentSpeller is a communication system that allows people to send texts using a high-tech dental retainer to spell out words without actually voicing them, according to a demo video and academic paper reviewed by BuzzFeed News. The device works by tracking the movement of the user's tongue, and lead scientist Thad Starner said it could eventually be used to help people with movement disorders including Parkinson's disease and essential tremor. Devices worn on — or in this case inside — the body have become a bigger focus of research over the last several years. An Apple Watch can take an electrocardiogram with sensors that track your heartbeat. Facebook's parent company Meta makes virtual reality headsets for tapping into the so-called metaverse. But as tech becomes infused in more aspects of our lives, people are questioning whether we have enough safeguards against invasive data collection. YOU MAY SAY I'M A DREAMER   Gal Gadot spoke out again about that celebrity-filled "Imagine" cover Instagram In an InStyle interview, actor Gal Gadot said her performance of John Lennon's "Imagine" at the onset of the pandemic "wasn't the right timing, and it wasn't the right thing. It was in poor taste." The Wonder Woman star added that even when things are "pure intentioned," "sometimes you don't hit the bull's-eye."    Sometimes you don't hit the bull's eye. SOMETIMES YOU DON'T HIT THE BULL'S EYE. What. We're living through a global health crisis of historic proportions. Hospitals are facing bed shortages and about 43% of the world hasn't had their first vaccine dose yet. Please allow me to cry-laugh at this cover from two years ago, where Gadot transitions from talking to singing without any warning and suddenly we're engulfed by lethargic cameos from Amy Adams, Zoë Kravitz, and, inexplicably, Will Ferrell. Imagine there's no heaven. It's easy if you try. What's your crisis cover song? Mine is "Total Eclipse of the Heart," Alexa 📝  This letter was edited and brought to you by Alexa Lee and BuzzFeed News. You can always reach us here.     👉 Your support of BuzzFeed's journalism does not constitute a charitable donation, and your contribution is not eligible for a tax-deduction. This is part of an effort to explore a deeper relationship with our most active supporters. 🔔  Want to be notified as soon as news breaks? Download the BuzzFeed News app for iOS and Android (available in Canadian, UK, Australian, and US app stores). 💌  Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up to get BuzzFeed News in your inbox! Show privacy notice and cookie policy. BuzzFeed, Inc. 111 E. 18th St. New York, NY 10003 Unsubscribe