CDC backs “test to stay” policy

Students who are exposed to the coronavirus need not be quarantined at home, under a new “guidance” issued Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The New York Times is reporting that the new “test to stay” concept will allow unvaccinated students to stay in class if they test negative over several days after such exposure. The new direction comes after studies in California and Illinois tested the policy and determined that it was effective.

Such a process would not exempt students from wearing a face covering or socially distancing. Under the original protocol, unvaccinated students exposed to the virus might have to be quarantined at home for up to two weeks.

In related news, those people who remain unvaccinated are being urged to get inoculated against the coronavirus as the new Omicron variant is blamed for at least part of the surge in new infections in the U.S. and Europe, according to the Associated Press.

Five years in prison for Capitol rioter

Robert Palmer, 54, of Florida was sentenced to five years in federal prison for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The AP reports that Palmer pleaded guilty to attacking police officers trying to stem the charge of right-wing extremists storming the halls of Congress in an effort to prevent the certification of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as president and vice president after winning the 2020 election.

His sentence is the longest imposed on any convicted participant in the incident. Palmer told the judge, “I am truly sorry for what I did,” after video of the riot was shown in the courtroom

Sports: It’s Tuesday night football

A resurgence in new coronavirus cases is throwing the NFL for a loss. The game between the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks – originally scheduled for Sunday, will be played instead on Tuesday, as will the game between the Washington Football Team and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Additionally, the game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns – originally planned for Saturday – will instead be played on Monday. Many of the new cases are blamed on the emergence of the Omicron variant of the virus.

Weather: Have a nice weekend

That’s what the forecast calls for: two sunny days with daytime highs in the mid- to high-60s. That’s for Saturday (high of 69) and Sunday (65), but Monday will look more like winter with cloudy skies and a high of 63. Rain is expected to return next Wednesday through Friday.

Finance: Wall Street has a bad Friday

The up-and-down week in financial markets turned down on Friday, with all three major stock exchanges reporting downturns. Analysts attribute the reversal to selloff of stocks in anticipation of higher interest rates in 2022. The S&P 500 fell 48.03 points to 4,620.64, while the Dow shed 532.20 points to close at 35,365.44. Nasdaq declined 10.75 points to 15,179.68.