More booster shots are urged

Public health officials are urging Americans who have been vaccinated against the coronavirus to get a booster shot in the face of a surge sparked – in part – by the Delta and Omicron variants of the disease.

The New York Times is reporting that among people who’ve been fully vaccinated –typically with two doses of Moderna or Pfizer – only about 30 percent have had their third shot. A little over half of senior citizens have received a booster shot.

Spikes in new cases are noted especially in the Northeast, the Great Lakes region and the South. While the two variants don’t appear to be any more dangerous than the original COVID-19 strain, there’s concern they are more easily transmissible and may be able to evade one- and two-dose vaccinations.

Such worries are already rippling through the at-risk areas. The Radio City Rockettes are cancelling the rest of their 2021 season, and the Saturday Night Live TV episode planned for tonight will not be live, but taped without an audience out of concern about the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Additionally, Harvard University announced on Saturday it would move most of its classes and work online for the first three works of the new year in response to rising levels of infection by the coronavirus, according to United Press International.

Sports: USFL making a comeback, sort of

Can’t live without pro football on TV after the Super Bowl? A new league under an old name will be kicking off in April with TV broadcast partners in Fox and NBC. The United States Football League – no connection to the version that played from 1983 to 1985 – will field eight teams initially, all in two divisions.

Those teams are (North Division) the Michigan Panthers, New York Generals, Philadelphia Stars and Pittsburgh Maulers, as well as (South Division) Birmingham Stallions, Houston Gamblers, New Orleans Breakers and Tampa Bay Bandits.

A 10-week season with two rounds of playoffs is planned. The rules will be similar to those used in the NFL.

Weather: One more day of sun

Sunday should be the last sun-ny day for a while in the West Orange County area.  According to forecasts, the daytime high will be 61 degrees with an overnight low of 41. On Monday, the clouds will return with warmer weather (66/45), followed by mostly cloudy skies on Tuesday (64/48). But look out! Rainy weather is forecast for Wednesday through Saturday next week.