Goodbye 2021, hello 2022. Whether the new year will be better or worse is anyone’s guess, but here are some of the big stories to keep an eye on.

COVID-19

COVID is surging again. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show significant daily spikes in cases at the year’s end. On Dec. 29, new cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. soared to their highest level on record at over 265,000 per day on average, a surge driven largely by the highly contagious omicron variant.

The virus continues to impact all aspects of daily life locally and nationally.

In D.C., students and staff at D.C. Public Schools will have to show proof of a negative COVID test before coming back to classrooms on Jan. 5. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s order that indoor venues like restaurants, bars and gyms be required to verify patrons 12 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine goes into effect Jan. 15.

Montgomery County, Maryland, Executive Marc Elrich has said that he would like to have a vaccine passport proposal similar to D.C.’s in front of the County Council by the time it returns from recess.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has said he’s “not considering” new COVID lockdowns, though he himself has contracted the virus.

Incoming Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who is vaccinated and supports people getting the vaccine, has publicly opposed vaccine mandates. And the Virginia Department of Health won’t mandate COVID-19 vaccines in schools.

Rising COVID cases have also impacted first...

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