The 5 most pressing news stories from winter break

Heading into 2022, here’s everything you need to know

KARISA KAMPBELL / NEWS EDITOR / THE USD VISTA

Olympic opening ceremony
The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony. Photo courtesy of @beijing2022/Instagram

Omicron loosening COVID-19 policies 

With a new, widespread variant of COVID-19 taking the United States by storm came staffing issues nationwide. Companies, such as United Airlines, were forced to revise operations due to a deficit in staff. According to an article from National Public Radio (NPR), on Jan. 11, United Airlines reported more than 3,000 employees who tested positive for COVID-19, causing many delays and cancellations in flights. This narrative was echoed across the nation as businesses floundered with staffing issues due to COVID-19 sicknesses. As a result, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) released new quarantine guidelines aligned with new research directed  to support businesses. Per the new CDC guidelines and the CDC website, if sick with COVID-19, isolation can end five days after a positive test if the individual is fever-free for 24 hours after the five day isolation period

Infographic detailing what to do if you test positive for COVID
Marissa Esteban, The USD Vista

Russia-Ukraine tensions 

Since the Cold War ended in 1991, Ukraine has been a free, independent democracy. However, Russian efforts led by Vladamir Putin are beginning to threaten Ukraine. According to the Washington Post, Putin’s objective is to extract concessions, or grants of right of land or property, and to force Russia into the conversation about Ukraine’s future. 

As of Feb. 5, there are reportedly 100,000 Russian troops along the Ukraine-Russia border. While invasion is yet to happen, members of NATO have been supporting Ukraine and preparing for what could be the biggest invasion since World War II.  

Supreme court blocks OSHA vaccine mandates 

In an effort to diminish the effects of the January Omicron surge, the Biden Administration worked to enact a vaccine mandate for companies of larger than 100 employees. This mandate, called the OSHA vaccine mandate, was visited by the Supreme Court on Jan. 13. The conservative-majority Supreme Court blocked OSHA from requiring private employers to enforce a vaccine mandate, but approved that employees working at healthcare facilities, receiving federal funding, will have to be vaccinated. 

Boycott of Winter olympics 

Olympic ice skaters performing their routine
France team figure skaters James and Cipres finishing pose. Photo courtesy of @beijing2022/Instagram

Feb. 3 marked the beginning of the controversial Beijing Winter Olympics 2022. In protest to many questionable decisions and actions on China’s part, many countries,  including the United States, chose a Diplomatic Boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics. 

These actions in question include  the concern over Chinese Tennis star Peng Shuai and China’s treatment of Muslim minorites in the country. 

The United States still decided to send athletes to  compete in the Winter Olympics, however the U.S. will not send high-up officials, such as the Vice President, to the games. Other countries such as the United Kingdom and Canada followed suit with the United States decision to a Diplomatic Boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics. 

Betty White 

Betty White holding a piglet
Betty White was always an avid animal lover. Photo Courtesy of @bettymwhite/Instagram

Beloved actress and American sweetheart, Betty White, died on Dec. 31, 2021, just days before the country was set to celebrate her 100th birthday. Most famous for her roles in “The Golden Girls” and “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” White’s comedic performances  had a lasting effect on many. 

According to the New York Times, throughout the course of her career, White won a total of seven Emmys, not including a lifetime achievement Emmy she won in 2015. While sad to see an American icon pass, the legacy that Betty White left in the television industry will continue to shine for years to come.