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Dozens of NHL players are under covid-19 protocols, resulting in teams playing shorthanded, and in some cases, temporarily shutting down. There have been several postponed games over the past two weeks, including cross border games, with teams that were still in action playing to empty arena. The NHL has now officially paused the season through Christmas, with further extensions possible.

Covid cases continue to rise as the Omicron variant has surged in Tennessee and Georgia. The cases are definitely on the rise. We are testing a lot more people this week than we have in weeks past. As well as doing more monoclonal antibody treatments that case numbers are definitely on the rise in Hamilton County. The Omicron variant is more transmissible than Delta has been,” said Pharmacist Jacob Standefer with Access Family Pharmacy.

The Omicron variant which is now dominate in the United States and spreading faster than any variant yet, has already pushed daily coronavirus case counts higher than the peak of the recent Delta wave.

As Christmas approaches, pandemic researchers are becoming increasingly alarmed about a potentially devastating wave of omicron infections that will quickly sweep across the country. NPR health correspondent Rob Stein joins us now with the latest. Hi, Rob.

With the emergence of the omicron variant, local hospital leaders are preparing for a spike in COVID-19 cases following upcoming holiday gatherings.