WASHINGTON (AP)— President Joe Biden on Monday pledged the full support of the federal government to states facing surges in COVID-19 cases from the more-transmissible omicron variant and a run on at-home tests.

Joining a regular meeting between his coronavirus response team and the National Governors Association, Biden said, “My message is: if you need something, say something, and we are going to have your back any way we can.”

Biden acknowledged long lines and chaotic scenes as Americans sought out testing amid the case surge and as they looked to safely gather with family and friends over the holiday.

He referenced his administration’s plan to make 500 million rapid tests available to Americans beginning next month through an as-yet-to-be-developed website.

A White House official said the new tests would come from new manufacturing capacity and wouldn’t interfere with existing supply chains.

&nbsp;Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, said Monday that the U.S. should “seriously” consider a vaccination mandate for domestic travel.

Speaking to MSNBC, Fauci, who serves as President Joe Biden’s chief science adviser on the COVID-19 response, said “When you make vaccination a requirement, that’s another incentive to get more people vaccinated.”

The U.S. currently mandates that most foreign nationals traveling to the U.S. be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, but has not instituted one for domestic travel.

The administration has at times considered a domestic vaccination requirement, or one requiring either vaccination or proof of negative test, but two officials said Biden’s science advisers have yet to formally make the recommendation to the president. The officials noted they have not been eager to mandate vaccination for domestic air travel because they expected it to immediately face legal challenges, mitigating its potential effectiveness as a tool to drive up vaccinations.

Biden’s employer vaccination requirements have been mired in legal wrangling, with the Supreme Court set to hear arguments in early January in cases seeking to overturn them.

WASHINGTON (AP)— President Joe Biden on Monday pledged the full support of the federal government to states facing surges in COVID-19 cases from the more-transmissible omicron variant and a run on at-home tests.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F445389280422896%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=180" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Joining a regular meeting between his coronavirus response team and the National Governors Association, Biden said, “My message is: if you need something, say something, and we are going to have your back any way we can.”Biden acknowledged long lines and chaotic scenes as Americans sought out testing amid the case surge and as they looked to safely gather with family and friends over the holiday.He referenced his administration’s plan to make 500 million rapid tests available to Americans beginning next month through an as-yet-to-be-developed website.A White House official said the new tests would come from new manufacturing capacity and wouldn’t interfere with existing supply chains.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640628036346.png" alt="Monday Dec. 27, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Monday Dec. 27, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, said Monday that the U.S. should “seriously” consider a vaccination mandate for domestic travel.Speaking to MSNBC, Fauci, who serves as President Joe Biden’s chief science adviser on the COVID-19 response, said “When you make vaccination a requirement, that’s another incentive to get more people vaccinated.”The U.S. currently mandates that most foreign nationals traveling to the U.S. be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, but has not instituted one for domestic travel.The administration has at times considered a domestic vaccination requirement, or one requiring either vaccination or proof of negative test, but two officials said Biden’s science advisers have yet to formally make the recommendation to the president. The officials noted they have not been eager to mandate vaccination for domestic air travel because they expected it to immediately face legal challenges, mitigating its potential effectiveness as a tool to drive up vaccinations.Biden’s employer vaccination requirements have been mired in legal wrangling, with the Supreme Court set to hear arguments in early January in cases seeking to overturn them.

🎥 Biden pledges full support to states facing surge in COVID cases

WASHINGTON (AP) — Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, said Monday the U.S. should consider a vaccination mandate for domestic air travel, signaling a potential embrace of an idea the Biden administration has previously eschewed, as COVID-19 cases spike.

Fauci, President Joe Biden’s chief science adviser on the pandemic response, said such a mandate might drive up the nation's lagging vaccination rate as well as confer stronger protection on flights, for which federal regulations require all those aged 2 and older to wear a mask.

“When you make vaccination a requirement, that’s another incentive to get more people vaccinated," Fauci told MSNBC. “If you want to do that with domestic flights, I think that’s something that seriously should be considered.”

The Biden administration has thus far balked at imposing a vaccination requirement for domestic air travel. Two officials said Biden’s science advisers have yet to make a formal recommendation for such a requirement to the president.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said a vaccine mandate on planes could trigger a host of logistical and legal concerns.

The U.S. currently mandates that most foreign nationals traveling to the U.S. be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, though citizens and permanent residents only need to show proof of a negative test taken within a day of boarding.

Federal rules don’t require people travelling by air within the U.S. to show a negative test. Hawaii requires travelers to test or show proof of vaccination to avoid a mandatory quarantine.

Earlier this year the White House explored a domestic vaccination requirement for flights, or one requiring either vaccination or proof of negative test. But officials have not been eager to mandate vaccination for domestic air travel because they expected it to face immediate legal challenges, mitigating its potential effectiveness as a tool to drive up vaccinations.

Pressed last week on why Biden had not mandated vaccinations for domestic air travel, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that “we know that masking can be, is, very effective on airplanes."

“We also know that putting in place that additional restriction might delay flights, might have additional implications,” she added. "We would do it, though, if the health impact was overwhelming. So we rely always on the advice of our health and medical experts. That isn’t a step at this point that they had determined we need to take.”

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show more than 241 million Americans, about 77% of the eligible population aged 5 and over, have received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine. Officials believe, though, that there is some over-count in the figures due to record-keeping errors in the administration of booster shots.

Since the summer, the Biden administration has embraced various vaccination requirements as a way to get unvaccinated Americans to roll up their sleeves. It has instituted requirements that federal workers, federal contractors, and those who work in health care get their shots, and that employers with 100 or more employees institute vaccination-or-testing requirements for their workers.

Those vaccination requirements have been mired in legal wrangling, with the Supreme Court set to hear arguments Jan. 7 in cases seeking to overturn them.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640635329591.png" alt="Dr. Anthony Fauci, (right) White House Chief Medical Advisor participated in the White House COVID-19 Response Team's regular call with the National Governors Association at the White House Campus, Monday, Dec. 27-photo White House" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Anthony Fauci, (right) White House Chief Medical Advisor participated in the White House COVID-19 Response Team's regular call with the National Governors Association at the White House Campus, Monday, Dec. 27-photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, said Monday the U.S. should consider a vaccination mandate for domestic air travel, signaling a potential embrace of an idea the Biden administration has previously eschewed, as COVID-19 cases spike.Fauci, President Joe Biden’s chief science adviser on the pandemic response, said such a mandate might drive up the nation's lagging vaccination rate as well as confer stronger protection on flights, for which federal regulations require all those aged 2 and older to wear a mask.“When you make vaccination a requirement, that’s another incentive to get more people vaccinated," Fauci told MSNBC. “If you want to do that with domestic flights, I think that’s something that seriously should be considered.”The Biden administration has thus far balked at imposing a vaccination requirement for domestic air travel. Two officials said Biden’s science advisers have yet to make a formal recommendation for such a requirement to the president.The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said a vaccine mandate on planes could trigger a host of logistical and legal concerns.The U.S. currently mandates that most foreign nationals traveling to the U.S. be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, though citizens and permanent residents only need to show proof of a negative test taken within a day of boarding.Federal rules don’t require people travelling by air within the U.S. to show a negative test. Hawaii requires travelers to test or show proof of vaccination to avoid a mandatory quarantine.Earlier this year the White House explored a domestic vaccination requirement for flights, or one requiring either vaccination or proof of negative test. But officials have not been eager to mandate vaccination for domestic air travel because they expected it to face immediate legal challenges, mitigating its potential effectiveness as a tool to drive up vaccinations.Pressed last week on why Biden had not mandated vaccinations for domestic air travel, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that “we know that masking can be, is, very effective on airplanes."“We also know that putting in place that additional restriction might delay flights, might have additional implications,” she added. "We would do it, though, if the health impact was overwhelming. So we rely always on the advice of our health and medical experts. That isn’t a step at this point that they had determined we need to take.”Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show more than 241 million Americans, about 77% of the eligible population aged 5 and over, have received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine. Officials believe, though, that there is some over-count in the figures due to record-keeping errors in the administration of booster shots.Since the summer, the Biden administration has embraced various vaccination requirements as a way to get unvaccinated Americans to roll up their sleeves. It has instituted requirements that federal workers, federal contractors, and those who work in health care get their shots, and that employers with 100 or more employees institute vaccination-or-testing requirements for their workers.Those vaccination requirements have been mired in legal wrangling, with the Supreme Court set to hear arguments Jan. 7 in cases seeking to overturn them.

Fauci: US should consider vaccine mandate for US air travel

NEW YORK (AP) — Flight cancellations that disrupted holiday travel stretched into Monday, with major U.S. airlines each canceling dozens of flights.

Staffers calling out sick because of COVID-19, particularly since the emergence of the omnicron variant, have left airlines short in recent days. According to FlightAware, which tracks flight cancellations, airlines have canceled roughly 4,000 flights to, from or inside the U.S. since Friday.

Delta, United, JetBlue and American have all said that the coronavirus was causing staffing problems, and European and Australian airlines also canceled holiday-season flights because staff were infected, but weather and other factors played a role as well.

Winter weather in the Pacific Northwest led to nearly 250 flight cancellations to or from Seattle on Sunday, said&nbsp;Alaska&nbsp;Airlines, and the airline expects more than 100 flight cancellations Monday. But it says that crew calling out sick because of COVID-19 is no longer a factor.

United said it canceled 115 flights Monday, out of more than 4,000 scheduled, due to crews out with COVID-19.

Flight delays and cancellations tied to staffing shortages have been a consistent problem this year. Airlines encouraged workers to quit in 2020 when air travel collapsed, and were caught short-staffed this year as air travel rebounded faster than almost anyone had expected.

Airlines have called on the Biden administration to shorten the guidelines for the isolation period for vaccinated workers who get COVID-19, in order to ease staffing shortages. The union for flight attendants has pushed back against that, saying the isolation period should remain 10 days.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640348737573.png" alt="Photo courtesy Wichita Eisenhower National Airport" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Wichita Eisenhower National Airport</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Flight cancellations that disrupted holiday travel stretched into Monday, with major U.S. airlines each canceling dozens of flights.Staffers calling out sick because of COVID-19, particularly since the emergence of the omnicron variant, have left airlines short in recent days. According to FlightAware, which tracks flight cancellations, airlines have canceled roughly 4,000 flights to, from or inside the U.S. since Friday.Delta, United, JetBlue and American have all said that the coronavirus was causing staffing problems, and European and Australian airlines also canceled holiday-season flights because staff were infected, but weather and other factors played a role as well.Winter weather in the Pacific Northwest led to nearly 250 flight cancellations to or from Seattle on Sunday, said&nbsp;Alaska&nbsp;Airlines, and the airline expects more than 100 flight cancellations Monday. But it says that crew calling out sick because of COVID-19 is no longer a factor.United said it canceled 115 flights Monday, out of more than 4,000 scheduled, due to crews out with COVID-19.Flight delays and cancellations tied to staffing shortages have been a consistent problem this year. Airlines encouraged workers to quit in 2020 when air travel collapsed, and were caught short-staffed this year as air travel rebounded faster than almost anyone had expected.Airlines have called on the Biden administration to shorten the guidelines for the isolation period for vaccinated workers who get COVID-19, in order to ease staffing shortages. The union for flight attendants has pushed back against that, saying the isolation period should remain 10 days.

Flight cancellations continue due to sick crews, bad weather

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska food company and its insurer want a warehouse company to pay them more then $400,000 because a shipment of bacon was destroyed inside one of its warehouses in Lincoln last year. 

Omaha food manufacturer Westin Inc. and Nationwide Agribusiness Insurance Company filed a lawsuit last week against warehousing company Universal Pure over the August 2020 incident. 

They say Universal Pure should have maintained its warehouse better to avoid the problem. 

The bacon was destroyed when water accumulated and froze in a wall cavity of the warehouse, which led the wall to bow, pushing on pallet racking and causing a collapse. 

Universal Pure haven’t yet responded to the lawsuit.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska food company and its insurer want a warehouse company to pay them more then $400,000 because a shipment of bacon was destroyed inside one of its warehouses in Lincoln last year. Omaha food manufacturer Westin Inc. and Nationwide Agribusiness Insurance Company filed a lawsuit last week against warehousing company Universal Pure over the August 2020 incident. They say Universal Pure should have maintained its warehouse better to avoid the problem. The bacon was destroyed when water accumulated and froze in a wall cavity of the warehouse, which led the wall to bow, pushing on pallet racking and causing a collapse. Universal Pure haven’t yet responded to the lawsuit.

Food company sues over bacon that spoiled in warehouse

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A man wanted in connection with the shooting death of a toddler in suburban Kansas City has been arrested in Omaha.

 Police have said the child died after a gun the 2-year-old was handling discharged Friday afternoon in Independence, Missouri. 

The man fled after police went to the home to confront him about the incident because they were initially told that the child was wounded by a bullet from a drive-by shooting.

 The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said the 23-year-old Missouri man got a ride to Nebraska and made arrangements to meet someone at a restaurant in Omaha Friday. 

But authorities were tipped off about the meeting, so officers were waiting for the man when he arrived.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A man wanted in connection with the shooting death of a toddler in suburban Kansas City has been arrested in Omaha. Police have said the child died after a gun the 2-year-old was handling discharged Friday afternoon in Independence, Missouri. The man fled after police went to the home to confront him about the incident because they were initially told that the child was wounded by a bullet from a drive-by shooting. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said the 23-year-old Missouri man got a ride to Nebraska and made arrangements to meet someone at a restaurant in Omaha Friday. But authorities were tipped off about the meeting, so officers were waiting for the man when he arrived.

Missouri man tied to 2-year-old's shooting arrested in Omaha

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A man wanted in connection with the shooting death of a toddler in suburban Kansas City has been arrested in Omaha.

Police have said the child died after a gun the 2-year-old was handling discharged Friday afternoon in Independence, Missouri.

The man fled after police went to the home to confront him about the incident. Police said they were initially told that the child was wounded by a bullet from a drive-by shooting, but investigators determined that wasn’t what happened.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said the 23-year-old Missouri man got a ride to Nebraska and made arrangements to meet someone at a restaurant in Omaha. But authorities were tipped off about the meeting, so officers were waiting for the man when he arrived Friday.

Douglas County Chief Deputy Wayne Hudson said the man was trying to break in to a pickup truck when he was arrested. He has been charged with theft in Nebraska and the sheriff’s office is working with investigators in Missouri.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A toddler from suburban Kansas City died when a gun the child was handling discharged, police said.

The shooting happened Friday afternoon in Independence, Missouri. The name of the 2-year-old child has not been released.

Police said they were initially told that the child was struck by a bullet from a drive-by shooting. Investigators later determined that was not that case, but rather the child was struck by a bullet while handling the weapon, police said in a news release.

Police say an adult who was in the home fled when officers arrived, and their vehicle crashed at the intersection of Truman and Noland roads. The driver fled the crash scene and is still being sought.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A man wanted in connection with the shooting death of a toddler in suburban Kansas City has been arrested in Omaha.Police have said the child died after a gun the 2-year-old was handling discharged Friday afternoon in Independence, Missouri.The man fled after police went to the home to confront him about the incident. Police said they were initially told that the child was wounded by a bullet from a drive-by shooting, but investigators determined that wasn’t what happened.The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said the 23-year-old Missouri man got a ride to Nebraska and made arrangements to meet someone at a restaurant in Omaha. But authorities were tipped off about the meeting, so officers were waiting for the man when he arrived Friday.Douglas County Chief Deputy Wayne Hudson said the man was trying to break in to a pickup truck when he was arrested. He has been charged with theft in Nebraska and the sheriff’s office is working with investigators in Missouri.--------KANSAS CITY (AP) — A toddler from suburban Kansas City died when a gun the child was handling discharged, police said.The shooting happened Friday afternoon in Independence, Missouri. The name of the 2-year-old child has not been released.Police said they were initially told that the child was struck by a bullet from a drive-by shooting. Investigators later determined that was not that case, but rather the child was struck by a bullet while handling the weapon, police said in a news release.Police say an adult who was in the home fled when officers arrived, and their vehicle crashed at the intersection of Truman and Noland roads. The driver fled the crash scene and is still being sought.

Man wanted for 2-year-old’s Christmas Eve death arrested 

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri woman has been charged with killing her boyfriend with a sword on Christmas Eve.

Cape Girardeau Police&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/capepolice/photos/a.627429190672627/4795581327190705/?type=3&amp;theater">said&nbsp;</a>32-year-old Brittany Wilson was found outside the home she shared with her boyfriend Friday night with blood on her clothing, and a sword was lying in the front yard. Cape Girardeau is in southeast Missouri about 115 miles south of St. Louis.

KFVS television&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kfvs12.com/2021/12/25/christmas-eve-homicide-involving-sword-cape-girardeau/">reported&nbsp;</a>that a woman had called police shortly after 11 p.m. Friday to report that she had killed her boyfriend with a sword.

After officers arrested Wilson, they went inside the home and found her boyfriend, 34-year-old Harrison Stephen Foster, dead with several fresh stab wounds.

Wilson told police that she and Foster had taken methamphetamine earlier in the day. She also told investigators that she believed Foster had several other entities living in his body, and she was setting him free by stabbing him.

Wilson was being held Sunday in lieu of $2 million bond. She has been charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. It was not immediately known if Wilson had an attorney to speak on her behalf.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640559033919.png" alt="Wilson-photo Cape Girardeau police" />
 <figcaption>Wilson-photo Cape Girardeau police</figcaption>
 </figure>CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri woman has been charged with killing her boyfriend with a sword on Christmas Eve.Cape Girardeau Police&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/capepolice/photos/a.627429190672627/4795581327190705/?type=3&amp;theater">said&nbsp;</a>32-year-old Brittany Wilson was found outside the home she shared with her boyfriend Friday night with blood on her clothing, and a sword was lying in the front yard. Cape Girardeau is in southeast Missouri about 115 miles south of St. Louis.KFVS television&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kfvs12.com/2021/12/25/christmas-eve-homicide-involving-sword-cape-girardeau/">reported&nbsp;</a>that a woman had called police shortly after 11 p.m. Friday to report that she had killed her boyfriend with a sword.After officers arrested Wilson, they went inside the home and found her boyfriend, 34-year-old Harrison Stephen Foster, dead with several fresh stab wounds.Wilson told police that she and Foster had taken methamphetamine earlier in the day. She also told investigators that she believed Foster had several other entities living in his body, and she was setting him free by stabbing him.Wilson was being held Sunday in lieu of $2 million bond. She has been charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. It was not immediately known if Wilson had an attorney to speak on her behalf.

Missouri woman charged with killing boyfriend with a sword

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hilary-a-marusak-489437">Hilary A. Marusak</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/wayne-state-university-989">Wayne State University</a>

(THE CONVERSATION) Many people have experienced reductions in stress, pain and anxiety and sometimes even euphoria after exercise. What’s behind this so-called “runner’s high”? New research on the neuroscience of exercise may surprise you.

The “runner’s high” has long been attributed to&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.1983.4.3.169">endorphins</a>. These are chemicals produced naturally in the body of humans and other animals after exercise and in response to pain or stress.

However,&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2021.0113">new research from my lab</a>&nbsp;summarizes nearly two decades of work on this topic. We found that exercise reliably increases levels of the body’s endocannabinoids – which are molecules that work to maintain balance in the brain and body – a process called “homeostasis.” This natural chemical boost may better explain some of the beneficial effects of exercise on brain and body.

I am a&nbsp;<a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=S9ykvZUAAAAJ&amp;hl=en">neuroscientist</a>&nbsp;at the Wayne State University School of Medicine.&nbsp;<a href="https://wsuthinklab.mystrikingly.com/">My lab</a>&nbsp;studies brain development and mental health, as well as the role of the endocannabinoid system in stress regulation and anxiety disorders in children and adolescents.

This research has implications for everyone who exercises with the aim of reducing stress and should serve as a motivator for those who don’t regularly exercise.

<a href="https://doi.org/10.1097/HCO.0000000000000437">Several decades of research</a>&nbsp;has shown that exercise is beneficial for physical health. These studies find a consistent link between varying amounts of physical activity and reduced risk of&nbsp;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2018-100393">premature death</a>&nbsp;and dozens of chronic health conditions, including&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-015-0056-z">diabetes</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-013-0065-6">hypertension</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jval.2018.06.020">cancer</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph9020391">heart disease</a>.

More recently – over about the past&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2014.00066">two decades</a>&nbsp;– mounting research shows that exercise is also&nbsp;<a href="https://theconversation.com/swimming-gives-your-brain-a-boost-but-scientists-dont-know-yet-why-its-better-than-other-aerobic-activities-164297">highly beneficial for mental health</a>. In fact, regular exercise is associated with lower symptoms of anxiety, depression, Parkinson’s disease and other common mental health or&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1159/000223730">neurological problems</a>. Consistent exercise&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1159/000350946">is also linked to</a>&nbsp;better cognitive performance, improved mood, lower stress and higher self-esteem.

It is not yet clear what is behind these mental health boosts. We do know that exercise has a variety of effects on the brain, including raising&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/tp.2017.135">metabolism</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-201456">blood flow</a>, promoting the formation of&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2018.00052">new brain cells</a>&nbsp;– a process called neurogenesis – and increasing the release of several chemicals in the brain.

Some of these chemicals are called neurotrophic factors, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1159/000223730">brain-derived neurotrophic factor</a>. BDNF is intricately involved in brain “plasticity,” or changes in activity of brain cells, including those related to&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fncel.2019.00363">learning and memory</a>.

Scientists have also shown that exercise increases blood levels of endorphins, one of the body’s natural opioids. Opioids are chemicals that work in the brain and have a variety of effects, including&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpain.2021.721357">helping to relieve pain</a>. Some&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhn013">early research</a>&nbsp;in the 1980s contributed to the long-standing popular belief that this endorphin release is related to the euphoric feeling known as the runner’s high.

However,&nbsp;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.2004.011718">scientists have</a><a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1514996112">long questioned</a>&nbsp;the role of endorphins in the runner’s high sensation, in part because endorphins cannot cross into the brain through the&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1101/cshperspect.a020412">blood-brain barrier</a>, which protects the brain from toxins and pathogens. So endorphins are not likely to be the main driver for the beneficial effects of exercise on mood and mental state.

This is where our research and&nbsp;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.2004.011718">that of others</a>&nbsp;points to the role of our body’s natural versions of cannabinoids, called endocannabinoids.

You&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/cbd-vs-thc">may be familiar with</a>&nbsp;cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol – better known as THC – the psychoactive compound in cannabis (from the Cannabis sativa L. plant) that causes people to feel high. Or you may have heard of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/what-you-need-know-and-what-were-working-find-out-about-products-containing-cannabis-or-cannabis">cannabidiol, commonly known as CBD, an extract of cannabis</a>&nbsp;that is infused in some foods, medicines, oils and many other products.

But many people do not realize that humans also create their own versions of these chemicals, called endocannabinoids. These are tiny molecules made of lipids – or fats – that circulate in the brain and body; “endo” refers to those produced in the body rather than from a plant or in a lab.

Endocannabinoids work on cannabinoid receptors&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0703472104">throughout the brain</a>&nbsp;and body. They cause a variety of effects, including pain relief, reduction of anxiety and stress and enhanced learning and memory. They also affect hunger, inflammation and&nbsp;<a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038%2Fnpp.2017.130">immune functioning</a>. Endocannabinoid levels can be influenced by food, time of day, exercise, obesity, injury, inflammation and stress.

It’s worth noting that one should not be tempted to forgo a run or bike ride and resort to smoking or ingesting cannabis instead. Endocannabinoids lack the unwanted effects that come with getting high, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-006-0508-y">mental impairment</a>.

Studies&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105173">in humans</a>&nbsp;and in&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1514996112">animal models</a>&nbsp;are pointing to endocannabinoids – not endorphins – as the star players in the runner’s high.

These elegant studies demonstrate that when opioid receptors are blocked – in&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105173">one example</a>&nbsp;by a drug called naltrexone – people still experienced euphoria and reduced pain and anxiety after exercise. On the flip side, the studies showed that blocking the effects of cannabinoid receptors reduced the beneficial effects of exercise on euphoria, pain and anxiety.

While&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2020.100366">several studies</a><a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-012-2495-5">have shown</a>&nbsp;that exercise increases the levels of endocannabinoids circulating in the blood, some have reported inconsistent findings, or that different endocannabinoids produce&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00269">varying effects</a>. We also don’t know yet if all types of exercise, such as cycling, running or resistance exercise like weightlifting, produce similar results. And it is an open question whether people with and without preexisting health conditions like depression, PTSD or fibromyalgia experience the same endocannabinoid boosts.

To address these questions, an undergraduate student in my lab, Shreya Desai, led a&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2021.0113">systematic review and meta-analysis</a>&nbsp;of 33 published studies on the impact of exercise on endocannabinoid levels. We compared the effects of an “acute” exercise session – like going for a 30-minute run or cycle – with the effects of “chronic” programs, such as a 10-week running or weightlifting program. We separated them out because different levels and patterns of exertion could have very distinct effects on endocannabinoid responses.

We found that acute exercise consistently boosted endocannabinoid levels across studies. The effects were most consistent for a chemical messenger known as anandamide – the so-called&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1470919">“bliss” molecule</a>, which was named, in part, for its positive effects on mood.

Interestingly, we observed this exercise-related boost in endocannabinoids across different types of exercise, including running, swimming and weightlifting, and across individuals with and without preexisting health conditions. Although only a few studies looked at intensity and duration of exercise, it appears that moderate levels of exercise intensity – such as cycling or running – are more effective than lower-intensity exercise – like walking at slow speeds or low incline – when it comes to raising endocannabinoid levels. This suggests that it is important to keep your heart rate elevated – that is, between about 70% and 80% of age-adjusted maximum heart rate – for at least 30 minutes to reap the full benefits.

[Over 140,000 readers rely on The Conversation’s newsletters to understand the world.&nbsp;<a href="https://memberservices.theconversation.com/newsletters/?source=inline-140ksignup">Sign up today</a>.]

There are still a lot of questions about the links between endocannabinoids and beneficial effects from exercise. For example, we didn’t see consistent effects for how a chronic exercise regimen, such as a six-week cycling program, might affect resting endocannabinoid levels. Likewise, it isn’t yet clear what the minimum amount of exercise is to get a boost in endocannabinoids, and how long these compounds remain elevated after acute exercise.

Despite these open questions, these findings bring researchers one step closer to understanding how exercise benefits brain and body. And they offer an important motivator for making time for exercise during the rush of the holidays.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here:&nbsp;<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-runners-high-may-result-from-molecules-called-cannabinoids-the-bodys-own-version-of-thc-and-cbd-170796">https://theconversation.com/the-runners-high-may-result-from-molecules-called-cannabinoids-the-bodys-own-version-of-thc-and-cbd-170796</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620155146441.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hilary-a-marusak-489437">Hilary A. Marusak</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/wayne-state-university-989">Wayne State University</a>(THE CONVERSATION) Many people have experienced reductions in stress, pain and anxiety and sometimes even euphoria after exercise. What’s behind this so-called “runner’s high”? New research on the neuroscience of exercise may surprise you.The “runner’s high” has long been attributed to&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.1983.4.3.169">endorphins</a>. These are chemicals produced naturally in the body of humans and other animals after exercise and in response to pain or stress.However,&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2021.0113">new research from my lab</a>&nbsp;summarizes nearly two decades of work on this topic. We found that exercise reliably increases levels of the body’s endocannabinoids – which are molecules that work to maintain balance in the brain and body – a process called “homeostasis.” This natural chemical boost may better explain some of the beneficial effects of exercise on brain and body.I am a&nbsp;<a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=S9ykvZUAAAAJ&amp;hl=en">neuroscientist</a>&nbsp;at the Wayne State University School of Medicine.&nbsp;<a href="https://wsuthinklab.mystrikingly.com/">My lab</a>&nbsp;studies brain development and mental health, as well as the role of the endocannabinoid system in stress regulation and anxiety disorders in children and adolescents.This research has implications for everyone who exercises with the aim of reducing stress and should serve as a motivator for those who don’t regularly exercise.Health benefits of exercise<a href="https://doi.org/10.1097/HCO.0000000000000437">Several decades of research</a>&nbsp;has shown that exercise is beneficial for physical health. These studies find a consistent link between varying amounts of physical activity and reduced risk of&nbsp;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2018-100393">premature death</a>&nbsp;and dozens of chronic health conditions, including&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-015-0056-z">diabetes</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-013-0065-6">hypertension</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jval.2018.06.020">cancer</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph9020391">heart disease</a>.More recently – over about the past&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2014.00066">two decades</a>&nbsp;– mounting research shows that exercise is also&nbsp;<a href="https://theconversation.com/swimming-gives-your-brain-a-boost-but-scientists-dont-know-yet-why-its-better-than-other-aerobic-activities-164297">highly beneficial for mental health</a>. In fact, regular exercise is associated with lower symptoms of anxiety, depression, Parkinson’s disease and other common mental health or&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1159/000223730">neurological problems</a>. Consistent exercise&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1159/000350946">is also linked to</a>&nbsp;better cognitive performance, improved mood, lower stress and higher self-esteem.It is not yet clear what is behind these mental health boosts. We do know that exercise has a variety of effects on the brain, including raising&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/tp.2017.135">metabolism</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-201456">blood flow</a>, promoting the formation of&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2018.00052">new brain cells</a>&nbsp;– a process called neurogenesis – and increasing the release of several chemicals in the brain.Some of these chemicals are called neurotrophic factors, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1159/000223730">brain-derived neurotrophic factor</a>. BDNF is intricately involved in brain “plasticity,” or changes in activity of brain cells, including those related to&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fncel.2019.00363">learning and memory</a>.Scientists have also shown that exercise increases blood levels of endorphins, one of the body’s natural opioids. Opioids are chemicals that work in the brain and have a variety of effects, including&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpain.2021.721357">helping to relieve pain</a>. Some&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhn013">early research</a>&nbsp;in the 1980s contributed to the long-standing popular belief that this endorphin release is related to the euphoric feeling known as the runner’s high.However,&nbsp;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.2004.011718">scientists have</a><a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1514996112">long questioned</a>&nbsp;the role of endorphins in the runner’s high sensation, in part because endorphins cannot cross into the brain through the&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1101/cshperspect.a020412">blood-brain barrier</a>, which protects the brain from toxins and pathogens. So endorphins are not likely to be the main driver for the beneficial effects of exercise on mood and mental state.This is where our research and&nbsp;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.2004.011718">that of others</a>&nbsp;points to the role of our body’s natural versions of cannabinoids, called endocannabinoids.The surprising role of endocannabinoidsYou&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/cbd-vs-thc">may be familiar with</a>&nbsp;cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol – better known as THC – the psychoactive compound in cannabis (from the Cannabis sativa L. plant) that causes people to feel high. Or you may have heard of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/what-you-need-know-and-what-were-working-find-out-about-products-containing-cannabis-or-cannabis">cannabidiol, commonly known as CBD, an extract of cannabis</a>&nbsp;that is infused in some foods, medicines, oils and many other products.But many people do not realize that humans also create their own versions of these chemicals, called endocannabinoids. These are tiny molecules made of lipids – or fats – that circulate in the brain and body; “endo” refers to those produced in the body rather than from a plant or in a lab.Endocannabinoids work on cannabinoid receptors&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0703472104">throughout the brain</a>&nbsp;and body. They cause a variety of effects, including pain relief, reduction of anxiety and stress and enhanced learning and memory. They also affect hunger, inflammation and&nbsp;<a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038%2Fnpp.2017.130">immune functioning</a>. Endocannabinoid levels can be influenced by food, time of day, exercise, obesity, injury, inflammation and stress.It’s worth noting that one should not be tempted to forgo a run or bike ride and resort to smoking or ingesting cannabis instead. Endocannabinoids lack the unwanted effects that come with getting high, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-006-0508-y">mental impairment</a>.Understanding the runner’s highStudies&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105173">in humans</a>&nbsp;and in&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1514996112">animal models</a>&nbsp;are pointing to endocannabinoids – not endorphins – as the star players in the runner’s high.These elegant studies demonstrate that when opioid receptors are blocked – in&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105173">one example</a>&nbsp;by a drug called naltrexone – people still experienced euphoria and reduced pain and anxiety after exercise. On the flip side, the studies showed that blocking the effects of cannabinoid receptors reduced the beneficial effects of exercise on euphoria, pain and anxiety.While&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2020.100366">several studies</a><a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-012-2495-5">have shown</a>&nbsp;that exercise increases the levels of endocannabinoids circulating in the blood, some have reported inconsistent findings, or that different endocannabinoids produce&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00269">varying effects</a>. We also don’t know yet if all types of exercise, such as cycling, running or resistance exercise like weightlifting, produce similar results. And it is an open question whether people with and without preexisting health conditions like depression, PTSD or fibromyalgia experience the same endocannabinoid boosts.To address these questions, an undergraduate student in my lab, Shreya Desai, led a&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2021.0113">systematic review and meta-analysis</a>&nbsp;of 33 published studies on the impact of exercise on endocannabinoid levels. We compared the effects of an “acute” exercise session – like going for a 30-minute run or cycle – with the effects of “chronic” programs, such as a 10-week running or weightlifting program. We separated them out because different levels and patterns of exertion could have very distinct effects on endocannabinoid responses.We found that acute exercise consistently boosted endocannabinoid levels across studies. The effects were most consistent for a chemical messenger known as anandamide – the so-called&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1470919">“bliss” molecule</a>, which was named, in part, for its positive effects on mood.Interestingly, we observed this exercise-related boost in endocannabinoids across different types of exercise, including running, swimming and weightlifting, and across individuals with and without preexisting health conditions. Although only a few studies looked at intensity and duration of exercise, it appears that moderate levels of exercise intensity – such as cycling or running – are more effective than lower-intensity exercise – like walking at slow speeds or low incline – when it comes to raising endocannabinoid levels. This suggests that it is important to keep your heart rate elevated – that is, between about 70% and 80% of age-adjusted maximum heart rate – for at least 30 minutes to reap the full benefits.[Over 140,000 readers rely on The Conversation’s newsletters to understand the world.&nbsp;<a href="https://memberservices.theconversation.com/newsletters/?source=inline-140ksignup">Sign up today</a>.]There are still a lot of questions about the links between endocannabinoids and beneficial effects from exercise. For example, we didn’t see consistent effects for how a chronic exercise regimen, such as a six-week cycling program, might affect resting endocannabinoid levels. Likewise, it isn’t yet clear what the minimum amount of exercise is to get a boost in endocannabinoids, and how long these compounds remain elevated after acute exercise.Despite these open questions, these findings bring researchers one step closer to understanding how exercise benefits brain and body. And they offer an important motivator for making time for exercise during the rush of the holidays.This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here:&nbsp;<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-runners-high-may-result-from-molecules-called-cannabinoids-the-bodys-own-version-of-thc-and-cbd-170796">https://theconversation.com/the-runners-high-may-result-from-molecules-called-cannabinoids-the-bodys-own-version-of-thc-and-cbd-170796</a>.

The 'runner's high' may result from molecules called cannabinoids – the body's own version of THC and CBD

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The latest COVID-19 variant is upending holiday plans for tens of thousands of travelers — but it didn’t do much damage to holiday shopping.

Airlines canceled hundreds more flights Sunday, citing staffing problems tied to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">COVID-19</a>, as the nation’s travel woes extended beyond Christmas, with no clear indication when normal schedules would resume.

But shoppers shrugged off the omicron variant, and holiday sales rose at the fastest pace in 17 years, according to one spending measure.

Omicron is likely to slow the economy’s unexpectedly strong rebound from last year’s coronavirus recession by disrupting travel and discouraging some consumers from venturing out. The variant could also add more heat to already simmering inflation by forcing shutdowns at factories and ports, delaying shipments and driving up prices.

“A full reopening of the U.S. economy will be delayed yet again,” said Robin Brooks, chief economist at the Institute of International Finance, a trade group of financial firms.

But it’s not yet clear how deep the hurt will go or how long it will last.

For now, the variant is playing havoc with travel. More than 700 flights entering, leaving or flying within the U.S. were called off, according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware. That figure was down from nearly 1,000 on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-health-business-travel-e08ef1ae7825361486b2d3eb404d5381">Saturday</a>. More than 50 flights were already canceled for Monday.

Delta, United, JetBlue and American have blamed omicron for staffing shortages that forced cancellations.

“This was unexpected,” United spokesperson Maddie King said of the variant’s effect on staffing.

Globally, airlines scrapped about 2,200 flights as of Sunday morning, down from more than 2,800 cancellations the day before, FlightAware’s data showed. The site does not say why flights were canceled.

JetBlue scrapped 10% of its flights Sunday. Delta canceled 5% and United canceled 4%, according to FlightAware. The three airlines canceled more than 10% of their scheduled flights on Saturday.

Mason Herlocker waited Sunday at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey to pick up his girlfriend, who was coming in from Paris. Her flight was delayed for four hours.

It took her five hours to get a COVID-19 test the day before to enter the U.S. She’s visiting for three weeks, and Herlocker said he fears that she will get stuck here if she doesn’t have a negative test result before trying to return home to France.

Worried about his parents getting sick, Herlocker recently got a booster shot and encouraged others to get theirs, too. He said he doesn’t believe an end to the pandemic is in sight.

“I’m of the opinion that this is the new normal,” Herlocker said. “I don’t foresee (the virus) going away any time soon.”

Aneesh Abhyankar flew in from Atlanta on Sunday and was waiting for a flight to India.

Neither of his flights was delayed or canceled, but he said news of the omicron variant encouraged him to push up his travels to ensure he could get to his destination. He said face masks and vaccines are likely to become ingrained in everyday life for the foreseeable future.

“I don’t think we have much to worry about if we take all the precautions, and I think we will be entering a situation where we just live with” the virus, he said.

Despite omicron, American consumers appeared undaunted. Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks all kinds of payments, including cash and debit cards, reported Sunday that holiday sales had risen 8.5% from a year earlier, the biggest annual gain in 17 years. Mastercard SpendingPulse had expected an 8.8% increase.

The results, which covered Nov. 1 through Dec. 24, were fueled by purchases of clothing and jewelry. Holiday sales were up 10.7% compared with the pre-pandemic 2019 holiday period.

After omicron hit, some consumers shifted their spending to e-commerce, but sales stayed strong.

“I feel really good about how the season played out,” said Steve Sadove, senior adviser to Mastercard and former CEO of Saks Inc. “When people feel a little bit uncomfortable, you’ll see a little bit of a pickup in online and a little bit of a slowdown in store performance.’’

Sadove said consumers are “learning to live″ with what COVID-19 throws at them.

“You’re coming out of 2021 with quite a bit of consumer momentum,” he said.

Also Sunday, the nation’s top infectious disease doctor acknowledged that he was frustrated with the limited supply of COVID-19 tests.

Demand for tests has risen amid the omicron surge. “We’ve obviously got to do better,” Dr. Anthony Fauci said an interview that aired Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.”

“I think things will improve greatly as we get into January, but that doesn’t help us today and tomorrow,” Fauci said.

Fauci said he was pleased with evidence that omicron causes less severe illness for most people. But he warned against complacency because the rapid spread of the disease could “override a real diminution in severity,” because so many more people could get infected.

There are still many questions about how bad the omicron surge will be in the U.S., Johns Hopkins infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja said Sunday.

“There are multiple signals showing decreased severity. But the problem is, we have many high-risk individuals that are not vaccinated in some parts of the country. And there are hospitals in those regions that already are dealing with a lot of delta patients,” Adalja said.

Meanwhile in Europe, France recorded more than 100,000 virus infections in a single day for the first time in the pandemic. COVID-19 hospitalizations have doubled over the past month as omicron complicates the French government’s efforts to stave off a new lockdown. The country’s overall death toll stands at more than 122,000.

President Emmanuel Macron’s government planned emergency meetings for Monday to discuss the next steps. Some scientists and educators have urged delaying the post-holiday return to school or suggested re-imposing a curfew.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640547293052.png" alt="Outside Nebraska Furniture Mart&nbsp; on Sunday-Security camera image" />
 <figcaption>Outside Nebraska Furniture Mart&nbsp; on Sunday-Security camera image</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — The latest COVID-19 variant is upending holiday plans for tens of thousands of travelers — but it didn’t do much damage to holiday shopping.Airlines canceled hundreds more flights Sunday, citing staffing problems tied to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">COVID-19</a>, as the nation’s travel woes extended beyond Christmas, with no clear indication when normal schedules would resume.But shoppers shrugged off the omicron variant, and holiday sales rose at the fastest pace in 17 years, according to one spending measure.Omicron is likely to slow the economy’s unexpectedly strong rebound from last year’s coronavirus recession by disrupting travel and discouraging some consumers from venturing out. The variant could also add more heat to already simmering inflation by forcing shutdowns at factories and ports, delaying shipments and driving up prices.“A full reopening of the U.S. economy will be delayed yet again,” said Robin Brooks, chief economist at the Institute of International Finance, a trade group of financial firms.But it’s not yet clear how deep the hurt will go or how long it will last.For now, the variant is playing havoc with travel. More than 700 flights entering, leaving or flying within the U.S. were called off, according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware. That figure was down from nearly 1,000 on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-health-business-travel-e08ef1ae7825361486b2d3eb404d5381">Saturday</a>. More than 50 flights were already canceled for Monday.Delta, United, JetBlue and American have blamed omicron for staffing shortages that forced cancellations.“This was unexpected,” United spokesperson Maddie King said of the variant’s effect on staffing.Globally, airlines scrapped about 2,200 flights as of Sunday morning, down from more than 2,800 cancellations the day before, FlightAware’s data showed. The site does not say why flights were canceled.JetBlue scrapped 10% of its flights Sunday. Delta canceled 5% and United canceled 4%, according to FlightAware. The three airlines canceled more than 10% of their scheduled flights on Saturday.Mason Herlocker waited Sunday at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey to pick up his girlfriend, who was coming in from Paris. Her flight was delayed for four hours.It took her five hours to get a COVID-19 test the day before to enter the U.S. She’s visiting for three weeks, and Herlocker said he fears that she will get stuck here if she doesn’t have a negative test result before trying to return home to France.Worried about his parents getting sick, Herlocker recently got a booster shot and encouraged others to get theirs, too. He said he doesn’t believe an end to the pandemic is in sight.“I’m of the opinion that this is the new normal,” Herlocker said. “I don’t foresee (the virus) going away any time soon.”Aneesh Abhyankar flew in from Atlanta on Sunday and was waiting for a flight to India.Neither of his flights was delayed or canceled, but he said news of the omicron variant encouraged him to push up his travels to ensure he could get to his destination. He said face masks and vaccines are likely to become ingrained in everyday life for the foreseeable future.“I don’t think we have much to worry about if we take all the precautions, and I think we will be entering a situation where we just live with” the virus, he said.Despite omicron, American consumers appeared undaunted. Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks all kinds of payments, including cash and debit cards, reported Sunday that holiday sales had risen 8.5% from a year earlier, the biggest annual gain in 17 years. Mastercard SpendingPulse had expected an 8.8% increase.The results, which covered Nov. 1 through Dec. 24, were fueled by purchases of clothing and jewelry. Holiday sales were up 10.7% compared with the pre-pandemic 2019 holiday period.After omicron hit, some consumers shifted their spending to e-commerce, but sales stayed strong.“I feel really good about how the season played out,” said Steve Sadove, senior adviser to Mastercard and former CEO of Saks Inc. “When people feel a little bit uncomfortable, you’ll see a little bit of a pickup in online and a little bit of a slowdown in store performance.’’Sadove said consumers are “learning to live″ with what COVID-19 throws at them.“You’re coming out of 2021 with quite a bit of consumer momentum,” he said.Also Sunday, the nation’s top infectious disease doctor acknowledged that he was frustrated with the limited supply of COVID-19 tests.Demand for tests has risen amid the omicron surge. “We’ve obviously got to do better,” Dr. Anthony Fauci said an interview that aired Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.”“I think things will improve greatly as we get into January, but that doesn’t help us today and tomorrow,” Fauci said.Fauci said he was pleased with evidence that omicron causes less severe illness for most people. But he warned against complacency because the rapid spread of the disease could “override a real diminution in severity,” because so many more people could get infected.There are still many questions about how bad the omicron surge will be in the U.S., Johns Hopkins infectious disease specialist Dr. Amesh Adalja said Sunday.“There are multiple signals showing decreased severity. But the problem is, we have many high-risk individuals that are not vaccinated in some parts of the country. And there are hospitals in those regions that already are dealing with a lot of delta patients,” Adalja said.Meanwhile in Europe, France recorded more than 100,000 virus infections in a single day for the first time in the pandemic. COVID-19 hospitalizations have doubled over the past month as omicron complicates the French government’s efforts to stave off a new lockdown. The country’s overall death toll stands at more than 122,000.President Emmanuel Macron’s government planned emergency meetings for Monday to discuss the next steps. Some scientists and educators have urged delaying the post-holiday return to school or suggested re-imposing a curfew.___

COVID variant disrupts holiday travel but not shopping

WASHINGTON
 — The Internal Revenue Service announced today that it will issue 
information letters to Advance Child Tax Credit recipients starting in 
December and to recipients of the third round of the Economic Impact 
Payments at the end of January. Using this information when preparing a 
tax return can reduce errors and delays in processing.

The IRS urged people receiving these letters to make sure they hold 
onto them to assist them in preparing their 2021 federal tax returns in 
2022.

Watch for advance Child Tax Credit letter

To help taxpayers reconcile and receive all of the Child Tax Credits 
to which they are entitled, the IRS will send Letter 6419, 2021 advance 
CTC, starting late December 2021 and continuing into January. The letter
 will include the total amount of advance Child Tax Credit payments 
taxpayers received in 2021 and the number of qualifying children used to
 calculate the advance payments. People should keep this and any other 
IRS letters about advance Child Tax Credit payments with their tax 
records.

Families who received advance payments will need to file a 2021 tax 
return and compare the advance Child Tax Credit payments they received 
in 2021 with the amount of the Child Tax Credit they can properly claim 
on their 2021 tax return.

The letter contains important information that can make preparing 
their tax returns easier. People who received the advance CTC payments 
can also check the amount of their payments by using the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-update-portal">CTC Update Portal</a> available on IRS.gov.

Eligible families who did not receive any advance Child Tax Credit 
payments can claim the full amount of the Child Tax Credit on their 2021
 federal tax return, filed in 2022. This includes families who don't 
normally need to file a tax return.

Economic Impact Payment letter can help with the Recovery Rebate Credit

The IRS will begin issuing Letter 6475, Your Third Economic Impact 
Payment, to EIP recipients in late January. This letter will help 
Economic Impact Payment recipients determine if they are entitled to and
 should claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on their tax year 2021 tax 
returns that they file in 2022.

Letter 6475 only applies to the third round of Economic Impact 
Payments that was issued starting in March 2021 and continued through 
December 2021. The third round of Economic Impact Payments, including 
the "plus-up" payments, were advance payments of the 2021 Recovery 
Rebate Credit that would be claimed on a 2021 tax return. Plus-up 
payments were additional payments the IRS sent to people who received a 
third Economic Impact Payment based on a 2019 tax return or information 
received from SSA, RRB or VA; or to people who may be eligible for a 
larger amount based on their 2020 tax return.

Most eligible people already received the payments. However, people 
who are missing stimulus payments should review the information to 
determine their eligibility and whether they need to claim a Recovery 
Rebate Credit for tax year 2020 or 2021.

Like the advance CTC letter, the Economic Impact Payment letters 
include important information that can help people quickly and 
accurately file their tax return.

More information about the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">advance Child Tax Credit</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments">Economic Impact Payments</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus-tax-relief-and-economic-impact-payments">other COVID-19-related tax relief</a> may be found at IRS.gov.

As the 2022 tax filing season approaches, the IRS urges people to 
make sure to file an accurate tax return and use electronic filing with 
direct deposit to avoid delays.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON
 — The Internal Revenue Service announced today that it will issue 
information letters to Advance Child Tax Credit recipients starting in 
December and to recipients of the third round of the Economic Impact 
Payments at the end of January. Using this information when preparing a 
tax return can reduce errors and delays in processing.The IRS urged people receiving these letters to make sure they hold 
onto them to assist them in preparing their 2021 federal tax returns in 
2022.<h2>Watch for advance Child Tax Credit letter</h2>To help taxpayers reconcile and receive all of the Child Tax Credits 
to which they are entitled, the IRS will send Letter 6419, 2021 advance 
CTC, starting late December 2021 and continuing into January. The letter
 will include the total amount of advance Child Tax Credit payments 
taxpayers received in 2021 and the number of qualifying children used to
 calculate the advance payments. People should keep this and any other 
IRS letters about advance Child Tax Credit payments with their tax 
records.Families who received advance payments will need to file a 2021 tax 
return and compare the advance Child Tax Credit payments they received 
in 2021 with the amount of the Child Tax Credit they can properly claim 
on their 2021 tax return.The letter contains important information that can make preparing 
their tax returns easier. People who received the advance CTC payments 
can also check the amount of their payments by using the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-update-portal">CTC Update Portal</a> available on IRS.gov.Eligible families who did not receive any advance Child Tax Credit 
payments can claim the full amount of the Child Tax Credit on their 2021
 federal tax return, filed in 2022. This includes families who don't 
normally need to file a tax return.<h2>Economic Impact Payment letter can help with the Recovery Rebate Credit</h2>The IRS will begin issuing Letter 6475, Your Third Economic Impact 
Payment, to EIP recipients in late January. This letter will help 
Economic Impact Payment recipients determine if they are entitled to and
 should claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on their tax year 2021 tax 
returns that they file in 2022.Letter 6475 only applies to the third round of Economic Impact 
Payments that was issued starting in March 2021 and continued through 
December 2021. The third round of Economic Impact Payments, including 
the "plus-up" payments, were advance payments of the 2021 Recovery 
Rebate Credit that would be claimed on a 2021 tax return. Plus-up 
payments were additional payments the IRS sent to people who received a 
third Economic Impact Payment based on a 2019 tax return or information 
received from SSA, RRB or VA; or to people who may be eligible for a 
larger amount based on their 2020 tax return.Most eligible people already received the payments. However, people 
who are missing stimulus payments should review the information to 
determine their eligibility and whether they need to claim a Recovery 
Rebate Credit for tax year 2020 or 2021.Like the advance CTC letter, the Economic Impact Payment letters 
include important information that can help people quickly and 
accurately file their tax return.More information about the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">advance Child Tax Credit</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments">Economic Impact Payments</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus-tax-relief-and-economic-impact-payments">other COVID-19-related tax relief</a> may be found at IRS.gov.As the 2022 tax filing season approaches, the IRS urges people to 
make sure to file an accurate tax return and use electronic filing with 
direct deposit to avoid delays.

IRS sends important letters on Child Tax Credit, COVID relief payments

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded employers 
and self-employed individuals that chose to defer paying part of their 
2020 Social Security tax obligation that a payment is due on January 3, 
2022.

Most affected employers and self-employed individuals received 
reminder billing notices from the IRS. The agency noted, however, that 
those affected are still required to make the payment on time, even if 
they did not receive a bill.

As part of the COVID relief provided during 2020, employers and 
self-employed people could choose to put off paying the employer's share
 of their eligible Social Security tax liability, normally 6.2% of 
wages. Half of that deferral is now due on January 3, 2022, and the 
other half on January 3, 2023.

Under separate COVID relief, employers could choose to forgo 
withholding Social Security taxes from eligible employees, and instead 
withhold tax this year and then pay those amounts to the IRS. For 
details, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/what-employers-need-to-know-about-repayment-of-deferred-payroll-taxes">What employers need to know about repayment of deferred payroll taxes</a> on IRS.gov.

Employers and individuals can make the deferral payments through the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">Electronic Federal Tax Payment System or by credit or debit card, money order or with a check</a>. To be sure these payments are credited properly, they must be made separately from other tax payments.

EFTPS has an option to make a deferral payment. On the Tax Type Selection screen, choose Deferred Social Security Tax
 and then change the date to the applicable tax period (typically, the 
calendar quarter in 2020 for which tax was deferred). Visit <a href="https://www.eftps.com/eftps/">EFTPS.gov</a>, or call <a href="tel:800-555-4477">800-555-4477</a> or <a href="tel:800-733-4829">800-733-4829</a> for details.

Individual taxpayers can also use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">Direct Pay</a>,
 available only on IRS.gov. Select the "balance due" reason for payment.
 If paying with a debit or credit card, select "installment agreement." 
Apply the payment to the 2020 tax year where the payment was deferred.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded employers 
and self-employed individuals that chose to defer paying part of their 
2020 Social Security tax obligation that a payment is due on January 3, 
2022.Most affected employers and self-employed individuals received 
reminder billing notices from the IRS. The agency noted, however, that 
those affected are still required to make the payment on time, even if 
they did not receive a bill.As part of the COVID relief provided during 2020, employers and 
self-employed people could choose to put off paying the employer's share
 of their eligible Social Security tax liability, normally 6.2% of 
wages. Half of that deferral is now due on January 3, 2022, and the 
other half on January 3, 2023.Under separate COVID relief, employers could choose to forgo 
withholding Social Security taxes from eligible employees, and instead 
withhold tax this year and then pay those amounts to the IRS. For 
details, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/what-employers-need-to-know-about-repayment-of-deferred-payroll-taxes">What employers need to know about repayment of deferred payroll taxes</a> on IRS.gov.<h2>How to repay the deferred taxes</h2>Employers and individuals can make the deferral payments through the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">Electronic Federal Tax Payment System or by credit or debit card, money order or with a check</a>. To be sure these payments are credited properly, they must be made separately from other tax payments.EFTPS has an option to make a deferral payment. On the Tax Type Selection screen, choose Deferred Social Security Tax
 and then change the date to the applicable tax period (typically, the 
calendar quarter in 2020 for which tax was deferred). Visit <a href="https://www.eftps.com/eftps/">EFTPS.gov</a>, or call <a href="tel:800-555-4477">800-555-4477</a> or <a href="tel:800-733-4829">800-733-4829</a> for details.Individual taxpayers can also use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">Direct Pay</a>,
 available only on IRS.gov. Select the "balance due" reason for payment.
 If paying with a debit or credit card, select "installment agreement." 
Apply the payment to the 2020 tax year where the payment was deferred.

IRS: Social Security deadline looms for many employers, self-employed

PAPILLION, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska man is recovering after falling through ice while saving his dog at a lake. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that the Papillion fire and police departments were called at 11:30 a.m. 

Friday after a 47-year-old man fell through the ice at Walnut Creek Lake.

 He was on the ice trying to rescue his dog, about 30 to 40 feet from shore.

 The man was able to rescue the dog, which walked back to shore, but in the process, the man fell through the ice. 

A Sarpy County deputy was in the area and arrived to assist the man using search and rescue equipment.

PAPILLION, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska man is recovering after falling through ice while saving his dog at a lake. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the Papillion fire and police departments were called at 11:30 a.m. Friday after a 47-year-old man fell through the ice at Walnut Creek Lake. He was on the ice trying to rescue his dog, about 30 to 40 feet from shore. The man was able to rescue the dog, which walked back to shore, but in the process, the man fell through the ice. A Sarpy County deputy was in the area and arrived to assist the man using search and rescue equipment.

Man rescued after falling through ice while saving dog

HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) — City officials in Hastings have postponed a hearing on a proposed casino racetrack, saying the issue wasn’t ready for a vote. 

The Hastings Tribune reports that he Hastings Planning Commission pulled the proposal from its agenda on Tuesday on the advice of the city attorney.

 Commission Chairman Marshall Gaines says city officials sometimes aren’t able to fully vet the necessary details of a proposal in time to meet public notice requirements. 

State law requires public notice 10 days prior to a meeting. 

Gaines says the commission hopes to consider the proposal at another meeting in the near future after it’s fully reviewed.

HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) — City officials in Hastings have postponed a hearing on a proposed casino racetrack, saying the issue wasn’t ready for a vote. The Hastings Tribune reports that he Hastings Planning Commission pulled the proposal from its agenda on Tuesday on the advice of the city attorney. Commission Chairman Marshall Gaines says city officials sometimes aren’t able to fully vet the necessary details of a proposal in time to meet public notice requirements. State law requires public notice 10 days prior to a meeting. Gaines says the commission hopes to consider the proposal at another meeting in the near future after it’s fully reviewed.

Hastings postpones hearing on proposed racetrack casino

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department on Tuesday reversed its own legal opinion and said it would allow federal inmates released on home confinement because of the coronavirus pandemic to stay out of prison.

The decision announced by Attorney General Merrick Garland came after months of pressure on President Joe Biden from criminal justice groups, lawmakers and other advocates. In the final days of the Trump administration, DOJ said released inmates would have to return to prison at the end of the emergency period declared during the pandemic. Nearly 3,000 former inmates would have potentially been taken back to prison.

DOJ's Office of Legal Counsel said Tuesday that it did not “lightly depart from our precedents, and we have given the views expressed in our prior opinion careful and respectful consideration.”

The office concluded that the Federal Bureau of Prisons' "preexisting authorities does not require that prisoners in extended home confinement be returned en masse to correctional facilities when the emergency period ends.”

The original releases was authorized under the authority of the $2.2 trillion CARES Act that former President Donald Trump signed in March 2020. As the virus spread, then-Attorney General William Barr directed federal prisons to increase the use of home confinement and expedite the release of eligible high-risk inmates as coronavirus cases surged, particularly in detention settings. Priority was given to those at low- or medium-security prisons where the virus was spreading fastest.

“Thousands of people on home confinement have reconnected with their families, have found gainful employment, and have followed the rules," Garland said in a statement. “In light of today’s Office of Legal Counsel opinion, I have directed that the Department engage in a rulemaking process to ensure that the Department lives up to the letter and the spirit of the CARES Act.”

Garland added: "We will exercise our authority so that those who have made rehabilitative progress and complied with the conditions of home confinement, and who in the interests of justice should be given an opportunity to continue transitioning back to society, are not unnecessarily returned to prison.”

More than 35,000 inmates were released as part of the effort to ease pandemic conditions as long as they met certain criteria, including they were not likely a danger to others. But 2,830 of the 4,879 people who remain on home confinement were slated to return to prison, the BOP said. The others have completed their sentences.

Garland called advocates Tuesday prior to the announcement.

“This is excellent news for thousands of people and their families to get before the holidays,” Families Against Mandatory Minimums President Kevin Ring said in a statement. “There is no way the people on CARES Act home confinement should have been sent back to prison, and we are very grateful to the Biden administration for fixing this mistake."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640201827511.png" alt="Attorney General Merrick Garland-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Attorney General Merrick Garland-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department on Tuesday reversed its own legal opinion and said it would allow federal inmates released on home confinement because of the coronavirus pandemic to stay out of prison.The decision announced by Attorney General Merrick Garland came after months of pressure on President Joe Biden from criminal justice groups, lawmakers and other advocates. In the final days of the Trump administration, DOJ said released inmates would have to return to prison at the end of the emergency period declared during the pandemic. Nearly 3,000 former inmates would have potentially been taken back to prison.DOJ's Office of Legal Counsel said Tuesday that it did not “lightly depart from our precedents, and we have given the views expressed in our prior opinion careful and respectful consideration.”The office concluded that the Federal Bureau of Prisons' "preexisting authorities does not require that prisoners in extended home confinement be returned en masse to correctional facilities when the emergency period ends.”The original releases was authorized under the authority of the $2.2 trillion CARES Act that former President Donald Trump signed in March 2020. As the virus spread, then-Attorney General William Barr directed federal prisons to increase the use of home confinement and expedite the release of eligible high-risk inmates as coronavirus cases surged, particularly in detention settings. Priority was given to those at low- or medium-security prisons where the virus was spreading fastest.“Thousands of people on home confinement have reconnected with their families, have found gainful employment, and have followed the rules," Garland said in a statement. “In light of today’s Office of Legal Counsel opinion, I have directed that the Department engage in a rulemaking process to ensure that the Department lives up to the letter and the spirit of the CARES Act.”Garland added: "We will exercise our authority so that those who have made rehabilitative progress and complied with the conditions of home confinement, and who in the interests of justice should be given an opportunity to continue transitioning back to society, are not unnecessarily returned to prison.”More than 35,000 inmates were released as part of the effort to ease pandemic conditions as long as they met certain criteria, including they were not likely a danger to others. But 2,830 of the 4,879 people who remain on home confinement were slated to return to prison, the BOP said. The others have completed their sentences.Garland called advocates Tuesday prior to the announcement.“This is excellent news for thousands of people and their families to get before the holidays,” Families Against Mandatory Minimums President Kevin Ring said in a statement. “There is no way the people on CARES Act home confinement should have been sent back to prison, and we are very grateful to the Biden administration for fixing this mistake."

COVID: Inmates on home confinement can stay out of prison

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 32-year-old man died several hours after he was struck by a pickup truck while he was crossing an Omaha street on Saturday. 

Omaha Police said Seth Dawson was hit by a 2009 GMC Sierra pickup around 5:30 p.m. on Christmas Day. He died early Sunday at an Omaha hospital. 

Police said Dawson was walking just outside the crosswalk when he was hit while trying to cross Northwest Radial in the Benson area. 

The 31-year-old man who was driving the pickup was arrested after the crash because he had an outstanding misdemeanor warrant. 

Police were still investigating the crash on Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637688395425.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 32-year-old man died several hours after he was struck by a pickup truck while he was crossing an Omaha street on Saturday. Omaha Police said Seth Dawson was hit by a 2009 GMC Sierra pickup around 5:30 p.m. on Christmas Day. He died early Sunday at an Omaha hospital. Police said Dawson was walking just outside the crosswalk when he was hit while trying to cross Northwest Radial in the Benson area. The 31-year-old man who was driving the pickup was arrested after the crash because he had an outstanding misdemeanor warrant. Police were still investigating the crash on Sunday.

Nebraska pedestrian dies after being hit by truck in Omaha

When Westminster United Methodist Church in Houston resumed in-person services late last year, after a seven-month halt due to COVID-19, there were Sundays when only three worshippers showed up, according to the pastor, Meredith Mills.

Since then, attendance has inched back up, but it’s still only about half the pre-pandemic turnout of 160 or 170, Mills estimates.

“It’s frustrating,” she said. “People just seem to want to leave home less these days.”

Some houses of worship are faring better than Mills’ church, some worse. Polls by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows how dramatically church attendance fell during the worst of the pandemic last year, even as many say they are now returning to regular service attendance.

Among mainline Protestants, just 1% said in a May 2020 poll that they were attending in-person services at least once a week. In the new poll, 14% say they’re doing so now, compared to 16% who say they did in 2019.

Among evangelical Protestants, 37% now say they are attending services in person at least weekly, while 42% said they did that in 2019. In the May 2020 poll, just 11% said they were attending services in person that often.

Among Catholics, 26% attend in person at least weekly now, compared with 30% in 2019. In the 2020 poll, conducted as many bishops temporarily waived the obligation for weekly Mass attendance, just 5% were worshipping in person at least weekly.

At St. Ambrose Catholic Parish in Brunswick, Ohio, the six services each weekend drew a total of about 3,800 worshippers before the pandemic, according to the pastor, Bob Stec. Current weekend attendance is about 2,800, Stec says, with 1,600 or more households joining online worship.

Elsewhere, churches large and small have taken hits in attendance.

John Elkins, teaching pastor at Sovereign Grace Fellowship in Brazoria, Texas, says 25 to 30 people have attended services recently, down from around 50 before the pandemic.

By DAVID CRARY, Associated PressWhen Westminster United Methodist Church in Houston resumed in-person services late last year, after a seven-month halt due to COVID-19, there were Sundays when only three worshippers showed up, according to the pastor, Meredith Mills.Since then, attendance has inched back up, but it’s still only about half the pre-pandemic turnout of 160 or 170, Mills estimates.“It’s frustrating,” she said. “People just seem to want to leave home less these days.”Some houses of worship are faring better than Mills’ church, some worse. Polls by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows how dramatically church attendance fell during the worst of the pandemic last year, even as many say they are now returning to regular service attendance.Among mainline Protestants, just 1% said in a May 2020 poll that they were attending in-person services at least once a week. In the new poll, 14% say they’re doing so now, compared to 16% who say they did in 2019.Among evangelical Protestants, 37% now say they are attending services in person at least weekly, while 42% said they did that in 2019. In the May 2020 poll, just 11% said they were attending services in person that often.Among Catholics, 26% attend in person at least weekly now, compared with 30% in 2019. In the 2020 poll, conducted as many bishops temporarily waived the obligation for weekly Mass attendance, just 5% were worshipping in person at least weekly.At St. Ambrose Catholic Parish in Brunswick, Ohio, the six services each weekend drew a total of about 3,800 worshippers before the pandemic, according to the pastor, Bob Stec. Current weekend attendance is about 2,800, Stec says, with 1,600 or more households joining online worship.Elsewhere, churches large and small have taken hits in attendance.John Elkins, teaching pastor at Sovereign Grace Fellowship in Brazoria, Texas, says 25 to 30 people have attended services recently, down from around 50 before the pandemic.“For some, I was not political enough,” he said via email. “Some wanted more activities, some just stopped going to church.”Sovereign Grace, a Southern Baptist church, had never offered online worship before the pandemic. When in-person worship was halted for a month in 2020, leaving online worship as the only option, Elkins said he did more crisis counseling for congregation members than ever before.At the much larger First Church of God in Columbus, Ohio, there was a near-total halt to in-person worship between March 2020 and September of this year. On two Sundays in September 2020, worshippers were invited back to the church to test the feasibility of in-person services.“But it was obvious they were still uncomfortable -- they came dressed like they were working at Chernobyl,” said the senior pastor, Bishop Timothy Clarke, evoking hazmat suits appropriate for confronting a nuclear disaster.Pre-pandemic, the predominantly African American church held three services each weekend, including one on Saturday evenings, with average total attendance of 2,500. Now there’s a single service on Sunday, and only 500 worshippers – with masks and proof of vaccination -- are allowed into a sanctuary that can seat more than 1,500.The return to in-person worship “gives us a sense of connection and community,” Clarke said. “But you also have safety.”At All Saints’ Episcopal Church in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, average Sunday attendance dropped from about 140 pre-pandemic to as low as 30 before climbing back, reaching 120 earlier this month. The Rev. Steven Paulikas credits a mandatory mask policy.“Mask wearing puts people at ease about their health and allows them to do what people come to church to do -- worship God,” he said.Attendance is down sharply from pre-pandemic levels at St. Barnabas Lutheran Church in Cary, Illinois, which halted in-person, indoor worship for more than six months in 2020. Instead it held drive-in services in the parking lot.Before the pandemic, about 115 people would attend one of two services offered on Sundays, said the pastor, Sarah Wilson. Now there’s one service, and attendance is down by more than half.“Some families are still nervous about being in a room with others, even though most people attending are vaccinated and we require masks,” she said. “Other people have re-ordered their priorities and worship isn’t one of them.”Friendswood United Methodist Church, in the Houston suburbs, has endured not only COVID-19 disruptions but also flooding during a winter storm last February that rendered the sanctuary unusable. It just reopened for services this month, said the pastor, Jim Bass.Pre-pandemic, Friendswoods’ Sunday services would draw about 900 worshippers; Bass was pleased that about 650 gathered when the sanctuary reopened for high-energy, music-filled services on Dec. 5.However, he said average attendance has been only half of that during most of the pandemic, creating a $400,000 shortfall in expected giving.Like many houses of worship, Friendswood offered online services as an alternative to in-person attendance. He considers them a mixed blessing -- a plus for elderly congregation members worried about their health, but a disincentive for others who are increasingly disconnected from the church.“They’ve become spectators,” Bass said.At Temple Beth El in Charlotte, North Carolina, Rabbi Asher Knight was elated that recent Hannukah celebrations drew about 300 people in person. Overall, attendance now is roughly half of pre-pandemic levels, but an improvement over periods earlier this year when only a handful of worshippers appeared.“It was demoralizing and painful to lead worship with virtually no one present,” he said. “But in October and November, people got the booster and their children got vaccinated and they slowly started coming back.”In September, amid a surge in COVID cases, Temple Judea in Coral Gables, Florida, observed the Jewish High Holy Days with no in-person services. So the sanctuary wouldn’t look so empty for online services, Rabbi Judith Siegal and her staff filled it with cardboard cutouts of congregation members, including children and pets.In-person worship has now resumed, and the range of weekly attendance – 75 to 125 people – is close to pre-pandemic levels.“We’re still wearing masks, and the seating is still spread out,” Siegal said. “But our members love it.”Among Christians, the option of worshipping online has been embraced by many evangelical Protestants, according to the AP-NORC poll. About 3 in 10 have livestreamed services at least weekly in recent months, compared with about 1 in 10 Catholics or mainline Protestants.Three-quarters of evangelical Protestants say they pray privately at least weekly, compared with roughly half of mainline Protestants and Catholics, the poll found.Roughly a quarter of evangelical Protestants say they’ve recently talked by phone or video conference with a religious or spiritual leader at least a few times a month, compared with about 1 in 10 mainline Protestants and Catholics.Some faith leaders, such as Meredith Mills, see some positives, such as more energy in the church, even with fewer worshippers.“The ones showing up right now are the people who really want to be there,” she said. “There’s a lot of joy in the room Sunday mornings. It’s one of the reasons that, despite everything, I still love my job.”___