![The Wayland Police Department have issued a warning on the rise of scammers during the holiday season. “Hang up [the phone]. if you get a text and you do not know who it's from, just delete it. Don't click on any links, nothing,” Wayland police chief Edward Burman said. “Every single one of them is a scam.”](https://waylandstudentpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/img_0954_720-e1734676255647.jpg)
![WHS’s Connect Program ran its annual holiday gift drive to fulfill the wishlist of children enrolled in the Dorchester based non-profit daycare organization, the Yawkey Center. This drive brought the town together and impacted both the students in Connect, as well as the greater Wayland community. “You could see how helpful the town was and how our community came together and wanted to help out a community that wasn't our own [and] kids who were less fortunate than we were,” senior and Connect Program member Jordynn Lee said.](https://waylandstudentpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/screenshot_2024-12-20_at_12.21.24___pm_720-e1734734228474.png)
![The Boy Scouts will be selling trees on Fridays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays noon to 6 p.m. until they sell out.
“This event is one of the things that [the Boy Scouts] get to have a direct impact on the community,” freshman Alex Macleod said.](https://waylandstudentpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screenshot-2024-12-11-at-8.38.38 AM.png)
What you need to know:
According to recent trackers and hospitalizations, there has been an increase in COVID-19 cases. This is largely due to new strains, such as BA.2.86, which is a new variant of Omicron, the strain from Nov. 2021 that exponentially increased infections. While it’s not clear what the impact of the new variants will be, scientists are studying them.
To combat the spread of new variants, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is set to greenlight a new COVID-19 booster shot by as early as next week. Additionally, to reduce the risk of infection, doctors have recommended the same precautions as before, like wearing face masks, using air filtration devices and avoiding crowded spaces.
Although COVID-19 vaccines have reduced cases, new studies have shown that COVID-19 can have long term effects for some patients, especially senior citizens.
Why it matters:
In the past month, some schools in the country have moved back to online learning due to the rise in COVID-19 cases. As the number of patients increases, some places will consider reimplementing virtual classes or mask mandates.
The new COVID-19 booster shot will be the first COVID-19 vaccine not covered by the federal government. As Pfizer and Moderna have indicated the vaccines will cost $110-$130 per dose, it will be up to people’s insurance coverage to determine when they can get the shot.
What are other sources to look at?
“Track Covid-19 in the U.S.” – NY Times
“FDA May Approve New Covid Boosters By Friday As Deaths Spike, Report Says” – Forbes
“Long COVID or Post-COVID Conditions” – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
