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CHICAGO
 
School had to be canceled after the city's teachers union voted to switch to remote learning due to record coronavirus case levels.
 
It's a hot-button issue for the country's third-largest school district. Officials don't want to switch back to online instruction district-wide, as they say it was devastating for children’s learning and mental health. The union, on the other hand, says the district’s safety protocols are lacking and both teachers and students are vulnerable.

Students returned to class Monday after a two-week winter break with COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations at record levels.
 

HONG KONG

Hong Kong authorities announced a two-week ban on flights from the United States and seven other countries and held 2,500 passengers on a cruise ship for coronavirus testing Wednesday as the city attempted to stem an emerging omicron outbreak.

The two-week ban on passenger flights from Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Britain and the U.S. will take effect Sunday and continue until January 21.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam also announced that arcades, bars and beauty salons will be shut down, and restaurant dining will be forbidden after 6 p.m.

The measures came as new omicron clusters have emerged over the past week, many linked to several Cathay Pacific crew members who broke isolation rules and dined at restaurants and bars in the city before testing positive.

Hong Kong has reported 114 omicron variant cases and Tuesday, it reported its first untraceable case in nearly three months.

Hong Kong officials have moved swiftly to block the spread of the variant, locking down residential buildings where positive cases have been found and mass-testing thousands of people.

That includes about 2,500 passengers aboard Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas ship, which began sailing on Sunday on a “cruise to nowhere”.

In a statement, Royal Caribbean said that nine guests who tested positive were immediately isolated and had all tested negative, and that the company was working closely with authorities to comply with epidemic prevention policies and regulations.

Hong Kong has reported a total of 12,690 confirmed coronavirus infections as of Tuesday, including 213 deaths.