In the face of the omicron surge, is Covid contact tracing worth it?

To ensure delivery to your inbox add email@mail.nbcnews.com to your contacts Today's Top Stories from NBC News WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2022 Good morning, NBC News readers.     Today we take a closer look at Covid contact tracing and whether the painstaking process is still worth it. President Joe Biden's tough talk seems to hint at his 2024 ambitions. Plus, scientists get at the age-old question: Can you teach a goldfish to drive?    Here's what we're watching this Wednesday morning.     With omicron surge, some wonder whether Covid contact tracing still works  Alejandra Perez-Handler had a 2-month-old baby and desperately needed at-home work, so she took a job as a contact tracer in Connecticut.    From October through November, she made about 20 calls a day to people who had been exposed to Covid-19, painstakingly working through a lengthy list of names. Now, she makes about 30 calls a day as cases surge, largely because of the omicron variant of the coronavirus.   "It's mentally draining," said Perez-Handler, 23. "It's just exhausting."   The changing nature of Covid-19 has led some epidemiologists to question whether the stress-laden process of contact tracing is a preventive measure worth continuing or not.    The debate comes as the Biden administration vows to provide schools with 10 million Covid-19 tests every month as it urges districts to keep classrooms open amid a widespread shortage of testing kits.   See Covid hospitalization hot spots across the U.S. in five charts.  Wednesday's Top Stories ANALYSIS  Biden hints at re-election with tough talk tying voting rights to Jan. 6 attack With two bookend speeches delivered at the U.S. Capitol on Thursday and in Atlanta on Tuesday, President Joe Biden delivered campaign-style speeches at a moment when he risks losing influence if Democrats start to see him as a lame duck. READ MORE U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson fighting for his political life over Covid party scandal  Reports of a "bring your own booze" party at Johnson's Downing Street official residence in May 2020 have led to intensifying calls for the prime minister to resign.  READ MORE Deadly Bronx fire puts focus on space heaters some see as 'symbols of inequity' A high-rise blaze in New York City that claimed 17 lives is being blamed on a space heater. The building was the subject of several complaints from tenants, including lack of heat. READ MORE Astronomers witness the explosive death of a giant star for first time Supernovas are usually detected only after they explode, but this time the star was spotted 130 days before its end. "It's like watching a ticking time bomb," said one astrophysicist. READ MORE Also in the News Big bucks flow into state races for election officials  Medicare plans to pay for controversial Alzheimer's drug, if patients enroll in trials Italian Catholic, Jewish leaders condemn Nazi flag placed on coffin at church funeral Death of Black Missouri man shot by white neighbor is ruled a justifiable homicide Traveler enters cockpit, causes damage on Miami-bound plane, American Airlines says How the 'Cheer' family handled the Jerry Harris news in season two Reese Witherspoon posted tips for 2022. Ina Garten responded with her own relatable list.  Editor's Pick Inside the lasting friendship between Bob Saget and Norm Macdonald The two comedians, who met as fledgling stand-ups, both rocketed to national fame, and died within four months of each other, enjoyed an enduring friendship. READ MORE Select New products and innovations announced at CES 2022 include a 98-inch TV, the Matter smart home platform and more. One Fun Thing A 'fish-operated vehicle'? Scientists teach goldfish to drive An old joke goes like this: Two fish are in a tank and one says, "Do you know how to drive this thing?"   Israeli scientists appear to have found the answer.   A team from Ben-Gurion University has successfully taught goldfish to maneuver a robotic car on land, via a top-down camera that monitors their movements around a small fish tank.   Read the full story here and check out video of the fish in action here.  Thanks for reading the Morning Rundown.    If you have any comments — likes, dislikes — send me an email at: petra@nbcuni.com   If you're a fan, please forward it to your family and friends. They can sign-up here.    Thanks, Petra Cahill     FOLLOW US     Want to receive NBC Breaking News and Special Alerts in your inbox? SIGN UP HERE Check out all of NBC Newsletters here.     Get the NBC News Mobile App   30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112 View in browser | Unsubscribe | Manage Subscription | Contact | Privacy

Tesla’s Top-Secret Test Drive

Do You See That Strange Device?

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