People stand in line under the rain for a free COVID-19 test outside the Lincoln Park Recreation Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, Dec.  30, 2021.  More than a year after the vaccine was rolled out, new cases of COVID-19 in the U. S.  have soared to their highest level on record at over 265,000 per day on average, a surge driven largely by the highly contagious omicron variant.  (AP Photo / Damian Dovarganes)
People stand in line under the rain for a free COVID-19 test outside the Lincoln Park Recreation Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021. More than a year after the vaccine was rolled out, Show more

Omicron 'so infectious' a passing breath can spread illness