The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has endorsed giving Pfizer booster shots to children between the ages of 12 and 15 as COVID cases continue to skyrocket amid the Omicron surge. The United States has reported an average of nearly 600,000 new COVID cases a day over the past week — by far the highest anywhere in the world. Hospitalizations continue to rise but are still lower than during the surge last winter. The surge is leading to a growing number of public events being canceled across the globe. The Grammy Awards have been postponed. The Sundance Film Festival has canceled in-person screenings. Brazilian officials in Rio de Janeiro have canceled the Carnival street parade for a second year in a row. And Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise are canceling new cruises. Meanwhile, in Chicago, schools are closed again for a second day following a vote by the Chicago Teachers Union to teach remotely.