With a predicted surge of the omicron variant over the winter break, officials at UC San Diego decided to return to distance learning for the first two weeks of January. Both the UC and CSU systems are requiring students to get COVID-19 booster shots before returning to campus. Also, researchers are struggling to figure out exactly what kind of danger omicron poses and how to fight it. And a look at what worked, who fell through the cracks and what's next for the region's renters and landlords as housing becomes increasingly more expensive and pandemic protections evaporate. Finally, Diversionary Theatre used the pandemic shutdown to do some much-needed renovation. The theater reopened in September.