As of Sunday, December 20, 2020, Montana reports 77,170 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 462 new cases reported in the last day: 71 in Yellowstone County, 62 in Lewis & Clark County, 60 in Missoula County, 60 in Flathead County, 39 in Gallatin County, 38 in Cascade County, 24 in Silver Bow County, and more new cases in 23 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 8,870. Statewide, 3,261 people have been hospitalized, and 258 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. The most active cases are in Yellowstone, Cascade, Lewis & Clark, Missoula, and Flathead Counties. 865 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Nationwide, more than 317,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 17,800,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

A fast-moving new variant of coronavirus that is 70% more transmissible than existing strains appears to be driving the rapid spread of new infections in London and southern England. The new strain of the virus prompted Several European Union nations on Sunday to ban flights from the U.K., and Germany was considering limiting such flights to make sure that a new strain of coronavirus sweeping across southern England does not establish a strong foothold on the European continent. The Netherlands banned flights from the U.K. for at least the rest of the year. Belgium issued a flight ban and also halted train links to Britain, including the Eurostar. Austria and Italy said they would halt flights from the U.K. and the Czech Republic imposed stricter quarantine measures from people arriving from the U.K. The EU governments say they are acting in response to tougher measures imposed Saturday in London and its surrounding areas by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. He immediately put those regions into a new Tier 4 level of restrictions.

The new strain of coronavirus was identified in southeastern England in September and has been circulating in the area since. Maria Van Kerkhove, the World Health Organization’s technical lead on COVID-19, said, “What we understand is that it does have increased transmissibility, in terms of its ability to spread.”

The world’s most famed gift-giver will be safe to travel around the world on Christmas Eve after a house call from Dr. Anthony Fauci. Fauci was answering questions from children during a Sesame Street town hall with CNN when the concern arose. “Will Santa still be able to visit me in coronavirus this season,” 6-year-old Paxton from Illinois asked. “What if he can’t go to anyone’s house or near his reindeer?” But Fauci assured good children that he wouldn’t let them be disappointed after making the nice list in a very tough year. The coronavirus expert anticipated Santa’s essential worker status and took things into his own hands. “I took a trip up there to the North Pole,” Fauci said. “I went there and I vaccinated Santa Claus myself. I measured his level of immunity, and he is good to go…Santa Claus is good to go.” Fauci didn’t clarify which inoculation he gave to jolly old St. Nick, Pfizer’s already rolled-out vaccine or the Moderna vaccine, which was approved by the FDA on Friday. But either way, Fauci will have to head back to the North Pole to give Santa his booster shot in a few weeks to ensure its full effectiveness. It seems 2020 will have some good news: Santa Claus is coming to town — masked, socially distanced, and vaccinated.

On Monday night, Jupiter and Saturn will almost kiss in the night sky, appearing as one bright planet, or what some believe to be the Christmas star. The last time the two planets came this visibly close to each other was in the year 1226. To see Jupiter and Saturn, look southwest in the hour after sunset.