As of Wednesday, January 5, 2022, Montana reports 200,558 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 1,099 new cases of coronavirus infection reported since yesterday: 252 new cases in Gallatin County, 197 new cases in Yellowstone County, 172 new cases in Flathead County, 138 new cases in Missoula County, and more new cases in 38 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 4,520. Currently, 141 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. 2,912 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Four more people’s deaths have been reported since yesterday. Nationwide, more than 828,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 57,000,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

6 million more people are now eligible for a Pfizer-BioNTech booster shot following Monday’s decision from the Food and Drug Administration to shorten the wait time for those who received their first two Pfizer-BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccines. Previously, people who got Pfizer shots had to wait six months after their second shot to get a booster shot. The FDA has shortened that period to five months. The FDA on Monday also authorized a vaccine booster for children ages 12-15.

An out-of-control rocket part is hurtling toward Earth. Space experts are tracking a Russian rocket stage that will make an uncontrolled reentry into Earth’s atmosphere within the next 24 hours.

In the 2020 election, Montanans voted to legalize recreational marijuana, and on January 1, sales opened. Montanans bought more than $1.5 million in recreational marijuana in the first weekend it was legalized for sale. With a statewide 20% sales tax on recreational marijuana, Montana gained $313,396 in tax revenue for the state.

Bozeman High School and Gallatin High School saw students return to school on Monday morning with face masks optional for the first time since the start of the school year and as COVID-19 cases in the county trend upward.