2022 News Predictions: What to Expect Out of the New Year

This is by no means a comprehensive list of policies and actions that can be expected out of the new year. Instead, consider this a condensed list of some of the top stories you may want to follow into 2022. 

You can expect continued coverage of the investigation into the January 6 insurrection in 2022. 

The House select committee in charge of the investigation has issued 35 subpoenas to groups and individuals linked to the attack on the Capitol. Republican operative Roger Stone and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones were cited as Trump allies directly involved in the “Stop the Steal” rallies. 

The issue the committee faces now is finding time in a 2022 legislative calendar packed with major legislation, such as Biden’s Build Back Better Act, taking House priority.    

Texas’ new law, which outright bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, made national headlines last year, though a Mississippi case, which has been brought before the Supreme Court, will likely determine the future of reproductive rights. 

The Supreme Court held hearings in early December, and after two hours of tense exchanges, the court appeared to be poised to uphold the Mississippi law, which bans abortions after 15 weeks. 

The significance of this court case lies in whether the high court will decide to overturn Roe v. Wade and leave the freedom of choice for states to regulate instead of the individual. The Supreme Court is set to make their ruling in the new year, so be sure to watch for updates. 

Whistleblower and former Facebook employee Frances Haugen released thousands of classified documents from the company outlining years of hidden research and data that would suggest the social media company has been responsible for extremism and political divide, not just in the U.S. but globally. 

In light of Haugen’s charges and testimonies in front of Congress, lawmakers in the U.S. have begun advocating for more stringent regulation in regards to social media. 

Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said in a statement that the documents show Facebook’s leadership “chronically ignored serious internal alarms, choosing to put profits over people,” and added that the company is “obviously unable to police itself.”

As many communities across the globe begin to feel the effects of climate change, you can expect continued civil unrest in response to what some feel is too little too late regulations and promises. 

The World Climate Summit of 2021 was held in Scotland and attracted its fair share of protestors. Many felt that the commitments made by larger nations were insufficient. 

As the climate clock begins to count down, emissions need to fall around 45 percent by 2030 in order to give the world a chance of limiting warming to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit. Instead, emissions are expected to rise 14 percent over the next nine years. 

Next year, the World Climate Summit will be held in Ciro, and you can expect to see more activists filling the streets and reminding policy makers that now is the time to get climate change under control. 

You may have noticed more hiring signs outside of local businesses, or seen the occasional passive aggressive post from a hiring manager claiming that “no one wants to work anymore.” You can expect continued strikes, walk-outs, and growing labor unions, should workers’ concerns remain unaddressed. 

One unexpected consequence of the pandemic was the shattering of the idea that remote work would be too difficult or impossible for most companies to allow. In addition, for those employees who still needed to show up, like those in the service industry, low wages and high tensions caused many to look elsewhere for employment. 

Unions are on the rise, with a recent Gallup poll suggesting that 68 percent of Americans are in favor of unions. Worker movements at high-profile corporations such as Amazon, Nabisco, Starbucks, and Kaiser seem to be building up to what may become a wave of labor unrest. 

Though two years have come and gone, it’s now 2022, and the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect the daily lives of people across the globe. As world leaders began preparing for yet another flu season, more vaccination mandates began rolling out. 

One such mandate requires companies of 100 employees or more to ensure each of their workers are fully vaccinated, or test for COVID-19 on at least a weekly basis. This mandate extended to federal workers as well, though President Biden announced in early December that federal employees won’t face “serious discipline” (including unpaid suspension or firing) until early next year.

The CDC began recommending booster shots for the COVID-19 vaccine for anyone 18 years of age or older. For individuals who received the Pfizer or Moderna, boosters can be administered at least six months after completing their primary vaccination series. For those who received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, that timeline is closer to two months after their initial vaccine. 

The emergence of a new variant in the virus has led to some concern. The Omicron variant was first discovered in Africa at the end of November and quickly began spreading. The first U.S. case was cataloged on December 1 in California. 

The main concern with the newest variant is its unique combination of mutations, which may enable the virus to spread faster. Early evidence suggests that the variant poses an increased risk to those who have already had COVID-19 and could catch it again. 

As folks hope to continue the trend of human contact, many will want to consider booster shots as an added layer of protection for themselves and their loved ones. 

“Vaccines are our best line of defense against COVID-19, including this variant,” says Dr. Julie Swann, a health and humanitarian researcher and the department head of NC State’s the Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering.

The CDC has also given the Pfizer vaccine emergency approval for use in children ages 5 to 15, and full approval to use in people ages 16 and older. Hopefully, with continued vaccination, the coronavirus pandemic will begin to diminish in 2022.