With the rise of a new coronavirus variant and just over half of Missouri residents fully vaccinated, some families are struggling to decide whether it’s safe to gather for the Christmas holiday. St. Louis Public Radio’s Shahla Farzan spoke with Washington University infectious disease specialist Dr. Steven Lawrence about ways to reduce the chances of getting COVID-19.

Ryan Pope, drummer for the Kansas City rock band The Get Up Kids, says he's grateful to be playing live shows again but cautious about how COVID-19 will affect next year's tour.

Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love with Trevor Grandin and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate