Many people have fallen too deep into fear of COVID-19 to function rationally, despite the proven effectiveness of vaccines and the new omicron variant still showing to be less lethal than previous variants. The NHL is a prime example.

Like other major sports leagues, the NHL is grappling with a surge in COVID cases among players. The league is panicking, despite only one player in the entire league being unvaccinated. The league has postponed games and recently began its Christmas break two days early, shuttering team facilities on Wednesday and returning to playing games on Monday.