The UK begins the first Pfizer Covid-19 immunization rollout. A grandmother who turns 91 next week was the first person to receive the vaccine as part of the program. / BBC

An exhaustive look back at how we got to the vaccines—and the distribution challenges yet to come. / The New Yorker

“I cry every day when I walk in to work, and I cry every day when I walk to my car after work.” ICU nurses are running on empty, facing a constant onslaught of “very sick” patients. / The Washington Post

Florida police raided the home of the former state health employee who launched her own Covid-19 dashboard after she was fired this year. / Tallahassee Democrat

New data show that since the pandemic, more schoolchildren have been falling behind in their academics, with students of color and those living in poverty most affected. / The Washington Post

As winter approaches, restaurants are trying to continue outdoor dining, but cold-weather setups may not provide enough ventilation to mitigate viral risk. / Vox

How bartenders are using TikTok to recreate the ambience of the specialty drinks experience. / InsideHook

Saying goodbye to 500 New York establishments that closed in 2020. / Curbed

The EPA says it won't tighten air quality standards for particulate matter, despite growing evidence that current standards aren't enough. / The Hill

Unless December breaks the trend, 2020 is on track to tie or slightly surpass 2016 as the hottest year on record. / The New York Times

"ICE put their MAGA hat on. They’re gonna try to take it off come January, but I don’t know how successful that will be." / BuzzFeed News

Try your hand at the US citizenship test, which the Trump administration has made more difficult with nuance and complex phrasing. / The New York Times

Sharing Spotify's Wrapped playlists is free advertising for a company built on exploiting musicians. / The Baffler

Related: Merch Table is a new tool that turns Spotify playlists into Bandcamp links. / Hype Machine

Forty years ago today, John Lennon was murdered outside his apartment building. / Rolling Stone

Bob Dylan has sold his entire songwriting catalog for more than $300 million. / Pitchfork

See also: Whether or not they know it, everyone has a favorite Dylan album. Find yours with the Non-Expert’s “Your Best Bob Dylan Album Calculator.” / The Morning News

Breakdancing, skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing are now official Olympic sports. / ESPN

Chuck Yeager, the first pilot to break the sound barrier, has died at 97. / NPR

The case for cookie-cutter buildings: Standardization could mean more affordability and sustainability. / Fast Company

Ending a 70-year run, IKEA announces it will no longer print its annual catalog. / It's Nice That

Related: A digital archive of IKEA catalogs from 1950 to 2020. / IKEA Museum

Sales of fake Christmas trees haven't overtaken real trees—yet. / The Hustle

Watch: A year in the life of a Christmas tree, from “teeny two-year-old saplings to 10-year-old giants.” / The Morning News