COVID-19 updates: LA has highest daily death total since April

The White House has awarded over $2 billion in contracts so far as part of its plan to ship millions of free COVID-19 rapid antigen tests to Americans.

Among the most recent, three companies -- IHealth Labs, Roche Diagnostics Corp. and Abbott -- were selected out of 20 bids to manufacture a combined 380 million tests, with completion dates by March 14, according to a Pentagon advisory released Friday.

IHealth was awarded a $1.27 billion contract, Roche a $340 million contract and Abbott a $306 million contract, with all funds coming from the American Rescue Act, the Pentagon said.

The federal government had previously announced contracts for 48.3 million tests worth a combined $341 million. 

Altogether, that amounts to about $2.2 billion for 428 million at-home rapid tests, which are part of a batch of 500 million the White House said it plans to ship out over the course of the next 60 days. 

On Thursday, President Joe Biden announced that the White House would also ship out another 500 million at-home tests, bringing the total to 1 billion. A timeline for the second batch of tests hasn't been announced yet.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez and Cheyenne Haslett

In newly updated COVID-19 guidance on its website, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that loosely woven cloth masks provide the "least protection", while masks like N95 respirators offer the highest level.

In some cases, Americans might want to opt for higher-quality masks like KN95 and N95 respirators, the agency said.

"Wearing a highly protective mask or respirator may be most important for certain higher risk situations, or by some people at increased risk for severe disease," the CDC stated.

The CDC recommendation stops short of calling on Americans to choose one mask over the other, maintaining that any mask is better than no mask.

The updated guidance comes after weeks of health experts urging Americans to upgrade their masks in the face of omicron.

-ABC News' Anne Flaherty

The White House will launch a new website on Wednesday to distribute 500 million free at-home rapid tests that'll be mailed to Americans' doorsteps, senior administration officials said on a Friday call with reporters.

The tests will take seven to 12 days to arrive, the senior officials said. 

On Thursday, President Joe Biden also pledged a second 500 million tests, bringing the total free tests that will eventually be offered to Americans up to 1 billion.

-ABC News' Cheyenne Haslett

New York is "turning the corner" following record-breaking COVID-19 cases over the holidays, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul.

She said the seven-day case average and positivity rate are heading down.

One week ago there were over 90,000 daily cases, and now just 49,027 daily cases, the governor said Friday.

However, state numbers may be skewed due to the increased demand in testing during the holidays.

New York state is seeing a slight decline in hospitalizations, but at 12,000 patients, that number "is still very high," the governor noted.

In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams said Friday “it really appears” hospitalization numbers are “stabilizing.”

"Based on our optimistic views, we appear to be moving in the right direction," he said.

-ABC News' Joshua Hoyos, Matt Foster