Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Feb 03, 2022, 12:37 PM EST
US death rate on the rise
The U.S. is now reporting an average of over 2,300 COVID-19-related fatalities each day -- the highest daily death average in nearly one year, according to federal data.
In the last week alone, the nation's daily death average has increased by more than 31%.
Overall, however, the nation's average is still significantly lower than last winter, when the U.S. peaked at about 3,400 deaths per day.
A COVID-19 patient is hugged by his children before undergoing an intubation procedure at the Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, Calif., Jan. 25, 2022.
Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
Meanwhile, the U.S. case rate continues to drop rapidly, according to federal data (deaths are a lagging indicator compared to cases). The nation is now reporting an average of 415,000 new cases each day -- nearly half the average from the nation's omicron peak in mid-January.
But case rates still remain extremely high, with 99% of U.S. counties reporting high transmission.
Alaska currently leads the nation in new cases per capita, followed by Washington and North Dakota.
-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos
Feb 03, 2022, 11:05 AM EST
Airlines ask White House to remove pre-departure testing for vaccinated international travelers
More than 25 trade groups representing the travel and aviation industry -- including all major U.S. airlines -- are asking the White House to remove pre-departure testing requirements for vaccinated international travelers coming to the U.S.
Health workers are set up at the Histopath pre-departure COVID testing clinic at Sydney International airport on Dec. 23, 2021 in Sydney.
Jenny Evans/Getty Images, FILE
“Clearly COVID is widespread throughout the U.S. and attempts to control its importation via air travel under today’s circumstances are unlikely to change that fact," the groups said. "No new threatening variants appear to be imminent, but if they were, pre-departure testing could be easily reinstituted.”
The letter also says the requirement is a leading factor for Americans choosing not to travel internationally out of fear they won’t be able to return to the U.S. on schedule.
-ABC News' Sam Sweeney
Feb 03, 2022, 9:46 AM EST
Medicare to start paying for at-home COVID-19 tests
Medicare will cover the cost of at-home COVID-19 testing kits starting this spring, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Thursday.
It will be the first time that Medicare has covered an over-the-counter test at no cost to beneficiaries. The new initiative will enable payment from Medicare directly to participating pharmacies and retailers to allow beneficiaries to pick up the at-home testing kits for free, according to CMS, a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that administers the Medicare health insurance program and works in partnership with state governments to administer the Medicaid assistance program.
In this undated file photo, a woman squeezes liquid onto a test strip while carrying out a COVID-19 rapid self test at home.
Images By Tang Ming Tung/STOCK IMAGE/Getty Images
CMS said it "anticipates that this option will be available to people with Medicare in the early spring."
Last month, the U.S. government began requiring health insurers to pay for at-home COVID-19 tests. But that directive did not initially extend to Medicare, which provides health insurance coverage for Americans ages 65 and up, as well as some younger individuals with disabilities.
Feb 02, 2022, 4:49 PM EST
White House prepping to send out COVID-19 vaccines for kids under 5
Vaccines will be made available to the 18 million kids between the ages of 6 months and 5 years "in short order" if they're authorized and recommended by FDA and CDC later this month, White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said at Wednesday's White House briefing.
"We've already secured ample doses and the necessary needles and supplies specially made for kids in this age group. Following FDA authorization, we would immediately begin packing and shipping doses to states and health care providers," Zients said. "And in short order following CDC recommendations, parents will be able to get their kids under 5 vaccinated."
A healthcare worker administers a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine to a child at a Salvation Army vaccination clinic in Philadelphia, Nov. 12, 2021.
Bloomberg via Getty Images, FILE
A healthcare worker prepares to administer pediatric Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines at an elementary school vaccination site for children in Miami, Nov. 22, 2021.
Bloomberg via Getty Images, FILE
Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to the White House, said parents should feel confident that the FDA would only approve the vaccine if it was effective and safe.
"We are anticipating that we will get a good efficacy signal for the use of vaccines in children under 5 years old," he said, adding, "But let’s wait for the FDA determination and, ultimately, the CDC recommendation.”
Pfizer and BioNTech on Tuesday asked the FDA for emergency use authorization for their COVID-19 vaccine for children under 5. Pfizer and BioNTech said they've submitted data for two doses but expect the vaccine to be a three-dose series, and that the data for the third dose will be provided in the coming months.
The FDA's advisory committee will meet on Feb. 15 to review the Pfizer vaccine for use in children under the age of 5. The advisory committee is an independent group whose vote is nonbinding, but the FDA takes it into consideration when making a final decision.
The vaccine would then need to be authorized by the FDA. The CDC advisory committee would then need to meet for recommendations, and it would also need to be approved by CDC director Rochelle Walensky.
