US reports highest weekly COVID-19 vaccinations since July 4

There were over 7 million shots in the past week, an official said Saturday.

ByEmily Shapiro, Ivan Pereira, and Meredith Deliso
Last Updated: October 5, 2021, 10:06 AM EDT

The United States has been facing a COVID-19 surge as the more contagious delta variant continues to spread.

More than 712,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 while over 4.8 million people have died from the disease worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

Just 66% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the CDC.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Oct 05, 2021, 10:05 AM EDT

Francis Collins to step down as director of the National Institutes of Health

NIH Director Francis Collins announced that he's stepping down, saying in a statement that no person should serve for too long and it’s time to give space for the next generation of scientists to lead.

Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, appears before a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, Sept. 9, 2020, in Washington.
Michael Reynolds/Pool via AP, FILE

He was in the role for 12 years.

President Joe Biden in a statement called Collins "one of the most important scientists of our time."

Biden said he got to "know," "trust" and "lean on" Collins during his time as vice president, including when Biden led the National Cancer Moonshot.

Biden said he "was grateful" Collins "answered the call to serve" when Biden asked him to stay on at the start as his term as president, "even though it was asking him to stay on the job longer than anyone in NIH history."

-ABC News' Ben Gittleson

Oct 05, 2021, 8:50 AM EDT

J&J submits booster request to FDA

Johnson & Johnson on Tuesday submitted its request to the FDA for a booster shot for J&J recipients.

Vials of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at a pharmacy in Denver, March 6, 2021.
David Zalubowski/AP, FILE

The submission includes data showing that a booster increased protection to 94% against moderate to severe/critical disease in the U.S. (Peak efficacy from one shot is 72% in the U.S.)

The FDA's independent advisory committee is holding a public hearing on J&J boosters on Oct. 15. The FDA may authorize J&J boosters after Oct. 15 and the CDC's recommendation could follow.

-ABC News' Eric M. Strauss

Oct 04, 2021, 7:56 PM EDT

Pentagon mandates vaccines for civilian employees

The Pentagon announced Monday that all of its civilian employees must be fully vaccinated by Nov. 22.

"Vaccinating (department) civilian employees against COVID-19 will save lives and allow for the defense of our nation," Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks wrote in a memo sent out to Pentagon leadership Monday. "Thank you for your focus on this critical mission."

There is already a vaccine mandate for military members, but each branch of service has its own deadline.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez

Oct 04, 2021, 6:02 PM EDT

Newly approved rapid test will double US capacity, FDA says

The Food and Drug Administration approved a new rapid test Monday that it said will double the at-home testing capacity in the U.S. over the next few weeks.

The the ACON Laboratories Flowflex COVID-19 Home Test will ideally assuage the shortage of over-the-counter, at-home rapid testing that has gone on since schools and other businesses have returned to in-person work.

"By year's end, the manufacturer plans to produce more than 100 million tests per month, and this number will rise to 200 million per month by February 2022," the FDA said in a press release Monday.

-ABC News' Cheyenne Haslett

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