COVID-19 updates: Classes in Chicago canceled for 4th day
Chicago Public Schools has been in talks with teachers over COVID-19 safety.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.4 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 837,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering.
About 62.5% of the population in the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Israel approves 4th vaccine dose for people 60 and over
Israel's Ministry of Health approved a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine for health care workers and people over 60 years old, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said.
"Israel will once again be pioneering the global vaccination effort," Bennett said at a press conference in Jerusalem. "Omicron is not Delta -- it’s a different ball-game altogether."
Fourth doses will be administered four months after booster shots, Bennett said.
ABC News' Jordana Miller
COVID vaccinations in US drop 42% over last three weeks
The number of COVID-19 vaccinations in the U.S. has declined over the last three weeks despite the surging number of cases due to the omicron variant.
In the past, surges have driven Americans to get vaccinated. However, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the average number of total doses administered has fallen 42% since Dec. 14.
An average of 304,000 Americans are currently receiving their first dose every day and 165,000 are reaching "full vaccination" status.
This is a drop from three weeks prior, when 455,000 were getting their first dose every day and 402,000 were reaching "full vaccination" status.
Additionally, the average number of people receiving booster shots every day has declined to 623,000 from more than one million.
A total of 67.4 million eligible Americans -- aged five and older -- remain completely unvaccinated.
-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos