COVID-19 updates: White House press secretary Jen Psaki tests positive
Psaki said she has mild symptoms and is working from home.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 4.9 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 744,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering.
Just 67.7% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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CDC advisers to vote Nov. 2 on pediatric vaccines
The CDC's independent advisors plan to discuss and hold a non-binding vote on the recommendations for the pediatric vaccine on Nov. 2.
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky will likely endorse those recommendations for 5 to 11-year-olds following the vote that day.
Vaccinations can start as soon as Walensky sends out final recommendations.
Meanwhile, the FDA's decision to authorize the pediatric vaccine is expected in the coming days.
-ABC News' Eric M. Strauss
Nearly two-thirds of Americans have had at least 1 vaccine dose
Nearly two-thirds of all Americans -- 220 million people -- have had at least one vaccine dose, according to federal data.
But 111 million Americans remain completely unvaccinated, including about 48 million children under the age of 12, who are not yet eligible to get the shot.
National metrics continue to fall, according to federal data. About 51,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, down from 104,000 patients at the end of August
Deaths are are trending down, though numbers remain quite high at over 1,100 fatalities each day.
-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos
Weekly death totals likely to continue falling in coming weeks, CDC says
While more than 1,100 Americans are still dying from COVID-19 each day, the U.S. daily death rate has been slowly falling in recent weeks.
And now, forecast models used by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are predicting that weekly death totals will likely continue to fall in the weeks to come, though thousands of Americans are still expected to die from the virus.
The model expects 18,000 more virus-related deaths to occur in the next two weeks, with a total of around 767,800 deaths recorded in the U.S. by Nov. 20.
The model also estimates that 14 states and territories have a greater than 50% chance of having more deaths in the next two weeks compared to the past two weeks.
-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos
Australia to lift ban on citizens leaving the country
After more than 18 months, Australia announced Wednesday that it will lift a ban on its own people from leaving the country without permission.
Starting Nov. 1, citizens and permanent residents of Australia who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will no longer require an exemption to travel abroad. Australia has imposed some of the world's strictest border rules amid the pandemic, which Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said has kept the country "free from widespread COVID transmission."
"The easing of these restrictions is possible thanks to our impressive national vaccination rates, and I thank all those who have done the right thing and rolled up their sleeve," Andrews said in a statement Wednesday.
While Australian citizens and permanent residents are currently the "first priority," Andrews said, more travel restrictions -- including for some foreigners -- will be relaxed as the national vaccination rate "continues to climb." As of Wednesday, nearly 75% of people aged 16 and over in the country are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data posted by the Australian Department of Health.
"I look forward to further easing restrictions over coming weeks and months as more and more Australians become fully vaccinated," Andrews said. "Before the end of the year, we anticipate welcoming fully vaccinated skilled workers and international students."
FDNY vaccination rates increase as commissioner warns members against 'bogus sick leave'
The FDNY released updated data on the vaccination status of its members Sunday evening, two days after the city imposed a mandate on all public employees.
About 80% of all of the fire department's members are vaccinated -- 90% of civilian employees, 87% of EMTs and paramedics and 75% of firefighters -- the department said.
Last week, a group of firefighters, police officers and other public employees staged protests against Mayor Bill de Blasio's vaccine mandate.
More than 2,000 of the 11,000 total firefighter personnel have been on medical leave at some point over the past week, according to the FDNY.
New York City Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said no firehouses were closed as a result of the medical leaves, however, he issued a strong warning against any member who was deliberately skipping work.
"Irresponsible bogus sick leave by some of our members is creating a danger for New Yorkers and their fellow firefighters. They need to return to work or risk the consequences of their actions,” Nigro said in a statement.
-ABC News' Joshua Hoyos and Matt Foster and WABC's Morena Basterio