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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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


Testing company detects 1st case of 'flurona' in California

A testing company confirmed Wednesday the first known case in Southern California of "flurona," in which someone is infected with COVID-19 and the flu at the same time.

911 COVID Testing told KABC the case was detected at the Getty Center in Brentwood -- a suburban neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles -- in a teenage boy.

The minor was returning from vacation with his family in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Steve Farzam, the testing company's chief operating officer, said the patient has symptoms but was not hospitalized. Since his test, one of his parents has also tested positive for COVID-19, but not the flu.


White House confident it can deliver 500 million COVID tests this month

The White House said Wednesday it is confident it can deliver millions of rapid COVID-19 tests to Americans in January.

Last month, the administration announced it was planning to distribute 500 million free at-home rapid tests across the country to combat the surging omicron variant.

However, a website has yet to be launched where people can order the tests and the U.S. is currently producing less than half of the tests needed -- 200 million a month.

During a virtual briefing, Jeff Zients, the White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator, said the government not only has the capacity to deliver 500 million tests, but it also won't dip into the current supply on pharmacy shelves.

"With all the companies that now have been authorized, there’s the capacity for the U.S. government to purchase the 500 million now and not disrupt, or in any way cannibalize, the tests that are on pharmacy shelves and on websites and used and other settings," he said.

-ABC News' Cheyenne Haslett


CDC says it's not changing definition of 'fully vaccinated'

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Wednesday the definition of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 is not changing to include booster shots.

"Individuals are considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 if they've received their primary series. That definition is not changing," she said during a virtual briefing of the White House COVID-19 Response Team.

This means Americans are considered fully vaccinated if they have gotten two shots of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or the Moderna vaccine or one shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

However, Walensky did urge those who have been fully vaccinated to stay "up to date" on additional doses they may be eligible for based on their age and which vaccine they received.


US now averaging nearly 500,000 daily cases, data shows

Data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from the weekend shows that the U.S. is now averaging nearly half a million new cases a day.

About a year ago, the U.S. was reporting an average of about 216,000 new cases a day. However, compared to last winter, hospital admissions and daily deaths are notably lower.

Over the last week, the U.S. reported more than 3.4 million new cases -- roughly averaging out to nearly six Americans testing positive every second.

-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos