US reports highest weekly COVID-19 vaccinations since July 4
There were over 7 million shots in the past week, an official said Saturday.
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.
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United expects travel surge in December
United Airlines expects a travel surge and plans to fly 3,500 daily domestic flights in December, making it the largest schedule since the start of the pandemic.
Flight searches for the holidays are up 16% on the airline's website and app compared to 2019.
Florida and ski resorts are expected to be the hottest destinations.
-ABC News' Sam Sweeney
Pfizer submits kids vaccine emergency use authorization request to FDA
Pfizer has submitted an emergency use authorization to the FDA for use of its vaccine in children ages 5 to 11.
The FDA will have a public hearing on Oct. 26.
Shots for children 5 to 11 may be available by early November.
-ABC News' Eric M. Strauss
New rapid test to cost less than $10
The planned retail cost for the newly approved over-the-counter rapid home COVID-19 test, "Flowflex," will be "less than $10 per test," White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Jeff Zients said at Wednesday's briefing
ACON, the manufacturers of Flowflex, confirmed with ABC News that the White House's statement is in line with their current estimated pricing.
The company told ABC News their goal when creating the at-home test was to make it, "more accessible and more affordable than the other over-the-counter tests in the market."
By comparison the two rapid test kits currently out on the market --Abbott's BinaxNow and Quidel's Quickvue-- each retail for $23.99.
Both BinaxNow and Quickvue kits come two tests, so that a person can test themselves twice over the course of a couple days. That means each individual test costs around $12 each.
-ABC News' Sasha Pezenik
Canada mandating vaccines for travel within the country
Vaccinations will be mandatory for plane and train travel within Canada for people 12 and older at the end of November, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday.
Trudeau also announced that federal workers must be fully vaccinated by Oct. 29.
About 82% of eligible Canadians are fully vaccinated.
-ABC News' Christine Theodorou
CDC committee to meet on Moderna, J&J boosters
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s independent advisory committee plans to meet on Oct. 20 and Oct. 21 to discuss the Moderna and Johnson &Johnson vaccine boosters. This will follow the Food and Drug Administration's independent advisers who are set to meet and vote on boosters on Oct. 14 and Oct. 15.
That means Moderna and J&J boosters could be authorized, recommended and available as soon as Oct. 22.
The CDC committee is also set to meet on Nov. 2 and Nov. 3 to discuss pediatric vaccinations.
-ABC News' Eric M. Strauss