Nearly 74% of eligible Americans have at least 1 COVID-19 vaccine dose
In 13 states, over 80% of the population has at least one dose, CDC data shows.
The United States is facing a COVID-19 surge this summer as the more contagious delta variant spreads.
More than 655,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 while over 4.6 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 62.7% 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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Fauci: 3rd shot likely going to become standard regimen
In an interview with the podcast “In the Bubble,” Dr. Anthony Fauci told former White House adviser Andy Slavitt that he predicts three doses will become the standard dosing regimen for COVID-19 vaccines going forward.
Fauci cited new data from Israel that vaccine protection against hospitalization dropped in recent months from some 97% to 77% or 78%.
The vaccines still provide extraordinary protection, but the combination of the delta variant and waning immunity with time are causes for concern, he said.
Fauci added that that he thinks it will probably be the end of 2022 or early 2023 before much of the world is vaccinated.
-ABC News' Anne Flaherty
Kentucky hospitals on brink of rationing care: Governor
Kentucky is "quickly approaching that point" where hospitals will need to start rationing care, Gov. Andy Beshear warned on CNN.
Over two-thirds of Kentucky's hospitals have critical staffing shortages, the governor said. FEMA and National Guard teams have been called in and nursing students have been deployed across the state, he said.
"We've got one hospital in Morehead called St. Clair that's closed three operating rooms to expand ICU bed space," he said. "We had a hospital in Danville, Kentucky, that's not used to treating really sick patients, that had a morgue for two -- and had seven individuals pass away in their hospital over one weekend."
"We've set up tents outside Pikeville Medical Center to triage whether people really need to be in the hospital or not," Beshear continued. "We're in a very precarious situation."
-ABC News' Brian Hartman
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade participants must be vaccinated
All participants in this year's Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade must be vaccinated and wear face coverings, the department store announced Wednesday. Singers, dancers and musicians may be exempt from wearing face masks.
The number of participants will see a 10 to 20% cut this year and social distancing will be followed, Macy's added.
Last year, much of the parade was pre-taped due to the pandemic. There were no high school band performances and limited spectators on the street.
The marching band and other specialty group performances that were initially set to perform last year will get to participate in this Thanksgiving's parade, Macy's said.
Supreme Court to resume in-person oral arguments
The Supreme Court will resume in-person oral arguments on Oct. 4 for the first time since the pandemic began.
All arguments will be in person from Oct. 4 through the rest of the year. The courtroom will only have staff, counsel of cases on the docket and hard-pass court reporters there in person, with the court staying closed to the general public.
The court says it will continue to offer a real-time live audio feed of arguments.
-ABC News' Devin Dwyer