The U.S. reported 117,777 COVID-19 hospitalizations Dec. 22, surpassing the daily record set a day prior, according to data from The COVID Tracking Project.
Four more updates:
1. President Donald Trump is asking for changes to a $900 billion relief bill and $1.4 trillion spending bill passed by Congress Dec. 21, reports The New York Times. The president requested Americans receive $2,000 stimulus payments instead of the $600 checks currently outlined in the bill, among other changes.
2. The CDC has accepted an advisory panel's recommendation of who should receive the COVID-19 vaccine next. The vaccine should next go to persons 75 or older and nonhealthcare, front-line essential workers, according to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' updated interim recommendation published Dec. 22. After that, the vaccine should be offered to people 65 to 74 years old, people 16 to 64 with high-risk medical conditions and essential workers not included in the phase before.
3. Pfizer and the White House have reached a deal for 100 million more vaccine doses. Under the agreement, Pfizer will manufacture and deliver at least 70 million doses of its vaccine by June 30 to government-designated locations, with the rest of the 100 million doses to be delivered no later than July 31.
4. Indiana, Wisconsin, Mississippi and West Virginia reported a record number of new deaths Dec. 22, according to data tracked by The Washington Post.
Snapshot of COVID-19 in the U.S.
Cases: 18,238,314
Deaths: 322,851
Counts reflect data available as of 8:20 a.m. CST Dec. 22.
More articles on public health:
Number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, state by state: Dec. 23
26 states where COVID-19 is spreading fastest, slowest: Dec. 23
UK variant may already be in US, Fauci says; air travel spikes despite health warnings — 6 COVID-19 updates