While the CDC estimates the number of newly reported COVID-19 cases will soon drop, hospitals nationally are still struggling amid staffing shortages and capacity concerns.
Here are seven COVID-19 updates from the last week:
1. The number of newly reported U.S. COVID-19 deaths will likely drop over the next four weeks for the first time since June, according to the most recent CDC estimates. Here are four tatkeaways.
2. As of Sept. 28, more than 400,000 people have received third doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine at pharmacies around the U.S. The CDC cleared them for millions of people Sept. 24.
3. Indiana's National Guard and the Indiana Department of Health will deploy five teams of 10 fully vaccinated members each to facilities throughout the state amid staffing shortages and capacity concerns.
4. Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts extended a measure limiting nonemergency procedures at hospitals in the state.
5. New York hospitals are seeing the effects on the workforce after the state instituted its COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Here are the results from six organizations in the state.
6. Here's how vaccination rates are changing in each state as of Sept. 29 — up in 18, down in 32.
7. Hospitals are implementing procedures to verify COVID-19 vaccination cards submitted by employees. Some employees have been accused of using fake cards to bypass vaccination mandates. Here are seven ways hospitals are verifying vaccination cards.