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| Cities and states are updating face mask guidance. Many businesses are reopening. And more than 37 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more this Memorial Day weekend, according to AAA. |
| But with infections dropping and half of U.S. adults fully vaccinated, will the U.S. see a COVID-19 surge following the holiday, like after the winter holidays? |
| "If you are vaccinated, you're protected, and you can enjoy your Memorial Day," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said Wednesday. "If you're not vaccinated, our guidance has not changed for you. You remain at risk of infection. You still need to mask and take other precautions." |
| It's Friday, and this is the Coronavirus Watch from the USA TODAY Network. Here's more news you need to know: |
| • | California is hopping on the trend of cash prizes for vaccinated individuals in hopes that it will stimulate its plateauing vaccination rate. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the state is offering the nation's largest vaccine prize money — $116.5 million. | | • | About 49% of Americans feel unsure about the adjustment to in-person interactions once the pandemic ends, a recent survey by the American Psychological Association found. Similarly, 46% said they don't feel comfortable going back to their pre-pandemic life. | | • | Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told ABC on Friday the U.S. is taking "a very close look" at the possibility of the use of vaccine passports for international travel. However, officials would have to ensure any passport system "is accessible to all and that no one is disenfranchised," Mayorkas added. | | • | Just over 50 days away from the start of the Olympics, Japan on Friday extended its COVID-19 state of emergency in Tokyo and other areas for 20 more days. The games have already been delayed a year, but worries about variants and Japan's slow vaccine rollout have raised fears of a possible cancellation. | |
| Today's numbers: The U.S. has reported more than 33 million COVID-19 cases and 593,000 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Worldwide, there have been more than 169 million cases and more than 3.5 million deaths. Nearly 50% of people in the U.S. have received at least one vaccine shot, and about 40% are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. |
| Tracking the pandemic: See the numbers in your area here. See where cases are rising here. See vaccination rates here. And here, compare vaccinations rates worldwide and see which countries are using which vaccines. |
| – Grace Hauck, USA TODAY breaking news reporter, @grace_hauck |
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