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| Hospital beds are drying up in several states facing COVID-19 surges. |
| New Mexico's top health officials established a waiting list for ICU beds for the first time ever, and they're warning that the state is about a week away from having to ration medical care as infections climb and nurses are in short supply. |
| In Ohio, three hospital ICUs were above 90% capacity as of the week of Aug. 13, according to the most recent data. One was 99% full, the data shows. |
| And in Illinois, the region with the state's lowest vaccination rate had only one ICU bed available this week, state health director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said Thursday. "Most hospitals in different areas of the state are reaching capacity as well," she said. |
| It's Thursday, and this is Coronavirus Watch from the USA TODAY Network. Here's more news you need to know. |
| • | Half of American workers are in favor of workplace vaccine requirements, and only a quarter are opposed, a new poll for The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found. | | • | Children now account for more than a third of cases in Tennessee, the state health commissioner said. There was a 57% increase the past week compared with the week prior. | | • | More mask, vaccine requirements: Massachusetts issued a mask mandate for K-12 students statewide, requiring students over the age of 5 to wear face coverings indoors until at least October. And Illinois announced all preschool through 12th grade teachers and staff, higher education personnel and students and health care workers will be required to get vaccinated or submit to regular testing. | | • | New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, on her first day in office, acknowledged nearly 12,000 more deaths in the state from COVID-19 than had been publicized by her predecessor, Andrew Cuomo. | | • | The risks associated with a heart inflammation condition, myocarditis, are far greater for those who contract COVID-19 than for those who get vaccinated, a study from Israel found. | |
| Today's numbers: The U.S. has reported more than 38.2 million COVID-19 cases and 632,400 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Worldwide, there have been more than 214.1 million cases and more than 4.4 million deaths. About 61% of people in the U.S. have received at least one vaccine shot, and about 52% are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. Among U.S. adults, 73% have received at least one shot, and about 63% are fully vaccinated. |
| 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. |
| Want to join the conversation? The Black community has been especially hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, but many remain reluctant to be vaccinated. Why? And what can be done? Join us on Twitter Spaces at 7 p.m. ET Thursday, Aug. 26, as we talk with Black doctors and medical experts about what they're seeing on the frontlines, vaccine hesitancy, COVID-19 myths and answer your questions. |
| – Grace Hauck, USA TODAY breaking news reporter, @grace_hauck |
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