New CDC data shows that unvaccinated people are about six times more likely to test positive for COVID-19 and 11 times more likely to die from the illness compared to people who are vaccinated.
Here are six more updates:
1. The cost of a complex and noncomplex COVID-19 hospitalization in each state varies, according to a new interactive map from Fair Health, an independent nonprofit focused on enhancing price transparency in healthcare.
2. The White House on Oct. 20 detailed its plan for vaccinating children ages 5-11 against COVID-19, so that the vaccines can be quickly distributed and made equitably available upon FDA authorization and a CDC recommendation.
3. A growing number of hospitals and health systems have mandated COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment, leaving questions about what's next for a trove of unvaccinated healthcare workers who've been terminated or resigned. Here's a look at what's next for unvaccinated, unemployed healthcare workers.
4. As national COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to drop, four states were still seeing double-digit increases in hospitalization rates as of Oct. 18.
5. Over the last week, seven-day COVID-19 case averages have risen in 15 states, are flat in four and dropping in 31, according to data tracked by Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.
6. Here's how vaccination rates are changing in each state — up in 19, down in 31.