More than 50,000 new coronavirus cases were reported in the United States on Tuesday, taking the national total to 29,096,053, according to the latest data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
With 1,883 new deaths, the US Covid-19 death toll rose to 527,699.
In his weekly conference call with governors, White House Covid coordinator Jeff Zients announced that Pfizer and Moderna vaccine supply will get increased to 15.8 million doses going out to states, tribes, and territories, along with 2.7 million first doses going to pharmacies.
Elementary students in Los Angeles will return to classrooms after a gap of more than a year. Under a deal between the Los Angeles Unified School District and its teachers union, preschools and elementary schools will reopen for part-time classes by the middle of April. Middle and high school students will continue online learning.
At a press briefing, White House press secretary Jen Psaki highlighted the progress the Biden administration made on vaccinations in the country.
"On January 20, there was a seven-day average of 890,000 shots per day. Today we're averaging 2.17 million shots per day," she told reporters.
It's critical that Americans don't abandon safety measures and "March and April are going to be pivotal times," according to Centers for Disease Control director Rochelle Walensky.
"Where the pandemic goes from here is really dependent on our collective behaviors and continued commitment to follow the public health measures we know work to stop the spread of the virus: wearing well-fitted masks, avoiding traveling in crowds, social-distancing and washing hands," she said during the Health Action Alliance National Business Summit on Tuesday.
The House of Representatives is expected to vote on Wednesday on the 1.9-trillion-dollar Covid-19 relief bill, which will include up to 1,400-dollar stimulus checks.
Meanwhile, Brazil reported its highest daily death toll - nearly 2,000 - due to the Covid-19 pandemic on Tuesday. Hospitals in the country are reportedly close to collapse as intensive care unit beds are nearing capacity.
