For the first time in months, daily coronavirus infections in the U.S. are falling below 100,000 new cases.
According to Johns Hopkins University, this is the first week cases have dropped below six digits since Election Day.
The data is also showing additional promise. Forty states report cases dropping and others are holding steady - except Alaska, the only state reporting an increase.
While the trends are promising, the pandemic is far from over.
Over 5,000 deaths were reported Friday — pushing the U.S. death toll has passed a grim milestone of 480,000.
Despite this, the CDC is pushing forward with a strategy to reopen schools.
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said the agency is providing guidance to help more schools reopen safely.
"I want to be clear, with the release of this operational strategy, CDC is not mandating that schools reopen. These recommendations simply provide schools a long needed road-map for how to do so safely under different levels of disease in the community."
Meanwhile, in his COVID-19 relief package, President Joe Biden is calling for $130 billion in aid for schools so (quote) "we can get kids back to school safely in more parts of the country sooner."
