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People gather on the beach in Delray Beach, Fla., on Saturday. Palm Beach County beaches reopened this week, ahead of the Memorial Day holiday, after Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) issued executive orders allowing certain businesses to reopen with restrictions. (Jayme Gershen/Bloomberg)

Memorial Day weekend draws big crowds, as U.S. coronavirus deaths near 100,000

Officials urged social distancing Saturday as Americans looked to open the summer season with a Memorial Day weekend spent outside. Some beaches, boardwalks and other attractions drew thick crowds of people, many without masks, as coronavirus-related deaths in the United States neared 100,000.  

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Coronavirus: What you need to know

Covid isolation guidelines: Americans who test positive for the coronavirus no longer need to routinely stay home from work and school for five days under new guidance planned by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The change has raised concerns among medically vulnerable people.

New coronavirus variant: The United States is in the throes of another covid-19 uptick and coronavirus samples detected in wastewater suggests infections could be as rampant as they were last winter. JN.1, the new dominant variant, appears to be especially adept at infecting those who have been vaccinated or previously infected. Here’s how this covid surge compares with earlier spikes.

Latest coronavirus booster: The CDC recommends that anyone 6 months or older gets an updated coronavirus shot, but the vaccine rollout has seen some hiccups, especially for children. Here’s what you need to know about the latest coronavirus vaccines, including when you should get it.