Coronavirus Watch: Thousands of US flights are canceled or delayed

Traveling home after the holiday weekend? Be sure to check if your flight has been canceled or delayed.

USA TODAY's Eve Chen reports nearly 1,000 U.S. flights were canceled and more than 2,500 were delayed by noon.

A Delta statement shared with USA TODAY attributed delays to inclement weather and the impact of the omicron variant. United, American and JetBlue also said omicron impacted staffing.

(Remember, the U.S. Department of Transportation requires airlines to offer a refund when they cancel a flight, regardless of the reason or type of ticket purchased.) 

It's Monday, and this is Coronavirus Watch from the USA TODAY Network. Here's more news to know:

• The number of COVID-19 cases reported in the U.S. this week is up 47% from a week earlier, and up 65% from two weeks earlier. Christmas disruptions and limited access to testing mean the real number is likely worse.
• President Joe Biden said Monday that his administration has not done enough to provide access to testing. The Biden administration promised earlier this month to distribute 500 million free tests, but those test haven't begun rolling out yet. "Seeing how tough it was for some folks to get a test this weekend shows that we have more work to do," Biden said. Starting in two weeks, private insurance will reimburse people for the cost of an at home test, and that the government will provide access to free tests for people without insurance, he said. 
• Americans should stay away from big parties this New Year's Eve, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Monday on CNN. He also said the CDC is considering a shorter quarantine period for infected Americans.
• Private employers operating in New York City must require vaccinations for their workers beginning Monday.
• Worldwide, France recorded more than 100,000 infections in a single day for the first time in the pandemic. And Israel has begun trials of a fourth dose of vaccine.

Today's numbers: The U.S. has reported more than 52.3 million COVID-19 cases and 816,700 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Worldwide, there have been more than 280.5 million cases and more than 5.4 million deaths. About 73% of people in the U.S. have received at least one vaccine shot, and about 62% are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. Among U.S. adults, 85% have received at least one shot, and about 73% 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.

– Grace Hauck, USA TODAY breaking news reporter, @grace_hauck