In the face of soaring COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths, millions of Americans are overcoming their vaccine hesitancy, rolling up their sleeves, and doing their part to protect themselves and their communities.

On Friday, the White House reported that 821,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered the day before, including to 565,000 Americans who were receiving their first shot. The demand for vaccines is up 44% in the last two weeks as the highly transmissible delta variant imperils the country’s progress against the deadly virus.

50% of all Americans are now vaccinated according to Cyrus Shahpar, the White House COVID-19 Data Director. On Twitter, he urged the country, “keep going!”

Friday just in: +821K doses reported administered, including 565K newly vaccinated. 7-day average of newly vaccinated is up 11% from last week and 44% over past 2 weeks. 50% of Americans (all ages) are now fully vaccinated. Keep going! 🇺🇸

— Dr. Cyrus Shahpar (@cyrusshahpar46) August 6, 2021

CNN reports, “An average of 699,261 doses have been administered each day over the past seven days, and an average of 464,778 people initiated vaccination each day over the past seven days, according to the latest data available from the CDC.”

In April, an average of three million shots were administered a day, but that number fell as the virus faded. By the beginning of July, an average of about 450,000 people were getting inoculated daily.

The renewed interest in vaccines is meant to curb a recent COVID-19 comeback. The Washington Post shares the “latest slew of stark statistics: Daily cases passing 100,000 — numbers not seen since February. A seven-day average of hospital admissions up by more than 40 percent from the week before and deaths trending up by roughly the same rate.”

But The Post adds that there’s hope:

There is a bright spot, officials said — a significant boost in the numbers of Americans getting vaccinated. They cited a 90 percent jump in first shots in Tennessee over the last two weeks; an 82 percent increase in Oklahoma and a 66 percent rise in Georgia, among other hopeful signs. Nearly 650 colleges and universities are now requiring shots for students and staff on campus, and more than 100 health care systems are embracing similar mandates, they said.

Also Thursday, the Biden administration announced a new push to vaccinate young people as they head back to school, backing initiatives such as hosting pop-up clinics on campus; sending pediatricians to back-to-school nights to discuss the shots with parents; and incorporating vaccination against covid-19 into physicals for student athletes.