US Covid-19 community metrics continue to fall, but officials keep close eye on surge in Europe

Only about 1.7 million people in the United States -- less than 1% of the total population -- live in counties where the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommends universal indoor masking, according to the latest Covid-19 community level data, updated by the CDC on Thursday.

This is about 5 million fewer people than last week, when about 2% of the US population lived in counties considered to have "high" community levels. Two weeks ago, about 7% of the population lived in counties considered to have high community levels. And when the CDC first released the new metrics three weeks ago, it was about 28% of the US population.