News by the numbers: March 26–April 1

Second COVID-19 booster recommended for some

This week, the CDC expanded eligibility for a second COVID-19 booster shot to include immunocompromised individuals and people over the age of 50 who received their first booster dose at least four months ago. 

1 million barrels of oil per day

The Biden administration announced on March 31 that it will order the release of an unprecedented 1 million barrels of oil each day for six months from the country's strategic petroleum supply in an effort to lower gas prices. On that same day, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies confirmed a 432,000-barrels-per-day increase in oil production beginning in May.

431,000 jobs added in March

The U.S. added 431,000 jobs to the nonfarm payroll in March, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on April 1. The unemployment rate fell to 3.6%—the lowest rate since the pandemic began in March 2020. Leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, retail trade, and manufacturing were the industries with the biggest gains.

15-week abortion bans passed in 2 more states

Arizona and Kentucky became the latest states to pass restrictive abortion laws this week. In both states, surgical abortions will be banned after the 15th week of pregnancy, with the exception of medical emergencies. The Supreme Court is reviewing a similar abortion ban in Mississippi that threatens to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Half of all pregnancies worldwide are unintended

According to the United Nation's annual State of World Population Report 2022 released on March 30, nearly half of all pregnancies worldwide—121 million annually—are unintended. More than 60% of unintended pregnancies end in abortion, the majority of which are unsafe. Up to 13% of these procedures lead to death for mothers, according to the report.