As U.S. officials push for more vaccinations amid slowing demand across the country, another state has now crossed an important milestone.Rhode Island is now the eighth state to have administered at least one COVID-19 shot to 70% of its adult population, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The state joins Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Vermont, which have also vaccinated at least 70% of their adult population.Twenty five states and Washington, D.C., have now fully vaccinated at least half of their adult populations.The news builds on experts' optimism about the country's declining COVID-19 case numbers and where things could stand by summer time as vaccine numbers continue to climb. Earlier this month, President Joe Biden set a goal of administering at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose to 70% of American adults by July 4 — and has said Americans will be able to celebrate Independence Day by then with a true semblance of normalcy. So far, more than 61% of U.S. adults have gotten at least one COVID-19 shot and more than 49% are fully vaccinated, according to CDC data. And about 49% of the total U.S. population, including children over the age of 12, has received at least one shot and 39.2 % of the population — about 130 million people — is fully vaccinated, that data shows.But the demand for a shot is down — and experts worry the slowing vaccinations may mean some communities don't reach the widespread protection levels that officials hope for and continue to face outbreaks."I think we'll be dealing with COVID-19 for quite a long time unfortunately," emergency room physician Dr. Rob Davidson told CNN on Saturday, when asked what could happen if the country doesn't vaccinate enough of the population.According to CDC data published on Thursday, the average daily pace of COVID-19 vaccinations was down almost 50% from its April peak."We just have to keep pushing forward because, thinking about what could happen if we don't get there, I just think we have to keep using every resource we have to get more people vaccinated," Davidson said.Related video: Ohio offers $1m lottery for people getting vaccineThe barriers to vaccines that persistThere are still several challenges officials are working to overcome in the country's vaccination efforts.Experts say many Americans still have questions about the vaccines, haven't received enough — or the right — information and others have problems with access, including being unable to take off of work to go get a shot."Employers not only have an opportunity to increase vaccination rates but... it turns out that they can also help to close the equity gap in vaccinations," U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said during a White House COVID-19 briefing on Friday. "This is so important because we've said from the beginning that success is not just determined by how many people we get vaccinated but by how equitably and fairly we vaccinate our population," he added. "And workplaces, it turns out, can play a role in that."CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky also said last week the agency was asking businesses to support their employees to get vaccinated."We are really asking the businesses to work with their workers to make sure that they have the paid time off to get themselves vaccinated so they can be safe," she told CNN last Sunday.The next phase of the country's vaccination is an "all-hands-on-deck" approach, Murthy said Friday — driven by communities themselves."Please reach out to your family and friends," he said. "Remind people the vaccine is free of charge. It's now easier to get than ever before. And remind people also that the vaccine remains our single best pathway out of the COVID-19 pandemic."

I GET ABOUT 4:00 IN THE MORNING. I’ TALKING AND THEN OUR DAUGHTER OUR NEXT CORONA. THAT’S 6:30 WAKING UP EARLY TO SEE THIS. HERE A WARM. READING HAVE A GOOD DAY NOW. MEET 96 YEAR OLD JULIUS CAMPBELL THE WORLD WAR TWO NAVY VETERAN AND RETIRED NPS TEACHER HAS SEEN A LOT IN HIS TIME BUT TELLS ME HELPING KIDS CROSS THE STREET NEAR 51ST AND ROOSEVELT TO YESHIVA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS A REWARDING EXPER. AND I JUST LOVE. THIS LITTLE EDUCATION AND BEING AROUND AND DOING THINGS FOR PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE IT TAKES LESS THAN 30 SECONDS TO CROSS THE STREET. THAT’S HOW MUCH TIME IT’S TAKING MR. CAMPBELL TO FORGE LIFELONG BONDS DAY BY DAY OVER THE PAST 24 YEARS A LOT OF THE KIDS. GRADUATE COME BACK I’M GETTING THEIR KIDS GROW. NOW. HE SOUNDS THEY KEEP HIM YOUNG AND WHEN YOU ASK THIS 96 YEAR OLD THE SECRET TO STING ACT. I NEVER LIVED A LOT. I GUESS YOU CALLED HER PAST LIFE. NEVER DRINK AND I NEVER DID ALL THOSE THINGS RUN AROUND LATE AT NIGHT AND SO THEN MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE AND LOOKING FORWARD. HE SAYS I WANT TO MAKE A HUNDRED BUT IT ONLY LIKE LONG MY HELP. HE’LL DO PRETTY GOOD. I’LL STICK WITH YOU DREAM ART IF I SEND 12 NEWS.

‘I’ll stick with it’: This 96-year-old crossing guard hopes to hit a milestone

Updated: 11:00 AM EDT May 8, 2021

A 96-year-old retired schoolteacher, who is now a crossing guard in the Sherman Park neighborhood of Milwaukee, says he loves what he does, and he's hoping to hit a milestone."I get up at about 4 o'clock in the morning," Julius Campbell said. "And then I go down to this corner at 6:30 a.m."The World War II Navy veteran and retired teacher has seen a lot in his time, but he said helping kids cross the street to get to Yeshiva Elementary School is a rewarding experience."I just love education and being around and doing things for people, helping people," Campbell said.It takes less than 20 seconds to cross the street. That's how much time Campbell has taken to forge lifelong bonds, little by little, day by day, for the past 24 years."A lot of the kids graduate, come back, and I'm getting their kids going now," Campbell said.He said they keep him young.And when you ask the 96-year-old the secret to staying active: "I never lived a rough ... fast life. Never drank, and I never did all those things, run around late at night. So, that makes a difference."Looking forward, he said he wants to make it to 100."But as long as life, as long as my health is good, I'll stick with it," Campbell said.

MILWAUKEE —

A 96-year-old retired schoolteacher, who is now a crossing guard in the Sherman Park neighborhood of Milwaukee, says he loves what he does, and he's hoping to hit a milestone.

"I get up at about 4 o'clock in the morning," Julius Campbell said. "And then I go down to this corner at 6:30 a.m."

The World War II Navy veteran and retired teacher has seen a lot in his time, but he said helping kids cross the street to get to Yeshiva Elementary School is a rewarding experience.

"I just love education and being around and doing things for people, helping people," Campbell said.

It takes less than 20 seconds to cross the street. That's how much time Campbell has taken to forge lifelong bonds, little by little, day by day, for the past 24 years.

"A lot of the kids graduate, come back, and I'm getting their kids going now," Campbell said.

He said they keep him young.

And when you ask the 96-year-old the secret to staying active: "I never lived a rough ... fast life. Never drank, and I never did all those things, run around late at night. So, that makes a difference."

Looking forward, he said he wants to make it to 100.

"But as long as life, as long as my health is good, I'll stick with it," Campbell said.