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(WASHINGTON) — The Supreme Court’s decision to block the Biden administration’s vaccine-or-test requirement for large private businesses is a “setback for public health,” United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy told This Week co-anchor Martha Raddatz on Sunday.

“The news about the workplace requirement being blocked was very disappointing, Martha. It was a setback for public health. Because what these requirements ultimately are helpful for is not just protecting the community at large but making our workplaces safer for workers as well as for customers,” Murthy said.

Raddatz reminded Murthy that before the omicron surge, he had said on This Week that the mandate “was necessary and appropriate.”

“So, what is plan B?” Raddatz pressed.

Murthy did not outline an explicit alternate plan but noted, “there is nothing that stops workplaces from voluntarily putting reasonable requirements in place.”

“Many have done so already,” he said. “A third of the Fortune 100 companies have put these in place and many more outside have, so we are certainly encouraging companies to put these requirements in place voluntarily.”

Some large companies, however, are changing their plans based on the decision. General Electric confirmed to ABC News last week that it would stop implementing a planned vaccine mandate after the Supreme Court ruling.

But Columbia Sportswear said in a statement that it is “disappointed in [Thursday’s] Supreme Court ruling” because it would mean the company would have to deal “with a thicket of conflicting state and local regulations.”

Murthy’s comments come as President Joe Biden’s administration continues to ramp up efforts to stop the spread of the highly transmissible omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Senior White House officials said on Friday the administration will launch a new website Wednesday for requesting free at-home rapid COVID tests.

Raddatz pressed the surgeon general on the time it has taken to ramp up the availability of testing in the United States.

“Dr. Murthy, I know what you’re doing now, but the question is, why wasn’t it done sooner?” she asked. “You say you always hold out hope, but you plan for the worst. It doesn’t sound like that happened.”

“Well, there was planning, Martha, and there was execution on increasing the supply of tests,” Murthy responded, and the omicron variant of the virus created “an extraordinary increase in demand, Martha, even beyond the incredible increase in supply that we had procured and secured during 2021. And so we have to close that gap.”

Noting the high number of breakthrough infections amid the omicron surge, Raddatz asked Murthy what percent positive U.S. COVID cases, which are at record levels, are among the vaccinated or boosted.

While he didn’t have a percentage breakdown for the current caseload, Murthy said being vaccinated and boosted vastly increases protection from symptomatic infection.

“What we’ve seen from our data, from the United States and from other countries, is that if you are vaccinated and boosted, your level of protection against symptomatic infection is in the around 75 to 80% range,” he said. “So that’s not 100%; it still means that they’re about, is about 20% of possibility there in terms of positive cases, despite being, despite being vaccinated, compared to an unvaccinated population… that still shows a very strong efficacy overall against preventing symptomatic disease.”

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(NEW YORK) — As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.5 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 850,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering.

About 62.9% of the population in the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Jan 17, 4:58 am
Italian police arrest nurse accused of faking shots for anti-vaxxers

Italian police have arrested a nurse accused of pretending to inject COVID-19 vaccines into the arms of anti-vaxxers so they could benefit from vaccination certificates.

Investigators used a hidden camera to capture the nurse working at a vaccination center in Palmero. A clip from the footage, released Saturday by Italy’s State Police, purportedly shows the woman preparing a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and then emptying the syringe into a piece of gauze before pretending to inject it into an individual’s arm. She faces charges of forgery and embezzlement, according to police.

Police said the woman also faked her own booster shot so she could continue working at the vaccination center, in coordination with another nurse who was arrested last December on similar charges. The other nurse is accused of faking COVID-19 vaccinations for 11 people, including a well-known leader of an anti-vaccine movement, according to police.

New restrictions came into force in Italy on Jan. 10, barring people who aren’t fully vaccinated against COVID-19 from accessing restaurants, gyms, swimming pools, theaters, cinemas, sport events and public transport. Unvaccinated individuals who recently recovered from COVID-19 are exempt from the new rule, which will be in force until March 31. The measures were imposed amid a sharp rise in COVID-19 infections across the European country.

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(NEW YORK) — A woman died after she was pushed onto the New York City subway tracks and struck by an oncoming train, police said.

The incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the Times Square-42nd Street subway station while she was standing on the southbound R-Q train platform.

A man “suddenly pushed” the victim while she was waiting — an unprovoked attack — New York Police Department Commissioner Keechant Sewell said during a press briefing Saturday, calling the attack an “absolute senseless act of violence.”

Police found the woman under the train with “severe trauma” to her body and she was pronounced dead at the scene, Sewell added.

Authorities identified the victim as a 40-year-old Asian woman and New York City resident. Her name is being withheld pending family notification.

The suspect, who is believed to be homeless and known to authorities, fled the scene but turned himself in a short while later, police said.

NYPD Assistant Chief Jason Wilcox said detectives are working with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office to determine the charges.

Sewell said they are “investigating all avenues” when asked if hate crime charges were being considered amid increased violence against Asians and Pacific Islanders during the pandemic. Police believe the suspect may have approached another person on the platform who is not Asian right before attacking the victim, she noted.

John “Janno” Lieber, acting chairman of the Metropolitan Transit Authority, called the incident “unacceptable.”

“This is a sad day,” he said at the briefing, held in the train station where the woman died. “A New Yorker was going about her business right in the heart of our city, in the heart of our subway system in Times Square, and she lost her life. This is unconscionable.”

“New Yorkers need a safe system,” he added.

Mayor Eric Adams said the attack highlights the importance of those in crisis receiving mental health services to ensure that the city’s streets “above ground and below ground” are safe.

“We’re going to continue to do everything that’s possible to make our subway system safe,” he said at the briefing, “but again, we’re calling on all of our partners, from lawmakers to law enforcement, VAs to judges, to ensure those who need mental health assistance receive that.”

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(DALLAS) — A hostage situation is underway at a synagogue in the Dallas-Fort Worth area Saturday, a source on the scene told ABC News.

An armed suspect claiming to have bombs in unknown locations took a rabbi and three others hostage at the Congregation Beth Israel, the source said. It is unclear to what extent the hostage-taker is armed.

The suspect’s sister is a known terrorist who is incarcerated at Carswell Air Force Base near Fort Worth and he is demanding to have the sister freed, according to the source.

There is believed to be one suspect at this time, and the FBI is en route, the source said.

The Colleyville Police Department’s SWAT team responded to the area midday Saturday and evacuated residents in the immediate area.

As of 1:20 p.m. local time, the situation “remains ongoing,” the department said on social media. “We ask that you continue to avoid the area.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(NEW YORK) — Some 75 million Americans in 33 states, from the Dakotas to Georgia to Maine, are under alert Saturday through Monday for a massive winter storm and chilling temperatures.

At least 11 winter weather alerts and advisories are in effect, including a wind chill advisory for much of the Northeast, where wind chills — what temperature it feels like — were as low as minus 40 degrees F early Saturday.

A winter storm watch also is in effect from Arkansas to Pennsylvania for a much-anticipated winter storm that’s already dumped more than a foot of snow across North Dakota and Iowa.

As the storm heads southeast toward the mid-Mississippi states Saturday into Sunday, and then toward the Northeast Sunday into Monday, more snow, ice and rain is expected.

Three to 6 inches of snow is possible in parts of the South, with Atlanta having the potential to see its first measurable snowfall in four years. Six to 18 inches of snow is possible in the mountains of Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.

The interior Northeast up through New England is expected to get hit with 6 to 18 inches of snow. Coastal areas of the Northeast, including Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York City and Boston, could see up to 3 inches of snow, though that will likely get washed away as the snow changes to rain by early Monday.

Dangerous road conditions, as well as power outages, are expected throughout the holiday weekend. The Interstate 95 corridor will likely see a wintry mix of rain, snow and ice Sunday into Monday.

Four states — Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia — declared states of emergency Friday ahead of the storm, while West Virginia declared a statewide “state of preparedness.”

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper urged residents to gather essentials Saturday and stay off the roads Sunday and Monday as “significant impacts” are expected statewide.

“This storm’s a menace,” the governor said during a press briefing Saturday. “As much as a foot of snow’s expected to fall in the mountains and foothills. And in central North Carolina, freezing rain and sleet on top of some snow will fall. The eastern part of our state expects heavy rain and flash flooding, plus high winds and gust.”

In preparation, 10,000 workers from Duke Energy are being activated to help restore power. The state has also activated 200 National Guard members to assist with the transportation needs in western and central counties.

More than 1,200 state Department of Transportation employees and contractors have spread 2.5 million gallons of brine on roads since Thursday and prepared over 400 trucks ready to respond after the storm hits, North Carolina Department of Transportation Secretary Eric Boyette said.

Boyette warned of likely delays in response times due to the widespread impact of the storm across the state, as well as labor shortages due to COVID-19.

“Travel could be greatly impacted for several days after the storm,” he said, urging people to stay off the roads. “We will do everything we can to reopen roads as quickly as possible.”

In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp said agencies are preparing to mobilize and deploy resources as needed in the state, as well as to aid neighboring states if needed.

Atlanta also is preparing for snow, with Mayor Andre Dickens telling Ellen Lopez of “Good Morning America”: “We have 40 pieces of equipment that’s ready to go. We have 300 employees. Gallons and gallons of brine. So we’re trying to stay ahead of it.”

ABC News’ Hilda Estevez and Melissa Griffin contributed to this report.

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(WASHINGTON) — In an effort to cut emissions, the Federal Aviation Administration announced it’s changing the way some planes land at U.S. airports.

Currently, most planes that land at airports descend in a stair-step method, where aircraft repeatedly level off and power up the engines during the descent. Under the agency’s new 42 Optimized Profile Descents, or OPDs, planes will instead descend from cruising altitude to the runway in a smoother, continuous path with engines set at near idle.

“If you just think about what takes more energy, walking down the stairs or sliding down a slide, that’s basically what the plane is doing,” FAA spokesperson Matthew Lehner said in an interview with ABC News.

The move is part of the agency’s work to achieve a net-zero greenhouse gas emissions aviation sector by 2050 — part of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s U.S. Aviation Climate Action Plan announced at the United Nations Climate Change Conference last November.

“There’s less fuel burn as you’re sliding down toward the approach to the airport,” Lehner said. “It also means with less fuel burning you get less emissions in the air.”

In 2013, researchers with the FAA and the Georgia Institute of Technology found OPDs cut about 41 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions and 2 million gallons of jet fuel at Los Angeles International Airport in one year, which is equivalent to cutting 1,300 flights from Atlanta to Dallas, the FAA said.

The FAA implemented OPDs at various airports across the country in 2021, including Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Miami International Airport and Florida’s Orlando International Airport. This year, it plans to implement the descents at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, Missouri’s Kansas City International Airport and Omaha, Nebraska’s Eppley Airfield. It is also adding additional routes at Orlando International Airport.

In addition to cutting emissions, the agency said passengers might notice a smoother, quieter approach with the engine not revving throughout its descent. The continuous landing technique is also quieter for areas surrounding airports.

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(EUGENE, Ore.) — Six people were transported to hospitals after a shooting at a concert hall in Eugene, Oregon, police said.

At 9:29 p.m. Friday, there were reports of multiple shots fired outside WOW Hall, where Lil Bean and Zay Bang were performing.

The Eugene Police Department and multiple law enforcement agencies responded, along with Eugene Springfield Fire.

Of the six victims that were shot, one is in critical condition, Eugene Police Department Chief Chris Skinner said during a press conference early Saturday.

Police don’t yet know if the shooting was random or targeted, but Skinner said it was “one of the highest profile shootings we’ve had in the city of Eugene.”

There are no reported fatalities at this time.

Police are looking for a single suspect, thought to be a male in a hoodie who was last seen running westbound away from the scene, Skinner said. The police chief added that he does not believe there is a broader safety risk to the community, but emphasized the suspect is still likely armed and dangerous.

“You may have heard that there was a shooting outside the WOW Hall tonight at the ‘Lil Bean + Zay Bang’* concert,” WOW Hall’s Board Chair Jaci Guerena and Interim Executive Director Deb Maher said in a statement on the venue’s website. “There is not much information currently available however we heard gunshots in the back parking lot. The motives are not yet known. We do know that some people were injured, but we do not know the extent of the injuries, and we do not want to speculate.”

All classes held at the WOW Hall are canceled until further notice, they said.

“We at the WOW Hall want to thank all first responders who came so quickly to ensure everyone’s safety and administer first aid. We believe all staff and volunteers are safe and accounted for. This is unprecedented at the WOW Hall. The police are investigating. If we receive additional information, we will try to make it available,” Guerena and Maher added.

The shooting is under active investigation.

Police are asking that anyone with information regarding the incident (case 22-00850) call 541-682-5111.

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(NEW YORK) — The National Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami advisory for the entire West Coast and Alaska in the wake of an undersea volcanic eruption near Tonga.

Nearly all coastal areas in California, Oregon, Washington, Southeast Alaska, South Alaska, the Alaskan Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands are under a tsunami advisory. British Columbia is also under advisory.

Japan’s Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning for the southern Amami island and Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecture and a tsunami advisory for all coastal areas facing the Pacific Ocean. Tsunami waves as high as 1.2 meters were reported near those islands around 11:30 a.m. eastern time.

A tsunami advisory means that a tsunami could produce strong currents or waves near the coastline. However, a tsunami advisory does not indicate a major tsunami event where water is actively entering coastal communities. In this circumstance, the tsunami is only dangerous to those in the water, or on the immediate beach — like swimmers and boaters.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

ABC News’ Daniel Manzo contributed to this report.

Editor’s note: This story’s headline has been updated to report that a tsunami advisory, not a warning, was issued.

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(NEW YORK) — Southern states have declared states of emergency as snow targets the East Coast this weekend.

The storm first hits the Midwest Friday night into Saturday. Roads will be dangerous in southern Minnesota and Iowa, where up to 10 inches of snow and gusty winds could cause whiteout conditions. The Midwest could see 6 to 12 inches of snow in some areas.

Saturday night into Sunday, the snow turns to Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas.

A wintry mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain could make roads extremely dangerous.

Three to 6 inches of snow is possible in parts of the South, with 6 to 18 inches possible in the mountains of Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. This storm has the potential to give Atlanta its first measurable snow in four years.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam have issued states of emergency as the storm approaches.

“This storm will bring significant impacts from snow, sleet and freezing rain in different parts of the state, with likely power outages and travel disruptions,” Cooper warned.

Northam said, “I urge Virginians to take this storm seriously and make preparations now.”

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has also declared a statewide “state of preparedness.”

The storm will reach the mid-Atlantic later in the day on Sunday and may bring snow and a wintry mix to Washington, D.C., by Sunday evening. The Virginia, Delaware and New Jersey coastline will see rain and possibly strong winds.

For Monday morning, forecast models are showing heavy snow for the interior Northeast and light snow followed by rain for the major cities along the coast, like Boston, New York City and Philadelphia. But it is possible the storm shifts east, dropping heavy snow on the Interstate 95 corridor.

One to 3 inches of snow is possible for D.C., Philadelphia, New York City and Boston before it’s quickly washed away by Monday’s rain. Six to 18 inches of snow is forecast for the interior Northeast and New England.

For those in the Northeast, make sure to bundle up as you await the snow: temperatures in the Northeast are plunging to their lowest levels in three years this weekend.

Saturday morning the wind chill — what temperature it feels like — will be 2 degrees in New York, minus 12 in Boston and minus 28 in Burlington, Vermont.

ABC News’ Hilda Estevez contributed to this report.

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(CHICAGO) — Students are walking out of their classes in Boston, Chicago and other cities across the country in protest of in-person learning conditions as COVID-19 rages on.

Public school students in Boston left their classrooms at 10:30 a.m. Friday to demand that local leaders take more initiative in reducing the spread of COVID-19 in schools and implement a two-week period for remote learning.

“We will then stand there for exactly 10 minutes, one minute for every hundred thousand new COVID-19 cases found on the 2nd of January,” according to a post from the student-run Massachusetts COVID Walkout Instagram page.

Following the walk-out, students held a webinar to discuss their fears about the handling of the pandemic in schools. Students at the virtual event recounted their urge to take action and keep their fellow students, teachers and staff safe.

They are demanding a two-week remote learning period, proper Personal Protective Equipment for teachers, adequate technology for remote learning and the cancellation of some standardized testing.

In a statement to ABC News, Boston Public Schools said it “believes deeply in students advocating for what they believe in.”

“We further believe it is critically important that we encourage and support them in expressing their concerns, beliefs and positions to their leaders,” the statement said. “We will continue to listen to our students and families as we navigate this latest surge and the impacts it has on our ability to remain in person and deliver a quality education.”

In spring 2021, Massachusetts officials said remote learning would no longer count toward required learning hours. Any school-wide remote learning days must be made up by students and teachers at the end of the year.

Boston Public Schools has reported 3,483 COVID cases as of Jan. 5, according to the district website.

Students in Chicago also walked out of their classes Friday and chanted demands that schools address COVID-19 safety concerns.

As they walked en masse on the streets and toward the administrative offices of the Chicago Public School district, students yelled, “Si se puede,” or “Yes, we can,” as well as “No more oppression, change is now in session!”

Chicago Public Schools’ Radical Youth Alliance, a student-run advocacy group, also sent a letter of demands to Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, CEO of Chicago Public Schools Pedro Martinez, Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Allison Arwady.

The students asked for transparency and accuracy in the school’s COVID-19 data, youth participation in decision-making and accountability for “mistakes.”

“As you consistently prove yourself and your leadership to be incompetent, we as Black and Brown young people are the common denominator of being the most harmed and impacted,” the letter read. “We are tired, exhausted, and frustrated.”

The group also backed the Chicago Teachers Union, which narrowly accepted a new agreement on COVID-19 safety precautions.

Chicago Public Schools had 10,928 cases among its students and staff since the start of the 2021-2022 school year, according to the district website.

In a statement, Chicago Public Schools said it “remains committed to fostering learning environments that allow students to respectfully deliberate issues with evidence and an open mind – and safely participate in civic action.”

According to the CPS website, students are required to wear masks in schools and answer a self-screener symptom questionnaire before school. Testing is optional.

Protests in New York, California and other states have highlighted the growing concerns that school leaders are failing to address COVID-19 and its impact on education and health in schools.

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