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(NEW YORK) — The United States is facing a COVID-19 surge this summer as the more contagious delta variant spreads.

More than 629,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 while over 4.4 million people have died from the disease worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

Just 60.2% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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

Aug 24, 6:43 am
Tokyo Paralympics kicks off amid COVID-19 crisis

The delayed 2020 Summer Paralympics kicked off in Tokyo on Tuesday as Japan grapples with a growing COVID-19 crisis that has showed no signs of slowing down.

Protesters calling for the Games to be canceled gathered outside the Olympic Stadium in Japan’s capital ahead of Tuesday’s opening ceremony. Like the 2020 Olympics, which ended on Aug. 8, this year’s Paralympics is taking place amid a state of emergency. More than a dozen Japanese prefectures, including Tokyo, are currently under emergency measures related to COVID-19. The Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics were both postponed a year due to the pandemic.

Japan’s daily number of newly confirmed COVID-19 cases has been breaking records in recent days and weeks, while the daily death toll has stayed below the record 216 fatalities reported on May 18. The Japanese government and the Tokyo metropolitan government issued a joint appeal on Monday to hospitals in the capital to admit more COVID-19 patients as cases rise.

“The delta variant’s strong infectiousness just isn’t comparable to previous ones,” Japanese Health Minister Norihisa Tamura said as he stood alongside Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike. “We would like to have further support from the medical community to secure hospital beds for coronavirus patients.”

Aug 24, 3:59 am
3 Houston-area emergency rooms shutter due to COVID-19 surge

Memorial Hermann, one of the largest not-for-profit health systems in southeast Texas, said Monday it was forced to close three of its 24-hour emergency rooms in the Houston area “due to the continued COVID-19 surge.”

The emergency rooms inside Memorial Hermann’s convenient care centers in the Kingwood, Spring and Sienna neighborhoods will remain closed “until further notice.”

“Patients who are currently receiving care inside any of these Emergency Rooms will be safely discharged or transferred to another Memorial Hermann facility,” the health system said in an announcement on its website. “Members of our community who require emergent care should proceed to another nearby Emergency Center for assistance.”

Aug 23, 9:35 pm
Hawaii governor urges tourists to stay away

Hawaii Gov. David Ige is urging tourists to stay away from the state, which saw a huge number of visitors over the summer, due to the increase in COVID-19 cases.

“It is not a good time to travel to the islands. I encourage everyone to restrict and curtail travel to Hawaii,” Ige said at a news conference Monday.

The islands are dealing with a big COVID surge due to the delta variant, but have a limited number of hospitals. The governor even suggested that another full lockdown is on the table.

“Is a lockdown on the table? Yes, it would be if the number of cases continues to grow exponentially as it has in the last 10 weeks … then we will have to take action to limit and ensure that the hospitals aren’t overrun,” Ige said Monday.

Aug 23, 7:35 pm
CDC director touts FDA’s Pfizer approval

In an interview with ABC News’ Linsey Davis, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said she hopes unvaccinated Americans are spurred into action following Monday’s Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

Walensky said the FDA is “the gold standard for the safety and effectiveness of these vaccines,” and the move  was “powerful signal in the safety and effectiveness.”

“We have an extraordinary amount of data, and I’m really pleased that the FDA not just took their time and did the due diligence that needed to be done, but did it quickly and efficiently to bring this to the American people as soon as possible,” she said.

Walensky didn’t have a timetable for when the Moderna vaccine would get full approval since they haven’t submitted its data to the FDA yet.

She did say that the current expectation is that the Pfizer vaccine will be authorized for children ages 5 to 12 by November.

While Walensky said she prefers Americans voluntarily get their shots, she encouraged more vaccine mandates to spur people.

“We’ve already seen just today many come through so that people will recognize if they were on the fence and they just needed that extra push that these mandates will get them there,” she said.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — The United States is facing a COVID-19 surge this summer as the more contagious delta variant spreads.

More than 628,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 while over 4.4 million people have died from the disease worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

Just 60.2% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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

Aug 23, 4:40 pm

Honolulu suspending large gatherings due to dramatic uptick in cases

All large gatherings in Honolulu will be suspended due to a dramatic uptick in cases, Mayor Rick Blangiardi announced Monday.

Health care workers are “pushed beyond their limits,” the mayor said.

The ban begins Aug. 25 and will last for four weeks.

Aug 23, 3:39 pm

5 Southern states have ICUs over 90% full

Five states have intensive care units over 90% full: Alabama (100%), Florida (92.82%), Georgia (92.95%), Mississippi (93.81%) and Texas (91.27%), according to federal data.

The South also leads the country with the highest case rates. Louisiana and Mississippi have the highest case rates, followed by Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, Arkansas and South Carolina, according to federal data.

More than 95.6% of counties are either reporting high (89.32%) or substantial (6.24%) community transmission, federal data shows. Just 4.41% of counties are reporting moderate or low transmission.

Aug 23, 2:10 pm

FDA grants full approval for Pfizer vaccine

The Food and Drug Administration on Monday granted full approval of the Pfizer vaccine, becoming the first COVID-19 vaccine to transition from an emergency authorization status to full FDA approval.

The full approval indicates that Pfizer has shown enough effectiveness and safety data to meet the stringent Biologics License Application requirements, which includes at least six months of safety data from a majority of the volunteers in a large, final stage clinical trial.

Pfizer’s full approval will pave the way for further vaccine mandates in both the public and private sector. Some businesses and state leaders have held off thus far, signaling they’d wait for full approval before imposing tighter requirements.

Federal, state and local health officials have also expressed optimism that full approval will help dissolve some of the lingering hesitancy around taking a shot that until now has been only authorized for emergency use.

Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock called Monday’s announcement a “pivotal moment” made possible by a “rigorous and thorough review” done in record time.

“Working around the clock, FDA staff were able to complete the evaluation of this biologics license application in just over three months,” she said. “This is an unprecedented timeline given the volume of review and the meticulous manner in which it was done, but we want to underscore that our efforts to move as quickly as possible have in no way sacrifice scientific standards for the integrity of our process.”

President Joe Biden said Monday, “If you’re one of the millions of Americans who’ve said that they will not get the shot until it has full and final approval of the FDA — it has now happened.

Aug 23, 2:07 pm

More than 180,000 new cases reported among kids last week

More than 180,000 new COVID-19 cases were reported among kids last week, reaching levels of the previous winter surge of 2020-2021, according to a new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association.

More than 4.59 million children have tested positive for COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic. Last week, children represented 22.4% of all reported cases.

Severe illness due to COVID-19 remains “uncommon” among children, the two organizations wrote in the report. In nearly two dozen states, 0.2%-1.9% of all child COVID-19 cases resulted in hospitalization.

AAP and CHA, however, warned that there is an urgent need to collect more data on the long-term consequences of the pandemic on children, “including ways the virus may harm the long-term physical health of infected children, as well as its emotional and mental health effects.”

Aug 23, 11:12 am

Pentagon preparing to make Pfizer vaccine mandatory

The Pentagon will move forward with making the Pfizer vaccine mandatory now that it has been fully approved by the FDA, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Monday.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced on Aug. 9 that he would seek authorization to mandate the vaccine for the military unless the FDA approved it before Sept. 15.

“Now that the Pfizer vaccine has been approved, the department is prepared to issue updated guidance, requiring all service members to be vaccinated,” Kirby said at a briefing. “A timeline for vaccination completion will be provided in the coming days.”

Aug 23, 10:50 am
NYC school staff must get vaccine

All of New York City’s nearly 150,000 public school employees must receive at least one vaccine dose by Sept. 27, Mayor Bill de Blasio will announce Monday. The new vaccination policy will not allow weekly testing as an option.

At least 63% of New York City’s Department of Education employees are already vaccinated, Schools Chancellor Meisha Porter said.

The previous requirement allowed for weekly testing of the unvaccinated, with unpaid suspensions for workers who didn’t comply.

New York City’s school year starts on Sept. 13.

Aug 23, 9:46 am
FDA grants full approval for Pfizer vaccine

The Food and Drug Administration on Monday granted full approval of the Pfizer vaccine, becoming the first COVID-19 vaccine to transition from an emergency authorization status to full FDA approval.

The full approval indicates that Pfizer has shown enough effectiveness and safety data to meet the stringent Biologics License Application requirements, which includes at least six months of safety data from a majority of the volunteers in a large, final stage clinical trial.

Pfizer’s full approval will pave the way for further vaccine mandates in both the public and private sector. Some businesses and state leaders have held off thus far, signaling they’d wait for full approval before imposing tighter requirements.

Federal, state and local health officials have also expressed optimism that full approval will help dissolve some of the lingering hesitancy around taking a shot that until now has been only authorized for emergency use.

Aug 23, 7:48 am
Rev. Jesse Jackson ‘responding’ to COVID treatment

Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson, who is in the hospital with COVID-19, is responding positively to treatment, his son told ABC Chicago station WLS.

The 79-year-old, who has Parkinson’s disease, was vaccinated for COVID-19 in January, WLS reported.

His wife, Jacqueline, 77, is also in the hospital with COVID-19 and is resting comfortably, their son, Jonathan Jackson, said.

“She is having some oxygen but is able to function and breathe on her own without a respirator,” he told WLS.

Aug 23, 4:43 am
Over 880,000 Moderna vaccine doses donated by US arrive in Kenya

More than 880,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine donated by the United States arrived in Kenya on Monday morning.

The 880,460 doses were given to the East African nation by the U.S. government via the global vaccine-sharing scheme COVAX, according to a press release from the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), which is leading vaccine procurement and delivery efforts on behalf of COVAX. It is the first of two shipments, totaling 1.76 million donate doses.

The donation marks the first time that Kenya has received the Moderna vaccine, widening the portfolio of COVID-19 vaccines available for the country’s ongoing rollout of its national immunization campaign. All Kenyans over the age of 18 are now eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Kenya aims to vaccinate 10 million of its 53 million people by the end of the year.

So far, Kenya has reported more than 229,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including at least 4,497 deaths, according to the latest data from the Kenyan Ministry of Health.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — The United States Capitol Police Office of Professional Responsibility has cleared the officer involved in the shooting of Ashli Babbitt, U.S. Capitol Police announced in a press release on Monday, saying that officer “will not be facing internal discipline.”

An internal investigation found the actions of the officer were “lawful and within Department policy,” it said.

Babbitt can be seen on video on Jan. 6 attempting to kick through a window, shortly after she entered the Capitol. She was subsequently shot and killed by the officer. The agency says they’ve reviewed all available evidence in connection with the shooting including video and radio calls.

Capitol Police stood by the officer and said their actions saved the lives of lawmakers and family members.

“The actions of the officer in this case potentially saved Members and staff from serious injury and possible death from a large crowd of rioters who forced their way into the U.S. Capitol and to the House Chamber where Members and staff were steps away,” the statement says. “USCP Officers had barricaded the Speaker’s Lobby with furniture before a rioter shattered the glass door. If the doors were breached, the rioters would have immediate access to the House Chambers.”

The statement adds that the officer’s actions were consistent with training and USCP policy and procedure.

Capitol Police did not identify the officer involved in the shooting, and a lawyer for the officer has not responded to ABC News’ request for comment.

“The officer and the officer’s family have been the subject of numerous credible and specific threats for actions that were taken as part of the job of all our officers: defending the Congress, Members, staff and the democratic process,” Capitol Police said in Monday’s statement.

In addition to the internal review, in April the U.S. Attorney’s office in D.C. decided not to pursue charges against the officer involved, saying there was not enough evidence.

Babbitt’s death has become a rallying cry for some on the right in the months since the Capitol attack, including former President Donald Trump.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Henri continues to churn across the northeastern United States after weakening from a tropical storm to a tropical depression.

The storm made landfall as a tropical storm in Rhode Island early Sunday afternoon, bringing wind gusts up to 70 miles per hour and a storm surge of up to 4 feet to the surrounding regions.

The system weakened to a tropical depression on Sunday night and is expected to move northwest from upstate New York to southern Vermont on Monday.

Dangerous storm surge, hurricane conditions and flooding rain will continue in parts of the Northeast.

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

Aug 23, 6:46 am
Flash flood watches remain for 8 states

Henri continued to dump rain across the Northeast on Monday morning, as the storm’s remnants stalled in eastern New York.

Flash flood watches remain in effect for eight states in the region, from Pennsylvania to New Hampshire. The area could see an additional 2 to 3 inches of rainfall on Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

What’s left of Henri is forecast to move east later Monday before heading out of the Northeast by Tuesday.

Aug 23, 5:43 am
Over 53,000 without power in 2 states

More than 53,000 customers across two states were still without power early Monday morning as Henri slowly moved over the New England area.

As of 5 a.m. ET, there were 44,104 customers without power in Rhode Island, where Henri made landfall, while 9,737 were without power in Connecticut, according to data collected by PowerOutage.US.

Aug 22, 8:46 pm
Henri downgraded to tropical depression

Henri continued to weaken Sunday night and is now downgraded to a tropical depression, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storm is now located 10 miles southwest of Hartford, Connecticut and has sustained winds of 35 mph.

The National Hurricane Center warned that the storm will continue to produce heavy rainfall and flooding across portions of southern New England and Northern mid-Atlantic states through Monday.

Aug 22, 7:35 pm
Power to be restored by mid-week: National Grid

National Grid said it is deploying over 4,000 personnel in Rhode Island and Massachusetts to restore power to affected areas.

As of 5 p.m. Sunday, approximately 72,600 customers in Rhode Island and 8,500 in Massachusetts were without power, according to the utility.

“The hardest hit communities in Rhode Island include South Kingstown, Narragansett, Westerly, Jamestown, Charlestown and North Kingstown,” National Grid said in a news release.

The utility said it estimates to have power restored to all affected customers by mid-week.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Henri continues to churn across the northeastern United States after weakening from a tropical storm to a tropical depression.

The storm made landfall as a tropical storm in Rhode Island early Sunday afternoon, bringing wind gusts up to 70 miles per hour and a storm surge of up to 4 feet to the surrounding regions.

The system weakened to a tropical depression on Sunday night and is expected to move northwest from upstate New York to southern Vermont on Monday.

Dangerous storm surge, hurricane conditions and flooding rain will continue in parts of the Northeast.

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

Aug 23, 9:18 am
Biden approves emergency declaration for Vermont after New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island

The White House announced Monday that President Joe Biden has approved an emergency declaration for Vermont due to Henri, following his previous approvals for New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Biden ordered federal assistance to supplement state and local response efforts in Vermont due to the emergency conditions resulting from the storm. The move authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate all disaster relief efforts and provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, according to a press release from the White House.

Aug 23, 6:46 am
Flash flood watches remain for 8 states

Henri continued to dump rain across the Northeast on Monday morning, as the storm’s remnants stalled in eastern New York.

Flash flood watches remain in effect for eight states in the region, from Pennsylvania to New Hampshire. The area could see an additional 2 to 3 inches of rainfall on Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

What’s left of Henri is forecast to move east later Monday before heading out of the Northeast by Tuesday.

Aug 23, 5:43 am
Over 53,000 without power in 2 states

More than 53,000 customers across two states were still without power early Monday morning as Henri slowly moved over the New England area.

As of 5 a.m. ET, there were 44,104 customers without power in Rhode Island, where Henri made landfall, while 9,737 were without power in Connecticut, according to data collected by PowerOutage.US.

Aug 22, 8:46 pm
Henri downgraded to tropical depression

Henri continued to weaken Sunday night and is now downgraded to a tropical depression, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storm is now located 10 miles southwest of Hartford, Connecticut and has sustained winds of 35 mph.

The National Hurricane Center warned that the storm will continue to produce heavy rainfall and flooding across portions of southern New England and Northern mid-Atlantic states through Monday.

Aug 22, 7:35 pm
Power to be restored by mid-week: National Grid

National Grid said it is deploying over 4,000 personnel in Rhode Island and Massachusetts to restore power to affected areas.

As of 5 p.m. Sunday, approximately 72,600 customers in Rhode Island and 8,500 in Massachusetts were without power, according to the utility.

“The hardest hit communities in Rhode Island include South Kingstown, Narragansett, Westerly, Jamestown, Charlestown and North Kingstown,” National Grid said in a news release.

The utility said it estimates to have power restored to all affected customers by mid-week.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — The United States is facing a COVID-19 surge this summer as the more contagious delta variant spreads.

More than 628,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 while over 4.4 million people have died from the disease worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

Just 60.2% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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

Aug 23, 9:49 am
NYC school staff must get vaccine

All of New York City’s nearly 150,000 public school employees must receive at least one vaccine dose by Sept. 27, Mayor Bill de Blasio will announce Monday. The new vaccination policy will not allow weekly testing as an option.

Aug 23, 9:46 am
FDA grants full approval for Pfizer vaccine

The Food and Drug Administration on Monday granted full approval of the Pfizer vaccine, becoming the first COVID-19 vaccine to transition from an emergency authorization status to full FDA approval.

The full approval indicates that Pfizer has shown enough effectiveness and safety data to meet the stringent Biologics License Application requirements, which includes at least six months of safety data from a majority of the volunteers in a large, final stage clinical trial.

Pfizer’s full approval will pave the way for further vaccine mandates in both the public and private sector. Some businesses and state leaders have held off thus far, signaling they’d wait for full approval before imposing tighter requirements.

Federal, state and local health officials have also expressed optimism that full approval will help dissolve some of the lingering hesitancy around taking a shot that until now has been only authorized for emergency use.

Aug 23, 7:48 am
Rev. Jesse Jackson ‘responding’ to COVID treatment

Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson, who is in the hospital with COVID-19, is responding positively to treatment, his son told ABC Chicago station WLS.

The 79-year-old, who has Parkinson’s disease, was vaccinated for COVID-19 in January, WLS reported.

His wife, Jacqueline, 77, is also in the hospital with COVID-19 and is resting comfortably, their son, Jonathan Jackson, said.

“She is having some oxygen but is able to function and breathe on her own without a respirator,” he told WLS.

Aug 23, 4:43 am
Over 880,000 Moderna vaccine doses donated by US arrive in Kenya

More than 880,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine donated by the United States arrived in Kenya on Monday morning.

The 880,460 doses were given to the East African nation by the U.S. government via the global vaccine-sharing scheme COVAX, according to a press release from the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), which is leading vaccine procurement and delivery efforts on behalf of COVAX. It is the first of two shipments, totaling 1.76 million donate doses.

The donation marks the first time that Kenya has received the Moderna vaccine, widening the portfolio of COVID-19 vaccines available for the country’s ongoing rollout of its national immunization campaign. All Kenyans over the age of 18 are now eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Kenya aims to vaccinate 10 million of its 53 million people by the end of the year.

So far, Kenya has reported more than 229,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including at least 4,497 deaths, according to the latest data from the Kenyan Ministry of Health.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(HUMPHREYS COUNTY, Tenn.) — At least 16 people are dead and 51 are missing after middle Tennessee was hit with record rainfall Friday into Saturday morning.

The flooding in the region caused cars to be tossed like toys and houses ripped off their foundations.

In Humphreys County, 10 were killed and about 40 people remain missing, according to Rob Edwards, chief deputy with the Humphreys County Sheriff’s Office.

“We are working very hard to locate the missing persons,” Edwards said in an email to ABC News. “We are doing house to house checks in the areas hit the hardest within our county.”

Humphreys County is located along the Tennessee River, about 90 minutes west of Nashville.

“We have power outages all over the area,” Edwards added. “Complicating issues is the loss of all cell phone coverage from the major carriers. They are bringing in portable units to assist with communications. We have lost a lot of roads both rural and major highways. In my 28 years it’s the worst I’ve ever seen it.”

A preliminary rainfall total of 17.02 inches was measured at McEwen, Tennessee, Saturday, which would break the all-time 24 hour rainfall record for the state of Tennessee, according to the National Weather Service. The old record was 13.06 inches, recorded in Milan on Sept. 13, 1982.

Flash flood watches were in effect across much of central Tennessee on Saturday.

The Hardin County Fire Department, which went to assist nearby Humphreys County, called the destruction “unbelievable” and said search teams would return to the region on Sunday morning.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency warned people to avoid traveling in Humphreys, Houston, Dickson and Hickman counties.

The Red Cross said it had opened emergency shelters at the YMCA Dickson County in Dickson; the Fairfield Church of Christ in Centerville; and the Waverly Church of Christ and Waverly First Baptist Church in Waverly.

ABC News’ Max Golembo, Victoria Arancio and Matt Foster contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(HUMPHREYS COUNTY, Tenn.) — At least 22 people are dead and 60 are missing after middle Tennessee was hit with record rainfall Friday into Saturday morning.

The flooding in the region caused cars to be tossed like toys and houses ripped off their foundations, officials said.

A preliminary rainfall total of 17.02 inches was measured at McEwen, Tennessee, Saturday, which would break the all-time 24-hour rainfall record for the state of Tennessee, according to the National Weather Service. The old record was 13.06 inches, recorded in Milan on Sept. 13, 1982.

In Humphreys County, 10 were killed and about 40 people remain missing, according to Rob Edwards, chief deputy with the Humphreys County Sheriff’s Office said on Saturday. By Sunday that number grew to 22 dead and 60 missing.

Grey Collier, public information officer for the county’s emergency management agency, told ABC News Sunday evening that the number of missing persons was “nowhere near concrete” and changing rapidly.

The Waverly, Tennessee, Department of Public Safety posted a list of those who are potentially missing. The list doesn’t include missing children, Collier said.

Humphreys County is located along the Tennessee River, about 90 minutes west of Nashville.

“We have power outages all over the area,” Rob Edwards, chief deputy with the Humphreys County Sheriff’s Office, said. “Complicating issues is the loss of all cell phone coverage from the major carriers. They are bringing in portable units to assist with communications. We have lost a lot of roads both rural and major highways. In my 28 years, it’s the worst I’ve ever seen it.”

President Joe Biden expressed his “deepest condolences” for the victims and families of the flash flooding during a news conference Sunday evening. He said the federal government has reached out to Gov. Bill Lee.

“We’ll offer any assistance they need for this terrible moment,” Biden said.

Lee was scheduled to give an update Sunday evening.

Flash flood watches were in effect across much of central Tennessee on Saturday.

The Hardin County Fire Department, which went to assist nearby Humphreys County, called the destruction “unbelievable” and said search teams would return to the region on Sunday morning.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency warned people to avoid traveling in Humphreys, Houston, Dickson and Hickman counties.

The Red Cross said it had opened emergency shelters at the YMCA Dickson County in Dickson; the Fairfield Church of Christ in Centerville; and the Waverly Church of Christ and Waverly First Baptist Church in Waverly.

ABC News’ Max Golembo, Victoria Arancio, Will McDuffie and Matt Foster contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy defended the Biden administration’s plans to begin rolling out booster shots for many Americans the week of Sept. 20, despite criticism from the World Health Organization and others that the U.S. should not offer booster shots to Americans while many countries lag in vaccine access.

“We have to protect American lives and we have to help vaccinate the world because that is the only way this pandemic ends,” Murthy told ABC “This Week” co-anchor Martha Raddatz.

Murthy conceded that — assuming vaccine supply does not change — “taking more vaccines for Americans in the form of boosters will take away from the rest of the world,” but said the focus has been on increasing the supply and pointed to the U.S. donation of more than 120 million vaccine doses to other countries and its 500-million-dose commitment.

While only booster doses of Pfizer and Moderna have been announced, Murthy said they are waiting on efficacy data for a second Johnson & Johnson shot.

“We anticipate the people who receive J&J will likely need a booster as well,” Murthy said.

Asked about the safety of taking a third shot, Murthy emphasized that the booster distribution plan is “contingent on the (Food and Drug Administration) and the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Advisory Committee doing their full and independent evaluation.”

“Safety is absolutely essential in this process and we would not execute a plan if the FDA did not weigh in and say that that third shot was in fact safe,” Murthy said. “But again, keep in mind this — that we have a tremendous amount of experience with these vaccines so far.”

The U.S. recorded its highest daily COVID-19 case count in nearly seven months on Thursday, with just over 163,000 new cases reported, according to the CDC.

Amid the surge, U.S. vaccination rates have also increased. White House COVID-19 data director Cyrus Shahpar said Saturday marked the third day in a row that the U.S. has administered more than 1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses. The White House announced on Friday that at least 200 million Americans have been vaccinated with at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose.

The FDA is pushing to issue full approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech’s two-dose COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, further expediting an earlier timeline for licensing the shot, according to the New York Times.

Murthy said he “wouldn’t be surprised” if the FDA issues full approval of the Pfizer vaccine soon and that approval may convince some individuals on the fence about vaccination to get the shot and encourage companies and schools to implement vaccine mandates.

“I think you’ll see more universities and workplaces that were considering putting in requirements for vaccines to create safer places to learn and work, you’ll see more of them likely moving forward on their plans to require vaccines in the workplace and school,” Murthy said.

Raddatz pressed Murthy on rising pediatric cases and hospitalizations.

“At the beginning of the pandemic COVID largely didn’t affect (children), we’re now seeing hospitalizations rise up, what should we think about when we look at children?” Raddatz asked.

Murthy encouraged adults to get vaccinated to protect children who are ineligible and highlighted measures schools can take to limit the likelihood of COVID transmission.

“I really feel strongly that it is our moral responsibility as this society to do everything we can to protect our children,” Murthy responded. “And that means that number one, all of us getting vaccinated as adults and adolescents is important because kids who are too young to get vaccinated.”

“But it’s also why making sure we are taking every measure possible in schools to ensure that our kids are safe is so important,” Murthy added. “Those include masks, improving ventilation, doing regular testing, and ensuring that our children are outdoors as much as possible.”

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(NEW YORK) — A festival in New Orleans. Concerts in Nashville, Tennessee. A comic book convention in Atlanta. As the delta variant surges across the country, states with low COVID vaccination rates are reeling from a loss in tourism dollars due to large-event cancellations and postponements.

Of the 11 states with vaccination rates under 50%, Louisiana, Tennessee and Georgia have cancelled staple events, costing an estimated hundreds of millions of dollars for local and state economies, according to officials.

On Aug. 9, organizers of New Orleans’ Jazz and Heritage Festival announced that the annual festival would be canceled for the second consecutive year, citing “the current exponential growth of new COVID cases in New Orleans and the region.”

The Louisiana Department of Health seconded this concern in a recent interview with ABC News.

“Down here in Louisiana, we are in our fourth and most dangerous surge to date, fueled by our insufficient vaccination rate and the highly transmissible Delta variant. Our hospitals are overwhelmed,” a Louisiana Department of Health spokesperson said.

As of Aug. 20, less than 39% of the state’s population is fully vaccinated.

In an emailed statement to ABC News, Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser estimated that the cancellation of the festival will cost the region more than $300 million compounding the $5 billion the state has lost in tourism revenue over the course of the pandemic.

“The second postponement of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival will have a long-lasting negative impact on tourism, not only the $300 million in direct economic impact but also for events leading up to and during the two week event,” Nungesser wrote.

“It means bands and musicians who perform in the evening at local hot spots and ‘mom and pop’ businesses that rely on Jazz Fest for a large amount of their annual income for the year, will not have the opportunity to earn that money again this year,” he added.

In Tennessee, the urban economies of Nashville and Memphis continue to dampen due to the decline of conventions, business and international travel, and concerts, according to the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.

In the past year, Tennessee’s tourism revenue decreased by 26%, resulting in the loss of over $4.1 billion in the leisure and hospitality industry, according to the Tennessee Department of Revenue and Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

“Lodging was the most-impacted category, followed by recreation. Lodging of course relies on group travel in our larger metro areas, so the big cities felt that impact much more than our areas that rely on leisure travel,” a Tennessee Tourist Department spokesperson said.

Earlier this year, large indoor events like the annual Country Music Awards were canceled in Tennessee but large outdoor events like Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival will carry on with special precautions in place, such as proof of vaccination or a negative test 72 hours before the event.

In Georgia, organizers of Fandemic Dead — a comic book convention for fans of television series, “The Walking Dead” — announced on Aug. 13 that the convention will be postponed to March 2022 due to concerns about the delta variant.

“While this decision was not made lightly, it was made in an effort to help keep our community safe,” the organizers explained in a press statement. “The health and safety of fans, panelists, exhibitors, artists and staff is our top priority.”

In an emailed statement to ABC News, the Georgia Department of Economic Development said the state’s tourism industry was “devastated” by COVID-19, leaving travel-generated state and local tax revenues down by more than $640 million over the course of the pandemic.

Despite these losses, Georgia Department of Economic Development tourism Deputy Commissioner Mark Jaronski praised the support Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has shown to the tourism industry.

“The leadership of Governor Brian Kemp and our General Assembly has given our tourism industry the license to operate,” Jaronski said. “We’re not immune to the challenges faced by destinations across the globe, but we have been successful in maximizing the travel business that does exist and leveraging it to grow Georgia’s share of domestic travel and economic position.”

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