(NEW YORK) — The United States has been facing a COVID-19 surge as the more contagious delta variant continues to spread.
More than 701,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 while over 4.8 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 65% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the CDC.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Oct 04, 9:19 am
NYC public school employees must now be vaccinated
All New York City public school employees must now be vaccinated or risk losing their jobs.
More than 97% of the city’s public school teachers are now vaccinated, according to the United Federation of Teachers.
The union estimated about 1,000 more teachers were vaccinated over the weekend following the 5 p.m. Friday deadline.
Protesting teachers will march across the Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall for a rally Monday afternoon.
(NEW YORK) — The United States has been facing a COVID-19 surge as the more contagious delta variant continues to spread.
More than 701,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 while over 4.8 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 65.4% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the CDC.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Oct 04, 10:24 am
NYC public school employees must now be vaccinated
All New York City public school employees must now be vaccinated or risk losing their jobs.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday that 95% of full-time employees are now vaccinated, including 96% of teachers and 99% of principals.
“It clearly works,” the mayor said of the mandate, which went into effect at 5 p.m. Friday.
Schools Chancellor Misha Porter said 18,000 new shots were given out since Friday. She said unvaccinated employees can still get their shots and return to work.
Protesting teachers will march across the Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall for a rally Monday afternoon.
(PHILADELPHIA) — An employee at Philadelphia’s Jefferson University Hospital was gunned down, allegedly by a coworker wearing scrubs, before the suspect shot and injured two officers during his capture, authorities said.
The shooting was reported at 12:13 a.m. local time at the hospital’s Gibbon Building, according to an internal law enforcement briefing reviewed by ABC News. No one else at the hospital was hurt.
Philadelphia police said they believe the slain employee was targeted.
Police found the suspect outside a school about 4 miles from the hospital at 1:29 a.m. local time, the briefing said.
The gunman shot at police, striking two officers, before the suspect was injured and taken into custody, according to law enforcement.
One officer was hit in the elbow and the other suffered a graze wound to the face, the briefing said. Both officers are in stable condition, law enforcement said.
The suspect is in the hospital and is expected to survive, Philadelphia police said.
Police searched a box truck the suspect was driving and found a gun, scrub pants and body armor, law enforcement said.
(HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif.) — A major oil spill off the coast of Southern California has forced Huntington Beach and activities scheduled to take place in the region to shut down.
A leak from an offshore oil production facility leaked 3,000 barrels of oil, which is about 126,000 gallons, on Saturday, Huntington Beach Mayor Kim Carr said. The leak is expected to have occurred about 4.5 miles offshore, officials said.
The U.S. Coast Guard was notified of the spill around 9 a.m. Saturday, Carr said. By early Sunday morning, the oil had reached the shore. It had entered the Talbert Marshlands and the Santa Ana River Trail, fanning out over an area of about 5.8 nautical miles, the city of Huntington Beach announced in a press release Sunday morning.
The size of the spill “demanded prompt and aggressive action,” officials said, but the pipeline has been capped and is no longer leaking into the ocean.
Skimming equipment and booms have been deployed to prevent the oil from flowing into the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve and Huntington Beach Wetlands, according to the city.
On Sunday night, Laguna Beach closed all its beaches, asking that “all individuals remain clear of the beach and pay close attention to any beach closure or warning signs,” according to a statement released by the city.
“Some bad news for my Laguna Beach constituents (and everyone else). I just learned projections have the #HuntingtonBeachOilSpill reaching Crystal Cove around 10pm tonight. We need more resources deployed ASAP. And then we need to end all offshore oil drilling off the CA coast,” California Sen. Dave Min tweeted.
The Coast Guard has recovered 3,150 gallons of oil from the water as of Sunday night, and 5,360 feet of boom have been deployed, they said in a statement.
The shoreside response was conducted by 105 government agency personnel. Fourteen boats conducted oil recovery operations while three Coast Guard boats enforced a safety zone off 1,000 yards around the oil spill boats. Also, four aircrafts were dispatched for overflight assessments.
It is not yet clear what caused the spill.
The final day of the Pacific Airshow was canceled in order to facilitate cleanup operations, city officials announced Sunday morning. In addition, residents were advised not to swim, surf or exercise near the beach due to the potential health hazards, such as toxic fumes.
The oil spill is already affecting wildlife, with dead birds and fish already washing up on the beaches, Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley tweeted.
Newport Beach Mayor Brad Avery reported to Foley that he saw dolphins swimming through the slick oil plumes as he headed back to shore from Catalina, Foley tweeted.
Foley told ABC News she believes the spill is “irreversible.”
“You can’t get wildlife back that are killed in this process, and some of the habitat the plant species, they’re going to be impacted for years to come,” she said.
She added that the damage to the environment isn’t the only thing she fears as she has received reports of surfers getting sick.
“It feels like you have a thick coating in your mouth, if you’re out there too long. It’s definitely the vapors in the air, and they’re impacting the environment,” she said.
Marine animals will be taken to the Pacific Marine Mammal Center, where they will be triaged and later sent to Sea World San Diego for rehabilitation, animal rescuers told ABC News.
The Pacific Marine Mammal Center is currently in a “holding pattern” as it awaits the arrival of oiled animals in the next hours, days and weeks, Krysta Higuchi, communications representative for the organization, told ABC News.
The center is “preparing for the worst, hoping for the best,” Higuchi said.
Ocean conservation nonprofit Oceana urged policymakers to begin a widespread shift to clean energy and to end offshore drilling to prevent future spills.
“This is just the latest tragedy of the oil industry,” Jacqueline Savitz, chief policy officer for, told ABC News. “The reality of our reliance on oil and gas is on full display here.”
Saturday’s spill is just the latest in American waters this past month. After Hurricane Ida tore through the Gulf Coast in early September, it left a trail of oil in its wake, with nearly 350 oil spills reported to the Coast Guard in the days after the storm made landfall.
An analysis by the organization also found that ending new leasing for offshore oil and gas in the U.S. could prevent over 19 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions as well as more than $720 billion in damages to people, property and the environment in the country.
The risk of oil spills may rise a climate change creates stronger offshore disturbances, experts told ABC News.
The California Department of Wildlife has set up a hotline to report wildlife impacted by the oil. Individuals are advised not to handle the wildlife but to report incidents to 877-823-6926.
(ORLANDO) — A body believed to be 19-year-old college student Miya Marcano, who has been missing for just over a week, was discovered Saturday morning, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office announced.
Authorities searched around the Tymber Skan apartments in Orange County, Florida, on Saturday and discovered a body in a wooded area nearby “that we believe to be that of Miya Marcano,” Sheriff John Mina said.
Marcano, a student at Valencia College, was last seen at the Arden Villas apartments complex in Orlando where she lived on Sept. 24.
“Although we are very certain of the identity, the positive identification will have to come from the medical examiner’s office. At this time we cannot confirm a cause of death,” Mina said.
Mina said Marcano’s family has been notified about the discovery of the body, which was found around 10:45 a.m. Saturday. He said a purse with Marcano’s identification was found near the body as well.
Police were led to the area based on cellphone records of “prime suspect” Armando Caballero, 27, a maintenance worker at Arden Villas who was found dead Monday from an apparent suicide, authorities said.
The records showed Caballero was near Tymber Skan apartments the day Marcano went missing around 8 or 9 p.m. Mina said that Caballero had lived at the Tymber Skan apartments at one time.
Authorities said Caballero had expressed a romantic interest in Marcano but she rebuffed his advances. Caballero possessed a key fob to access apartments and his was used at Marcano’s unit just before her disappearance, authorities said.
“We believe Armando Caballero is solely responsible for this crime,” Sheriff Mina said Saturday.
“This is not the update I wanted to give everyone,” Mina added. “Our hearts our broken. Everyone wanted this outcome to be different.”
(WASHINGTON) — Women’s rights advocates are marching again in Washington, D.C., and other cities across the U.S. Saturday, with a focus on reproductive rights.
The fifth annual Women’s March is being held on a date specifically chosen for its proximity to the start of the U.S. Supreme Court’s new term on Monday.
Women’s March organizers said the restrictive abortion law that went into effect in Texas in September motivated them to act now.
The law, which bans nearly all abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, went into effect after the Supreme Court rejected a request by Texas abortion providers to block the law as legal challenges continued.
The Department of Justice and the state of Texas faced off in court over the law on Friday, but the judge did not give any specific timeline on when he would make his decision on the DOJ’s request for an emergency injunction.
“When the Supreme Court rejected an emergency request to block Texas’s abortion ban, they effectively took the next step towards overturning Roe v. Wade. Simply put: We are witnessing the most dire threat to abortion access in our lifetime,” reads a statement on the Women’s March website.
The Supreme Court also is scheduled to hear in December oral arguments in a case that could be the most consequential abortion rights case in decades. The state of Mississippi is asking the justices to overturn longstanding legal precedent that restrictions on abortion access before a fetus is viable outside the womb — around 22 to 24 weeks of pregnancy — are categorically unconstitutional. Mississippi wants to ban abortions after 15 weeks, or even earlier.
Reproductive rights advocates call the case, which centers around Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Mississippi’s last remaining abortion clinic, an existential threat to American abortion rights not seen in nearly 50 years.
This year’s protest follows in the footsteps of Women’s March protests that have taken place every year since 2017, when the first march drew more than a million people to various locations across the U.S. the day after the inauguration of President Donald Trump.
The protests have dwindled in size since the first march, but have continued across the country.
As women take to the streets this year to march, in addition to battles over reproductive rights, women have also experienced disproportionate job loss during the coronavirus pandemic and faced greater caregiving burdens than male counterparts, data shows.
Women’s March organizers said that in addition to the Washington, D.C., march, smaller marches are planned from Bangor, Maine, all the way to Seattle.
The Washington march began at Freedom Plaza and is continuing along Pennsylvania Avenue toward the Supreme Court building.
Busy Phillips, who has spoken publicly about having an abortion at age 15, is among the speakers confirmed for the Washington march.
(HOUSTON) — Police identified the suspected gunman who stormed YES Prep Southwest Secondary school in Houston, Texas, on Friday and wounded the principal as 25-year old Dexter Harold Kelsey.
Kelsey has been charged with aggravated assault against a public servant and deadly conduct in the 263rd State District Court, Houston Police announced Saturday.
Houston police said a call about reports of an active shooting came in at 11:45 a.m. at 4400 Anderson Road at Hiram Clarke.
Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said in a press conference Friday that officers arrived to the scene “within minutes” following the call and once inside the school came upon the suspect “armed with a rifle” and he “surrendered without incident.”
Finner said Friday the suspect was a former student of the school. Police said Kelsey confessed to his role in the shooting and was subsequently charged.
“When he came to the building, the front door, the glass door, it was locked. He gained entry by shooting on the glass door and immediately fired upon one of the employees of the school,” Finner said.
The employee sustained a gunshot wound to the back. Police named the victim Saturday as school principal Eric Espinosa, 36, who was treated at a hospital and later released.
Police said Espinosa was alerted about the shooting and attempted to warn teachers and students.
“During the gunfire, one of the bullets struck the principal in his lower back. As the principal continued to help students and teachers flee the school, responding police officers arrived, located the suspect and arrested him without further incident,” Houston police said.
YES Prep Southwest Secondary said in a statement Friday that “no students have been injured.” The school serves grades 6 through 12.
Audio from a dispatch call reveals an official said: “I’m gonna need units at 4411 Anderson Rd, just got a message that there’s a man with a gun in the school.”
The Houston Fire Department initially told ABC News one person was transported to Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center Emergency Room.
First responders were on the scene to actively clear the building, Houston Fire said after reports of the shooting.
A seventh grader who was evacuated from the school told ABC Houston station KTRK, “When I was coming out, I saw blood and glass shattering everywhere.”
“My teachers told me to stay back in the classroom where nobody can see you and officers came, saying, ‘Put your hands up. Go outside,’” the student said.
A staging area for parents was set up at West Fuqua and Hiram Clarke and students were sent to that location.
The students had gone through active shooter training just two days earlier. Finner commended students for remaining calm during the evacuation.
Finner said there are no other potential suspects and no further threat to the students.
(NEW YORK) — The United States has been facing a COVID-19 surge as the more contagious delta variant continues to spread.
More than 696,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 while over 4.7 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 65% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the CDC.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Oct 01, 9:10 pm
US death toll surpasses 700,000
The U.S. COVID-19 death toll surpassed 700,000 Friday night, though the latest surge continues to subside.
About 1,500 new deaths are reported each day on average in the U.S. The country’s daily case average has dropped to just under 106,000 cases a day, down by about 33% in the last month, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
However, that number is still significantly higher than it was three months ago.
There have been over 43 million coronavirus cases in the U.S., which means 1 in approximately every 7 Americans has tested positive, and 1 in every 469 Americans has lost their life to the virus.
Some states — like Alaska and West Virginia — are experiencing record-breaking surges, while other states — including Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Texas — have an intensive care unit capacity of about 10% or less.
In other states — Maine, Minnesota and New Hampshire — infection rates continue to rise.
About 97% of counties across the country are reporting “high” or “substantial” community transmission, as the country nears the grim milestone of 700,000 deaths.
-ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos
Oct 01, 7:38 pm
American Airlines to require employee vaccinations
American Airlines told employees Friday that all U.S.-based employees and certain international crew members must be vaccinated in light of the federal vaccine mandate.
“While we are still working through the details of the federal requirements, it is clear that team members who choose to remain unvaccinated will not be able to work at American Airlines,” CEO Doug Parker and President Robert Isom wrote in a letter obtained by ABC News.
Those who cannot be vaccinated for medical or religious reasons “can request an accommodation,” they continued.
No deadline was set.
Reuters reported Friday that the White House has pressed U.S. airline CEOs to mandate vaccines for staff by early December.
Delta Air Lines said in a statement Friday that 84% of its employees were vaccinated and the airline continues “to evaluate the administration’s plan.”
Southwest Airlines said it “continues to strongly encourage employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.”
United Airlines has already put in place a vaccine mandate; 99.5% of its U.S.-based employees are vaccinated.
-ABC News’ Mina Kaji
Oct 01, 6:48 pm
‘Aladdin’ performances through Oct. 10 now canceled
“Aladdin” is canceling additional Broadway performances after more COVID-19 cases were detected among the company, the show announced Friday.
The musical returned Tuesday for the first time since Broadway closed for the pandemic, though Wednesday night’s performance was canceled after breakthrough COVID-19 cases among the company were confirmed.
“Aladdin” was back Thursday night, though now all performances through Oct. 10 will be canceled after more breakthrough cases were detected Friday, the show said.
“We apologize for the disappointment and inconvenience this causes ticket holders, but we trust that audiences will agree that safety must be at the forefront of our return to Broadway,” the show said in a statement on its website.
Members undergo PCR tests six times a week and are required to be vaccinated.
Oct 01, 5:20 pm
Deadline for NYC school employees to get vaccinated passes
The deadline for New York City public school employees has passed: At least 90% of public school employees are vaccinated, including 93% of teachers and 98% of principals, according to the Department of Education.
About 500 employees have been granted an exemption, representing .03% of the workforce.
Employees who did not provide proof of vaccination by 5 p.m. on Friday will be moved to Leave Without Pay status. Employees who get vaccinated this weekend and provide proof of vaccination on Monday may report to work as usual.
The DOE said 9,000 vaccinated substitute teachers are on standby.
Oct 01, 5:04 pm
US death toll set to surpass 700,000
The U.S. death toll is set to surpass 700,000, though the latest surge continues to subside.
About 1,500 new deaths are reported each day on average in the U.S. The country’s daily case average has dropped to just under 106,000 cases a day, down by about 33% in the last month, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
However, that number is still significantly higher than it was three months ago.
There have been almost 43.4 million coronavirus cases in the U.S., which means 1 in approximately every 7 Americans has tested positive, and 1 in every 469 Americans has lost their life to the virus.
Some states — like Alaska and West Virginia — are experiencing record-breaking surges, while other states — including Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Texas — have an intensive care unit capacity of about 10% or less.
In other states — Maine, Minnesota and New Hampshire — infection rates continue to rise.
About 97% of counties across the country are reporting “high” or “substantial” community transmission, as the country nears the grim milestone of 700,000 deaths.
-ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos
Oct 01, 3:02 pm
White House COVID-19 team on rapid testing, vaccine updates
The White House COVID-19 team told ABC News that they are aiming to double the number of rapid tests available at market within the next two months.
“You’re right that the at-home rapid test is under a lot of demand,” said White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients. “The manufacturing is scaling up significantly, doubling across the next couple of months, and we’re just going to keep at it to encourage those manufacturers to increase capacity and to drive down the cost of those tests.”
Zients added: “Overall, we’ll continue to pull every level we can to further expand the manufacturing and the production of these tests in order to make them more widely available, and to drive down the cost per test.” He did not offer further specifics.
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy also said that the shots for children ages 5 to 11 are “on the horizon.” Murthy deferred to the FDA and CDC’s “rigorous review process” and independent advisory panels to determine further absolutes.
The White House team urges Americans not to let their guard down even though the latest surge of COVID-19 may be subsiding. White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci said that it is not an excuse for unvaccinated Americans to remain unvaccinated.
“I think that the people who are unvaccinated, when they see the curve starting to come down, that is not a reason to remain unvaccinated, because if you want to ensure that we get down to a very low level and that we don’t re-surge again,” Fauci said. “We still gotta get a very large proportion of those 70 million people who are eligible to be vaccinated who have not been vaccinated, we’ve got to get them vaccinated.”
-ABC News’ Sasha Pezenik
Oct 01, 2:11 pm
California to require COVID-19 vaccine for all students
California will be the first state to require the COVID-19 vaccine for all eligible students, faculty and staff in public and private schools. Gov. Gavin Newsom says that the COVID-19 vaccine will be one of 11 vaccines required to attend schools in California.
The vaccine will be required at the start of the upcoming school term following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s full approval of the vaccines. Terms begin in January and July.
The government has only fully approved the COVID-19 vaccine for those 16 and over.
School staff will be required to be vaccinated on the same timeline as grades 7-12, the earliest group to see full FDA approval.
There are exemptions for medical reasons and for personal and religious beliefs.
-ABC News’ Matthew Fuhrman
Oct 01, 12:20 pm
Vaccine acceptance at high amid delta surge: Polls
Polls found that coronavirus vaccine acceptance is at a high — with surveys finding 80% to 82% of people say they have been vaccinated or are likely to get vaccinated. These are the highest percentages [since the vaccine rollout began] ().
The CDC reports that 77% of adults have gotten at least one vaccine dose.
Vaccinations have gone up since August, and a study by [health policy research organization Kaiser Family Foundation] () indicates that gaps by race and ethnicity are almost eliminated — 73% of Hispanics, 71% of white people and 70% of Black people are said to be vaccinated.
However, vaccine gaps persist across party lines — KFF found that 90% of Democrats say they’ve gotten at least one dose of the vaccine, compared with 68% of independents and 58% of Republicans.
However, unvaccinated people continue to express doubts concerning the vaccines’ effectiveness and resistance to vaccine mandates in the workplace.
In a poll by [the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index] (), 71% of unvaccinated Americans believe that the vaccine booster shots and breakthrough infections are signs that vaccines are not as effective as they are said to be.
Only about 29% of unvaccinated workers say they would get a shot if their employer mandates it, according to the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index.
Oct 01, 8:35 am
Merck announces virus-fighting breakthrough in pill form
Merck Thursday morning announced the results of an ongoing Phase 3 study of an antiviral pill that may slash the risk of being hospitalized or dying of the virus by 50%.
The study’s results are so compelling that an independent monitoring board recommended, in consultation with the FDA, ending the trial early so the companies can swiftly seek authorization.
Sep 30, 4:33 pm
Daily hospital admissions down 32% in last month
Since the beginning of September, the U.S. has seen a drop of more than 27,000 patients in hospitals across the country, according to federal data. A little less than half of those patients come from Florida.
Daily hospital admissions are down by nearly 15% in the last week and by 32% in the last month, according to federal data.
The country’s daily case average has fallen to 107,000 — a 33% drop in the last month. However, about 97% of counties are still reporting “high” or “substantial” community transmission.
(CHICAGO) — Illinois State Police have opened a investigation into the death of a trooper found shot on a Chicago highway Friday.
Gerald Mason, 35, was found in his squad car suffering from a single gunshot wound at 1:42 p.m. on northbound local lanes of Interstate 94 at 43rd street, Illinois State Police announced.
Citizens on the highway, Chicago Police and ISP troopers arrived to the scene.
Mason was transported to the University of Chicago hospital with serious, life-threatening injuries. He succumbed to his injuries at 2:16 p.m.
“It is with profound heartache and unfathomable sadness that we inform you of the death of Trooper Gerald Mason. Trooper Mason was one of the many fearless Troopers assigned to ISP District Chicago. We are asking the public to respectfully give consideration to the family of Trooper Mason and the whole ISP family while we continue to grieve and work through this tragedy,” Director Brendan Kelly said in a statement.
Mason was an 11-year veteran of the ISP.
Mason was on duty at the time, ABC local Chicago station WLS reported.
”Many people called Mason ‘The Hulk’. He was a solid, strong man. He even ripped his trooper pants during a foot pursuit because of those big muscles,” Kelly said in a press conference Friday evening.
Kelly highlighted the challenging work troopers face day in and day out.
“The amazing men and women that we all ask to do so much, again and again and again, may seem like superheroes on many days, but they’re not immortal. They’re not indestructible. They are human beings with hearts, minds and souls as fragile as the next person. They have a breaking point,” Kelly said.
His mother Linda Mason was heartbroken to learn of his death.
“That’s my baby. My first born,” she said to WLS. “He always wanted to be a police officer because he always wanted to protect people. He wanted to make the world a better place.”
His body was escorted in a procession from the hospital to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office with Chicago police, ISP and Chicago firefighters paying their respects.
Police have not revealed any additional information about the circumstances of the shooting but said there is no safety threat to the public or police.
(NEW YORK) — The United States has been facing a COVID-19 surge as the more contagious delta variant continues to spread.
More than 696,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 while over 4.7 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 65% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the CDC.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Oct 01, 5:20 pm
Deadline for NYC school employees to get vaccinated passes
The deadline for New York City public school employees has passed: At least 90% of public school employees are vaccinated, including 93% of teachers and 98% of principals, according to the Department of Education.
About 500 employees have been granted an exemption, representing .03% of the workforce.
Employees who did not provide proof of vaccination by 5 p.m. on Friday will be moved to Leave Without Pay status. Employees who get vaccinated this weekend and provide proof of vaccination on Monday may report to work as usual.
The DOE said 9,000 vaccinated substitute teachers are on standby.
Oct 01, 5:04 pm
US death toll set to surpass 700,000
The U.S. death toll is set to surpass 700,000, though the latest surge continues to subside.
About 1,500 new deaths are reported each day on average in the U.S. The country’s daily case average has dropped to just under 106,000 cases a day, down by about 33% in the last month, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
However, that number is still significantly higher than it was three months ago.
There have been almost 43.4 million coronavirus cases in the U.S., which means 1 in approximately every 7 Americans has tested positive, and 1 in every 469 Americans has lost their life to the virus.
Some states — like Alaska and West Virginia — are experiencing record-breaking surges, while other states — including Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Texas — have an intensive care unit capacity of about 10% or less.
In other states — Maine, Minnesota and New Hampshire — infection rates continue to rise.
About 97% of counties across the country are reporting “high” or “substantial” community transmission, as the country nears the grim milestone of 700,000 deaths.
-ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos
Oct 01, 3:02 pm
White House COVID-19 team on rapid testing, vaccine updates
The White House COVID-19 team told ABC News that they are aiming to double the number of rapid tests available at market within the next two months.
“You’re right that the at-home rapid test is under a lot of demand,” said White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients. “The manufacturing is scaling up significantly, doubling across the next couple of months, and we’re just going to keep at it to encourage those manufacturers to increase capacity and to drive down the cost of those tests.”
Zients added: “Overall, we’ll continue to pull every level we can to further expand the manufacturing and the production of these tests in order to make them more widely available, and to drive down the cost per test.” He did not offer further specifics.
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy also said that the shots for children ages 5 to 11 are “on the horizon.” Murthy deferred to the FDA and CDC’s “rigorous review process” and independent advisory panels to determine further absolutes.
The White House team urges Americans not to let their guard down even though the latest surge of COVID-19 may be subsiding. White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci said that it is not an excuse for unvaccinated Americans to remain unvaccinated.
“I think that the people who are unvaccinated, when they see the curve starting to come down, that is not a reason to remain unvaccinated, because if you want to ensure that we get down to a very low level and that we don’t re-surge again,” Fauci said. “We still gotta get a very large proportion of those 70 million people who are eligible to be vaccinated who have not been vaccinated, we’ve got to get them vaccinated.”
-ABC News’ Sasha Pezenik
Oct 01, 2:11 pm
California to require COVID-19 vaccine for all students
California will be the first state to require the COVID-19 vaccine for all eligible students, faculty and staff in public and private schools. Gov. Gavin Newsom says that the COVID-19 vaccine will be one of 11 vaccines required to attend schools in California.
The vaccine will be required at the start of the upcoming school term following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s full approval of the vaccines. Terms begin in January and July.
The government has only fully approved the COVID-19 vaccine for those 16 and over.
School staff will be required to be vaccinated on the same timeline as grades 7-12, the earliest group to see full FDA approval.
There are exemptions for medical reasons and for personal and religious beliefs.
-ABC News’ Matthew Fuhrman
Oct 01, 12:20 pm
Vaccine acceptance at high amid delta surge: Polls
Polls found that coronavirus vaccine acceptance is at a high — with surveys finding 80% to 82% of people say they have been vaccinated or are likely to get vaccinated. These are the highest percentages [since the vaccine rollout began] ().
The CDC reports that 77% of adults have gotten at least one vaccine dose.
Vaccinations have gone up since August, and a study by [health policy research organization Kaiser Family Foundation] () indicates that gaps by race and ethnicity are almost eliminated — 73% of Hispanics, 71% of white people and 70% of Black people are said to be vaccinated.
However, vaccine gaps persist across party lines — KFF found that 90% of Democrats say they’ve gotten at least one dose of the vaccine, compared with 68% of independents and 58% of Republicans.
However, unvaccinated people continue to express doubts concerning the vaccines’ effectiveness and resistance to vaccine mandates in the workplace.
In a poll by [the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index] (), 71% of unvaccinated Americans believe that the vaccine booster shots and breakthrough infections are signs that vaccines are not as effective as they are said to be.
Only about 29% of unvaccinated workers say they would get a shot if their employer mandates it, according to the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index.
Oct 01, 8:35 am
Merck announces virus-fighting breakthrough in pill form
Merck Thursday morning announced the results of an ongoing Phase 3 study of an antiviral pill that may slash the risk of being hospitalized or dying of the virus by 50%.
The study’s results are so compelling that an independent monitoring board recommended, in consultation with the FDA, ending the trial early so the companies can swiftly seek authorization.
Sep 30, 4:33 pm
Daily hospital admissions down 32% in last month
Since the beginning of September, the U.S. has seen a drop of more than 27,000 patients in hospitals across the country, according to federal data. A little less than half of those patients come from Florida.
Daily hospital admissions are down by nearly 15% in the last week and by 32% in the last month, according to federal data.
The country’s daily case average has fallen to 107,000 — a 33% drop in the last month. However, about 97% of counties are still reporting “high” or “substantial” community transmission.
