Unvaccinated people 11 times more likely to die in COVID-19 delta surge

The unvaccinated were six times more likely to get the virus in August.

ByEmily Shapiro, Ivan Pereira, Meredith Deliso, and Marlene Lenthang
Last Updated: October 18, 2021, 1:16 AM EDT

The United States has been facing a COVID-19 surge as the more contagious delta variant continues to spread.

More than 722,000 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 66.5% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the CDC.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Oct 14, 2021, 1:07 PM EDT

Labor Department to issue new vaccine mandate

The U.S. is making progress in the fight against COVID-19 with daily cases and hospitalizations on the decline, but the nation must to do more to vaccinate Americans, President Joe Biden said Thursday.

President Joe Biden delivers an update on the COVID-19 response and vaccination program, in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus, Oct. 14, 2021, in Washington, D.C.
Evan Vucci/AP

The Labor Department will soon issue a vaccine mandate for workplaces with 100 or more employees, Biden said.

Biden called on more businesses to "step up" and more parents to get their children vaccinated when eligible.

"We can't let up now," he said.

Oct 14, 2021, 11:54 AM EDT

FDA's independent committee hours away from vote on Moderna booster

The FDA's independent committee is meeting on Thursday and will vote in hours on whether to greenlight the Moderna booster for: people 65 and older; people 18 and older who are at high risk of severe illness because of an underlying health condition; and people 18 and older whose job may put them at greater risk for exposure to the virus.

A registered nurse applies a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to Sarasota Hospital patient technician Carol Garcia at the Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Sarasota, Fla., Sept. 24, 2021.
Shannon Stapleton/Reuters, FILE

In introductory remarks Thursday, the FDA's Peter Marks urged the independent panel to "harmonize" its decision with what has already been decided for Pfizer in order to avoid unnecessary confusion for the public. 

Pfizer boosters have been authorized for people over 65, all adults with underlying medical conditions and adults whose job puts them at high risk. 

The vote is scheduled for about 4:45 p.m.

-ABC News' Sasha Pezenik

Oct 13, 2021, 6:49 PM EDT

Pending vaccine distribution for kids will be based on population: CDC

Initial distribution of the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 years old will be based on a state’s population of eligible children, according to a new planning document distributed to state immunization managers by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The document, obtained by ABC News, was sent to state officials in advance of the vaccine being authorized by federal regulators. The authorization could happen as soon as early November.

PHOTO: Students listen to their teacher during their first day of transitional kindergarten at Tustin Ranch Elementary School in Tustin, Calif., Aug. 11, 2021.
Students listen to their teacher during their first day of transitional kindergarten at Tustin Ranch Elementary School in Tustin, Calif., Aug. 11, 2021.
Orange County Register via Getty Images, FILE

The pediatric vaccine will be shipped in 100-dose packs, each with 10 vials, the document said. 

A person familiar with the planned rollout told ABC News that while the government purchased 65 million doses total, the initial shipment may be closer to the 10 million to 20 million range. 

After an initial distribution, a "weekly supply will be made available to help sustain the network," according to the document.

-ABC News' Sasha Pezenik 

Oct 13, 2021, 2:00 PM EDT

COVID No. 1 cause of death for 35- to 54-year-olds in September

COVID-19 was the leading of death among people ages 35 to 54 -- and the second-leading cause overall -- in September, according to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Peterson Center on Healthcare.

The research also estimates that since June more than 90,000 U.S. deaths from COVID-19 could have been prevented with vaccines, and more than half of those occurred last month.

In January, COVID-19 was the nation's No. 1 cause of death, the analysis found. In July, before the delta surge, COVID-19 briefly dropped to eighth.

Critical Care Respiratory therapist Lauren Parsons treats a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) positive patient in their isolation room on the intensive care unit at Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Sarasota, Fla., Sept. 22, 2021.
Shannon Stapleton/Reuters, FILE

-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos