Protests against mandated COVID-19 vaccines pop up across US

Pushback is happening over vaccine requirements and mask mandates.

ByEmily Shapiro, Ivan Pereira, Erin Schumaker, and Marlene Lenthang
Last Updated: August 8, 2021, 11:56 PM EDT

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

More than 615,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 and over 4.2 million people have died worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

Just 58.4% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC last week, citing new science on the transmissibility of the delta variant, changed its mask guidance to now recommend everyone in areas with substantial or high levels of transmission -- vaccinated or not -- wear a face covering in public, indoor settings.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing today. All times Eastern.
Aug 06, 2021, 9:30 AM EDT

United to require all US employees be vaccinated by September

All U.S.-based United employees will be required to get vaccinated for COVID-19 by September and must upload their vaccination card to the company website, the airline announced Friday. The move is the strongest vaccination requirement a U.S. airline has taken so far.

"For those employees who are already vaccinated -- and for those employees who get vaccinated and upload their records to Flying Together before September 20th -- we’ll offer an additional day of pay," Scott Kirby and Brett Hart, the CEO and president of United, wrote in a memo to employees.

A United Airlines passenger plane at Kingsford Smith Airport on July 11, 2021 in Sydney.
James D. Morgan/Getty Images

Employees will have until five weeks after Sept. 20 or five weeks after the Food and Drug Administration fully authorizes a COVID-19 vaccine to upload their cards. All three vaccines in the U.S. are currently being used under emergency use authorization.

-ABC News' Mina Kaji

Aug 06, 2021, 4:31 AM EDT

Tokyo sees 4,515 new positive cases

There are 4,515 new positive coronavirus cases in Tokyo as of Friday, according to the city's COVID-19 information website.

It's a 152.7% increase since last Friday.

Of the new cases, 141 are severe and four have turned fatal.

Aug 06, 2021, 1:53 AM EDT

There are now 387 positive cases at the Tokyo Olympics

As of Friday, there are 387 positive COVID-19 cases at the Tokyo Olympics, according to the Tokyo 2020 coronavirus positive case list.

This is an increase of 29 positive cases since Thursday.

All of the cases are either Tokyo 2020 contractors, Games-concerned personnel or media.

"Of the 726 U.S. Olympic delegates in Japan on Aug. 5, no COVID tests were confirmed positive based on daily results," the International Olympic Committee tweeted.

Aug 05, 2021, 8:53 PM EDT

Hawaii issues vaccine rules for state, county employees

Hawaii Gov. David Ige announced Thursday that all state and county employees must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination by Aug. 16 -- or be subject to weekly testing. 

Those who don’t comply "could be subject to termination," Ige said.

It is unclear how many state and county workers are already vaccinated.

The mandate comes as the number of cases and hospitalizations in the state are "trending up dramatically," Ige said.

Maryland and Virginia announced similar measures earlier Thursday.

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