COVID-19 updates: 345 children currently hospitalized with coronavirus in Texas
That number was up from 282 on Thursday.
The United States is facing a COVID-19 surge this summer as the more contagious delta variant spreads.
More than 643,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 while over 4.5 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 61.7% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Latest headlines:
Vaccination rate nearly double than it was in mid-July
The U.S. vaccination rate per day is now nearly double than it was in mid-July, according to the White House.
"Back in mid-July we were averaging 500,000 vaccinations per day. Today, we’re averaging 900,000," White House COVID response coordinator Jeff Zients told reporters Tuesday. "Last week we got over 6 million shots, the biggest weekly total since July 5."
The increase in vaccinations comes amid fear about the rapidly spreading delta variant.
The delta variant, which is more transmissible, has also been part of the conversation around booster shots of the mRNA and J&J vaccines. The Biden administration said Americans would need a third shot eight months after their second because of waning immunity.
The Biden administration is standing by its decision to call for vaccine boosters beginning Sept. 20 despite questions about whether there's enough data and the unusual process of announcing a plan before the FDA has evaluated the data and made a recommendation.
-ABC News' Cheyenne Haslett
Only 4 adult ICU beds left in Idaho: Governor
Idaho only has four adult ICU beds available in the state, Gov. Brad Little said Tuesday.
The governor said he toured a nearly-full ICU in Boise where everyone was unvaccinated.
"What I saw was heartbreaking," Little said at a news conference. "I was told the average age of the patients was 43. All of them were struggling to breathe and most were only breathing with the help of a machine. Doctors, nurses and associated medical staff are exhausted."
The governor said up to 370 additional staff, including up to 150 National Guardsmen, will be deployed to help short-staffed hospitals manage the surge.
Google extends work from home policy
Google is extending its work from home policy until Jan. 10, 2022.
"Googlers will only be expected to return at that time as it’s deemed safe to do so in their country, and will be given 30 days notice to prepare before the voluntary WFH period ends," the company said.
Google is also allowing employees to temporarily work from a location other than their main officer for up to four weeks per year.
-ABC News' Taylor Dunn
Masks to be required in Pennsylvania schools
Masks will be required in all Pennsylvania schools and child care programs effective Sept. 7, Gov. Tom Wolf announced Tuesday.
"My office has received an outpouring of messages from parents asking us to protect children by requiring masks in schools," Wolf tweeted. "I preferred for local school boards to make this decision. But an aggressive nationwide campaign is pressuring school districts to adopt unsafe policies."
Nearly 350 children currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in Texas
Nearly 350 children are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in Texas, state data shows.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services' online COVID-19 dashboard, which was last updated on Sunday afternoon, there are 345 pediatric patients in hospitals across the Lone Star State. That number was up from 282 on Thursday afternoon.
The data also shows there are 73 staffed pediatric intensive care unit beds available in all of Texas.
Since the new school year began in Texas last month, some 52,000 students have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the data.
-ABC News' Gina Sunseri