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COVID-19 live updates: Judge rules Florida governor stop banning mask mandates in schools
Ten Florida school districts have adopted mask mandates for students this month.
The United States is facing a COVID-19 surge this summer as the more contagious delta variant spreads.
More than 634,000 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 60.8% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Latest headlines:
COVID-19 cases rise among athletes at Tokyo Paralympics
Several Paralympic athletes have tested positive for COVID-19 in Tokyo in recent days.
According to daily figures released by the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee, at least eight positive cases have been confirmed among unnamed Paralympic athletes so far, with two new cases reported on Wednesday following the opening ceremony.
The 2020 Summer Paralympics officially opened in the Japanese capital on Tuesday, after a yearlong delay due to the coronavirus pandemic. Like the 2020 Olympics, which ended on Aug. 8, this year's Paralympics is taking place under a state of emergency as Japan struggles with a growing COVID-19 crisis.
Another Florida school district issues mask mandate
Leaders of the Orange County public school system voted Tuesday to require a mask mandate for all students and staff.
The rule goes into effect on Aug. 30 and will last for at least two months. There will be exemptions for medical reasons.
School board members cited the growing COVID-19 rates and hospitalizations in the area as the reason for their decision.
NYC School chancellor discusses teacher vaccine mandate
New York City Schools Chancellor Meisha Porter spoke with ABC News about the vaccine mandate for public school staff that goes into effect Sept. 27.
Porter said she was confident that teachers and other staff members would comply to ensure that classrooms are safe for everyone.
"This is the additional extra layer of protection that we didn't have a year ago," she said.
Porter said she has been in discussions with the United Federation of Teachers over what the penalties will be if a teacher doesn't comply, and she was told that "many of their members are already vaccinated."
The chancellor said those who still have concerns should know that the Food and Drug Administration has fully approved the Pfizer vaccine and it has shown to prevent severe illness.
Kentucky reports record hospitalizations, ICU patients
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear tweeted a dire update on the state's COVID-19 cases.
The state health department reported that 2,014 people are currently hospitalized with the virus, 589 of whom are in intensive care units and 338 are on ventilators. Beshear said these are record numbers.
"Folks, this is dangerous. Please, get vaccinated and mask up indoors," the governor tweeted.
Pfizer asks FDA for full booster dose approval
Pfizer on Wednesday asked the Food and Drug Administration for full approval for a booster dose. The company said its Phase 3 data showed that people who received a third dose between five to eight months after the second shot had antibody levels three times higher than levels seen after the second dose.
Because the Pfizer shots were approved by the FDA on Monday, Pfizer is now asking the agency to consider a "supplemental" application for boosters for people ages 16 and over. This is a "rolling submission," with Pfizer intending to complete the submission by the end of the week.
The Biden administration said its goal is to have boosters available beginning Sept. 20, with the recommendation of getting one eight months after the second shot of Pfizer or Moderna.
-ABC News' Sony Salzman