COVID-19 updates: White House press secretary Jen Psaki tests positive
Psaki said she has mild symptoms and is working from home.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 4.9 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 744,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering.
Just 67.7% 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.
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Moderna says its pediatric vaccine produces strong immune response in kids 6 to 11
Moderna has announced that its vaccine produces a strong immune response for children 6 to 11 and appears safe.
The study, which included 4,753 kids, found that side effects were generally consistent with those seen in adolescents and adults, such as fatigue, headache, fever and sore arm.
Moderna said it plans to submit this data to the FDA soon.
Meanwhile, FDA advisors are planning to meet this week to discuss Pfizer's vaccine for children ages 5 to 11. Full authorization is possible by early November.
-ABC News' Sony Salzman
Former CDC head 'very encouraged' by US data
Dr. Richard Besser, former acting director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Monday that he's "very encouraged" by the country's current COVID-19 metrics.
Speaking to ABC News' George Stephanopoulos during an interview on "Good Morning America," Besser said the United States is "definitely" moving in the right direction with COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths on the decline in "a lot of communities" and vaccinations on the rise.
As the Halloween holiday draws near, Besser advised families living in areas where COVID-19 numbers are going down to remain vigilant by wearing protective face masks and using hand sanitizer when trick-or-treating this year. Otherwise, he encouraged them to "enjoy the holiday."
"These kinds of things are very good for emotional health and you can do them safely," explained Besser, who is now the president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
When asked whether he thinks the situation will improve to a point where children won't need to wear masks in school, Besser said it will come down to what's happening at the community level.
"I think if we're in a situation where vaccines are available and the rate of disease in the community is very low, we'll get to a point where we won't need masks anymore," he said. "There will be a day where kids can go to school without masks and just be kids."
FDNY vaccination rates increase as commissioner warns members against 'bogus sick leave'
The FDNY released updated data on the vaccination status of its members Sunday evening, two days after the city imposed a mandate on all public employees.
About 80% of all of the fire department's members are vaccinated -- 90% of civilian employees, 87% of EMTs and paramedics and 75% of firefighters -- the department said.
Last week, a group of firefighters, police officers and other public employees staged protests against Mayor Bill de Blasio's vaccine mandate.
More than 2,000 of the 11,000 total firefighter personnel have been on medical leave at some point over the past week, according to the FDNY.
New York City Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said no firehouses were closed as a result of the medical leaves, however, he issued a strong warning against any member who was deliberately skipping work.
"Irresponsible bogus sick leave by some of our members is creating a danger for New Yorkers and their fellow firefighters. They need to return to work or risk the consequences of their actions,” Nigro said in a statement.
-ABC News' Joshua Hoyos and Matt Foster and WABC's Morena Basterio