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.
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.
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62% of 2020 law enforcement line of duty deaths were from COVID-19: Report
A report issued Tuesday found that 62% of all law enforcement deaths in the line of duty in 2020 were from COVID-19.
The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund revealed the statistics in a release, announcing its annual candlelight vigil on the National Mall.
Attorney General Merck Garland will lead Thursday's vigil that will honor 701 law enforcement officers who recently died in the line of duty, including 434 who died in 2019 and 2020, the museum said in a statement.
-ABC News' Luke Barr
White House to governors: Get ready to start vaccinating kids in November
In a private phone call Tuesday, the White House urged governors to prepare to begin vaccinating elementary-age kids in early November.
Once federal regulators give the green light, the pediatric Pfizer vaccine will be distributed in 100-dose packs. The doses, which are about one-third of what is given to adults, will be sent to thousands of sites, including pediatricians, family doctors, hospitals, health clinics and pharmacies enrolled in a federal program that guarantees the shots are provided for free. Some states are planning to provide the vaccine through schools, as well.
“We've secured plenty of supply, and we'll be putting in place an allocation ordering and distribution system similar to what we've used for the other vaccines,” White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said on the call.
The Biden administration has purchased 65 million Pfizer pediatric vaccine doses, according to an HHS official. That number is more than enough to vaccinate all 28 million 5-to-11-year-olds.
At least 31,000 providers have enrolled to administer free vaccines already, according to the HHS official, and that number is expected to increase as the HHS and CDC continue to work with the existing federal program that funds many other routine childhood vaccinations all over the country.
While the White House said shipments of the pediatric vaccine will begin as soon as the FDA gives the green light, shots wouldn’t happen until the CDC makes its recommendation on who should get the vaccine.
The CDC is drafting guidance on the practice of “test to stay” being used by schools in lieu of quarantines, according to the White House call. CDC director Rochelle Walensky said it’s possible that the guidance is released this week.
-ABC News' Katherine Faulders, Anne Flaherty, Cheyenne Haslett
What to expect at this week's meetings on Moderna, J&J boosters
On Thursday and Friday, the FDA's independent advisory panel is set to discuss and vote on whether to authorize Moderna and Johnson & Johnson boosters for people 18 and older. If approved, the FDA and CDC both still need to sign off. The earliest that could happen is Oct. 22.
An initial and nonbinding vote on the Moderna booster has been scheduled for around 4:45 p.m. ET Thursday. Moderna's own scientific summary posted on Tuesday argues for a booster shot with a half dose given six months after the second shot.
An initial and nonbinding vote on the J&J booster has been scheduled for around 3:15 p.m. ET. Friday. Johnson & Johnson’s summary posted Tuesday makes the argument for a second shot, same as the first dose, given roughly six months after the single-shot vaccine.
On Friday, the National Institutes of Health will also present data on whether it's safe and effective to mix-and-match booster doses.
-ABC News' Sony Salzman, Eric M. Strauss, Sasha Pezenik
American Airlines continues with vaccine mandate despite governor's executive order
Texas-based American Airlines is sticking to its plan to require vaccines for employees under the Biden administration's vaccine mandate, despite a new executive order from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott banning mandates.
American said in a statement, “We are reviewing the executive order issued by Gov. Abbott, but we believe the federal vaccine mandate supersedes any conflicting state laws, and this does not change anything for American.”
On Monday, Abbott issued an executive order banning vaccine mandates "by any entity" in the state. Abbott said, "The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective, and our best defense against the virus, but should remain voluntary and never forced."
-ABC News' Sam Sweeney