Protests against mandated COVID-19 vaccines pop up across US
Pushback is happening over vaccine requirements and mask mandates.
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:
Amazon pushes return to office to January 2022
Amazon said it's pushing its return to office date from September 2021 to Jan. 3, 2022.
For those already in the office, masks are required if not fully vaccinated, Amazon said.
-ABC News’ Zunaira Zaki
Education secretary tells Florida, Texas govs.: 'Politics doesn't have a role in this'
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said he’s ready to work with states like Texas and Florida when it comes to reopening schools safely, telling Governors Greg Abbott and Ron DeSantis, who have banned mask mandates in schools, that “politics doesn’t have a role in this.”
“Don't be the reason why schools are interrupted,” Cardona said at Thursday's White House press briefing. “Our kids have suffered enough."
Cardona said “educators know what to do” and that it's “critically important” that he has direct conversations with governors and state leaders.
“We want to be an ally and make sure that we're supporting our students," he said.
-ABC News’ Justin Gomez
US records highest number of daily vaccinations since July 3
The U.S. has seen 864,000 vaccinations in the last 24 hours, the highest daily number since July 3, White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeff Zients said Thursday.
Among those 864,000 vaccinations were 585,000 first shots -- the highest since July 1.
Zients said "Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Alabama, Oklahoma and Mississippi are now vaccinating people at a pace not seen since April."
Tennessee has seen a 90% increase in first shots over the past two weeks and Georgia has recorded a 66% increase in first shots in the last two weeks.
However, seven states -- Florida, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi – which have some of the lowest vaccination rates, "account for about half of new cases and hospitalizations in the past week, despite making up less than a quarter of the U.S. population," Zients said.
-ABC News’ Cheyenne Haslett
Yelp will show if businesses have vaccine requirements
Yelp now has a feature that will allow businesses to list if they have vaccine requirements.
The feature was mentioned at the White House's COVID-19 briefing Thursday.
-ABC News’ Cheyenne Haslett
Biden calls out governors of Florida, Texas
President Joe Biden is calling out Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for rejecting mask mandates in their states.
"I believe the results of their decisions are not good for their constituents," Biden said of the governors at a Tuesday news conference.
Biden said Florida and Texas are accounting for one-third of the new COVID-19 cases in the country.
"We need leadership from everyone. If some governors aren't willing to do the right thing to beat this pandemic, then they should allow businesses and universities who want to do the right thing to be able to do it," Biden said. "I say to these governors, 'Please help. But if you aren't going to help, at least get out of the way.'"