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:
NYC to require proof of vaccination to eat inside
New York City will soon require vaccinations for workers and customers for indoor dining, indoor fitness facilities and indoor entertainment facilities, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday.
This mandate will be enforced as of Sept. 13.
US ships more than 100 million vaccine doses abroad
The Biden administration has hit a vaccine-sharing milestone, shipping more than 110 doses to over 60 countries around the world, mostly through COVAX, the World Health Organization's vaccine-sharing initiative. The U.S. has shared more doses than every other country combined, according to United Nations data.
Starting at the end of August, the U.S. will begin shipping another batch of 500 million doses of Pfizer to 100 low-income countries across the globe. Two-hundred million of those 500 million doses are expected to be shipped in 2021.
-ABC News’ Sarah Kolinovsky
Arkansas sees highest increase in hospitalizations since start of pandemic
Another 81 COVID-19 patients were admitted to Arkansas hospitals on Monday, the highest increase in hospitalizations since the beginning of the pandemic, Gov. Asa Hutchinson tweeted.
The state now has 1,220 COVID-19 patients in hospitals, including 250 on ventilators.
"We continue to see nearly all hospitalizations among the unvaccinated," the governor wrote. "Hospitals are full & the only remedy is for more Arkansans to be vaccinated."
Kaiser Permanente issues vaccine mandate for employees
Kaiser Permanente, the country's largest nonprofit health care organization, announced Monday that it will require all its employees and physicians to be vaccinated.
The organization, which has facilities in eight states and the District of Columbia, said the move was done to protect its workforce and patients from the rising delta variant.
As of July 31, 77.8% of 216,000 Kaiser Permanente employees and more than 95% of 23,000 Permanente Medical Group physicians have been fully vaccinated, the company said.
Kaiser Permanente set a target of Sept. 30 for all of its employees to be vaccinated. It will allow exceptions for medical and religious reasons.
Only 2 states not experiencing high or substantial community transmission
Nearly every state in the country is now experiencing case and hospitalization increases. Only two states -- Vermont and Maine -- are not reporting high or substantial community transmission, according to federal data.
The U.S. is now experiencing its steepest increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations since the winter. More than 61,000 patients are now hospitalized across the country with COVID-19, according to federal data. About one month ago, 12,000 patients were in U.S. hospitals.
With 80% of Americans 65 and older fully vaccinated, the burden has largely shifted to younger Americans. As of July 24, Americans between the ages of 18 and 49 made up nearly 40% of COVID-19 hospital patients, according to federal data.
-ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos