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COVID-19 updates: American Airlines to require employee vaccinations

PHOTO: Nurse Francemene Henry administers the Pfizer vaccine at Arlington High School, Sept. 22, 2021 in Riverside, Calif.
1:44
Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
700,000 Americans dead from COVID-19
By Julia Jacobo, Ivan Pereira, Emily Shapiro, Kiara Alfonseca, Meredith Deliso, Morgan Winsor
Last Updated: October 3, 2021, 9:19 PM

The United States has been facing a COVID-19 surge as the more contagious delta variant continues to spread.

More than 700,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 while over 4.7 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 65% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the CDC.

Latest headlines:

  • NBA's Andrew Wiggins gets vaccine after he's denied exemption
  • Israel updates Green Pass rules to bar residents who refuse booster
  • US death toll surpasses 700,000
  • American Airlines to require employee vaccinations
Here's how the news developed. All times Eastern.

Oct 03, 2021 9:19 PM

NBA's Andrew Wiggins gets vaccine after he's denied exemption

Andrew Wiggins, an NBA player who has vocally opposed the COVID-19 vaccine, just received a dose, according to his coach.

Wiggins, of the Golden State Warriors, refused to answer reporters' questions about his vaccination status during a news conference last Monday.

"It's my problem...Not yours," he said.

PHOTO: Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Golden State Warriors poses for a portrait during the Golden State Warriors Media Day, Sept. 27, 2021 in San Francisco.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Golden State Warriors poses for a portrait during the Golden State Warriors Media Day, Sept. 27, 2021 in San Francisco.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

But Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters Sunday that the 26-year-old did get vaccinated.

"He just told me today that he was fine with us acknowledging it," Kerr said.

Kerr didn't provide any more details including which vaccine Wiggins received.

The San Francisco Department of Public Health bars unvaccinated residents over the age of 12 from attending indoor events. The rule goes into effect for employees of indoor businesses on Oct. 13, eight days before the Warriors' home opener.

Wiggins applied for a religious exemption with the NBA, but his request was denied, ESPN reported


Oct 03, 2021 7:16 PM

Israel updates Green Pass rules to bar residents who refuse booster

The Israeli Health Ministry announced an update Sunday to its Green Pass program, which is needed to access to all types of businesses including restaurants, gyms and hotels.

The pass is now valid up to six months from a person's last COVID-19 shot. All current passes are void and everyone must re-apply, according to the new rules.

Israel began offering Pfizer booster shots to its residents over the age of 12 on Aug. 1.

Israeli residents who haven’t received their third COVID-19 booster shot and residents who haven’t received any dose since April 3 will be ineligible, the health ministry said.

-ABC News' Christine Theodorou


Oct 02, 2021 1:10 AM

US death toll surpasses 700,000

The U.S. COVID-19 death toll surpassed 700,000 Friday night, though the latest surge continues to subside. 

About 1,500 new deaths are reported each day on average in the U.S. The country's daily case average has dropped to just under 106,000 cases a day, down by about 33% in the last month, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. 

However, that number is still significantly higher than it was three months ago. 

There have been over 43 million coronavirus cases in the U.S., which means 1 in approximately every 7 Americans has tested positive, and 1 in every 469 Americans has lost their life to the virus. 

Some states -- like Alaska and West Virginia -- are experiencing record-breaking surges, while other states -- including Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Texas -- have an intensive care unit capacity of about 10% or less.

In other states -- Maine, Minnesota and New Hampshire -- infection rates continue to rise. 

About 97% of counties across the country are reporting "high" or "substantial" community transmission, as the country nears the grim milestone of 700,000 deaths. 

-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos



Oct 01, 2021 11:36 PM

American Airlines to require employee vaccinations

American Airlines told employees Friday that all U.S.-based employees and certain international crew members must be vaccinated in light of the federal vaccine mandate.

"While we are still working through the details of the federal requirements, it is clear that team members who choose to remain unvaccinated will not be able to work at American Airlines," CEO Doug Parker and President Robert Isom wrote in a letter obtained by ABC News. 

Those who cannot be vaccinated for medical or religious reasons "can request an accommodation," they continued. 

No deadline was set.

MORE: Pilots warn vaccine mandate could cause holiday travel chaos

Reuters reported Friday that the White House has pressed U.S. airline CEOs to mandate vaccines for staff by early December.

Delta Air Lines said in a statement Friday that 84% of its employees were vaccinated and the airline continues "to evaluate the administration’s plan." 

Southwest Airlines said it "continues to strongly encourage employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine."

United Airlines has already put in place a vaccine mandate; 99.5% of its U.S.-based employees are vaccinated.

-ABC News' Mina Kaji


Sep 27, 2021 12:47 PM

CDC director stands by decision to overrule panel on Pfizer boosters

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said she stands by her decision to overrule her agency's independent advisory panel by adding a recommendation for people considered high risk due to where they work to get a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

"This scientific process goes from an advisory committee at the FDA, to the authorization of the FDA, to an advisory committee at the CDC and then recommendations from the CDC. It's a very transparent, scientific, public process and I listened intently," Walensky told ABC News' Whit Johnson in an interview Monday on "Good Morning America."

"I fully endorsed the recommendations from the CDC advisory committee for boosters for those over the age of 65, as well as for those with underlying conditions," she continued. "And then I also endorsed -- in full alignment with the FDA and many people at the CDC -- for boosters for people with high risk exposures, like those who work in occupational settings or in group settings or live in group settings, and I felt after listening to all of the science that that was actually the best move for public health."

On Thursday night, the panel voted unanimously to recommend Pfizer boosters for seniors and other medically vulnerable Americans, six months after their second dose. People younger than 49, however, should only get a third dose if the benefits outweigh the risks, the panel said -- a personal consideration to discuss with their doctor. Some panelists said that without further data, they weren't comfortable with automatically including younger people because of their jobs.

VIDEO: CDC director discusses approval of booster shots
4:58
Dr. Rochelle Walensky talks about her decision to overrule her agency's independent advisory panel by adding a recommendation for a third dose for people considered high risk due to where they work.

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