US COVID-19 deaths almost double in 2 weeks, as fight over ban of school mask mandate goes on

Boosters prepared

To ensure the safety and sustainability of its businesses, US concert giant Live Nation has said that it will require all artists, crew and attendees to show proof of full vaccination or a negative test at their venues and upcoming festivals starting Oct 4.

The company previously announced that it would be up to the artists whether to enforce the mandate. Live Nation further clarified guidelines that mandate a requirement for all shows at their venues starting in October, where permitted by law, and has also developed best practices for artists to request these policies at third party venues.

Meanwhile, San Francisco on Thursday became the first major US city requiring patrons and employees to provide proof of full vaccination to enter restaurants, gyms, bars and entertainment venues.

The order from Mayor London Breed takes effect Aug 20 for customers and Oct 13 for staff, prohibiting residents from submitting negative COVID-19 test results as a substitute to vaccination. Breed's directive also applies to select health-care personnel, including pharmacists, dentists and home health aides.

The CDC endorsed on Friday the use of a third dose of COVID-19 vaccines in immunocompromised people. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky signed off on recommendations approved hours earlier by the agency's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices following the Food and Drug Administration's approval late Thursday. The recommendation applies to mRNA vaccines made by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna.

With a stockpile of at least 100 million doses at the ready, Biden administration officials are developing a plan to start offering coronavirus booster shots to some Americans as early as this fall even as researchers continue to hotly debate whether extra shots are needed, reported The New York Times on Saturday.

The first boosters are likely to go to nursing home residents and health care workers, followed by other older people who were near the front of the line when vaccinations began late last year. Federal officials have discussed starting the effort in October but have not settled on a timetable.