As COVID-19 case numbers surge across the United States and globally due to highly contagious variants of the virus, experts warn that people are not learning the lessons of the pandemic, the Washington Post reports.
Why it matters: Resistance to the measures that could tamper the virus' spread — masking, social distancing, and most importantly, vaccination — could draw out the length of the pandemic and keep a return to normal life at bay.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Sunday that he will discuss COVID-19 vaccines during a phone call with Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday, Reuters reports.
Driving the news: López Obrador hinted that more coronavirus vaccines could be donated from the U.S. to Mexico as the latter battles a spike in cases driven by the highly contagious Delta variant.
The head of the American Federation of Teachers told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday that the union's leadership should consider supporting a vaccine mandate for teachers in schools.
Why it matters: The move would mark a policy reversal from last October, when the union allowed vaccinations on a voluntary basis. AFT President Randi Weingarten called the Delta variant of the virus "alarming" and voiced concern for children who cannot yet be vaccinated.
Anti-mask and anti-vaccine protests aren't a strictly American phenomenon: Demonstrations have broken out around the world — from Australia to France and Israel to Bulgaria.
Why it matters: As the Delta variant surges, governments are increasingly mandating masks and vaccines for many activities . Vaccines have shown to be incredibly effective in preventing severe illness and death.
The United States hit 100,000 new confirmed daily COVID-19 infections on Saturday, a milepost last hit during the pre-vaccine winter virus surge, AP reports.
The big picture: Health officials worry that the new average infection rate, which is largely driven by the highly contagious delta variant, could rise if more Americans do not take the vaccine.
Canadian border agents reached a tentative deal on Saturday after 36 hours of negotiations as the country plans to reopen to fully vaccinated U.S. residents and permanent residents starting Aug. 9.
Driving the news: Two labor unions, the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Customs and Immigration Union, said union members have worked without a contract for three years in a toxic work environment.
Proof-of-vaccination requirements in the United States and Europe have spurred a new market for counterfeit certificates, The Wall Street Journal reports.
The big picture: Illegitimate vaccine cards have multiplied on social-media sites, messaging apps and on the dark web in recent weeks, per The Wall Street Journal.
The head of the Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Wuhan Institute of Virology People said that people around the world should be prepared to coexist with different variants of the coronavirus as it continues to mutate, the South Morning China Post reports.
What she's saying: "As the number of infected cases has just become too big, this allowed the novel coronavirus more opportunities to mutate..." top virologist Shi Zhengli said, per the English-language paper in Hong Kong. "New variants will continue to emerge."
TOKYO — The Tokyo Olympics have shown that the global sporting event is increasingly tied to events beyond athletics — a reality that will be inescapable in future Games.
Why it matters: From the handling of COVID to protest rules and shaky economics, there are lessons for Olympicsorganizers in Beijing, Paris and beyond, as well as things to ponder for those considering hosting or sponsoring upcoming Olympics.
South Dakota's annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally kicked off Friday, with at least 700,000 people expected to descend on the state during the 10-day rendezvous for bikers and motorcyclists, AP reports.
Flashback: Hundreds of rallygoers were infected last year at Sturgis, accounting for 19% of all new cases in the U.S. for a monthlong period, Axios' Caitlin Owens reports.
Texas schools are not required to conduct COVID-19 contact tracing in the event that an individual tests positive, according to new guidance from the Texas Education Agency.
State of play: Schools are required to report positive cases to their local health departments, but the TEA said contract tracing is not required because data suggested that transmission rates in classrooms and between children are low.
Kinsa, a startup that makes and distributes internet-connected smart thermometers, is developing a data hub that can provide highly specific forecasts about infectious disease outbreaks, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Days matter when it comes to heading off a new outbreak or surge, and better forecasting models can help policymakers act to stop disease disasters before they're out of control.
The withdrawal of Greece's entire 12-woman artistic swimming team was just one high-profile example of athletes who had their experience at the Games cut short due to the virus.
The big picture: The worst fears may not have been realized, but COVID still had an impact on the Olympics despite the protocols — and Tokyo had an even bigger spike of virus cases outside the Games.
A majority of Americans — especially women and Black Americans — support gymnast Simone Biles in her decision to withdraw from some of the Tokyo competitions to protect her mental health, our latest Axios/Momentive Olympics poll found.
The big picture: Biles unexpectedly sparked awareness around Olympians' struggles with media coverage and intense pressure to perform and win. Survey respondents by a nearly two-to-one margin said they believe Olympic athletes’ mental health issues are not taken seriously.
