Kentucky is in a "dire" situation because of a surge in new coronavirus cases driven by the Delta variant, Gov. Andy Beshear said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday.
Why it matters: The number of new cases and hospitalizations in the state are increasing at the fastest growth rates since the start of the pandemic, and deaths are also beginning to surge since plateauing over the summer.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Monday an end to the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown outside of Auckland, saying "we've done so well to get this outbreak under control."
What they're saying: "We are within sight of elimination, but we cannot drop the ball," Ardern said at a briefing confirming the rest of NZ will move to level 2 of the country's four-tier pandemic response measures at 11:59pm Tuesday.
Brazil and Argentina's soccer World Cup qualifier was postponed minutes after it began when Brazilian health officials intervened and raised concerns COVID-19 protocols had been broken Sunday.
Driving the news: South American soccer's governing body, CONMEBOL, confirmed the match at Sao Paulo's Neo Quimica Arena was suspended, after the health officials ran onto the pitch. The players walked off the field with the game at 0-0.
NIAID director Anthony Fauci told CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday the Pfizer coronavirus booster shot may be ready by the date the administration has aimed for, while Moderna's will likely need more time for approval.
The backdrop: President Biden said last month the government will offer boosters beginning the week of Sept. 20 to adults who got their shots of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna at least eight months prior.
Front-line health workers, including ICU staffers and nurses, have displayed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that has been heightened during the pandemic, Reuters reports.
Why it matters: The recent uptick in COVID cases in the United States, largely driven by the Delta variant, may further increase the number of health workers experiencing symptoms of the disorder.
Gov. Andy Beshear is calling Kentucky's GOP-led legislature into a special session next week on policies to address surging COVID-19 cases in the state.
Why it matters: The Democratic governor had imposed a series of emergency pandemic measures, but the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled last month that a lower court had incorrectly blocked state Republicans from limiting his executive authority.
