The United States surpassed 26 million confirmed coronavirus cases over the weekend, according to a tally by NBC News. The U.S. has seen more than 442,000 virus-related deaths since the start of the pandemic.
New and more transmissible variants are contributing in part to the continued spread of the virus. A strain first detected in the United Kingdom has now been found in 31 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And last week, several cases of a variant first discovered in South Africa were reported in the U.S. for the first time.
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden will meet with a group of Republican senators on Monday to discuss another round of coronavirus relief. The 10 GOP senators have proposed spending about one-third of the $1.9 trillion Biden is seeking in coronavirus aid, though congressional Democrats are poised to move ahead without Republican support.
Here are the latest coronavirus updates from the U.S. and elsewhere:
California Governor and Unions Clash Over School Openings
An effort to reopen California schools is foundering, stoking frustrations across America’s most populous state from parents eager to get their children back in classrooms and a governor who wants them there, NBC Los Angeles reports.
Parents and behavioral experts say many schoolchildren are feeling helpless or depressed and need a classroom setting to improve their mental health. An exasperated Gov. Gavin Newsom told school officials last week to “pack it up” if they fail to resume in-person classes soon.
Teacher unions say they won’t send their members into an unsafe environment. They want all teachers vaccinated before returning to the classroom.
While Texas, Florida and New York are among states that have resumed some classroom instruction, California’s 10,000 public schools have for the most part been closed since March. As most of the state’s 6 million public school students approach a one-year anniversary of distance learning, parents are grappling more than ever with the toll of isolation and intense screen time on their kids’ well-being.
Read the full story here
CDC Mandate on Masks on Public Transportation Goes Into Effect Monday
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday night that mask-wearing will be required on all public transportation beginning Monday night at 11:59 p.m. ET, NBC News reports.
The mandate issued by CDC division director Martin S. Cetron was made after President Joe Biden issued an executive order Jan. 21 that called for "immediate action" on mask-wearing for "all forms of public transportation."
It applies to all public commercial transportation — planes, trains, boats and buses — and to transportation hubs, such as air terminals, train stations, subway stations, seaports and bus depots.
It also covers ferries, subways, taxis and ride-hail vehicles, the CDC said. Operators and transportation workers must wear masks, too.
As more COVID variants are identified across the globe, health experts are suggesting upgrading masks with better filtration, or, if surgical masks are the only options, to "double mask" when out and about.
Read the full story at NBCNews.com
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Virus Updates: Calif. Officials Spar Over School Openings; Mask Mandate on Public Transport Begins - NBC Chicago
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