INDIANAPOLIS — Here are Tuesday's latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic, including the latest news on COVID-19 vaccinations and testing in Indiana.
Registrations for the vaccine are now open for Hoosiers 12 and older through the Indiana State Department of Health. This story will be updated over the course of the day with more news on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Marion County follows CDC guidance, recommends masks in indoor public places
The Marion County Public Health Department is recommending individuals wear masks in public indoor places, regardless of their vaccination status.
The recommendation comes after the CDC issued new guidance Tuesday for individuals in places where COVID-19 is surging. The government agency reversed course on some masking guidelines, recommending that even vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors in parts of the U.S.
The CDC's COVID Data Tracker specifies areas where the virus is spreading by county. The map, which color-codes each county from blue (the lowest level of community transition) to red (the highest level of community transition). The agency suggests individuals living in counties that are orange or red mask up indoors.
Based on data collected between July 19 and July 25, Marion County was on the orange level — substantial.
ISDH update
The Indiana State Department of Health is reporting 15 deaths from COVID-19 and 1,085 new cases. The death toll in Indiana is now at 13,552.
ISDH also reported 3,318 more Hoosiers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. That means there are 2,930,718 Hoosiers vaccinated against the virus.
CDC reverses course on indoor masks in some parts of US
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reversing course on some masking guidelines. The agency announced new recommendations Tuesday that even vaccinated people should return to wearing masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the coronavirus is surging.
Scientists cited new information about the ability of the delta variant to spread among vaccinated people. The CDC also recommended indoor masks for all teachers, staff, students and visitors to schools, regardless of vaccination status.
The new guidance follows recent decisions in Los Angeles and St. Louis to revert to indoor mask mandates amid a spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations that have been especially bad in the South.
Moderna expanding kids vaccine study to better assess safety
Moderna plans to expand the size of its COVID-19 vaccine study in younger children to better detect rare side effects. The company said Monday it is in talks with the Food and Drug Administration to enroll more study participants under age 12.
The announcement comes as U.S. cases are rising and schools are preparing to welcome students back to classrooms. At the same time, FDA continues to review rare cases of heart inflammation reported in several hundred young people who got the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.
Pfizer is also testing its vaccine in young children. On Monday, the company said that if it makes changes to its testing program, it will provide an update then.
NYC to require vaccines or weekly testing for city workers
New York City will require all municipal workers to get coronavirus vaccines by mid-September or face weekly COVID-19 testing.
The move announced Monday by Mayor Bill de Blasio follows last week’s announcement mandating vaccinations or weekly testing for public health care workers as the city battles a rise in COVID-19 cases fueled by the highly contagious delta variant.
About 65% of adults in the city are fully vaccinated, but new vaccinations have plunged since a peak in early April. Some of the unions representing city workers are balking at the new policy. They say the city can't impose the requirement without negotiations.
Tokyo reports record virus cases days after Olympics begin
Tokyo reported its highest number of new coronavirus infections on Tuesday, days after the Olympics began.
The Japanese capital reported 2,848 new COVID-19 cases, exceeding the earlier record of 2,520 cases on Jan. 7. It brings Tokyo’s total to more than 200,000 since the pandemic began last year.
Tokyo is under its fourth state of emergency, which is to continue through the Olympics until just before the Paralympics start in late August. Experts have warned that the more contagious delta variant could cause a surge during the Olympics, which started Friday.
Latest US, world numbers
There have been more than 34.53 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States as of 4 a.m. ET Tuesday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been 610,950 deaths recorded in the U.S.
Worldwide, there have been more than 194.7 million confirmed coronavirus cases with more than 4.16 million deaths. More than 3.88 billion vaccine doses have been administered worldwide.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness like pneumonia, or death.
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Fiji urges more jabs as COVID deaths rise
Fiji’s leader is urging people to get vaccinated as the island nation contends with a devastating outbreak of the delta variant of the coronavirus.
Relative to its population of less than 1 million people, Fiji’s outbreak is currently among the worst in the world.
Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said the nation’s mission was to vaccinate 80% of adults by the end of October. About 47% of Fijians have had at least one vaccination dose.
Fiji has reported a record 1,285 new cases in its latest daily update. It has reported 193 deaths since the outbreak began in April.
Fiji has also reported a further 101 deaths of COVID-19-positive patients that it’s not classifying as coronavirus deaths because the patients had underlying conditions. Before the April outbreak, Fiji had recorded just two COVID-19 deaths.