The latest on the Covid-19 pandemic in the US

Global Covid-19 cases could surpass 300 million in early 2022 if they continue at the current trajectory, said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization. 

Although there are several effective vaccines available for Covid-19, deaths and cases continue to rise, Tedros said. 

“Whether we reach 300 million, and how fast we get there, depends on all of us,” he continued. “At the current trajectory, we could pass 300 million reported cases early next year. But we can change that. We’re all in this together, but the world is not acting like it.” 

Santa Fe South Schools has announced that they will require masks at school beginning Thursday, defying a state law the Oklahoma legislature passed a law last year which says they cannot do so unless the governor issues an emergency declaration for their area.

“Exemptions will be made only for those who have a physician’s documentation stating that wearing of a mask is not recommended for that individual,” Superintendent Chris Brewster said in a letter posted on the district website.

The requirement applies for any guests and all activities, according to the school district.

“We will strictly enforce this at all times. Again, this is a requirement, and should not be considered optional for anyone at any time, unless they have confirmation from their physician that mask-wearing is not required.”

Stewart said those who refuse to wear masks will have a virtual option for instruction.

Santa Fe South Schools is home to 3,500 charter school students who live in the Oklahoma City area.

On Monday, Democrats filed their own legislation to try and overturn the statewide mask mandate ban, saying it “cripples” the ability of localities to control Covid-19 spread.

Some school districts in Arizona, Texas and Florida are currently in the middle of battles with their governors with regards to their ability to mandate masks in schools.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby says he does not anticipate a vaccination requirement for travel within the United States, but said it is possible for some international travel.

When asked by CNN’s Victor Blackwell if passengers will need to get vaccinated as a condition to fly Kirby said “it’s a government question, but I suspect that it won’t happen domestically.”

President Biden on Wednesday met with Kirby and other executives from companies that are mandating that workers get vaccinated. United announced Friday that all its 67,000 employees in the United States would need to get vaccinated by Oct. 25 or face getting fired. 

Kirby says through increased employer mandates, he thinks that the United States could see an 80% to 90% vaccination rate. Kirby said Biden “asked us to do everything we could with fellow CEOs or anyone we were in contact with to encourage others to do the same thing.”

Intelligence officials are nearing the end of a 90-day investigation into the origins of Covid-19 that was ordered by President Biden, and have drafted a classified report that is now in the preliminary review process, according to three sources familiar with the probe. 

Sources familiar with the initial report say that after three months of poring over data and raw intelligence, the intelligence community is still divided over two theories — one suggesting the virus originated from a lab in Wuhan, China, and the other suggesting it jumped naturally to humans from animals, the sources said. The report as it stands now contains "nothing too earth shattering," one source explained.

In May, Biden told US intelligence agencies to "redouble" their efforts to investigate how the virus originated, including the possibility that it emerged from a lab accident. Biden ordered the investigation after receiving an earlier report on the origins and asking for follow-up information, he said in a statement. The 90-day clock that Biden set for this investigation will be up in late August. 

It's possible that the draft report could undergo significant revisions during the remaining review process. Biden also tasked the intelligence community with declassifying as much of the report as possible, a process now underway as it undergoes initial reviews. 

The intelligence community's inability to present one theory with high confidence after three months of intense work underscores just how hard it is to probe the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The National Security Council did not return requests for comment.

Last week, CNN reported that intelligence agencies had gotten their hands on a trove of genetic data drawn from virus samples at the lab in Wuhan that some officials believe could have been the source of the outbreak. It's unclear whether officials have finished analyzing that data. 

Intelligence officials have also taken a fresh look at signals intelligence, like intercepted communications and satellite imagery, that could provide clues.  

But ultimately, China's refusal to share information from the early days of the outbreak and the country's lack of transparency has been a major hurdle, and officials had been broadly pessimistic about finding a smoking gun during the 90-day push. 

The report — which was done without any Chinese participation — is now being reviewed by the intelligence community and outside experts for feedback before it is finalized later this month, the three sources said. Once the classified version is finalized, an unclassified version will also be developed so that the Biden administration can share something with the public, one source explained.

The University of Arkansas (UA) Board of Trustees has passed a resolution directing all UA campuses to implement masking policies for students, faculty, staff, and guests, regardless of vaccination status, in indoor public settings where physical distancing cannot be assured “in accordance with CDC guidance,” due to the Covid-19 Delta variant.

According to the resolution, the policies include “reasonable exceptions” for certain settings and activities that follow guidance established by public health agencies or by external governing bodies, like the NCAA.

The university’s new policy will remain in effect as long as the use of face coverings continues to be recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and may be adjusted as more public health guidance comes out, the resolution said.

The New York Stock Exchange announced it will require full Covid-19 vaccination for anyone entering the trading floor starting Sept. 13, according to a memo obtained by CNN. 

The exchange said that exemptions would be made for medical or religious reasons but that anyone granted an accommodation needs to present a negative test within the previous 48 hours and wear an N95 equivalent or surgical mask at all times while on the trading floor.  

The NYSE also announced, effective immediately, an expansion of its onsite random testing program to include vaccinated employees. 

In the memo, the NYSE said the decision was made based on recent shifts in public health conditions as well as recommendations from federal, state, and local authorities. 

Carlee Simon, superintendent of Alachua County Public Schools in Florida, said that some students feel caught in the middle of following the rules set by their parents and school policies on masks.  

Educators are trying to work with parents to make sure they understand that masks can protect all students, she said. 

“We haven't even been open two days. In the day and a half that we have been open, we're seeing infection rates that are increasing in our staff, and we're also seeing the same situation in our students,” Simon said. 

On Monday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office announced that the state board of education could move to withhold the salaries of superintendents and school board members who disregard DeSantis’ executive order that effectively prohibits mask mandates in school districts. Alachua is one of several districts defying the order. 

“I have received a letter from the commissioner of education saying that this would be something that they'd do. I had to respond yesterday; it was due at 5 p.m. It was a little bit after 5 that I got it in to him. Actually, our staff attorney went home sick and did test positive for Covid. And she's been vaccinated and she did allow me to share this. We are trying to do business as well as respond to the governor. And so we told him we're going to continue to stay the course, because we do believe this is what we need in place in order to continue to function as a school system,” she said. 

The White House again defended not having a permanent Food and Drug Administration commissioner amid a global pandemic. Press secretary Jen Psaki said it remains a “priority,” but President Biden is waiting to find “exactly the right person,” over 200 days into his term.

She continued, “I will note that it is a place that is filled with talented experienced scientists, data experts, career staff who are certainly running the FDA effectively.”

As CNN's Kaitlan Collins reported in March, Biden has left the agency without permanent leadership as it plays a critical role in the pandemic response, including overseeing the development and authorization of coronavirus vaccines. In February, six former FDA commissioners urged Biden to select someone soon. 

The agency is currently being run by Dr. Janet Woodcock, who was named acting commissioner in January.

Psaki’s comments come after Biden told reporters Tuesday, “We're working on that very hard to make sure we can get it passed.”

White House press secretary Jen Psaki pushed back against comments from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suggesting his state had not requested a tranche of additional medical supplies amid rising Covid-19 cases, telling reporters in the briefing Wednesday, “I would note that as a policy we don't send ventilators to states without their interest in receiving the ventilators.”

CNN’s Kaitlan Collins reported Tuesday the Biden administration sent hundreds of ventilators to Florida in recent days as the state responds to a dramatic new increase in Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations. Despite that, DeSantis told reporters Tuesday that he was unaware of the request for the medical supplies.

"I would honestly doubt that that's true, but I'll look because we have a lot of stuff that we stockpiled over the last year and a half through the Department of Emergency Management," DeSantis said when asked by a reporter about a request from the state for the additional supplies.

He continued, "I've not had any requests across my desk. I have not been notified of that. But they are in contact with the hospitals, I'm personally in contact with CEOs of a lot of the major hospitals."

Pressed by Collins, Psaki said she’d seen DeSantis’ comments Tuesday. Asked if it was possible the governor was unaware of the request for supplies, Psaki told Collins, “I think that's really a question for the governor and his team.”