>>> TONIGHT, THE ALARMING DELTA VARIANT
SURGE. THE U.S. NOW SEEING MORE DAILY COVID CASES
THAN LAST SUMMER'S PEAK. THE U.S. REPORTING
OVER 100,000 NEW CASES IN A DAY, HIGHER THAN THE WORST WE SAW LAST
SUMMER BEFORE VACCINES WERE AVAILABLE. HOSPITALIZATIONS UP
MORE THAN 40% IN A WEEK. DEATHS UP 25%.
NEW YORK CITY STOPPING SHORT OF AN INDOOR MASK MANDATE, WHILE
LOUISIANA REINSTATES ITS RESTRICTIONS. IN FLORIDA, LINES FOR
TESTING STRETCHING FOR HOURS. BUT ENCOURAGING NEWS
ON RISING VACCINATIONS. THE NATION HITTING A
MILESTONE. 70% OF ADULTS WITH AT LEAST ONE DOSE.
AND SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM REVEALING HE HAS A BREAKTHROUGH
AMERICAN TRACK STAR WITH A DEFIANT PODIUM PROTEST.
>>> SPIRIT AIRLINES CANCELLING HUNDREDS OF FLIGHTS, STRANDING
THOUSANDS OF TRAVELERS.ING FIVE GOLD MEDALS HERE IN TOKYO?
>> Announcer: THIS IS "NBC NIGHTLY NEWS" WITH LESTER HOLT
REPORTING TONIGHT FROM TOKYO. >> HELLO, EVERYONE
FROM JAPAN. WE'LL GET TO NEWS COMING OUT OF THE
OLYMPICS IN A FEW MINUTES. BACK HOME, MORE THAN
35 MILLION AMERICANS HAVE NOW TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID
DURING THE PANDEMIC. AND TONIGHT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION FINALLY
REACHING ITS GOAL OF GETTING A MINIMUM OF 70% OF AMERICANS AT
LEAST PARTIALLY VACCINATED AS THE COUNTRY PLUNGES DEEPER
BENEATH A RISING NEW WAVE OF INFECTIONS. BUT THERE ARE SIGNS
TONIGHT VACCINE RESISTANCE IS BEGINNING TO CRUMBLE
AS THE HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS DELTA VARIANT GRAVITATES TO
NEW EPICENTERS. THE TROUBLING SIGNS IN STATES LIKE FLORIDA
SHOW WE ARE WELL INTO A FOURTH WAVE. WE'LL GET SOME ADVICE
ON PRECAUTIONS OF WHAT PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN SHOULD BE
TAKING, AS WELL AS PREGNANT WOMEN. BUT WE BEGIN OUR
REPORTING NOW WITH MIGUEL ALMAGUER WHO HAS LATE DETAILS.
>> Reporter: AS THE CRISIS DEEPENS AT HOSPITALS AND HOT
SPOTS, TONIGHT THE NUMBERS ARE STAGGERING AND SOBERING,
SURPASSING LAST SUMMER'S AVERAGE FOR NEW CASES, OUR NATION
HAS AGAIN RECORDED OVER 100,000 INFECTIONS IN A SINGLE
DAY. THE DELTA VARIANT FILLING ICUs AND
KILLING MORE AMERICANS FROM WEEK TO WEEK. >> IF YOU GET SICK
WITH THE DELTA VARIANT, WE ESTIMATE THAT YOU COULD INFECT
ABOUT FIVE OTHER UNVACCINATED PEOPLE. MORE THAN TWICE AS
MANY AS THE ORIGINAL STRAIN. >> Reporter: THOUGH IT
COMES NEARLY A MONTH AFTER THE PRESIDENT'S FOURTH OF JULY GOAL,
TODAY 70% OF ADULTS ARE AT LEAST PARTIALLY VACCINATED, BUT EVERY
DAY MORE BREAKTHROUGH INFECTIONS ARE BEING REPORTED.
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM, NOW IN QUARANTINE AFTER
ANNOUNCING HIS INFECTION SAYS BEING FULLY VACCINATED KEPT
HIS COVID SYMPTOMS FROM BEING FAR WORSE. >> EVEN WITH A HIGH
VACCINE EFFECTIVENESS, MOST OF THESE INFECTIONS ARE GOING
TO BE ASYMPTOMATIC OR MILD. >> Reporter: WITH
DAILY INFECTIONS PREDICTED TO DOUBLE BY FALL, SOME HOSPITALS
ARE ALREADY SEEING A SURGE WORSE THAN BEFORE.
A FEDERAL DISASTER TEAM IS ARRIVING IN LOUISIANA WHERE ICU
BEDS ARE SHORT ON SUPPLY AND A NEW FACE MASK MANDATE INDOORS
IS BACK IN PLACE. LINES FOR TESTING STRETCHING FOR HOURS
TODAY IN FLORIDA AFTER THE STATE JUST SET ITS PANDEMIC RECORD FOR
NEW CASES AND PATIENTS HOSPITALIZED. >> THEY ASKING FOR THE
VACCINE NOW. JUST GIVE IT TO ME. WE WANT TO GET IT.
WHICH NOW THEY HAVE TO WAIT, UNFORTUNATELY, UNTIL THEY GET BETTER
AND GET OUT OF THE HOSPITAL. >> Reporter: HOPING TO
BOOST INOCULATIONS IN NEW JERSEY, THE GOVERNOR SAYS HEALTH
CARE WORKERS LIKE THOSE AT NURSING HOMES MUST BE VACCINATED OR
FACE WEEKLY TESTING. NEW YORK'S GOVERNOR ENCOURAGING BUSINESSES
TO REQUIRE PROOF OF VACCINATION FROM PATRONS, BUT STOPPED
SHORT OF MANDATING MASKS INDOORS. TONIGHT THE PUSH TO
INOCULATE AND SAVE LIVES, AS HOSPITALS LOSE MORE AMERICANS
EVERY DAY. >> MIGUEL, AS THESE INFECTIONS AMONG THE
VACCINATED AND UNVACCINATED RISE, HAS THERE BEEN A CHANGE IN
QUARANTINE RECOMMENDATIONS? WISHLGS, LESTER, THE
CDC HAS UPDATED THEIR GUIDANCE, SAYING THOSE WHO TESTED POSITIVE
FOR COVID NEED TOE QUARANTINE FOR TEN DAYS, WHETHER YOU'RE
VACCINATED OR NOT. THEIR TEST RESULTS OR SHOW SYMPTOMS.
LESTER? >> ALL RIGHT, MIGUEL, THANK YOU.
>>> THE NEW DELTA VARIANT POSING ESPECIALLY TOUGH
QUESTIONS FOR PARENTS. MANY FACING THEIR OWN RETURN TO THE OFFICE
AS THEIR SMALL CHILDREN AT HOME REMAIN UNVACCINATED.
I ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS TO NBC NEWS MEDICAL CONTRIBUTOR
DR. KAVITA PATEL. WHAT SORT OF PRECAUTIONS SHOULD
FAMILIES BE TAKING IF THEY HAVE CHILDREN WHO AREN'T ELIGIBLE FOR
VACCINATIONS? >> YOU SHOULD ALWAYS TRY TO OPT FOR
OUTDOORS SPACE AND NOT ANYTHING THAT IS CONGESTIVE.
AND EVEN WHEN YOU'RE INDOORS, IT CAN BE SAFE IF EVERYONE IS
MASKED. I WOULD DEFINITELY MASK THE CHILDREN.
AND IF YOU'RE VACCINATED YOURSELF, YOU SHOULD WEAR A MASK
BECAUSE WE NOW KNOW THAT EVEN VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS MIGHT GET
INFECTED. THE RISK IS INCREDIBLY SMALL, BUT AGAIN, IF
WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP OUR KIDS SAFE AND THEY'RE UNVACCINATED,
A MASK WILL ALWAYS BE A GREAT LAYER OF PROTECTION ON TOP OF
YOUR VACCINE. >> WE KNOW THAT THE DELTA VARIANT IS MORE
CONTAGIOUS THAN PREVIOUS VERSIONS, IF YOU WILL, OF THIS
VIRUS, BUT ARE THEY MORE DANGEROUS TO CHILDREN?
>> SO FAR THE DATA SHOWS THAT IT IS NOT MORE DANGEROUS THAN
PREVIOUS STRAINS, BUT YOU'LL NOTICE WE'RE SEEING A LOT MORE
CASES OF CHILDREN, AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT MORE AND
MORE PEOPLE ARE VACCINATED EXCEPT FOR CHILDREN.
SO THEY ARE BECOMING KIND OF THE NEWER BEEN PRACTICING SKILLS
THAT REQUIRE LESS TWISTING, BUT AGAIN, LESTER, NEVER COUNT
OUT A SIX-TIME OLYMPIC MEDA
>>> WITH COVID INFECTIONS SOARING AGAIN, MANY COMPANIES
ARE REASSESSING HOW AND WHEN THEY'LL BRING EMPLOYEES BACK INTO
THE WORKPLACE. HERE IS STEPHANIE RUHLE WITH THAT.
>> Reporter: AFTER THE RUSH TO GET VACCINATED, THE NUMBER
OF SHOTS GOING INTO ARMS PLATEAUED IN JULY.
AND NOW ALL EYES ON BUSINESSES, WHICH EXPERTS SAY COULD HELP
SWAY TENS OF MILLIONS OF UNVACCINATED AMERICANS THAT ARE
ELIGIBLE FOR A SHOT, BUT STILL ON THE FENCE.
>> THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BUSINESSES ACTING AND NOT ACTING
RIGHT NOW IS MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.
AND I WOULD DARE SAY PROBABLY AN END TO THIS CURVE WE'RE ON
WITH DELTA. >> Reporter: THE LIST OF COMPANIES WITH SOME
SORT OF REQUIREMENT IS GROWING. FACEBOOK AND NEW
YORK'S MTA AMONG THE LATEST MAKING THE MANDATORY FOR
EMPLOYEES, OR REQUIRING REGULAR TESTING.
EQUINOX AND BROADWAY THEATERS WILL ALSO REQUIRE BOTH WORKERS
AND PATRONS GET A SHOT. WALMART, AMERICA'S
BIGGEST EMPLOYER, IS ALSO REQUIRING THEM, BUT ONLY FOR CORPORATE
EMPLOYEES, A FRACTION OF ITS NEARLY 1.6 MILLION PERSON
WORKFORCE. THAT MEANS FRONT LINE WORKERS ARE EXEMPT
FROM THE MANDATE. UBER HAS A SIMILAR POLICY.
OFFICE WORKERS WILL BE REQUIRED. RIDE SHARE DRIVERS
WILL NOT. >> THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT CAN HAPPEN
NOW WOULD BE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY STEPPING FORWARD AND
SAYING IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE IN OUR PLACE OF BUSINESS, YOU'RE GOING
TO BE VACCINATED OR HAVE A GOOD REASON NOT TO AND SHOW A NEGATIVE
TEST. >> Reporter: BUT FOR MANY BUSINESSES, THE
FDA'S FULL APPROVAL IS KEY. >> THEY'RE GOING SAY
ONCE WE GET FULL AUTHORIZATION FOR THE USE OF THIS VACCINE,
YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT OR YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO WORK HERE.
>> Reporter: A GREEN LIGHT MANY ARE WAITING FOR AS CASES GROW BY
THE DAY. STEPHANIE RUHLE, NBC NEWS.
>>> HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THAT INFECTION RATES ARE INCREASING
AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN, UNDERSCORING NEW GUIDANCE THAT ALL
PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULD GET VACCINATED. HERE IS KRISTEN
DAHLGREN. >> Reporter: AT HOSPITALS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, THE DELTA VARIANT FUELING A SURGE IN PREGNANT
PATIENTS. >> THIS IS JUST A GAME CHANGER FOR US.
>> Reporter: TEXAS DR. JESSICA ERICA HAS SEEN MORE HOSPITALIZED
PREGNANT COVID PATIENTS IN THE PAST THREE WEEKS THAN THE
ENTIRE PANDEMIC COMBINED, ALL OF THEM UNVACCINATED.
>> I TOLD MY HUSBAND I FEEL LIKE I'M DROWNING.
I CANNOT BREATHE. >> Reporter: IN INDIANA, SAVANNAH
MOORE WAS 33 WEEKS' PREGNANT WHEN SHE WAS ADMITTED TO THE
HOSPITAL WITH COVID. AT ONE POINT HER HEART STOPPED.
SHE WAS ON A VENTILATOR AND SEDATED.
TEN DAYS LATER SHE WOKE UP TO FIND OUT THEY HAD DELIVERED HER
DAUGHTER SEVEN WEEKS PREMATURE. >> ALL I COULD DO IS
CRY. I'M PUTTING MY BABY IN HARM'S WAY BECAUSE I
WAS JUST TOO HARD HEADED TO GET THE VACCINE.
>> Reporter: FOR MONTHS THERE HAVE BEEN MIXED MESSAGES ABOUT
PREGNANT WOMEN TO GET THE VACCINE. WHILE THE CDC SAID IT
APPEARS SHORT, THEY STOPPED SHORT OF ENCOURAGE IT.
BUT IN THE LAST WEEK, THE WORLD'S LARGEST OBSTETRICIAN GROUPS
STARTED RECOMMENDING VACCINES FOR ALL PREGNANT WOMEN.
140,000 WOMEN HAVE ALREADY GOTTEN THE VACCINE.
WHILE SAFETY STUDIES ARE ONGOING, PRELIMINARY RESEARCH
HAS BEEN POSITIVE. >> WE SAW NO INCREASED RISK OF STILL BIRTHS,
NO INCREASED RISKS OF PRETERM BIRTHS, NO INCREASED RISKS OF
GROWTH PROBLEMS WITH BABIES. >> Reporter: PFIZER
AND MODERNA CONTINUE TO STUDY THE IMPACT ON PREGNANT WOMEN, BUT
LEADING DOCTORS SAY THE RISKS FROM THE DELTA VARIANT ARE MUCH
MORE CONCERNING. >> GOOD MORNING, BEAUTIFUL!
>> Reporter: MOORE IS NOW HOME WITH A HEALTHY BABY NAMED
DELANEY. >> I WOULD NOT WISH WHAT I WENT THROUGH ON
MY WORST ENEMY. >> Reporter: KNOWING HOW CLOSE SHE CAME TO
LOSING EVERYTHING. KRISTEN DAHLGREN, NBC NEWS.
>>> SENATE DEMOCRATS ARE RACING TO PASS A MASSIVE TRILLION
DOLLAR BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL BEFORE THE END OF THE
WEEK. GARRETT HAAKE IS AT THE HOSPITAL.
WHAT'S IN THIS BILL? >> Reporter: LESTER, THIS TRILLION BILL IS
THE MOST EXPENSIVE TRANSPORTATION BILL IN HISTORY WITH MORE THAN
$550 BILLION IN NEW FEDERAL SPENDING. THE BIGGEST CHUNK OF,
THAT SOME $110 BILLION WILL GO TO FIXING ROADS, BRIDGES, AND
OTHER MAJOR PROJECTS. IT ALSO INCLUDES $66 BILLION FOR PASSENGER
RAIL. THE BIGGEST INVESTMENT IN AMTRAK EVER, AND
$25 BILLION FOR AIRPORTS. THE BIPARTISAN STILL
FACES MANY HURDLES. FIRST, SOME REPUBLICANS STILL
OPPOSE IT. IN THE HOUSE SOME PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS
HAVE CRITICIZED IT AS NOT BIG ENOUGH. LESTER?
>> AN IMPORTANT UPDATE THERE. GARRETT, THANK YOU.
>>> OVERSEAS, THE U.S. IS DEALING WITH TROUBLE ON TWO FRONTS
TONIGHT, AFGHANISTAN AND IRAN. ANDREA MITCHELL HAS
LATE DETAILS. ANDREA, WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?
>> Reporter: LESTER, TONIGHT THE STATE DEPARTMENT IS ACCUSING
THE TALIBAN OF MASSACRING CIVILIANS IN AFGHANISTAN THAT
CAN AMOUNT TO WAR CRIMES. SECRETARY OF STATE
TONY BLINKEN IS ALSO OPENING A NEW VISA PROGRAM FOR AFGHANS
WHO HAVE WORKED FOR U.S. COMPANIES, CONTRACTORS, AND HUMAN
RIGHTS GROUPS. BUT TO APPLY, THEY HAVE TO GET PAST
TALIBAN CHECKPOINTS TO THIRD COUNTRIES AND THEN WAIT FOR UP TO 14
MONTHS FOR APPROVAL. BLINKEN ALSO SAYS THEY HAVE PROOF IRAN
CARRIED OUT A FATAL DRONE ATTACK ON AN ISRAELI TANKER OFF THE
COAST OF OMAN LAST WEEK. BLINKEN PROMISED A
COORDINATED RESPONSE FROM THE U.S. AND ISRAEL AND GREAT
BRITAIN, ROMANIA LOST TWO SAILORS. IRAN IS DENYING ALL
RESPONSIBILITY. LESTER?