Coronavirus Watch: WHO recommends masks even for fully vaccinated

The World Health Organization has urged fully vaccinated people to continue wearing masks indoors and practice social distancing as the delta variant, which is thought to be more contagious, surges in many parts of the world. 

The Centers for Disease Control, however, told vaccinated Americans in May they no longer needed to wear masks indoors. But some areas around the country are still urging vaccinated residents to wear masks indoors.

"Until we better understand how and to who the delta variant is spreading, everyone should focus on maximum protection," the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said Monday. The delta variant now accounts for 50% of active cases in Los Angeles and about 1 in 5 of cases around the country.

Thirty states had more cases in the latest week than in the week before, an analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. Twenty-three had more deaths than a week earlier.

It's Tuesday, and this is the Coronavirus Watch from the USA TODAY Network. Here's more news you need to know:

• Variants are wreaking havoc worldwide. Several of Australia's major cities are under lockdown following a recent outbreak of the delta variant. A surge of the delta variant in Indonesia has left the country "on the edge of a COVID-19 catastrophe,” the Red Cross said Tuesday. And Hong Kong says it will ban all passenger flights from the U.K. starting Thursday to curb the spread of variants.
• A mutation from the delta variant, called delta plus, is rising across a dozen countries. Indian labs identifying and tracking the spread of the variant identified three main concerning characteristics of delta plus: Increased transmissibility, an increased attack on lung cells, and possible reduction in monoclonal antibody response or possible resistance to vaccines and immunity.
• Moderna's vaccine is effective against all variants of COVID-19, including the delta variant, the company announced Tuesday.
• The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines created a long-lasting immunity that may protect people from COVID-19 for years, a new study found. The new results mean that people who received the mRNA vaccines may not need boosters so long as variants do not drastically evolve.
• As of April, fewer than two out of three Latino and Black students in the U.S. had access to full-time, in-person learning, according to a CDC report Tuesday that urges schools to reopen fully for all students this fall.

Today's numbers: The U.S. has reported more than 33.6 million COVID-19 cases and 604,000 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Worldwide, there have been more than 181.5 million cases and more than 3.9 million deaths. About 54% of people in the U.S. have received at least one vaccine shot, and about 46% are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC.

Tracking the pandemic: See the numbers in your area here. See where cases are rising here. See vaccination rates here. And here, compare vaccinations rates worldwide and see which countries are using which vaccines.

– Grace Hauck, USA TODAY breaking news reporter, @grace_hauck