cbsnews.com. reporting from the broadcast center in i jericka duncan. >> announcer: this is the "cbs overnight news." >> good evening and thanks for watching. america's covid recovery is being threatened by a summer surge. hospitalizations and deaths are up nationwide. the highly contagious delta variant is giving new urgency to the country's vaccination push. but that's lagging, seven months after the first shots, only 49% of americans are fully vaccinated. we begin tonight with cbs's lilia luciano in lous angeles. >> reporter: that's right. less than half of americans are fullch vaccinated and that's just not enough to stop the spread of that delta variant.

tonight there are new fears of another covid surge in southern california, with vaccinations lagging and the delta variant spreading. l.a. and san diego counties are reporting their highest number of cases since february. >> how worried are you about the spread of the delta variant at this point? >> i'm terrified. >> reporter: nationally, new covid cases have spiked almost 50% with increases in all 50 states in 90% of u.s. jurisdictions. >> i think every mayor of a major city in america right now is wondering if it's a time to return to mandates. >> reporter: florida is the nation's worst hot spot accounting for more than one in five of all new cases. that didn't matter at miami's rolling loud music festival where thousands of people cramped together. there's a renewed push nationwide to reach vaccine holdouts now worried about the delta variant.

>> i just don't want to take it. but because of the second virus coming, i'm kind of scared, so that's why i'm here. >> reporter: now health officials are considering another round of shots. >> it's easier for this delta variant to overwhelm low antibody levels. and that's why we are considering whether or not some people might need boosters. >> reporter: and dr. gottlieb also says that pfizer expects to have a milder dose of its vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11 available in september. jericka? >> lilia, thank you. let's turn now to cbs news medical contributor dr. david agus in los angeles. there's been a lot of discussion about booster shots. when might we see that happening for people aged 65 and older? >> in israel they started doing that for people who are immunosuppressed. and we are going to see that in

u.s. for people i hope soon. i would imagine the fda approves those booster shots by the age of temperature for people aged 95 and older. >> we also have been hearing the word breakthrough cases. how concerned should we be about those breakthrough cases in which people have been fully vaccinated but yet they're still getting infected with covid? >> so right now people exposed to delta variant who have been fully vaccinated, most of them will have no symptoms, some will have mild symptoms, very few if any will have serious illness causing hospitalization. so that's good, the vaccines are clearly working in terms of blocking serious illness. the problem is half our country isn't yet vaccinated. >> and when you talk about half of our country not being whether reerta ssle o mkr or sinesses, haveha should peop doing right now at this moment whether they're vaccinated or not? >> it really depends on where

you live. if the case numbers are going up like they are in many places in the country, i do believe we're going to have to wear masks now whenever we go indoors or when we're with people because we can't validate or document who has been vaccinated versus not. so you may be at risk of catching and spreading the virus in those situations. >> there's also a new model out that suggests we haven't seen the worst of this surge, the peak of this surge, and that won't happen until october. what's your prediction? >> i can tell you every model to date has been inaccurate when trying to predict the future here. and so part of it is, it assumes that behavior doesn't change. and i think behavior is and is starting to change across the country. more and more places are going back toward masks and changing behavior. and i do think that we will see the peak toward the end of august. then at that point with 50% of the country being vaccinated and many more having been exposed to the virus we'll have immunity across the country, and hopefully have decreasing numbers through september until or unless there's a new variant.

>> all right, doctor, thank you. the surge is also casting a shadow over the olympics. but team usa did win its first gold today in the pull by case kalisz in the men as-400 meter individual medley. so far, the u.s. has ten medals second to china, and the u.s. men's basketball team is looking for a fresh start after losing to france. the competition isn't the only thing that's been a challenge. >> reporter: these are olympics like no other. we're in modified quarantine which means we can leave to go to work but first we have to fill out this health questionnaire on our phones. you better shop fast at this convenience store. you have to be back in 15 minutes. the crew then takes a van to the media center. once inside, journalists can

conduct interviews, shop for souvenirs and supplies, eat. and every few days we must drop off a covid test. as media members we're also allowed to attend events as long as we're preapproved since organizers are trying to limit the amount of people inside venues. then our day ends here at our live shot location, which overlooks tokyo's beautiful rainbow bridge. the hours are backwards from the united states. once we're all done, we pack up, head back to the hotel, get a little bit of rest and do it all again the next day. jericka? >> jamie giving us a behind-the-scenes look from tokyo. thank you. extreme weather this weekend has triggered national disasters overseas. in belgium heavy rains washed away cars as water rushed through the streets there. and in india heavy rain is blamed for triggering this rockslide. at least nine people were killed when their bus was struck by boulders. in this country more than 80

wildfires are now waging in the west. the massive dixie fire is turning trees into torches. the out of control flames are prompting evacuations. the fire threatens thousands of structures and is destroying anything in its path. we learned today that a legendary figure in the fight for civil rights has died. bob moses endured beatings and jail while registering thousands of black voters in the south during the 1960s. later he helped underserved students succeed in math. bob moses died in hollywood, florida. he was 86 years old. a show of force in russia today. president vladimir putin used a navy day parade rs toalk ugh, sg unprevene strike on target anywhere. the "cbs overnight news" will be right back.

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>> announcer: this is the "cbs overnight news." >> i'm jericka duncan in new york. thanks so much for staying with us. it was a strange weekend for the u.s. team at the summer olympics in tokyo. the team won zero medals in the first day of competition for the first time in more than half a century. the u.s. basketball team lost to france. and simone biles, perhaps the greatest gymnast ever, looked beatable as she flew out of bounds on a floor exercise and stumbled coming off the balance beam. but the tide turned on sunday. team usa came away with ten medals, four golds, two silvers, and a pair of bronzes. five of those medals came i the

pooland the fastestmmer on thea caeleb dressel. looks like. >> explodes! >> reporter: rocketing off the starting block, caeleb dressel is one of the fastest swimming human beings on the planet. dressel is the new face of usa swimming, but is hardly new to the sport. that's dressel in 2016, then only 19 alongside the most decorated olympian in history, michael phelps. they won rio gold together in one of phelps' final moments on the olympic stage. >> this is the first time michael won't be in the olys in 20 years. >> he's the goat of swimming. that's not me and i'm fine with

admitting that. michael was a once swimmer. 400 relay, 200 fly. i'm going to struggle to even finish the race. i'm indifferent about the comparisons, i understand it but i'm not coming to this meet to count medals, i'm coming to perform for my country. >> reporter: performance is his thing. dressel's body is lined like a sports car. and his 6'3" frame. he says he struggled last year both physically and mentally when the games were postponed. did it change how you train? did it disappoint you? were there any motivations? >> i did have very limited pool time. i got kicked out of my weight room. it was tough. i didn't want to use it as a time to get lazy so i started really getting on top of my diet. i broke a couple times. i don't want to act like i was a warrior during all of it.

i had some very, very low points during that process. i'm just happy to finally be here. >> reporter: but here will be without those closest to him. because of japanese covid restrictions, dressel and the rest of team usa will be in tokyo without the in-person support of friends and family. you got married. how is that? >> it's been great. meghan grew up swimming. but we've had to figure some things out. it hasn't been just happy the whole time. but i've been happy for every challenge that was thrown my way. we had a little counselor meeting before the wedding and he was saying that this is when two people become one. i was, like, wait a second, this is the first time i'm hearing this here. it's been exciting really trying to figure out what that means. > reporter: even in the pool, dressel tells us he's still figuring things out, too. >> this sport tests me every single day. ever since age 5 when i started swimming, i learned a lot about

myself. >> i love how honest you are. >> i'm trying. that was one of our team rules in college. it's something i've been trying to be better and better at, just being honest with myself, being honest with my teammates and my coach because there's always tomorrow, there's always semifinals. there's always a new stroke, a new turn, a new wall. there's always something that you can find another outlet to get better at. four new olympic sports are making their debut at the games. skateboarding, karate, sport climbing, and surfing. the surf competition got underway sunday and with a tropical storm looming off the coast of japan, the surfers are enjoying some big swells. surfing has grown in popularity in japan in recent years, lucy craft has that story. >> reporter: among the estimated 2 million japanese who ride waves, many crowd in here, one of the most beloved surf spots

in the country. it's only a little after 7:00 a.m., but we're well into rush hour down here at the beach. some of these boards have been in the water since 4:00 a.m., while the rest of japan is grabbing a coffee on their way to work, these surfers have been bu cchingwave r: it's ry ld back here and welcoming. it's like being in california. >> reporter: this coast line is so close to downtown tokyo, surfing addicts can grab a few waves on the way to work. japanese have been body surfing for over a century, floating on small wooden planks often decorated with ads for stores or soap. but after world war ii when american soldiers in japan began riding their long boards, japanese were instantly hooked. >> they looked at the gis having fun with just a board, and they thought to themselves, hey, if they can do that, so can we. and that's how it all started. it's a place to have fun and

relax and catch a wave or two. and i think that really seductive to the japanese. >> reporter: japan's surfing obsession supports a thriving local beach culture, from the cafes and surf shops of this seashore mecca to a cottage of artisans. boards are fine-tuned to the surfer's skill level, body size, and local wave conditions. a semi finished polyurethane blanks are sanded by hand before getting a fiberglass skin. and they require customers to submit a checklist of detailed body measurements and pay nearly twice that's off-the-whack wet suits. >> they were originally hand crafted for japanese pearl divers. then artisans branched out into wet suits for surfers. >> reporter: japan's gentle waves are just right for total

newbies. california transplant and now local surf instructor gary showed me how to stay on my board, more or less. >> you can surf in hawaii, you can surf in california, you can surf anywhere in bali, but surfing in japan is, like, wow, that's really special. ♪ >> reporter: hot dog surfers must bide their time waiting for typhoons to churn up the big waves. but for the sheer joy of watery communion, japan's surf and safari is a real day at the beach. and four american surfers are looking to make waves and collect some medals of course at the tokyo games. that includes one you're about to meet, as he caught some waves with our carter evans. >> reporter: with unmistakable style, this pro surfer is at home in the water and in the air. a performance he'll bring to

surfing debut in the olympics. >> i've always been a big kind of olympic nerd. once i heard that surfing was going to be in the olympics, i was excited. >> reporter: from his hometown in san compliment qulemente, ca. >> he used to take me and i would be under his chest. >> reporter: he started winning titles before his teens and qualified for the olympics as the top american in the world surf league. but earlier this year during a bad wipeout, an ankle injury that would require surgery and extensive rehab right up to the games. what's your biggest concern going into this? >> definitely my ankle. >> reporter: and dino makes it look easy, a pro happily shredding small waves with this amateur. >> it took everything i had just to get on it. >> reporter: how has growing up here prepared you for the olympics? >> i think it will be similar to

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and for those of us r the watching at home. >> like the rest of us emerging from the pandemic, the olympics are racing to catch up with what they missed last year after a 12-month delay the games are on, sort of. also like the rest of us, the olympics are not quite back to normal. the events are all still there. it's the crowd that won't be. what is the sound of no hands clapping? in 1996 in the women's gymnastics team competition, american carey strugs sprained her ankle but had to finish her routine to defeat the russians for the gold medal. it's hard to imagine her triumph without the crowd roar. when she stuck the landing, despite the searing pain. what would namar' 2016 penalty kick been like without the throb of his brazilian countrymen

cheering on their home turf as he lined up to take the gold medal winning shot? the athletes can probably handle the curve ball. they're just happy to be at the olympics at all. and as the author of the mental athlete told me, they've been training their brains willing with their bodies their whole lives to ignore distraction, to adapt in unpredictable circumstances. also they can stay focused. those are skills we all could've used during the pandemic. what about those of us in the audience, though? the olympics take place not on the field but in the space between the athlete and the spectators. those in the stands stand in for those of us at home. their emotions are our emotions, and the global rush of feeling is unique in the human experience. in a instan humans across the planet speaking dozen of languages watching on rectangles mounted on the wall or held in their hand, experience the same range of emotions at the exact same time.

at their best, the games inject joy and hope from watching dreams earnestly pursued and deliver a vicarious spike of victory. even the heartbreak can be transformational. as we see ourselves in derek redmond's agony or in the love of his father who ran on the track to help him finish his race. at the opening ceremony, they will light the olympic flame, a symbol of the indomitable will of the athlete. qualities lifted up by all countries. the spirit that endures challenge a a a through force of will,determination, and courage prevails. these are not distant notions. these are human qualities that every culture has had to summon during the last year and a half of the pandemic. there may be no humans in the stands, but these games affirm something deeply human that we've all come to appreciate off the field. that those we admire, those we aspire to be like do not weaken

in the face of a challenge but burn more brightly. >> again, the thoughts of john

people in japan have a great fondness for mascots, and thecor the tokyo olympics was fierce. children voted from 16,000 elementary schools. >> reporter: tokyo's olympic mascots are struggling to stand out. mascot culture in japan is serious business. the country loves the furry creatures that have a following worldwide like pikachu and old favorites mario and luigi. olympic organizers hope mira toa and somate will help bring the summer games to life. mascots have a long history at the olympics. the first official one debuted nearly 50 years ago at the munich games in germany. but in japan the multitude of mascots do more than just

promote events and brands. they help folks let their hair down. this teacher of the trade says they make you smile when you see them and you can immediately shake hands or hug. and they can get some pretty personal questions. people want advice about their lives and work, this character says, like how to be nice to a ssr how tea with a deadbeat husband. opening up to a mascot may be easy, but being one isn't. costumes can be heavy, hard to see out of and hot during the summer. but with enough grit and endless energy, you could stand heads above the rest. >> and that is "the overnight news for this monday." check back with us later for "cbs this morning." and follow us online any time at cbsnews.com. i'm jericka duncan.

>>'s monday, julth, thisthe bs morni news." dangerous surge. coronavirus cases are spiking in every single state fueled by the delta variant. how some states ar trying to use new restrictions to slow the spread. raging wildfires grow across the west. how rugged terrain is complicating firefighters' efforts to extinguish the flames. and olympic stunners. we have the latest from the tokyo games as the world's top tokyo games as the world's top athletes go for gold. captioning funded by cbs good morning. good to be with you, i'm anne-marie green.