Nbc Nightly News with Lester Holt good evening some mixed messages about mask wearing are catching many of the 153 Million fully vaccinated americans offguard tonight. Citing concerns over the spread of the more contagious Delta Variant both the World Health Organization and health officials in Los Angeles County are separately recommending even vaccinated people wear face coverings in indoor public settings that contradicts Cdc Guidance that vaccinated individuals can go maskfree in most circumstances the cdc this Evening Sticking with its recommendation i asked dr. Fauci to clear the air for us on this, and well have that for you in a moment where there appears to be full Agreement Tonight is the growing danger the Delta Variant is posing for the unvaccinated lets get late details now from Nbcs Miguel Almaguer Reporter Tonight Mask confusion as a growing number of Cop Doctors and now the most populous county in the nation, los angeles, says even the vaccinated should wear a mask and keep their social distance indoors. Were flying by the seat of our pants here reporter breaking from Cdc Guidance, l. A. County is now aligned with the w. H. O. , urging universal Mask Use in public spaces indoors, citing the spread of the Delta Variant with a new voluntary safety measure. I wanted to wear a Mask Today Reporter even the illinois governor setting an example, but the backtrack on guidance just before gatherings for the Fourth Of July is sending mixed messages implementing a Mask Mandate in the absence of, you know, broader spread of the virus is likely to erode the ability to implement these kinds of measures when we need them we need to give the public a breather. Reporter gaining ground every day the highly contagious and dangerous Delta Variant now accounts for 26 of covid cases in the u. S and now a new small study says mrna vaccines may provide protection for years with caveats some even suggesting those vaccinated with J J get a booster with an mrna vaccine. Theres been a lot of questions whether americans need boosters and when Theyll Need boosters. Whats your take on that many americans arent going to be required to need boosters i think its going to be reserved for a certain segment of the population people who are older, more at risk for covid, further out from completing their original Vaccination Reporter Tonight an evolving virus and yet another shift on where and when to wear a mask miguel almaguer, Nbc News i spoke to dr. Anthony fauci a short time ago to get some clarity on some of the conflic conflicting advice on mask wearing do you expect the cdc to change its guidelines for unvaccinate american snz. I know were going to be seeing a sticking to the guideline. We know the vaccines were using in this country do very well against the Delta Variant. You have to take that variant seriously. Its nothing to just poohpooh because it spreads more rapidly than the original virus and it can cause more serious disease but for now the Cdc Recommendation stands if in fact you are vaccinated, fully vaccinated, you are protected and you do not need to wear a mask outdoors or indoors. Is it a given in your opinion that the Delta Variant will become the predominant variant in this country . And what does that mean for unvaccinated people well, theres very little doubt, lester, that the Delta Variant is not going to become the dominant every country that it has gone into up to now youve seen an escalation in cases where its pushed aside the variant that was dominant before it so particularly in those undervaccinated parts of the country, almost certainly you are going to see the Delta Variant take over which, again, i have to say it again, lester, its such an important imperative of why those regions, those people need to get vaccinated to protect themselves, to protect their community, to protect their family there have been some wellrespected experts who are talking about after receiving the J J vaccine, going back and getting a booster, if you will, of either pfizer or moderna. Is that concerning to you, or do you think that they may be onto something . From an opinion of physicians around the country many of them, maybe all of them are really wellmeaning and quite competent, theyre doing that but theyre doing it on the hunch that it will work and be safe. When you get a formal recommendation from a Regulatory Agency or a public Health Agency like the fda and the cdc respectively, that will be based on data thats accumulated were not there yet. That doesnt mean its not going to ultimately happen, but the data dont show that right now i do want to ask you when we get into the fall is there any risk of another wave or a surge in covid or are the worst days behind us . Well, what were going to see likely is two separate situations, lester if you are fully vaccinated, it is extremely unlikely that youre going to see a surge. If you are unvaccinated in those pockets, if you look at the map of the country there are certain states particularly some of the southern states where the level of vaccination is really i think dangerously low. As you get into the fall, you wont see a country wide Surge Youll see surges that are regional thats what were concerned about. We dont want that to happen we dont want people to get sick and seriously ill. The way around that is to get vaccinated. With dr. Faucion you can make a plan for where and when to get vaccinated visit planyourvaccine. Com. Turning now to blistering heat still gripping temperatures in the northwest now almost as bad in the northeast. Heres stephanie gosk. Reporter predicted to be one of the most extreme Heat Waves ever recorded in the northwest, and it is at 4 00 p. M. Monday portland reached a record breaking 116. Five hours later after the sun went down it was still 90 in oregon and washington more than 1,100 people have been treated for heat related illnessess since the start of the Heat Wave. Across the region, rolling blackouts. And while temperatures are finally set to dip the damage could be long lasting buckled roadways and seered Power Lines northwest salmon might not survive the warm rivers, and crops are damaged. It sounds like this level of intense heat, we could lose all the berries. Reporter Climate Experts worry these extremes may become the pattern. Global warming is essentially the steroids that make what would have been a pretty big Heat Wave into a truly exceptional record setting Heat Wave. Reporter and now its the east Coast Turn ten states are under Heat Advisories and emergencies have been declared in Boston And Philadelphia im planning ongoing in the house and staying under the air conditioner. Reporter during the Yankees Game last night the punishing humidity took a toll on the angels pitcher. Heat exhaustion, the team said, forced him out of the game. Stephanie gosk, new York Theres only one question to put to al roker. Al, when can we expect some relief, my friend lester, on both coasts the jetstream is to the north. And thats allowing the unprecedented wave of hot air impacting 61 Million people. Temperatures still flirting with 1200 or higher as we get into the northeast one more day of hot weather and then a cold front comes slamming in. Its also bringing severe Weather Tomorrow Afternoon and evening for 22 Million people in the northeast. Cant rule out tornados, damaging winds and hail in just 60 seconds, Gas Shortages and the highest prices in years just as Tens Of Millions are set to travel this july fourth the grueling Search And Rescue effort goes on in south Florida Tonight amid new indications of how badly damaged that condo was before it collapsed lets get more now from morgan Chesky Reporter Rescue crews digging deeper into a massive pile of debris we see when that building collapsed almost in the footprint of where that building stood. Sort of a 12 Stories Reporter 12 lives lost, 149 others still missing. The massive collapse stable for now so im just trying to emphasize the magnitude of what were encountering, what were seeing. And we still keep pushing forth. Reporter new documents show further repairs were needed at the south tower. In an April Letter the Condo Board President writing when you can visually see the concrete cracking, that means the rebar holding it together is rusting and deteriorating beneath the surface. The board recommending repairs totaling more than 16 Million some families saying too little, too late as nearby memorials grow so diz anxiety regarding the fate of those still missing. Their pictures now joined by prayers that somehow someone is still alive. Its like you talk to her shes beautiful. Shes my baby. Nbcs Allison Barber spoke to Pablo Langsfeld praying for news about his daughter nicole and her husband just married. Showing up today with a special message for rescuers please taking It Rock By rock, a piece of Sand Wanything just do it for us. Do it for the families do it for the world. Reporter morgan chesky, Nbc News, surfside, florida. We have Tens Of Millions planning to travel this july fourth holiday many will face a striking new reality at the gas pump. Heres Stephanie Ruhle with that. Reporter as america gets on the road again, drivers will see higher Gas Prices for the holidays than weve seen in years. Its almost 3 now. I dont know who can afford it if youre not rich reporter the national average has risen to 3. 10 per gallon thats up more than 42 from last year when the pandemic was keeping many people home and prices down but today as more people are driving, these are the highest prices since 2014. The biggest increases this week in utah, indiana and oregon we probably wont see sizable relief in Gas Prices until after Summer Reporter a record 43. 6 Million americans are expected to hit the road for the Fourth Of July weekend. Meaning more traffic and more stops at the Pump Watch for those state lines. Thats where you tend to see prices either shootup or plummet 20 to 40 cents. Reporter if you are road tripping this fourth check for Peak Travel times in your area to avoid sitting in Traffic And Crack windows while parked in the shade to minimize your Ac And Gas use a tiny fraction of Gas Stations across the Country Arent getting their gas deliveries on time, but thats because of a truck driver shortage. Just head down the road a little further and you should be able to find a station with gas. Lester all right, stephanie, thank you lets circle back now to the pandemic. As the biden administration investigates the origins of covid, our new reporting finds ties between a leading researcher at chinas wuhan lab and Military Scientists Keir Simmons has more. Reporter this week international scientists say china should not be allowed to block our full inquiry into the origins of coronavirus. We cant just give china a veto over whether or not we investigate the most terrible pandemic in a century. Reporter in january a Trump Administration Fact sheet accused china of secret Military Activity at a lab in wuhan. Former State Department Advisor David Asher helped write that fact sheet. Im very confident that the military was funding a secret program that involved coronaviruses. I heard this from several foreign researchers who observed researchers in that lab in the military lab Coats Reporter a leading researcher at the Wuhan Institute Of Virology insists its only a civilian institution. She was questioned this year by a former national Security Official at the beginning of covid19 we heard the rumors that its claimed that in our laboratory we have some projects blabla with the army blabla, these kind of rumors but this is not correct. Reporter but Nbc News has evidence the doctor herself has multiple connections with military officials. She and others collaborated with Military Scientists on Coronavirus Research in spring 2018 and with another Military Scientist in December 2019 in 2020 an article that scientist offered lists a footnote as deceased nbc has been unable to ascertain the circumstances of his death. The State Department has repeatedly raised concerns over Chinas Compliance with the biological weapons convention, questions over Chinas Transparency now central to president bidens coronavirus inquiry. Lester all right, Keir Simmons, thank you we have reported on the soaring number of migrants at the border, but now another troubling trend, the staggering rise of Drug Smuggling. Gabe gutierrez is at the Border Reporter near El Paso, texas, its not just desperate families turning themselves into the Border Patrol but adult men running away from the agents. Mostly adults who are not seeking Asylum Reporter now with authorities tied up processing a historic number of migrants, more Drug Smuggling in the desert for the first time fentanyl is being smuggled between the ports of Entry Reporter Fent nm being pushed through the desert between El Paso is up more than 355 compared to last year and 4,000 more than 2018. What makes it so easy to smuggle the car tells find ways to intimidate migrants and find ways to have them illegally transport that narcotic Reporter Fentanyl pills are smaller, more potent and more profitable than marijuana. Dea sources tell Nbc News the mexican cartels increasingly producing the narcotic themselves dont think something like this cannot happen to your Family Reporter his 20yearold Daughter alexandria ingested what she thought was ill in 2019 but turned out to be fentanyl. She died two days before christmas dont take your kids for granted tell them you love them every Day Reporter he calls it not an overdose but a poisoning, a Haunting Reminder of whats at stake at the border gabe gutierrez, Nbc News, sunland park, New Mexico up next for us tonight, Health Care restrictions forcing some families to move. Here are the two battling to the Line And Allyson felix. Simone manuels above her trying to fight on, and above simone. Getting an opportunity to show her stuff. Nonstop, displayed at the highest performance level. Finding something and the us takes Gold Dream on Dream On Dream On Dream On yes Ahhhhhhh Dream until your Dreams Come True Serena Williams is out at wimbledon after an injury in the first round. The superstar slipping on the grass and hurting her ankle. Moments later she waved as she left in tears. Williams was going for a record tying 24th grand Slam Title with a growing number of gop led states passing or considering laws banning transgender Youth Treatment some families say theyve had no choice but to find now places to call home. Kate snow reports. Reporter if you want to see george and emily Spurriers Son Light up, just ask him about birds. Crows, blue and cold macaws specifically, road runners. Reporter the 17yearold asked us not to use his name. He and his family just moved to mexico from arkansas why did you move right now . Our son is transgender, and some of the recent efforts have promised to make our lives and his life very difficult reporter does arkansas feel like an accepting place . It did not feel accepting at all reporter a sweeping new law is set to take effect in arkansas in july banning doctors from prescribing hormones or Puberty Blockers to transgender children under 18 and stopping insurance companies from covering such treatments for the spurriers it would have meant endin Ending Testosterone Treatments they call imperative instead they moved 800 miles west it was quite a hard decision you know, it feels like weve been sourced out in a sense. We were forced out by ignorance. Reporter arkansas goes furthest but legislation restricting Health Care for transgender youth has been introduced in 19 states this year when youre a young person who has the strength to know exactly who you are and then to have people debating you, deciding that you dont deserve Health Care, that is traumatic. Reporter Chase Strangio with the aclu says many Families Wont have the means to move. I left both my parents. Reporter for emily it was hard to leave family behind. My kid comes first. Getting out gives him a chance to flourish, not just to exist but to be the self he wants to be and that hes supposed to be. Reporter their son hopes to help birds this summer. Theres a bird sanctuary, and it takes Volunteers Reporter a new start in a new state kate snow, Nbc News. Ahead for us on the Police Force for decades, an inspiring american finally tonight, the Police Officer from arkansas inspiring america and the town grateful for his extraordinary service. All right officer l. C. Buckshot smith is being celebrated the town of camden, arkansas, marked buckshot 92nd birthday with a big parade to thank him for his nearly 60 years of service. But buckshot has no plans to slow down anytime soon i need something to do i love to help people. Believed to be arkansas oldest Police Officer ive taken more folks home than ive taken to jail. Patrolling the streets and working in the courts how are you, brother . Every shift he checks in on local businesses in the downtown area. Ive been working on this corner since i was 11 years old, and ive been knowing him that long. Not only a beloved member of the community, also a teacher to many like sergeant Kayla Reynolds Buckshot is one in a million. Hes been a good mentor to the officers and he says hell keep patrolling these streets as long as the town will have him i hope i live a long time and continue to help people thats my goal and thats Nightly News for this tuesday. Thanks for watching. Im Lester Holt. Take care of yourself and each other good night im raj mathai. Next on Kntv Bay Area tonight are we in fore another Cold Wave . L. A. County once again recommending masks. Were joined by our experts to give you the information that will move you forward. Also new twists in the Recall Election Ychlt Governor Newsome is suing his own Secretary Of State and why Republican Colleger John Cox brought garbage. Plus the coyotes are back. Why Park Rangers say the animals arent to blame