Though coronavirus cases are surging across the U.S., President Biden said the economy was roaring back and pushed back against concerns about inflation. Still, he urged Americans to get their vaccines, warning economic recovery hinged on getting the pandemic under control. Weijia Jiang reports. Source

“There is a shortage of oxygen, also a shortage of beds,” one exhausted front-line doctor told CBS News. “You put the two together, it’s a complete disaster.” Source

Some 80 wildfires are scorching more than a dozen states in the West. Officials say heavy smoke is hampering their efforts to put out the Tamarack Fire, which exploded over the weekend. Jonathan Vigliotti reports. Source

Blue Origin is sending its founder, billionaire Jeff Bezos, into space on its inaugural human spaceflight. The engineers have designed several safety systems that they’ve thoroughly tested ahead of today’s launch. Mark Strassmann reports. Source

As South Africa faces a third wave of COVID cases, doctors and hospitals face a lack of supplies to treat the relentless virus. Debora Patta looks at the damage the Delta variant is bringing to an already fragile country. Source

Two other men camping with the victims remained in critical condition, Lenawee County Sheriff Troy Bevier said. Source

The American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending that children above the age of two wear masks when they return to school, even those who are vaccinated. This is causing public confusion as the CDC has said that vaccinated students do not need to wear masks. President Biden’s Chief Medical Advisor, Dr. Anthony Fauci, joins “CBS This Morning” to weigh in. Source

New Hampshire’s Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan is up for reelection next year. She won her seat by just over 1,000 votes in 2016 and is expected to face another tough contest in the 2022 midterms. Dante Scala, a political science professor at the University of New Hampshire, joins Elaine Quijano on CBSN’s “Red & Blue” to discuss that race and more. Source

“I’m not really nervous. I’m excited,” Bezos said as he and 3 crewmates prepared to become the first people to launch aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard spacecraft. Source

California family says he won’t keep masks on no matter how hard they try but Southwest Airlines crew in St. Louis at first was having none of it. Source