Welcome to the lead. I'm Jake Tapper and this hour President Biden will speak in Atlanta

after meeting with Asian American community leaders in the aftermath of the horrific shootings

there, which left eight people dead, including six women of Asian descent.

Earlier this afternoon, President Biden also visited the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

and touted an accomplishment for his administration, meeting his goal for vaccinations earlier than

within the 100 days he promised. Today marks 100 million shots in arms in the US within 58 days,

not 100. And today news of a big change from the CDC that could help get more K-12 students

back into the classroom for in-person classes. The CDC is now advising three feet of distancing

instead of the previous six feet for most students, as long as masks and other prevention measures

are also in place, and depending upon community transmission rates. Joining me in moments,

Andy Slavitt, who leads the White House COVID response team, but first there is still fear

that new variants of the virus could threaten the nation's progress against the pandemic so far,

yet many states, regardless, are relaxing restrictions as CNN's Alexander Field reports.

Schools should be the last place to close and the first place to open.

A big shift today in the plan to put more kids back in the classroom.

K-12 schools that implement strong, layered prevention strategies can operate safely.

The CDC updating guidelines for schools to safely reopen if everyone is masked just three feet of

space between students down from six. The bottom line is that there was never very good evidence

for doing it at six feet, not if kids are masked up. It's not clear how quickly schools will

implement changes after the president of one of the largest teachers unions responded by saying they

would, quote, reserve judgment. The push to reopen the majority of schools across the country

accelerating as new COVID-19 cases hold steady. The country's stuck at an undeniably high average,

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