Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, said Wednesday, but there is "a mountain" of data for experts to consider before making a decision.
Friday's discussion will be public, he added, so people can see the data that goes into the decision.Local health departments are planning on being ready to roll out booster doses next week if given the green light from the FDA, but many still have questions, Lori Tremmel Freeman, chief executive officer of the National Association of County and City Health Officials, told CNN on Wednesday."What is the interval for boosters?"The schools will become sources of spread in the Northeast as well."
However, Gottlieb, who sits on the board of Pfizer, doesn't expect the Northeast to get hit nearly as hard as the South, mostly because of prior infections and high vaccination rates.Most Americans support Covid-19 restrictionsOther strategies officials have promoted to increase virus protection are vaccine mandates and mask requirements.Last week, Biden announced a plan to tackle the pandemic, which included mandating businesses with more than 100 employees to require their workforce be either vaccinated or regularly tested.Many states and workplaces had already introduced similar measures.Los Angeles is set to expand vaccination requirements with the implementation of a new health order that will mandate vaccine verification for indoor bars, wineries, and nightclubs, and recommend the same for indoor restaurants, County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer announced Wednesday.There is support for Covid-19 vaccination requirements, but only in certain settings, according to a report released Wednesday by the Pew Research Center.When it comes to restaurants, Americans are split, with 50% saying proof should be required for people to eat inside.For stores and businesses, 54% oppose a vaccination requirement.And most Americans believe that the public health benefits of restrictions due to Covid-19 are worth the economic and lifestyle costs, the report said.