and a few say this is pending fda review, but not why not wait until the fda has reviewed and we have the recommendation? are you worried about adding to vaccine hesitancy by trying to get ahead of that and nothing this now. dr. murthy: i want to be very clear, we are not skipping the very important fda process here. they have incredibly important roles to play. we honor that and they will be a part of this process. the reason we are not waiting for many more weeks to announce this falls into two buckets. one is transparency, we have told the public when we see a signal in the data we will tell them when we are concerned when we think there's may be required. we are fulfilling that promise today. the second reason is we also want to ensure that people and states and localities can plan. you cannot turn on a booster effort with the flip of a switch. yet to lay the groundwork, you have to make sure people understand this. that is why we are announcing this plan in advance today. dr. walensky: we are very much following what -- provided because they advised us on who should be getting va

: fda approval also paves the way for more vaccine mandates. almost immediately after the announcement, president biden made the shot mandatory for active duty troops. new york city issued a mandate for school employees without the option for weekly testing instead. meanwhile, pfizer's ceo says the company is developing a vaccine that targets the delta variant, but he said he does not think it will be needed because the current vaccine is so effective. dan lieberman, abc news, new york. >> dan, thank you. >>> a spike in covid cases has prompted hawaii's governor to urge visitors to stay away. limited hospital space led the governor to say this is not a good time to travel to the islands. the city of honolulu is suspending all large gatherings for next month. >>> president biden has approved a disaster declaration for tennessee after that deadly flood west of nashville. the search will resume today for 10 people missing, 21 others confirmed dead. survivors are describing how they escaped a wall of water which destroyed entire neighborhoods after

>> you have not named in fda commissioner yet, have you -- why have not found one yet. pres. biden: we are working hard to do that fast. >> following up, can you really say that governor cuomo has done a hell of a job if he's accused of sexually harassing? pres. biden: should he remain as governor is one question. women should be believed when they make accusations that make sense on the face of them and they are investigated and the judgment was made that what they said was correct. that's one thing. the question is, did he do a good job on infrastructure? that was the question. he did. >> his job as governor -- >> no, the question was, correct me if i'm wrong. >> generally. outside his personal behavior. >> can you separate the two? >> i'm asking about infrastructure as well. you said it is urgent that the bill is passed, why not have the house take it up immediately for a vote? pres. biden: [laughter] we will get it done. thank you. >> [indiscernible] fda approval of coronavirus vaccine -- >> c-span's "washington journal." every day, we are taking your calls live on the ai

keeping in mind that we may have to move sooner, based on fda approval. once fda licensure occurs. so it was a combination of factors. let me get my pen. >> so the assumption -- the reason there was no mention of a waiver is because the assumption is it's going to get full authorization. >> there was no mention of a waiver. in the memo itself -- president's approval to make the vaccines mandatory. he intends to ask for a waiver by mid-september, unless or until, fda licensure occurs first. >> so if it becomes mandatory before it has the full authorization from the fda, what will the difference be, if service members then refuse? because it's different, then, right? will there be consequences if a servicemember refuses? >> there are two parts there. let's say that fda licensure does not come, by mid-september, he seeks to waiver, and the president grants that waiver, they then become added to the list of vaccines that are required among service members in the military. i will not speculate about consequences on the backend. it would be premature to do that. but it then becomes a req

president biden welcome to the news today, calling fda approval the gold standard. he called on private sector companies to use the full approval to encourage more people to get vaccinated. >> calling on them to step the vaccine requirements that will reach millions more people. if you are a business leader, a nonprofit leader, state or local leader who has been waiting for full fda approval to acquire vaccinations, and calling on you to do that. >> this comes as much of the united states is in the grip of a new wave rotavirus infections. the highly contagious delta variant has helped fuel a surge in hospital admissions, especially states with low vaccination rates and high skepticism. now, some former vaccine skeptics are voicing regret after falling ill. >> this is arkansas and the american south. mostly rural, conservative and religious. here, the republicans are strong and the vaccination rates are we. >> health care workers prepare for another day's battle at the university hospital in the capital of little rock. the enemy's name is delta. this nurse is putting

. >> the fda is poised to give full approval to pfizer's vaccine this week. do you expect this decision is going to make more americans willing to get vaccinated? >> this may tip them over toward getting vaccinated. >>> i'm pamela brown in washington. you are live in the cnn newsroom. we are following breaking news this hour out of middle, tennessee. as the flood waters recede, the death toll climbs, 21 dead, 49 missing after catastrophic flash floods. people in humphries county west of nashville say the flood waters struck almost without warning. some compared it to a tidal wave that swallowed its victims and swept them away. twin toddlers are reported among the dead and at least five children are among the minneapmissing. search and rescue efforts grind on as do the grim duties of recovering the dead. nick valencia is joining us by phone from tennessee. where do things stand? >> the national weather service calling it this a devastating and catastrophic situation. we have at least 21 people that have perished as a result of this severe weather system that p

. >> fda approval. do you believe this could be something that creates a massive catalyst among people who haven't been vaccinated to date? >> chris, it's a really important day in our fight against covid-19. i don't know about the word "massive," chris, but i certainly hope for those who have been waiting for this full approval that this is the impetus for them to get vaccinated. we have clear evidence of the safety and effectiveness of the pfizer/biontech vaccine. it's undergone full approval and full vetting by the gold standard, the u.s. fda. >> you used full there twice. the hate parade is already marching and saying they took shortcuts. this isn't real approval. they hedged it just to make you take it. do you believe any of that? >> no, i don't, chris. we heard from the fda today that the application for the pfizer/biontech, biological application license for full approval was over 300,000 pages. the fda career staff went through it, they did the number crunching, they know. so not only was this d

. >>> now, the fda is set to authorize a third shot for some americans. we'll tell you who is eligible and what we know about the timeline. >>> also, school officials, doctors and parents under attack. the debate over masks intensifies and the president just weighed in. r you're winnint doing your best. when you're on the lanes, they're right behind you. reunite with your team. go bowling. as i observe investors balance risk and reward, i see one element securing portfolios, time after time. gold. your strategic advantage. trelegy for copd. ♪ birds flyin' high you know how i feel ♪ ♪ breeze drifting on by you know how i feel ♪ [man: coughing] ♪ it's a new dawn, it's a new day... ♪ no matter how you got copd it's time to make a stand. ♪ ...and i'm feelin' good ♪ start a new day with trelegy. no once-daily copd medicine has the power to treat copd in as many ways as trelegy. with three medicines in one inhaler, trelegy helps people breathe easier and improves lung function. it also helps prevent future flare-ups. trelegy won't replace a resc

reporter: you haven't named fda commissioner yet. i was wondering why you found or named a permanent fda commissioner yet? pres. biden: we're working on that very hard to make sure we can get it passed. yes? reporter: can i quickly follow up on your comment on governor cuomo? can you really say that he has done a, "hell of a job." if he's accused of sexually harassing women on the job? pres. biden: you asked me two questions. you asked the substantive, should he remain as governor is one question. and women should be believed when they make accusations that are able to, on the face of them, make sense, and investigated. and the judgment was made that what they said was correct. that's one thing. the question is, did he do a good job on infrastructure? that was the question. he did. reporter: well, the question was how did he do as a governor? pres. biden: no, the question was, correct me if i'm wrong. many about how was he as a governor, generally? outside of his personal behavior. pres. biden: outside his personal behavior. okay. re

the "new york times" is reporting that pfizer will get full fda approval for the covid-19 vaccine as early as next week. full authorization comes at a crucial moment as the delta variant surges. cheryl hurd has the story. >> reporter: solano county has one of the lowest vacation rates in the bay area. this doctor is the director of inclusion at toro university in vallejo says the penning fda approval of the pfizer vaccine is huge for the county because many people still don't think the shots are safe. >> one of the points to bring up is an underlying fear that the vaccine isn't safe because it is not yet approved. it is only an emergency authorization. it is not approved like everything else. with this being approved, it help reduce that or take that away. >> medical experts have been waiting for the pending fda approval. the infectious disease expert says not only will it push people to get the shots who have been on the fence about it. it may mean companies will start changing its policies. >> now after receiving full approval, vaccine mandates become more possible so more business

vaccine is safe and effective and the fda has given the full and final approval. so let me say this loudly and clearly. if you have and if you are one of the millions of americans who said that they will not get the shot until it has full and final approval of the fda, it has now happened. the moment that you have been waiting for is here. it is time for you to go get your vaccination, and get it today. today. it an important moment in the fight against the pandemic. you know, i want to thank the acting commissioner janet woodcock and the entire team at fda for the work. janet woodcock is a true scientist and serving under the democratic presidents and republican presidents. she has ensured that the team follow the science above all, and looked at the mountains of clinical trial data and the safety and the efficiency day and concluded without question that the vaccine was safe and effective for emergency use in december. that same thing that we have those shots in the arms at the time, and 350 million in the united states, and billions across the world. they kept

are a business leader, a nonprofit leader, the state or local leader who has been waiting for full fda approval to require vaccination, i call on you now to do that, require it. do what i did last month, require the employees to get vaccinated or face strict requirements. as i said last week, vaccination requirements have been around for decades for teachers and leaders and military personnel have had vaccinations like polio and smallpox and measles and rubella. and the reason that you don't worry about that today is because of the vaccines. it only means that covid should require a vaccine. and today, another good reason to get vaccinated. so please, get vaccinated now. if you go to vaccines.com, vaccines.com, or text your zip code to 438829, 438829, and you can find a number of vaccine sites near you, just minutes away to where you can get your shot without an appointment. all around the world, people want these vaccines, and here in america, they are free, convenient and waiting for you. so, please, go today for yourself, for your loved ones and for your neighbors and for your count

the company says it is working with the fda and cdc to clear a possible booster shot for wide use. meanwhile on campuses across the country proof of vaccination is now required at nearly 800 colleges and universities. several legal challenges to these mandates have already been rejected by the courts. let's bring in kerry sanders from one college campus in florida. and these mixed mandates at the major universities in that state, but the nursing college you are at is requiring shots for all of its students. since you are our collegiate reporter today, how is that playing out where you are and across the country? >> well, here at chamberlain university where classes begin next week, if you are not vaccinated, you are not welcome into the building to take classes. it is indeed a mandate. we're seeing it play out across the country. i think perhaps the most interesting is university of virginia, they have made it clear to their students that they must get the vaccine. and this is a term at smu i'm sure when you went to college you never heard this before, you can drop a class maybe li

there are reams of scientific data behind any decision the fda makes. that is what they have done in a short time. you heard the president pleading with people in this nation to get vaccinated. the delta variant is leading to hospitalizations, particularly in the south. there are 17,000 people alone in this state, florida, currently hospitalized. according to one poll from the family foundation, the kaiser family foundation, a third of the people they talked to said they would get vaccinated once there was fda approval. that could make a tremendous difference across the country particularly where vaccine rates are lower. there will always be people who will refuse to get the vaccines, or their own personal reasons. but it is hoped this approval and the reams of scientific data behind them will take those people who have been teetering on the edge finally get vaccinated. vaccination rates in some states , louisiana, alabama and mississippi, have been taking up tremendously over the past few days. it is hoped that this decision will make that go even fast

the fda tweeting you're not a horse. you're knot a cow. seriously, y'all, stop it. you're not a horse. you're not a cow. seriously, y'all, stop it. so let me get this straight. think about this, okay? you won't get vaccinated. you won't wear a mask. you said you're worried about the fda approval you don't know what's in the vaccine but you'll take a drug meant for deworming livestock? really? you'll trust your health and life to rumors and misinformation? just the latest in the hall of shame of covid misinformation. >> supposing you bright the light inside the body, which you can do through the skin or in some other way and i think you said you're going to test that, too. sounds interesting. then i see the disinfectaing where it knocks it out in a minute. is there a way to do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning because you see it gets in the lungs. >> the former covid misinformation in chief right there. but even he can't control the misinformation anymore because this weekend he told a crowd of supporters in alabama to get vaccinated and gu

>> i think some people will get vaccinated as a result of the fda approval. but i think what really is going to get people vaccinated are -- are consequences. sticks, at this point, if you will. when employers tell people, you know what? if you want to step foot in this office, you better have a vaccination. if you want to be able to go to the football game, you bitter h better have a vaccination. i mean, this is what is going to get people vaccinated. you have to impose consequences on people for their reckless behavior. some people don't get vaccinated because their dogmatic. some because they're -- >> so, let me -- let me ask you this. i said that and i have heard others say that. and people say, oh, commy and this is, you know, america and we don't do that here, in america. where -- what do you say to that? >> well, i -- i had to get my kids vaccinated to go to school, last i checked. you know, it's been a while for me. and we have all gotten vaccinations. we put our arms out and i say to all of them, you know, in this country. you know, we -- we are very

will the fda want more data? when do you think we will see more resolution on that? >> the fda will probably approve it, they probably will not have any barriers to approving it. whether or not the cdc will then sanction or recommend it is another step in the process, and that is probably where there will be some dis-synchrony. they will probably need a few more months of data, looking at hospitalizations and deaths. kristen: the fda already okayed it for the immunocompromised group, just because maybe their immunity did not take as much of the vaccine. do you think people of a certain age might get the booster through that avenue soon? i know that france, germany and israel have been giving it to elderly people. they are lowering the age 250. i don't want to think that 50 is elderly. >> tell me about it. i think that will be the next group that the biden administration is already planning on no waiting -- not waiting for to approve it. it takes a lot of logistics. that will be the next group, in my opinion. you don't want to wait for that group to go to the hospital

vaccine now that the fda has approved it? >> what was the question? >> should americans trust the pfizer vaccine not that the fda has approved it? >> i don't want to speak on behalf of everybody here. but 10 years ago this month, i was using a drug that was fda approved for relapsed cancer patients to fight the cancer that i had, hodgkin's lymphoma. that pharmaceutical company developed a drug that helped save my life, and that is a great thing. the fda right now is standing in the way of a lot of drugs get into the american people that they could use across-the-board. right now a lot of us support in the right to try. we believe the fda should get out of the way of the ability to try drugs on the market. we believe all americans should avail themselves of these vaccines should make a decision between them and their doctor for what is in the best interest of them and their families and then go forward and conquer. i saw on the tv earlier, we are at like 72% of 12 and older americans have had one shot of the vaccine. 72%. that

pfizer today granted full fda approval for its vaccine. the hope now is that americans who have been waiting for a full fda sign-off will have the reason they need to roll up their sleeves. but the news is also strengthening the hands of companies and institutions that are moving to require workers and students in some cases to be fully vaccinated americans still playing catchup with a virus that infected 180,000 people just this past weekend and took almost 1,200 lives. miguel almaguer has details. >> reporter: expected but still historic today's full approval of pfizer's vaccine for people 16 and older marks another major milestone in the pandemic, coming 97 days after the fda began its official review the first covid vaccine to move beyond emergency use authorization. the new announcement expected to move the needle on future vaccinations >> those who have been waiting for full approval should go get your shot now. the vaccination is free it's easy, it's safe, and it's effective >> you're going to feel a little pinch, okay >> reporter:

>> the focus today with the fda approval is on the vaccine. and it is to implement a mandatory evacuation for pfizer. mike? >> thanks. >> can you speak a little to any covid prechs that is going on at the airport? are they being tested before they get on aircrafts or in intermediary countries? >> as i understand it medical personnel are conducting covid screenings for those symptomatic. and then as appropriate, depending on the safe haven, additional screenings at some of those occur, and upon arrival at the united states all passengers are being tested upon arrival and then, you know, the medical professionals are making the proper decisions after that? >> is there is concern for mostive soldiers on the ground? >> i don't know what, what positive results have come in for soldiers, but they're health and safety obviously remains a top concern for all of us. >> i think you announced that it is now -- is that a new edition? >> that is one additional base, we had been talking about three prior to that. joint base mcguire. they are now available t

the fda is prioritizing the evaluation of covid-19 vaccines. this is the top priority for the fda. but in order for the fda to evaluate a vaccine for under 12s, it has to get an application first from the companies, which means they have to complete their trials, put the data together, and submit them to the fda. the trials are still underway right now for kids under 12. and my hope is that they will come to a conclusion soon and that we will get that application from the companies to the fda because i will tell you that they will move fast to evaluate that, to determine, again, if a vaccine is safe and effective tomorrow for our kids. if everything were to go well, i think it's possible that we could see a vaccine before the end of the calendar year for kids under 12. but, you know, everything would have to go well in that circumstance. but make no mistake, the fda will move quickly on this because they recognize what's at stake. it's the health of our children. and there's really nothing more important than that. >> you're absolutely 100% right. as you know, president biden is lo

approval once fda licensure occurs. it was a combination of factors. >> i have a bunch. >> let me get my pen. >> the assumption that the reason there was no mention of a waiver in that memo is the assumption it will get full authorization prior to becoming mandatory. >> there was not mention of a waiver. in that memo itself -- they need the president's approval. >> so he is asking for a waiver. >> he intends to ask for a waiver by mid-september unless or until fda licensure occurs first. >> effort becomes mandatory. it's different, then? right. >> so to parts there. let's say that fda licensure doesn't come by mid-september and he seeks the waiver and the president grants that waiver. they then become added to the list of vaccines that are required of all service members in the military. i will not speculate about consequences on the backend. it would be premature to do that. it tends to become a required vaccine just like all the other vaccines. i think there are 17 total. there's eight have to get just to go to boot c

. >>> big news from the fda. full approval of the pfizer vaccine coming as early as today. what it means for the future of vaccine mandates. that's next for you. ok everyone, our mission is to provide complete, balanced nutrition for strength and energy. whoo hoo! ensure, with 27 vitamins and minerals, now introducing ensure complete! with 30 grams of protein. i've lost count of how many asthma attacks i've had. but my nunormal with nucala? fewer asthma attacks. nucala is a once-monthly add-on injection for severe eosinophilic asthma. not for sudden breathing problems. allergic reactions can occur. get help right away for swelling of face, mouth, tongue, or trouble breathing. infections that can cause shingles have occurred. don't stop steroids unless told by your doctor. tell your doctor if you have a parasitic infection. may cause headache, injection-site reactions, back pain, and fatigue. ask your doctor about nucala. find your nunormal with nucala. ♪ music playing. ♪ there's an america we build ♪ ♪ and one we explore one that's been paved and one that's forever

this is a clinical judgment and there is no way the cdc or the fda or dr. fauci are going to be able to specifically define that term when it comes to making the decision do i give this patient a dose, a third dose or not? and unfortunately, this is the reality in clinical medicine. it's like when do you go to the next step? it's not clear. the other thing of course, i wish we were getting a lot more caveats about this is what we know today and may not be what we know next week. so there is a lot of variables here that are influx, in play constantly in this whole debate. chuck? >> all right. i'm going to personalize it. is age a line here for you? would it be everybody over the age of 75? you know, at some point, the age of somebody makes you automatically -- your immune system is a bit more compromised. what is that definition? is it really the definition of if you feel vulnerable, get the shot? >> no, it's really going to be more about does your doctor, your personal physician think that whatever conditions you have and your age, do they in total make you

that's what the fda needs to be talking about right now. for those unvaccinated, they're too nervous that these rules and regulations have been charged. they say one thing at one point and then they change it. it it's not a mandate. in the end it seems like a protocol. >> frank luntz, appreciate it as always. thank you. >> thank you. >>> democrats arerallying to pass a key item by president biden. how long will they continue their infighting? they're trying to get this resolution to his desk. and there you have it- woah. wireless on the most reliable network nationwide. wow. -big deal! ...we get unlimited for just 30 bucks. sweet, i get that too and mine has 5g included. that's cool, but ours save us serious clam-aroonies. relax people, my wireless is crushing it. that's because you all have xfinity mobile with your internet. it's wireless so good, it keeps one upping itself. >>> more breaking news. just before his remarks on afghanistan, president biden vowed to keep hope for house democrats, passing a $3.5 trillion budget resolution. but

fda for pfizer's vaccine. we are standing by waiting for that. the news continues next with alisyn and victor. stay with us. and there you have it- woah. wireless on the most reliable network nationwide. wow. -big deal! ...we get unlimited for just 30 bucks. sweet, i get that too and mine has 5g included. that's cool, but ours save us serious clam-aroonies. relax people, my wireless is crushing it. that's because you all have xfinity mobile with your internet. it's wireless so good, it keeps one upping itself. ♪ ayy, ayy, ayy ♪ ♪ yeah, we fancy like applebee's on a date night ♪ ♪ got that bourbon street steak with the oreo shake ♪ ♪ get some whipped cream on the top too ♪ >>> today -- >> here is president biden speaking on vaccines. let's listen in. >> in our nation's fight against covid. food and drug administration, the fda, announced it has fully concluded its now thorough independent scientific review after a strict process, the fda has reaffirmed its findings that the pfizer covid-19 vacci

would that be a deadline when the fda comes out? >> yes, yes. >> reporter: and universities like louisiana state have said they would mandate the vaccine quickly after authorization. some public health officials have said they were surprised it has taken so long for full approval. white house officials have maintained they will not put pressure on the agency. >> the fda is the gold standard for vaccine review and approval they'll run independent and rigorous scientific process. when that process is complete, the american people can rest assured that the fda maintained this world class standards throughout this period. >> reporter: but for some, it stale may not be enough. >> the pfizer shot is about to get full fda approval. would that change your opinion on it at all? >> not until they do a whole lot more investigating on that. >> reporter: that woman went on to say it would probably take ten years to do the investigating to get her to take the vaccine. cheerily look, not everyone will be convinced. some administration officials he

the fda just granted full approval to pfizer's covid vaccine. making it the first to secure that seal of approval from the federal government. health officials hope it will convince more americans that the pfizer shot is safe and effective. right now about 82 million people still have not been vaccinated. and this is a critical moment. more than 1,000 americans, nearly all unvaccinated are now dying from covid each day. that's the highest this number has been in five months. the urgency of now. let's start with cnn's kaitlyn collins live at the white house. what are you hearing about this from the white house? >> reporter: it's exciting news. this is something the white house has been waiting to hear for a long time. we've heard fda officials say the white house stayed out of their way when they were working on the review process and how lengthy it was as they were waiting to grant the full approval. it's significant for the first covid-19 vaccine. but they are excited that this news came today. they had an idea based on what health officials ar

pfizer gets full fda approval in the race to fight the coronavirus. how some companies are wasting no time with new vaccine mandates. >>> drawing a red line. the taliban warning if the u.s. keeps soldiers past tuesday's deadline. >>> midnight ceremonies. a new chapter begins for new york state with its first ever female governor. >>> good morning. good to be with you. i'm anne-marie green. more americans are now facing vaccine requirements less than 24 hours after the fda granted full approval of the pfizer covid vaccine. within hours of yesterday's decision the pentagon, retailer cvs and the new york city school system among others announced they will require employees to get shots. president biden called on more companies to step up vaccine mandates. elise preston has the latest from new york. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, anne-marie. in addition to the mandates, the hope is americans will feel more eased to get the shots. pfizer's covid vaccine is fully approved for americans 16 and older. >> this approval now furthers our confidence tha

this is on another front when it comes to the fda. the fda is expected to grant full approval of the pfizer coronavirus vaccine early next week. yesterday, it will be the first covid-19 shot to receive full authorization from the federal government. charlie is in arkansas. caller: what bothers me about this whole thing is we were paying the pakistan military aid to give to the taliban so they dictate fighting. we would give them a raise. we one of the fight to continue. luke military contractors could make a fortune. we should do a cost-benefit study on the whole program from beginning to end and see what we spent over there. also in south korea and other places. i think there should be an emancipation proclamation for all the women. tell them they are free, just like a blinken did. host: billy in new mexico, you're up next. billy in new mexico? one more chance. is this minnesota? caller: hello. thank you for taking my call. i want to know what sleepy joe was thinking when we gave how many billions of dollars towards military equipmen

and so we now know that the pfizer vaccine has been fda approved. it is as safe as we have any other vaccine available to us today that is licensed. so the pfizer vaccine is licensed. i'm sure that we're going to find the same with the moderna vaccine. and we'll probably find the same with the johnson & johnson vaccine. these vaccines have been used now for many months and have been scrutinized very carefully. we've identified those very rare, very rare side effects, and we will continue to watch them. there are five systems in the united states that monitor vaccine safety. we have the safest vaccine system in the world. >> all good points to commit to memory here. dr. jose romero, thank you so much for being with us. >> my pleasure. thank you for having me. >>> and "new day" continues right now. >>> good morning to viewers here in the united states and around the world. i am brianna keilar with john berman, and we are beginning with breaking news from afghanistan. the white house says 21,000 people were evacuated from the kabul airport in the last

. >>> poised for the fda, a third dose for immunocompromised people plus cdc's advice to pregnant women. >>> withdrawal from afghanistan, the taliban are quickly recapturing city after city, and infusing terror into the hearts of every female in the area. >>> to the incredible scene where one cadillac suv was no match for this massive sinkhole. >>> get ready to reach deeper into your wallet to ship those holiday packages "early today" starts right now. >>> good thursday morning. i'm philip mena. >> glad you could be with us i'm frances rivera >>> bone dry conditions allowed the dixie fire in california to burn through thousands of acres every hour hundreds of homes have been destroyed and more are in the line of danger here is nbc's steve patterson. >> reporter: the colossal dixie fire setting a grim milestone. the nation's largest fire has torched more than 500,000 acres. its massive spread now more than half the size of rhode island, sending clouds of pollutants across the country. >> that plume now creates its own weather, meaning the winds can go any direction. >> reporter: the fire

i don't know that full fda approval is really going to change things for them. maybe for some people. i don't know that it's going to be this tsunami of people who are going to start standing in lines that go around the corner, but let's talk about what the hope is that the effect that this full approval might have. first, as we've been talking about, hopefully, people will think, now i'll get it because it's been fully approved. another possibility is that -- or another thing we know is true is that having full approval allows pfizer to advertise. they couldn't do that with emergency authorization. pharmaceutical companies are good at advertising. let's hope they're really great at advertising the vaccine. also, this is really the most important one is that having full approval encourages employers, restaurants, et cetera, to require a vaccine. now, you folks know because we're in new york that restaurants here have been doing that for indoor seating for, you know, a week or two now. but more places will probably feel comfortable, and that's where it might happ

fda had to put something on that. now we're having to have people put out statements please don't take your cow's dewormin' medicine. >> we can check that off. >> the at the same time people that are taking their cow's dewormin' medicine, they are not taking a vaccine that nearly 200 million americans have already taken. a vaccine that science shows, medicine shows will actually significantly cut the likelihood of you getting covid and getting bad side effects from covid down to like .005. more of a chance to get struck by lightning. more of a chance to die from a tree falling on you than actually about having a negative side effect, serious negative side effect from this vaccine. now please, go ahead, take the horse dewormin' the. no, don't do that. what's wrong with you? can you show us the fda plea again that looks like it's straight out of the onion. this pretty much tells you where we are in 2021 where we have people who are dying, loved ones are watching dying, who aren't taking the vaccine, people who are -- we

as the first fda-approved covid-19 vaccine, the public can be confident that this vaccine meets the fda's gold standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality that we require for an approved product. >> words that could not come a day too soon. that is because, as of this weekend, the country's back to averaging a thousand-plus deaths a day from covid. that grim figure hasn't been this high since march. in florida, over the weekend, hospitalizations set a new record for the entire pandemic with more than 17,000 men, women, and children in covid units, icus, and ers across the state. nationally, new cases are, once again, averaging close to 150,000 a day. that's nearly ten-times what they were in june and experts on this program have predicted they'll hit 200,000 a day before this latest surge is over. even as cases soar, vaccine hesitancy or even outright hostility remains. and while today's announcement might not persuade the hardest-core vaccine refusers, recent polling from the kaiser family foundation suggests one in three unvaccinated americans would be more likely to

the fda giving full approval now to the pfizer vaccine and what this could mean for vaccine mandates in this country. and the news coming in from afghanistan tonight. the evacuations. how many americans, how many afghan interpreters remain? and will the president extend that august 31st deadline? tonight, the taliban with a warning if he does. >>> first, the coronavirus and tonight, pfizer now the first covid vaccine in the u.s. to be fully approved for americans 16 and older. until now, it had been given emergency use authorization, now full approval. found to be 91% effective at preventing the virus. federal authorities have long hoped this moment would help with the unvaccinated, providing additional proof of the vaccine's safety. what this could mean for vaccine mandates moving forward. what new york city has done. and companies, too. the united airlines tonight giving employees five weeks from today to be fully vaccinated. and all of this comes as more than 180,000 children get covid in just one week. dr. jha standing by, answering questions on all of this and the booster and wh

the fda formally approves pfizer's covid-19 vaccine. but will it change minds and what will that mean for vaccine mandates. thank you for joining us here on kron, 4 news at 10. i'm pam moore and i'm ken wayne, an important milestone in the fight against coronavirus in a summer surge fueled by the dangerous delta variant the fda today formally approving pfizer's covid vaccine our grant lotus standing by here in the studio tonight with the latest details grant pam ken, the 2 dose pfizer shot was of course, first authorized for emergency use. that was back in december for people 16 in up now. 12 and up can get it. and since then, it has been administered and. >> something of an experimental phase, but that all changed today, full fda approval carries the agency, strongest endorsement of a product that we have that now. and this comes after more than 188 million doses of the vaccine have been administered. so far in the u.s. in the fda had a lot of data to work with when determining just how safe the vaccine is the agency inspected. the com

the breaking news of the morning, the fda approved pfizer's covid vaccine. prior to that new york city is mandating vaccine shots for all public school teachers and all school staff. that is new york city. the time is up for me. neil, it is yours. neil: thank you, stuart, very much for that. that by the way many of the factors living the corner of wall and broad. particularly helping cruise line stocks, leisure stocks, airline stocks, drug stocks, you name it. nasdaq, s&p at record territory. not all that far away. we'll keep an eye on that, that despite maybe because of what is going on in afghanistan because things appear to be stablizing, at least in the market's eyes, not getting any worse. that is really in the eye of the beholder. there is vision among ranks of those who have people, britain, germany, and the united states all arguing about having to get on the same page but far from that, again the indication is the administration would love to have this all wrapped up by the end of this month, august 31st there is sort of decree by the taliban that t

yet with the fda approval of the pfizer vaccine, dr. fauci suggested he thought 20 million or so might now get it. what is your sense of that how this official fda approval may change the trajectory here? >> reporter: i think a lot of us thought that would be sort of what pushes it over the top. certainly the doctors told me they believe this is a game changer. but the kaiser family foundation did a study before the approval by the fda asking those who were hesitant and it was about 7 in 10 said they won't get vaccinated even with the approval. 3 in 10 will get vaccinated. that's a significant number of people. in fact, i met a woman, amanda, who decided, even though she has heard now that it is approved, that it's just not for her. on top of this, her uncle is right now in the icu, a doctor held up a phone and her uncle pleaded with her to get the vaccine. and even as he's there dealing with coronavirus, in the icu, listening to the video, well, listen to what she had to say. >> you have those close to you that have coronavirus. >> rig

that big news, full approval from the fda. meantime in d.c., house of representatives comes back to work today, they have their work cut out for them. lawmakers are back from recess early, facing a very different landscape from when they left. democratic leaders eager to lock up votes for the economic package and pass it with the infrastructure bill. major roadblock, nine moderates say they will not act on reconciliation unless they see infrastructure pass first. joining me from capitol hill, nbc news national political reporter sahil kapur. walk us through work congress needs to do and how big a throu of a roadblock the nine pose. >> yeah, big week coming up for president biden's legislative agenda. the house is planning to move that bill and that's a tax hike on the upper earners. as you mentioned, speaker pelosi is facing a rebellion who said they don't want to begin work on the $3.5 trillion reconciliation package until the bill is passed into the house and signed into law by president biden. they have a new op-ed today in

the nasdaq up 1.7%. >>> the fda officially approved

the fda granting full approval for pfizer's vaccine, the fastest vaccine approval in fda history. >> those that have been waiting for full approval should go get your shot now. >> reporter: pfizer becoming the first vaccine to move past emergency use authorization. their shot made with mrna does not contain any part of the coronavirus and does not alter people's dna. in order to get full fda approval pfizer had to undergo a more stringent review, submitting results from its ongoing clinical trials and proving substantial evidence of effectiveness. >> the fda not just took their time and did the due diligence that needed to be done but did it quickly and efficiently. >> reporter: the move paves the way for more corporations, government and schools to issue vaccine mandates. the pentagon now preparing to require the shot for its 1.3 million active duty troops. new york city announcing shots will now be required for all school employees with weekly testing no longer an option. and workers at united airlines have five weeks to show the now-required proof of vaccination. while the fda's f

the american academy of pediatrics now urging the fda to authorize vaccines for kids under 12 as soon as possible as cases in children rise. the hospitals on the brink once again and as students head back to the classroom, the new battles over masks erupting overnight. dr. richard miami condo building evacuated. residents told to get out. the building deemed unsafe. >>> scam alert. the warning from the irs. how scammers are taking advantage of families that qualify for the child tax credit payments being sent this week. how they're stealing your money. >>> we all quit. workers at another retail chain say they've had enough and walk out. >>> close encounters guy who reeled in a great white shark to the hiker who got way too close to this moose. >>> and later a whole new way to have fun while mowing the lawn. >>> good tuesday morning, everyone. we begin with the troubling increase in coronavirus cases among children. >> doctors are reporting the biggest spike since the start of the pandemic and with the new school year getting under way, a top medical group is now urging the fda to fast