Fauci says he's hoping for FDA COVID vaccine approval by the end of August and more 'local jab mandates' after 50% of Americans reached full vaccination status

  • Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday that he 'hopes' the COVID-19 vaccines will get full Food and Drug Administration approval by the end of August 
  • 'If that's the case, you're going to see the empowerment of local enterprises giving mandates,' he told NBC's Chuck Todd
  • The comments come after Friday figures show 50% of the U.S. population, including children, have been inoculated against COVID-19
  • All three COVID-19 vaccines administered in the U.S. are still under emergency use authorization and have not received full approval from the FDA
  • Children under 12 are not cleared to get the vaccine under the authorization

By Katelyn Caralle, U.S. Political Reporter For Dailymail.com

Published: | Updated:

Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday that he is hoping the coronavirus vaccine will receive full approval from the Food and Drug Administration in the 'next few weeks' as the rate of Americans who received the jab hit 50 per cent last week.

'I'm almost certain – in fact, I am certain – that as soon as the FDA fully approves the vaccines that are now under emergency use authorization –' Fauci began while speaking with NBC News.

'I don't mean to interrupt, but when is that?' Meet the Press host Chuck Todd interjected.

'I hope, I don't predict, but I hope that it will be within the next few weeks. I hope it's within the month of August,' Fauci responded.

'If that's the case,' he continued, 'you're going to see the empowerment of local enterprises giving mandates – that could be colleges, universities, places of business, a whole variety. And I strongly support that.'

Fauci, the nation's top immunologist and medical adviser to President Joe Biden, said more needs to be done now to 'persuade' Americans to get the vaccine, after the White House announced on Friday that of the whole U.S. population, 50 per cent have been inoculated against COVID-19. 

Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday that he 'hopes' the COVID-19 vaccines will get full Food and Drug Administration approval by the end of August

Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday that he 'hopes' the COVID-19 vaccines will get full Food and Drug Administration approval by the end of August

He told NBC's Chuck Todd (left) that if full approval is granted 'you're going to see the empowerment of local enterprises giving mandates'

He told NBC's Chuck Todd (left) that if full approval is granted 'you're going to see the empowerment of local enterprises giving mandates'

The latest comments come after the White House announced on Friday that the U.S. reached 50% vaccination rates among the whole population – including children

The latest comments come after the White House announced on Friday that the U.S. reached 50% vaccination rates among the whole population – including children

Vaccination rates have severely declined and plateaued over the summer as hesitancy among certain communities has prevailed

Vaccination rates have severely declined and plateaued over the summer as hesitancy among certain communities has prevailed

'The time has come is we've got to go the extra step to get people vaccinated,' Fauci said. 'You want to persuade them, that's good.'

'And I believe that some people on their own, once it gets approved as a full approval, will go ahead and get vaccinated. But for those who do not want, I believe mandates at a local level need to be done,' he said.

There are three vaccines under FDA's emergency use authorization – Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.

The special authorization is given to vaccines and medicines by the agency under the Department of Health and Human Services during times of national emergencies – like a pandemic.

The first vaccine was administered in December and for months was only available to adults, and in some cases those 16-18. In May, the shots were opened up to Americans 12 and older.

It remains that anyone under the age of 12 cannot receive a vaccine.

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, however, said last week that the vaccine should be approved for use in all ages some time during the upcoming school year.

Cyrus Shahpar, the White House's COVID data director, announced in a Friday tweet: '50% of Americans (all ages) are now fully vaccinated. Keep going!'

All three COVID-19 vaccines administered in the U.S. are still under emergency use authorization and have not received full approval from the FDA

All three COVID-19 vaccines administered in the U.S. are still under emergency use authorization and have not received full approval from the FDA

Some states, including southern states, have higher hesitancy toward the vaccine. Fauci says a lot of that will go away when FDA approval is granted

Some states, including southern states, have higher hesitancy toward the vaccine. Fauci says a lot of that will go away when FDA approval is granted

The latest figures means more than 165 million people have received either the two doses required with the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, or the one-and-done Johnson & Johnson shot.

'Friday just in: +821K doses reported administered, including 565K newly vaccinated,' Shahpar tweeted. '7-day average of newly vaccinated is up 11% from last week and 44% over past 2 weeks.'

The threshold of half of all adult Americans fully vaccinated was reached in late May.

Biden set a July 4 goal to get at least one dose into the arms of 70 per cent of U.S. adults. That goal was reached nearly a month late on August 2.

Fauci hoping for FDA COVID vaccine approval by the end of August after 50% of US got vaccinated

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