Agency: President Biden warned that the coronavirus pandemic wasn’t yet over, but said that the U.S. “was headed in the right direction.” He called on states and private businesses to support vaccine mandates in an effort to avoid another surge in cases.
“We have critical work to do and we can’t let up now,” Biden said in a speech at the White House on Thursday. “I’m calling on more business to step up. I’m calling on more parents to get their children vaccinated when they are eligible.”
He projected optimism amid a drop in new cases compared to a devastating summer wave.
The numbers: The U.S. is now recording roughly 90,000 new infections a day, down more than 40 percent since August. Hospitalizations and deaths are also falling. Nearly 70 percent of adults are fully vaccinated, and many children under 12 are likely to be eligible for their shots in a matter of weeks.
Related: An F.D.A. advisory committee recommended Moderna booster shots for high-risk groups. The F.D.A. had authorized booster shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
