Fauci hopeful COVID vaccines get full OK by FDA within weeks

(AP) The U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, says he’s hopeful that the Food and Drug Administration will give full approval to the coronavirus vaccine by month’s end.

He’s predicting the potential move will spur a wave of vaccine mandates in the private sector as well as schools and universities. The FDA has only granted emergency-use approval of the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, but the agency is expected to soon give full approval to Pfizer.

The Biden administration says that the federal government does not have the authority to mandate vaccinations beyond the federal workforce, but is increasingly urging state and local governments as well as businesses to consider such mandates.