FDA gives full approval to Pfizer shot

The full approval came as the Delta variant is driving up infection rates and COVID-19 patients are filling hospitals across the country.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, more than 37.8 million Americans have been infected, and more than 628,000 have died from COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Currently the seven-day average daily death rate is roughly 1,008, according to New York Times.

The Pentagon said after the FDA announcement about the Pfizer vaccine that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will be sending guidelines to the country's 1.4 million active-duty service members mandating vaccines.

New York City officials announced Monday that all teachers, principals and custodians will be required to get at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by Sept 27. The mandate will affect about 148,000 city employees in the nation's largest public school system, with about 1.1 million students.

The infection and death uptick related to COVID-19 seems to have softened some people's attitude toward the vaccine.

A recent survey conducted on Aug 2 by the US Census Bureau showed that 10.5 percent of US adults 18 years and old are hesitant to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. In mid-January, 21.6 percent were reluctant to get the vaccine.

Resistance to receiving vaccines varies greatly from state to state. In Wyoming, 25.2 percent adults said they will likely or definitely decline vaccines. In contrast, only 3.7 percent harbor the same reluctancy in Massachusetts.

Consequently, 37.7 percent of Wyoming's population and 64.9 percent of Massachusetts' population are fully vaccinated.