On Thursday, nearly 214,000 new cases and more than 2800 deaths were reported, according to a Reuters tally of official data.

With several experts projecting the death toll will soon surpass 3000 day, President elect Joe Biden promised a new national strategy that will impose mask mandates where he has the authority to do so.

He also urged people to wear masks voluntarily, a stronger approach than Trump's timid endorsement of mask wearing.

Meanwhile, two promising vaccine candidates could soon receive emergency use authorization from the U.

S.

Food and Drug Administration.

I can tell you that when it's appropriate, I will be first in line and I will encourage my family to take this vaccine.

In an exclusive Friday morning interview with Reuters, FDA Chief Stephen Hahn said it was realistic that 20 million Americans could be vaccinated by the end of the year.

Even if a vaccine is authorized this month and we vaccinate 20 million people this month.

This virus is still with us.

It is critically important that we take this seriously in the winter months.

With more than 100,000 Americans hospitalized.

As of Thursday, California Governor Gavin Newsom said he would impose strict new stay at home orders to be triggered on a region by region basis when less than 15% of hospital I C U capacity is available.

Washington University's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation now projects more than half a million cove in 19 deaths by April 1st in the United States, even with the life saving effects of vaccines.

But the institute said that 66,000 people could be saved if the share of Americans wearing masks in public rose to 95% in the next week.