RICHARD BESSER

A new government report shows Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine gave children 5 and older strong protection against hospitalization and death even during the omicron surge.

Former acting CDC Director Dr. Richard Besser, pediatrician and president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, weighs in on the latest COVID-19 variant.

Former acting CDC Director Dr. Richard Besser, pediatrician and president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, weighs in on the latest COVID-19 variant.

The CDC must also weigh in before younger children can be vaccinated.

Former acting CDC Director Dr. Richard Besser, pediatrician and President of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, weighs in on new guidelines for 5-11 year olds.

Former acting CDC Director Dr. Richard Besser, pediatrician and President of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, weighs in on new guidelines for 5-11 year olds.

U.S. health officials are setting the stage for a national COVID-19 vaccination campaign for younger children, inviting state officials to pre-order doses starting next week.

Several counties across the U.S. have temporarily suspended school because of a surge in coronavirus cases among students and faculty early in the academic year.Why it matters: Richard Besser, former acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told NBC this week he believes more schools will close due to COVID-19 than last year because the Delta variant spreads with greater ease than other versions of the virus.Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights

Although philanthropy has taken steps to increase the flow of grant dollars to people with disabilities in recent years, disability advocates say the broad push among foundations to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion in their work has largely left people with disabilities out, both in terms of grants and representation on foundation boards and staff.

Life expectancy fell by nearly two years between 2018 and 2020, largely due to COVID-19. Declines were most pronounced among minority groups, including Black and Hispanic people.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — The pressure on trustees at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to grant tenure to investigative journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones continued to mount Friday as a major funding partner joined the call to change her status and a sought-after chemistry professor decided not to join the faculty over the dispute. In addition, The Baltimore Sun published an editorial in which it drew a parallel between Hannah-Jones and the Tulsa race massacre of 1921, describing it in a headline as “the whitewashing of American history,” a reference to The 1619 Project led by Hannah-Jones. Hannah-Jones, who won a Pulitzer Prize for her work on The 1619 Project for the New York Times Magazine, accepted a five-year contract to join the journalism school’s faculty as the Knight Chair in Race and Investigative Journalism.

Experts say benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh risks of the rare condition.

Experts say benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh risks of the rare condition.

Experts say benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh risks of the rare condition.

Former acting CDC Director Dr. Richard Besser weighs in on new CDC mask guidelines and a return to normalcy.

Dr. Anthony Fauci estimates the daily U.S. coronavirus infection rate needs to drop to 10,000 before Americans can "move on with their lives." That rate is hovering around 60,000, and as Mola Lenghi reports, variants are fueling another rise in cases. Dr. Richard Besser, the president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former acting director of the CDC, joined CBSN's Lana Zak to discuss the latest.

COVID-19 vaccination efforts pick up speed as states begin easing restrictions Vaccinations in the U.S. are picking up speed, but some states are facing pushback for lifting mask rules and other restrictions. CBS News' Mark Strassmann reports from Alabama, and Dr. Richard Besser, the president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former acting CDC director, joined CBSN to discuss the latest developments.

COVID-19 vaccination efforts pick up speed as states begin easing restrictions Vaccinations in the U.S. are picking up speed, but some states are facing pushback for lifting mask rules and other restrictions. CBS News' Mark Strassmann reports from Alabama, and Dr. Richard Besser, the president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former acting CDC director, joins CBSN to discuss the latest developments.

Biden administration marks 50 million coronavirus shots in first five weeks in office The Biden administration is marking a new milestone in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. has administered 50 million of its promised 100 million vaccine doses in just five weeks. This comes as homegrown variants cause alarm on both coasts on the country. Dr. Richard Besser, the president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the former acting director of the CDC, joins CBSN to discuss the latest.

Here's our Q&A with Dr. Richard Besser, former acting CDC director and president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. How does using age as a deciding factor for who gets access to a vaccine hurt communities of color or more vulnerable communities in this country? Vaccine recommendations from the CDC are developed by an independent advisory committee called the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The National Forum on Covid-19 Vaccine, organized by the CDC, is bringing together government officials and those in the private and nonprofit sectors to support the implementation of a safe, effective, and equitable vaccine distribution process. For millions of students, especially Black and Brown children, schools provide lifelines — healthy meals, a library, an internet connection — that might not be available for them anywhere else.

Here's our Q&A with Dr. Richard Besser, former acting CDC director and president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. How does using age as a deciding factor for who gets access to a vaccine hurt communities of color or more vulnerable communities in this country? Vaccine recommendations from the CDC are developed by an independent advisory committee called the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The National Forum on Covid-19 Vaccine, organized by the CDC, is bringing together government officials and those in the private and nonprofit sectors to support the implementation of a safe, effective, and equitable vaccine distribution process. For millions of students, especially Black and Brown children, schools provide lifelines — healthy meals, a library, an internet connection — that might not be available for them anywhere else.

Winter storms delay coronavirus vaccine distribution Winter storms are delaying vaccine shipments to several states as the nation pushes to speed up vaccinations. New variants are fueling concerns of a rapid rise in infections as the CDC warns up to 70,000 deaths could be recorded in the next month. Dr. Richard Besser, the president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, joins CBSN to discuss the vaccination effort.

Coronavirus infections fall as U.S. fights to get ahead of dangerous variants U.S. coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths have fallen over the last month. States are rushing to speed up vaccinations as fast-spreading variants threaten the nation's recovery. Dr. Richard Besser, the president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former acting director of the CDC, joined CBSN to discuss the latest in the fight against the pandemic.

Coronavirus infections fall as U.S. fights to get ahead of dangerous variants U.S. coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths have fallen over the last month. States are rushing to speed up vaccinations as fast-spreading variants threaten the nation's recovery. Dr. Richard Besser, the president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former acting director of the CDC, joins CBSN to discuss the latest in the fight against the pandemic.

Richard Besser, who served as acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under former President Barack Obama, said the U.S. is better off continuing to focus on getting patients both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine despite the slow rollout. On CNBC’s “The News with Shepard Smith,” Besser agreed with comments made earlier on Monday by Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. "I'd go with Dr. Fauci on this one," Besser said. "I have concerns that if we go to a one-dose regimen, we could be providing people with suboptimal levels of protection." He said that while evidence shows we can safely open schools, social indoor gatherings could lead to wider outbreaks "if we let our guard down."

Walensky, 51, an infectious-diseases specialist at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, is expected to become CDC director after Biden is inaugurated. Redfield kept a low profile during his first two years in office after being appointed by the Trump administration in 2018. Much of that has to do with cycles of funding for the national public health system that rise in reaction to a crisis and then fall, hurting efforts to prevent the next crisis. Last week, Biden said he would ask for $160 billion for vaccinations and other public health programs, including an effort to expand the public health workforce by 100,000 jobs. Georgetown's Westmoreland called for a law or other measure to prohibit political appointees from having editorial review of CDC science and to ban them from controlling when the agency releases information.

U.S. surpasses 4,300 daily coronavirus deaths The daily coronavirus death toll in the U.S. topped 4,300 on Tuesday. States are now rushing to get more people vaccinated, while officials in Ohio warn of a new, more contagious variant. Dr. Richard Besser, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the former acting director of the CDC, joins CBSN to discuss the latest in the fight against the virus.

Experts fear spike of coronavirus cases after the holidays The coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. is getting more dire by the day. Estimates show one American is dying from the virus every 30 seconds. Meanwhile, cases and hospitals are skyrocketing as experts warn the worst is yet to come as CBS News correspondents Jonathan Vigliotti and Manuel Bojorquez report. Then, Dr. Richard Besser, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the former acting director of the CDC, joins CBSN to discuss the latest on the fight against COVID-19.

FDA says Moderna's coronavirus vaccine is highly effective Moderna's coronavirus vaccine could soon be part of America's largest mass vaccination effort. The Food and Drug Administration said the vaccine is highly effective and there are "no specific safety concerns," and a panel is expected to consider the pharmaceutical company's application for emergency use this week. This comes as distribution ramps up for Pfizer's vaccine and health care systems are stretched thin as coronavirus infections skyrocket. CBS News correspondent Mola Lenghi reports on the latest developments from New York City, CBS News chief congressional correspondent Nancy Cordes reports from Washington on the need for funding to fight COVID-19, and Dr. Richard Besser, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the former acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, joined CBSN to discuss.

Here's a look at our Q&A with Dr. Richard Besser, former acting CDC director and president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Emergency Use Authorization for Pfizer's vaccine is a tremendous public health milestone. I am encouraged that these national leaders will do their part to lift up science and promote public health guidance. When I was acting director of the CDC at the start of the H1N1 pandemic in 2009, our nation's political leaders followed and promoted public health guidance. Economic support from Congress needs to be an integral part of our public health response.

Months of political disputes over face coverings, social distancing and other public health interventions have turned even the simplest precautions into partisan minefields. “We could save tens of thousands of lives if everyone would just wear a mask for the next few months. Gary Herbert declared a state of emergency and is requiring residents to wear masks in public. “Masks and social distancing have unfortunately been weaponized politically,” said Dr. Max Michael, dean of the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health. AdvertisementThe former health secretary, who backs a more robust public health response to the pandemic, said restoring scientists and public health leaders to the forefront should also help.

NEW YORK – U.S. health officials on Friday dropped a controversial piece of coronavirus guidance and said anyone who has been in close contact with an infected person should get tested. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention essentially returned to its previous testing guidance, getting rid of language posted last month that said people didn’t need to get tested if they didn't feel sick. That change had set off a rash of criticism from health experts who couldn't fathom why the nation's top public health agency would say such a thing amid the pandemic. He said the August changes had been “misinterpreted” and were part of an effort to increase engagement by doctors and local health officials in the handling of potential illness clusters. Adriane Casalotti, of the National Association of County and City Health Officials, said the now-deleted guidance caused confusion among the public.

But federal public health officials have released a new strategy that vows to improve data collection and take steps to address stark inequalities in how the disease is affecting Americans. The hospitalization rate for Black and Hispanic Americans is more than four times higher than for whites, according to CDC data through mid-July. The agency also said it will take steps to diversify the public health workforce responding to the epidemic. The CDC appointed Liburd, an agency veteran, in May to better address such issues the first time the agency had created that kind of leadership role for an epidemic. The goal was to make her a central figure in the agency's coronavirus work, with input on research and other tasks.

What's all this talk about a second wave of U.S. coronavirus cases? In The Wall Street Journal last week, Vice President Mike Pence wrote in a piece headlined There Isnt a Coronavirus Second Wave'" that the nation is winning the fight against the virus. But there is at least one point of agreement: Second wave is probably the wrong term to describe what's happening. When you have 20,000-plus infections per day, how can you talk about a second wave?" But in those cases, the second wave is a distinct new surge in cases from a strain of flu that is different than the strain that caused earlier illnesses.