Biden to call for 100 days of masks

The president-elect has previously pushed for a nationwide mask mandate to stop the spread of the coronavirus. But on Thursday, Joe Biden stopped short of that, saying his first act as president would be asking Americans to commit to wear face coverings for his first 100 days in office.

Are any other new measures being taken? Friday is the deadline for states to submit requests for doses of Pfizer’s vaccine. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is set to review the company’s data and decide whether to grant emergency use authorization later this month. States are starting to draft distribution plans. Most are following guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that recommend vaccinating healthcare workers and nursing home patients first. But officials are also identifying key industries in their specific states: Colorado plans to give ski resort workers the shot in its second phase, while Arkansas has considered prioritizing poultry workers.

Dig deeper: Read Kyle Ziemnick’s report on the enforceability of mask mandates in The Stew.