Sunday shows preview: Coronavirus dominates as White House continues to push vaccination effort

The White House’s efforts to boost coronavirus vaccinations across the country as demand for the inoculation starts to wane are expected to dominate this week’s Sunday talk shows. 

As of Saturday, nearly 58 percent of the U.S. adult population has received at least one dose of one of the three vaccines approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency use, with roughly 43 percent fully vaccinated, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

However, a survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation released this week found that just nine percent of people who haven’t yet been vaccinated said they plan to do so, raising concerns from health experts and others on whether the country will be able to reach the 70- to 80-percent threshold necessary to achieve herd immunity. 

A CBS News analysis published this week showed that at least 22 states were not requesting their full vaccine allotments, and a Gallup poll published Wednesday found that more than half of American adults were worried about vaccine demand, compared to just 15 percent who said they were concerned about vaccine supply. 

To promote the safety and importance of getting vaccinated, President Biden is expected to appear in a prerecorded video message for Global Citizen’s “Vax Live” concert Saturday evening. 

The event, hosted by pop artist Selena Gomez, will also include appearances from Vice President Harris and Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex. 

Meanwhile, Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said this week that the FDA was likely to authorize the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for adolescents as young as 12 years old “within several days.”

The expansion of the shot, which Canada this week approved for use among residents ages 12 to 15, could help the U.S. get closer to reaching herd immunity. 

Fauci is expected to make appearances on ABC’s “This Week,” and NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday. 

Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb will appear on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” and CNN’s “State of the Union” will feature Jeff Zients — the White House’s coronavirus response coordinator — to discuss the administration’s progress on vaccinations and other responses to the pandemic. 

Below is the full list of guests scheduled to appear on this week’s Sunday talk shows:

ABC’s “This Week” —  Fauci; Chris Christie (R), former governor of New Jersey; Rahm Emanuel (D), former mayor of Chicago.

NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Fauci; Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.); Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R).

CBS’ “Face the Nation” — Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo; Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.); Neel Kashkari, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis; Gottlieb; Michael Lewis, author and financial journalist.

CNN’s “State of the Union” — Zients; House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.); Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R).

“Fox News Sunday” — Michael McConnell, Facebook Oversight Board co-chair; Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.).

FOX News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures” — House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.); Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.); Newt Gingrich, former House Speaker; Timothy Shea, former acting Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration.