crucial for meeting the administration's september 20th deadline. all of it at a pivotal time of the pandemic. nearly 2,000 americans are dying from covid every day, most since last winter. infection rates are surging across the west and midwest, forcing hospitals to send patients across state lines for care. joining me with the latest, ahead of the key meeting, gabe gutierrez. also with us, msnbc medical contributor, founding director of boston university center for emerging infectious disease policy and research. gabe, walk us through the duelling medical studies this week on booster shots and what, if anything, they mean for tomorrow's fda meeting, do we know anything about which way the committee might be leaning? >> reporter: it is confusing for many americans and highly contentious in the medical community as you just alluded to. monday in the lancet, an article