the white house says he'll also be delivering remarks. we're going to take you live to the president when that event begins and you'll forgive the ridiculous play on words, but the booster comes as the negotiations inside his own party on capitol hill could also use a shot in the arm. it's going to be a week from hell in washington according to a veteran congresswoman joining us in a moment there are so many potential land mines awaiting the white house speaker pelosi, majority leader schumer. today the senate is going to pass a bill to try to a -- republicans will block it. it sets up a monstrosity of a legislative megadeadline with everything on the agenda from averting that government shutdown to inking a deal on the entirety of president biden's legislative agenda to critical funding for u.s. infrastructure. all of it supposed to happen thursday that is three days from now. the biggest obstacle for democrats as we speak, even bigger than republican opposition, themselves speaker pelosi is adamant that progressives will get on board for the infrastructure vote on thursday and that it will pass. >> let me just say we're going to pass the bill this week i promise that we would bring the bill to the floor. that was according to the language that those who wanted this to be brought to the floor tomorrow wrote into the rule bring the bill to the floor tomorrow for consideration but you know, i'm never bringing a bill to the floor that doesn't have the votes >> so that's speaker pelosi suggesting they are close. but the leader of the progressive caucus suggests they are not. >> the speaker is an incredibly good vote counter, and she knows exactly where her caucus stands. and we've been really clear on that >> the votes aren't there? >> the votes aren't there. >> you're looking for an agreement on the reconciliation. not necessarily a vote first when it comes to infrastructure? >> well, it's just the logistics. everything has to be done. there has to be an ironclad. >> are you close to an agreement? >> i think we're finally talking. which is important >> so this is all the backdrop to some democrats getting antsy with president biden's relatively hands off approach considering everything that is on the line here we're going to see if he says anything about that when he speaks again sometime in the next couple minutes. we expect it at the top of the hour we're keep ang eye on the live shot as soon as we get it from the white house. we'll bring it to you whenever we can in the meantime, i want to bring in lee ann caldwell on capitol hill nbc's shannon petty piece also waiting for president biden outside the white house. a it's great to be with you all of you. here we are, a monday with a monster megacliff set up speaker pelosi bought herself a little bit of time, but talk about what's going on behind the scenes in the house democratic caucus >> reporter: that's right. we're three days away from the major deadlines. what's happening behind the scenes, it started on the infrastructure bills speaker pelosi, the white house, senate democratic leader schumer are working vigorously to try to formulate the text of this megabill that we know is now nongoing to be $3.5 trillion it's going to be something less than that. and it is a crazy puzzle that they're trying to figure out because the dynamics remain complicated. i'm told by my sources that senator joe manchin still has not outlined a specific top line number to the white house of how much money he's willing to spend. he still is in the phase of asking democrats in the white house to explain to him why this bill is necessary and why it's necessary now. and then you have people like senator kiersten cinema who also have their own demands she's been very clear about where she stands the biggest priority for her are the climate change proposals but if you notice, that is the exact opposite of what senator manchin wants. he does not like the climate change proposals meanwhile in the house speaker pelosi is trying to negotiate between the progressives and the moderates, and the progressives at some point, they're saying they need an ironclad commitment, but then a group of progressive just released an opinion piece saying they need a vote on this reconciliation bill before the infrastructure bill so there's a lot of movement there and not a lot of clarity of what they're willing to accept >> let me skip over and ask like the hardest question of the day. right? what is that clarity what does it mean when they talk about as we heard the congresswoman say in the open here, that ironclad framework. right? >> yeah. you know, it's interesting especially when you're talking to aides in leadership they have for a long time been kind of saying that they're members when it comes to these process questions. they expect that to happen but they shouldn't be so dug in on things as they put it, not necessarily every american is looking for. they aren't necessarily waiting for when is the vote going to happen how is it going to pass? they just want to get the goods as some aides put it the question is as lee ann mentioned, is how and when that vote is going to happen. as of right now, lee ann started to tee it up how the house is very much trying to make sure that the moderates the get that bipartisan infrastructure vote pelosi, of course, noting and really making the suggestion to all members in the caucus reminding them that thursday is when government funding runs out. it's when surface transportation funding runs out that's why you also need to pass this bipartisan infrastructure bill but progressives are still extremely dug in there are now more members besides just those in that congressional progressive caucus who are willing to vote against the infrastructure bill to ensure that this priority legislation passes they are hoping to get potentially some kind of compromise so move it forward. but as of right now, many still dug in want to make sure that reconciliation bill passes and that it passes first before infrastructure >> shannon, we are probably within maybe a minute, maybe 90 seconds of president biden walking out for his covid booster shot it comes as you have some democrats in his own party, senator durbin, for example, saying at the end of the day the president needs to step up and say this is what we've got to do everybody has to pitch in. we know the white house says he was working the phones from camp david this weekend what's the sell on his end >> well, the white house officials have said they see the president as the honest broker her. they acknowledge there is distrust on both sides of the democratic party and distrust from the republican party. they think the president can step in here and help bridge the divides. we have not seen a really hands on approach from the president up until this point, though. i think part of that has been strategic. they have wanted to leave it to pelosi and schumer >> shannon, here he comes. we're going to listen in to president biden about to get his booster shot >> in the old days me either. anyway, like i did in my first and second covid-19 vaccination shot, about to get my booster shot and do it publicly. that's because the food and drug administration, the fda, the center for disease control and prevention, the cdc, looked at all the data, completed the review, and determined the boosters for the pfizer vaccine, others will come later maybe, i assume, but the pfizer vaccine are safe and effective they have all the data they need and last week they laid out who is eligible for those boosters for now. you're eligible for a booster if it's been six months since your second pfizer shot, and if you fall into one of these categories people over 65 which is hard to acknowledge. adults -- i'm only joking, folks. adults with certain underlying health conditions like diabetes and obesity, and those at risk of covid-19 because of where you work or live like health care workers, teachers, first responders, grocery store clerks if you fall under these categories, you're eligible for the booster. now, i know it doesn't look like it, but i am over 65 i wish i -- way over and that's why i'm getting my booster shot today the booster line is if you're fully vaccinated -- the bottom line is you're fully vaccinated and highly protected now from severe illness, even if you get covid-19, you're safe and we're going to do everything we can to keep it that way with the boosters let me be clear. boosters are important but the most important thing we need to do is get more people vaccinated the vast majority of americans are doing the right thing. over 77% of adults have gotten at least one shot. about 23% haven't gotten any shots. and that distinct minority is causing an awful lot of us -- an awful lot of damage for the rest of the country this is a pandemic of the unvaccinated that's why i'm moving forward with vaccination requirements wherever i can on wednesday i'll be traveling to chicago to talk about why it's so important, the more businesses are instituting their own vaccine requirements we know that to beat this pandemic and to save lives, to keep our children safe, our schools open, our economy going, we need to get folks vaccinated. so please, please do the right thing. please get the shots and it can save your life. it can save the lives of those around you, and it's easy. accessible and free. so text your zip code to 438829 or visit vaccines.gov to find a vaccination location near you. we can do this get vaccinated thank you very much. now i'm going to get my booster shot right here. and right here you're going to give me the shot >> i haven't had any side effects the first or second shot we'll see. she's going to get one i think she's teaching i think she's going to get one, yes. >> reporter: what do you say to health leaders at the world health organization who say -- countries without vaccinations get vaccinated before we get boosters in the united states. >> we're doing more than every other nation in the world combined we're going to have over 1 million shots. we've given a great deal to co-vax the vehicle that does this we have plenty of opportunities to make everyone in the world and play our part. the largest part in the world of getting everyone vaccinated. >> reporter: how many americans need to be vaccinated to get back to normal what's the percentage? total vaccinations that have to be deployed? >> well, i think, look, i think you get the vast majority by just going on in some of these -- some industries and schools. 98%. i think we're getting awful close. but i'm not the scientist. i think one thing is for sure. a quarter of the country is still unvaccinated, and we'll -- >> reporter: how close do you think you are in the reconciliation deal? >> you know me i'm more an optimist i think things are going to go well i think we're going to get it done, and i have meetings tonight and tomorrow, and for the next little bit. >> what does it say for you agenda and presidency with what happened >>. >> reporter: [ question inaudible". >> well, it may not be by the end of the week. i hope it's by the end of the week as long as we're still alive, we got three things to do the debt ceiling, continue resolution, and two peas of legislation. we co-do that, the country will be in great shape. >> that, of course, was president biden getting his covid booster shot he received his first two shots the first vaccine in the series in december, and then in january of this past year. both of those happening while he was in wilmington. the president taking this moment, using the power of the presidential stage to show people he is getting the booster, urging others to get vaccinated if they have not been vaccinated so far and taking some questions on what we started this show about. right? that megadeadline coming up for members of congress to avert a government shutdown, so suspend or raise the u.s. debt ceiling and to get done some of this legislation that is critical to president biden's agenda i want to bring back in nbc's shannon, who is with us outside the white house. also joining us is the director of infectious disease and research policy at the university of minnesota. thank you both for joining us. i want to get to shannon in a second on what we heard from the president on the sort of congressional back and forth he's saying he's got meetings tonight. he's got meetings tomorrow interestingly, he seemed to fudge some of the timeline or at least suggest that the timeline is actually on a longer lead than members of congress and house leadership have suggested. but on the actual booster piece of this, this is the president taking the step very publicly. rolling up his sleeve in front of the american people to say hey, listen, i'm getting my booster. the message is you should too. >> right and trying to obviously bring some clarity to an issue that has had some confusion around it over the past month. who should get a booster should people get a booster? there has been a lot of public debate in the scientific community that has spilled over not just about the science but about the process of this. so the president today taking this step, and really kind of a remarkable step to see a president in the west wing rolling up his sleeve and getting vaccinated live on camera while, of course, there are reporters shouting questions at him, too, to add that element. something we did not see the past president do. coming out her publicly to do that to provide clarity, reiterating we need more americans to get vaccinated. it's not just about boosters we're not going to boost our way out of this. calling on more americans to get vaccinated as he does this, and again, saying he's going to continue to choose every lever he has that he can pull to mandate vaccinations to get more people vaccinated. essentially whether they like it or not >> doctor, do you think an event like this, a sort of photo opportunity, if you will, and i mean that just because there are cameras there taking pictures as the president gets his booster that a moment like this on the national stage will make a difference for american people who might be on the fence as it relates to booster shots or the vaccines >> well, it's clear that he is the vax nay or the and chief which i think by itself is an important message. that he's walking the talk and i think the other part of it, however, though, is what he's proposed and the administration has proposed in terms of the mandates. clearly today how can someone be a health care worker basically whose professional efforts are to protect or treat those who are ill and at the same time put them at risk but not being vaccinated i think the mandate program is another piece of showing why we have to get these 70 million americans who could be vaccinated who are not yet vaccinated and get them vaccinated >> do you expect everybody will become eligible for a booster at some point when we have more data >> absolutely. you know, one of the things that's been a challenge for us in the science world and with the media is that remember when this vaccine first came forward, both of these, the mrna vaccines, we had two buckets of concern. one was safety and one was how do they work and we surely have answered the safety question over and over again. but how they work we've been actually watching how do people respond to the virus, the vaccine? what kind of immunity do they have and we're realizing sick months after the second dose, the immunity starts to wane. it shouldn't be a surprise that we're saying now we really need a third dose i prefer not to even think of it as a booster dose but rather as a three prime series probably everyone in the world will need at least three doses of the vaccine so what you're watching is science unfold corrected sign we learn we implement we learn more. we implement that's what's happening. yeah, i think in the end all three vaccines will require boosters or an additional shot and then we're going to have to study that and see how long that protection lasts but we know that it can last a long time. >> one more question overall but quickly, a follow here you talked about how you think this might end up being a three-shot vaccine series. we heard the pfizer ceo talk about how maybe there will need to be an annual covid shot once we get through the bulk of the pandemic do you think that's right? >> well, again, we're going to be learning. you know, i don't want to prejudge it. i can tell you right now based on about eight months out of second doses, we're seeing more younger people have waning immunity we're seeing some increases in serious illness, and we know from data from israel that third boosters can be effective in stemming serious illness in. now do we need to get an annual boost? if that's the case, we'll have to do that but again, it's going to be learning this is corrected science at it best >> big piece of the puzzle here is kids getting vaccinated dr. anthony fauci told me there's a good chance you can see the age group 5 to 11 vaccinated maybe by halloween or at least the ability to get vaccinated by the end of the october here but what do you do if those are kids of people who aren't vaccinated themselves? who have concerns perhaps political concerns as we've seen about the vaccination? right? how do you break that log jam? >> that is a critical issue as a grandfather of five kids 11 to 4 years of age, i think about that every day. i worry right now half of all those who could be vaccinated 12 to 17 years of age are not and we are seeing major challenges with this virus in our schools. it is taking off like a wildfire around the country in schools. and so i worry that just because we might get the 5 to 11-year-old vaccine approved, how many of those kids will actually get vaccinated? so this comes back to the very issue of just first doses to begin with if we see the public not getting their kids vaccinated, we'll continue to see real challenges in kids unlike we've seen any other time in the pandemic the delta virus has changed the challenge of this illness in kids >> doctor, thank you shannon, quickly before we go, your take on what we heard from president biden as it relates to those congressional pieces in play he has meetings he says tonight and tomorrow and then he talked about how maybe he's looking past the end of this week he'd like it to be done by tend of the week maybe given more time on the deadline house leadership has set. >> in washington everybody sets artificial deadlines so the president kind of seeming to lean back on that and say it's good to have a deadline to get things done, but if we're still talking, if we're still moving toward a resolution, it's fine if it goes another week or month. of course, there is a hard deadline on the funding of the government, and -- >> that's a real deadline. >> yeah. >> there's a real deadline there in the mix, but the president giving wiggle room, and also indicating he might not think they've necessarily got the votes right now or in the next 48 or 72 hours >> shannon, thank you. again, doctor, thank you as well up next, we'll dive more into what debbie dingell describes as a legislative week from hell with the congresswoman herself. she joins us next. you're watching "meet the press daily" e from liberty mutual so they only pay for what they need. woooooooooooooo... we are not getting you a helicopter. only pay for what you need. ♪ liberty. liberty. liberty. liberty. ♪ people everywhere living with type 2 diabetes are waking up to what's possible with rybelsus®. ♪ you are my sunshine ♪ ♪ my only sunshine... ♪ rybelsus® is a pill that lowers blood sugar in three ways. increases insulin when you need it... decreases sugar... and slows food. the majority of people taking rybelsus® lowered their blood sugar and reached an a1c of less than 7. 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capitol hill quite well a member of house democratic leadership, michigan democratic congresswoman debbie dingell congresswoman, good afternoon and thank you for being on the show >> it's good to be with you, and may it be a good week. >> well, you called it a potential legislative week from hell why? >> it's not potential. it is. you know, we've got -- we've got to come together failure is not an option there is too much at stake we need both of the bills. the country needs both of the bills. americans need both of the bills. we're going to have to figure out how to come together and get it done. sometimes that takes a lot of hard work. not sometimes. it takes a lot of hard work every day, and we have to roll up our sleeves and get this done >> what do you think of what we heard from president bide snn i think you had a chance to listen in as we were carrying his remarks live on the air. him suggesting maybe we'll go beyond the end of the week if we need to if people are still at the table. >> so obviously as was pointed out later, we don't have the option of not continuing to fund the government if we shut the government down in the middle of a pandemic, it's shame on all of us. it would be irresponsible and it cannot happen. we have to vote on figuring out how we're going to keep the government operating and republicans will go not my problem. it is their problem. it's every one of our problems and we all better blankedy blank come together and figure it out. we have people on both sides that are giving these deadlines. we do need both bills. we have to get both bills. the bipartisanship bill, it's great when we can come together, and there are things in there that we need the people that are supporting that can't afford to have that bill fail, but we need more on everything that's even in that bipartisan bill. today there's a report from the pediatric drama about half the children tested in this country have lead in their blood we have to get the lead out of all the water pipe lines in the pipeline that's in the build back better bill we have an electric vehicle infrastructure i could go through a list of issues that everybody agrees on. and yes, we have a lot of strong-willed people right now but we got to get it figured out, because it is either mutual disruption or we are going to do what's right for the country in this once in a lifetime opportunity to make a difference in so many people's lives. >> you say that failure is not an option, but you know that it is actually a possibility. it is something that could happen where do things stand now as it relates to the discussions between more progressive wing and moderate wing? you heard, i'm sure, progressives, say they need an ironclad agreement on reconciliation to go forward with the bipartisan infrastructure stuff what does that look like and where are those conversations? >> so i want to be really candid here, because everybody knows i am anyway, but one of the things is that more of the house members need to be spoken to period there's been -- >> what does that mean what do you mean >> that means that there are probably 180 members that really know we need both bills that they are really worried about what's going to happen they know they're going to be asked to vote on this. by the way, the intense pressure that's happening in districts across the country from all kinds of groups is being felt and being pressured. and the discussions are going on between small group of members a small group that josh and the problem solvers and even members of both of those groups aren't really sure what the discussions all are. there will be a democratic caucus today at 5:30 people are encouraged to attend it in person, and hopefully people are really going to be talked to and told what is happening and where we are and why we have to come together i'm going to be -- i also agreed with senator dick durbin i have been someone that has said i wish the president would talk to the broader caucus and i've been probably not going to happen. but i still don't think it would be a good thing, because i think that it would help a lot of members. 435 members of the house, but more than 200 democrats that all have to cast this vote for the people in their districts. and they need to know what is going on and they too know like me that failure is not an option if we don't get this done, it's a pox on both of our houses. >> it's interesting to hear you say you want to -- did you say you think it's not going to happen that he'll address the full caucus? >> i don't know. but i think that that is not likely at this time. you know, let's see what happens. our leadership can be direct and have honest conversations. i hope members from both sides will actually participate in the caucus and talk to each other. i'm someone that thinks communication is a very important thing. >> you also have those on the more progressive side of this, a number of progressive groups that will come out just today as i'm sure you've seen with the statement saying by jeopardizing a piece of legislation this popular, their quote, weak democrats are committing political malpractice, and it's hurting the party and the people that elected them. the so-called moderates have lost track of where the middle truly is from a philosophical perspective, that ri right >> look, i'm not going to bad mouth anybody. we need to come together and what's in that bipartisan bill, we need. how many years have we talked about needing to fix our roads and our bridges? democrats and republicans have talked about it but we've never had action we've got bridges that are falling down our infrastructure we should be really proud is equal to any third world country in the world. it's an embarrassment. we need that but it shouldn't be just either or we need build back better. there are so many things in that bill that are critical as i said, one of the simplest for people to understand is our children shouldn't be drinking water with lead in it. it is a danger to them and there's not enough money in the bif bill to get the lead out of all of them we need to get it out of every pipe we need broad band in urban and rural areas. i could go through a list that republicans and democrats agree with >> congresswoman, if there's -- let me pull back for a second. if there's one thing that i think is jumping off the screen in this discussion, i think it's fair to say you are ticked off you are -- you are clearly ticked off at the way this has progressed at who who are you upset with is it president biden? is it progressives moderates? where do you aim that? >> i think i'm aiming it at everybody. this should not be playing out to publicly. we should be coming together there is so much at stake. republicans are just enjoying watching this fight. i'm going to tell the republicans we'll get this out, because failure is not an option and everybody needs to be part of these discussions everybody needs to be included, and there are people that could be doing more and i'll leave it at that. >> let me ask you quickly about the debt ceiling what is the plan b when it is inevitably rejected, this package by the senate today? will it be folded into reconciliation how do you avoid that crisis as we look ahead to that? >> i think we're in a very fluid situation, and i am not putting bets on how anything gets resolved i just know it has to get resolved, and that, too, which shut the government down by not raising the debt ceil, it would be irresponsible when you have republicans who say well, we can't do that, but it's not our responsibility, it is their responsibility. it's all of our responsibilities >> congresswoman, candid as always here with us today on "meet the press daily" thank you for your time on what i know is a busy week for you. as you've said, a week from hell thank you. up next, more than 15,000 migrants came through the del rio, texas border crossing this month. and they've now been cleared from that camp, if you will, under the bridge where do they go and what happens to them now you're watching "meet thpre ess daily" welcome back so the first commercial cargo traffic in more than a week passed over the international bridge in del rio, texas this morning. that's after cbp closed the port of entry to all traffic back on september 17th after thousands of administration people, migrants, gathered under a bridge nearby cbp said there was no people left under the bridge after they deported people back to haiti and allowed more to seek asylum in the u.s it was confirmed that 8,000 haitian migrants reversed their crossing and went back to mexico we are following this process as it continues on. you have 12,000 people who have been allowed to seek asylum in the u.s. they are not under that bridge any longer right? what are their lives looking like until they appear at an immigration office >> the numbers keep changing every day. right? because we know that migrants kept coming and they were trying to process them as fast as possible we start with the ones allowed to remain in the u.s approximately the latest number was 12,400 yesterday we spoke to congresswoman sheila jackson lee who came to the area to check the processing center where they're still processing other migrants so she gave us some details of what they're going through she mentioned they're staying with relatives they're staying with sponsors and shelters and there is a digital way of keeping track of where they're staying and how they will be seeing the immigration judges we have to make clear that the 12,000 that are in the u.s., they're going to remain in the u.s. during this process, could still be deport first down they are granted asylum and then, of course, gave the number of the 5,000 still being processed in the region. the numbers keep changing. the update of the number of the ones sent back to haiti to 4,000. a number that could keep growing with the ones in the processing centers. so these numbers changing every day. and officials releasing them as quickly they can and the ones that return to mexico who can be remaining in the country. we want to show you a little piece of an interview we did with one of the migrants who was under the bridge who stayed here for a few days and was released to -- from one of the processing centers. she was there with a congresswoman and told us about her experience >> seven days under the bridge >> yeah. >> what was that experience like >> it was a bad experience i -- >> translator: it was a terrible experience not an experience i ever thought any human being shall have to deal with. >> reporter: one more thing, how do you feel now? >> tra >> translator: she said i feel much better now than i am with people who are caring for me and that's now i hope i have hope >> she has hope. she was in the camp with a young boy and a young girl, her son and daughter you can see she was tired and still scared just another story from the migrants that have come to the border >> thank you for that reporting and for bringing us that interview. up next, what we can expect to see go down tomorrow as general mark milley heads to capitol hill for big-time testimony on the former president's actions on january 6th. and the current president's actions in afghanistan that's all next as you are watching "meet the press daily". >> tech: every customer has their own safelite story. this couple was on a camping trip... ...when their windshield got a chip. they drove to safelite for a same-day repair. and with their insurance, it was no cost to them. >> woman: really? >> tech: that's service you can trust. >> singers: ♪ safelite repair, safelite replace. ♪ woo! you are busy... working, parenting, problem solving. at new chapter vitamins we've been busy too... innovating, sourcing organic ingredients, testing them and fermenting. fermenting? yeah like kombucha or yogurt. and we formulate everything so your body can 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list koch has this week. well, in addition to focusing on keeping the government open and pr eventing the u.s. from defaulting on debt and voting on an historic infrastructure package, both the house and senate are also holding high profile hearings on the u.s. withdrawal from afghanistan. this will be first time since the deadly end of the military mission in afghanistan that we'll see milley and austin appearing on the hill. milley is expected to face questions about his actions during the final days of the trump administration, including a call with china over fears the former president could spark an armed conflict joining me from the pentagon is kou kourtney kubi. what are you hearing from your sources at the pentagon about how general milley is preparing for this and what we might hear tomorrow >> first, afghanistan. the withdrawal from there. one of the big stories, one of the big line of questioning they're expecting to get is on that drone strike that killed 10 afghan civilians the pentagon has now acknowledged that they struck the wrong target and ten innocent afghan civilians were killed and that's under further investigation. that's going to be one line of questioning. but it will also be a look back. what the military leaders, secretary austin general milley and general mackenzie were recommending to do to the biden administration when they first came into office, how they were recommending to get any civilians out, and as the withdrawal moved forward, their recommendations to see leading up to this august 31st final withdrawal this second big line of questioning, though, that everyone is expecting and preparing for is on the book that you mentioned we should expect general milley to defend his role in that china phone call, and also to defend his role in a meeting about the nuclear process here two of those -- those were laid out in the book "peril". it's the first time that we've heard directly from general milley on the record talking about both of the incidents. >> we heard him briefly, unless i'm mistaken, reference something in an interview, i think it was the ap on a flight overseas but this is the first time in this kind of setting he's facing questions from members of congress who may not want to pull punches >> exactly so he did speak to the associated press and "the wall street journal" on a trip, but all he really said was his actions were just, and that he was going to talk more about them on the hill and that's what we're waiting for tomorrow it will be the first time we've heard from him on camera as well both of those interviews were in print. >> good point. kourtney, you're going to have a busy 24 hours. thank you for being with us. up next, the national epidemic of drug overdoses spiking during the pandemic in one city where overdoses are claiming more lives than covid ja we are joined live on the fight to save lives. we can explore uncharted waters, and not only make new discoveries, but get there faster, 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(crowd applauding) therabreath, it's a better mouthwash. at walmart, target and other fine stores. tonight, i'll be eating a club sandwich with fries and a side of mayonnaise. (doorbell rings) wonderful. mayonnaise... on fries? a little judgy, don't you think? ♪ that's weird ♪ ♪ so weird ♪ ♪ it's grilled cheese time. ♪ ♪ yeah, it's time for grilled cheese. ♪ ♪ after we make grilled cheese, ♪ ♪ then we're eating grilled cheese. ♪ ♪ because it's time. ♪ ♪ yeah. ♪ ♪ time for grilled cheese. ♪ that's up 30% since the year before this week, all across our platforms here at nbc and nbc news, we're talking about one nation overdosed, shining a light on this pandemic and looking today at what fentanyl specifically has done to san francisco. here's nbc's jacob soboroff. [ sirens ] >> reporter: i'm with the san francisco fire department now, part of a new unit that responds toopioid overdose calls. there were more opioid overdose in san francisco than covid deaths in 2020 this is meant not just to save lives but to stop this from happening again. the city of san francisco has been hit so hard by overdose deaths, is now has a new unit devoted to harm reduction. i rode along with the captain of the fire department and a nurse practitioner >> this is our guy >> reporter: we arrived at this stop just after a man had been revived with narcan, the antidote to fentanyl we've only been out here with the fire department for ten minutes. this is the second call of the day for an overdose. they say it goes nonstop the calls came one after another after another. and for the men and women who do this work, the toll can be exacting it must wear on you. >> we've had some long, sad days >> reporter: do you think it would are easier to get people away from using drugs like this? >> the drug overdose pandemic in san francisco mirrors intense social and health inequalities 5% of the city's population are black individuals yet 20% of overdose deaths are people of color. less than 1% are unhoused but they compromise 30% of overdose deaths >> reporter: i spoke with a homeless married couple outside a clinic who said they were fentanyl users when did you guys first see fentanyl in california >> since last summer >> reporter: how cheap is it >> $5 will take care of us for whole day. >> a quarter of the cost of heroin >> reporter: professor dan siccarone says the fact that drugs are cheaper and more plentiful than ever shows that america should rethink its drug policies >> what are we going to do that's outrageously new, creative, bold in terms of addressing those root issues, the issues of inequality in america, the roots of racism, of desperation? [ sirens ] >> reporter: back on the road with the response unit, our last call of the day was also for someone just revived by narcan he said he was a veteran and asked to be transported to a va hospital i spoke to a health care worker who revived him. >> they said he's o.d.'ing so i used my narcan >> reporter: they'll get him into treatment program >> you've got to want it >> reporter: do you think people want it these days >> no. >> reporter: why are things as bad as they are today? >> it's easy to get it you can go to any corner and get it >> nbc's jacob soboroff joins us now. jacob, the question you asked her at the end of thestory there, why is it worse now than a couple of years ago? >> because of how readily available and cheap fentanyl is, hallie it's not grown from a poppy plant like heroin was, it's made in a lab synthetically that's why this ems unit is not specifically focused on so-called solutions. they want to get to the underlying root causes, they want to get to the inequality that gets people to use drugs in the first place. i've seen it all, supervised interceptions, all kinds of 12-step programs to people off of this. but as long as it's cheap and's i willly obtainable, people wil dying. our coverage continues this afternoon with geoff bennett i'll see you at 3:00 eastern after this at heinz, every ketchup starts with our same tomatoes. but not every tomato ends in the same kind of heinz ketchup. because a bit of magic unfolds when there's a ketchup for everyone. in business, setbacks change everything. so get comcast becaus business internetnfolds and add securityedge. it helps keep your network safe by scanning for threats every 10 minutes. and unlike some cybersecurity options, this helps protect every connected device. yours, your employees' and even your customers'. so you can stay ahead. get started with a great offer and ask how you can add comcast business securityedge. plus for a limited time, ask how to get a $500 prepaid card when you upgrade. call today. it is good to be with you on this monday. i'm geoff bennett, and we begin this hour with breaking news on the fight against covid-19 less than an hour ago, president biden joined the first wave of americans to get a vaccine booster shot, happening less than a week after the fda and cdc recommended it for millions of older and at-risk adults, as well as front line workers here is president biden last hour >> boosters are important. but the most important thing we need to do is get more people vaccinated over 77% of adults have gotten at least one shot. about 23% haven't gotten any shots. and that distinct minority is causing an awful lot of us an awful lot of damage for the rest of the country >> the president also said he'll keeping pushing vaccine requirements wherever he can as we speak, new york state is emerging as a testing ground for vaccine mandates and the complicated legal battles that go with them today was supposed