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Coronavirus Watch: Pfizer to file for vaccine authorization today

Grace Hauck   | Paste BN

It's a big day.

Pfizer said it is filing for emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine, the next step in bringing its candidate vaccine to market.

Health and other frontline workers could get the vaccine as soon as December but reaching everyone could take up to a year.

It's Friday, and this is the Coronavirus Watch from the Paste BN Network. Here's the most significant news of the day, as of 12 p.m. ET:

  • More on vaccines: Johnson & Johnson's chief scientist said the drugmaker expects to seek authorization for its single-shot vaccine candidate by February or earlier. Also this week, drug company Moderna released positive news, with its vaccine showing a high rate of efficacy.
  • The U.S. reported more than 2,000 COVID-19 fatalities on Thursday alone. Hospitalizations across the nation have exploded, with almost 80,000 Americans now receiving inpatient treatment. 
  • El Paso County, one of the hardest-hit areas in Texas, put out a call Thursday night for the immediate hiring of morgue attendants to help move more than 247 bodies.
  • With cases surging and families hoping to gather safely for Thanksgiving, long lines to get tested have reappeared across the U.S. – a reminder that the nation’s testing system remains unable to keep pace with the virus.
  • Remember, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending against travel for Thanksgiving. But if you do, here's a list of travel restrictions by state.
  • The land borders with Canada and Mexico will remain closed through Dec. 21, Chad Wolf, acting secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, announced on Thursday.
  • Speaking of Mexico, the nation passed the 100,000 mark in COVID-19 deaths Thursday, joining the United States, Brazil and India as the only countries to reach the somber milestone.

Today's numbers: The U.S. has reported more than 11.7 million cases and 252,000 deaths. Globally, there have been 57 million cases and 1.36 million fatalities. See the numbers in your area here, and check out where cases are rising here.

What can we do better going forward? We've been sending this daily newsletter since March, and as we approach the end of the year, we're looking for your feedback! Let us know what you're thinking here.

– Grace Hauck, Paste BN breaking news reporter, @grace_hauck

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