Coronavirus Watch: First wave of vaccines en route
The first wave of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine was sent out Sunday morning from a plant in Kalamazoo, Michigan – a positive sign for a nation in need of relief from the virus.
Crowds cheered as the semi-trucks rolled out of the facility and embarked a historic journey.
Doses of the vaccine should arrive in every state by Monday, and the first vaccine shots could be given that day, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn said.
It's Sunday, and this is Coronavirus Watch from the Paste BN Network. Here's the news to know today, as of 1:45 p.m. EST.
- The CDC formally signed off on a recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for Pfizer's vaccine to be used in people 16 and older. The CDC recommendation comes after the FDA's decision on Friday to grant emergency authorization for the vaccine.
- COVID-19 deaths are nearing 300,000 in the U.S. – a once-unthinkable death toll that is only going to grow in the coming months, even as vaccine doses are rushed out across the country.
- What's the status of financial relief? Here's what a possible relief bill contains, and were it stands in Congress.
- As vaccine distribution hums along, watch out for scammers. Consumer watchdogs say they have already heard reports of people claiming to work for the Social Security Administration in hopes of obtaining personal information from people.
We're answering your vaccine questions: Does the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine have side effects? How long before you have to get another one? Drop your vaccine questions here, and one of our reporters can answer them here.
Sunday long-read: COVID-19 gave this Ohio family a "sucker punch." Powerful family emails show how tragedy unfolded.
Thank you, as always, for subscribing to Coronavirus Watch, where we'll be keeping a close eye on vaccine distribution over the next several months. Know someone who could use daily updates right in their inbox? They can sign up for the newsletter here.
– Jay Cannon, Paste BN Network and Wires Editor, @JayTCannon on Twitter