CDC to vote on who will receive COVID-19 vaccine 1st as Pfizer shot could be approved in weeks

The Food and Drug Administration is holding an "emergency-use authorization" meeting about Pfizer's vaccine on Dec. 10.

ByCornell W. Barnard KGO logo

Saturday, November 28, 2020

CDC to vote next week on who will receive COVID-19 vaccine 1st

With COVID-19 cases in the United States surpassing 13 million, the race is on to get a vaccine to the public quickly, perhaps as early as next month.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- With COVID-19 cases in the United States surpassing 13 million, the race is on to get a vaccine to the public quickly, perhaps as early as next month.

But there have been setbacks.

The FDA could be authorizing a coronavirus vaccine in a few weeks.

The Food and Drug Administration is holding an "emergency-use authorization" meeting about Pfizer's vaccine on Dec. 10.

The director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research says a decision is expected within weeks, possibly days after that key meeting.

So far, Pfzier is the only company to apply for an emergency use authorization for a coronavirus vaccine.

VIDEO: 1st person in US to try COVID-19 vaccine talks side effects

As the race for the COVID-19 vaccine continues, those in the trials for both Moderna and Pfizer are describing the side effects.

The CDC plans to vote next week on where distribution of approved vaccines will begin.

A member of President elect Joe Biden's COVID Advisory Board warns against rushing a vaccine to market.

"The single biggest risk of rushing an approval would be Americans' distrust the vaccine. It's essential people feel confident this is a safe and effective vaccine," said Dr. Celene Gounder.

Meantime, AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine appears to be headed for an additional global trial as the drug maker tries to clear up confusion and mistakes surrounding encouraging results.

Questions are mounting over one of the fastest moving shots after the company acknowledged that a lower dosage level that appeared more effective - resulted from a manufacturing discrepancy.

"We still need to find out what's happening within the data, but one theory is that the smaller dose is similar to the actual infection," said ABC7 News Contributor Dr. Alok Patel.

As the virus reaches record highs in the U.S., it seems Americans ignored advice form health officials to stay home and avoid travel this Thanksgiving. More than six million people were flying for the holiday.

"What we don't want to see is yet another surge superimposed upon the surge you just described, which we'll realize three weeks from now, if we don't do these public health things," said Dr. Anthony Fauci from The National Institute of Allergy and infectious Diseases.

In a new report published in the Oxford Academic, a CDC researcher says Coronavirus cases may actually be eight times higher than reported here in the U.S. estimating 53 million total infections from late February Through September.

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