The FDA granted emergency use authorization for Pfizer and BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine on Friday. The vaccine will be allocated to states based on their adult populations, and the initial doses are expected to be received by healthcare workers and long-term care facility residents. Nearly 3M doses will be distributed this week, with the vaccine becoming more widely available in the coming months.
More context: The decision comes amid a surge in coronavirus cases around the country, with the US reaching 16M total cases over the weekend (including 299k deaths and 6M recoveries). The recent increase in cases has prompted several states to reimpose certain restrictions, with New York shutting down in-person dining on Friday.
The New Paper
This story is from the December 14, 2020 edition of The New Paper – a clear, concise daily briefing that makes fact-first news easy to consume. Try it today.
