US allocates 2 million doses of Pfizer s vaccine austinglobe.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from austinglobe.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Azar sought to rebut that concern Wednesday, saying that pending contracts with a number of manufacturers will ensure enough vaccine for all Americans by around the middle of next year. A second vaccine from Moderna appears headed for Food and Drug Administration approval within days, and more vaccine candidates are advancing through clinical trials.
But the one from Pfizer and German pharmaceutical BioNTech was first into the arms of Americans, raising hopes of taming a pandemic that has killed more than 300,000 people in the U.S. and hobbled much of the national economy. Health care workers and nursing home residents top the list as local TV stations across the country are broadcasting scenes of the first vaccinations. Some polls show skepticism about getting vaccinated may be easing.
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POMPANO BEACH, Fla. The first COVID-19 vaccinations are underway at U.S. nursing homes, where the virus has killed more than 110,000 people, even as the nation struggles to contain a surge so alarming it has spurred California to dispense thousands of body bags and line up refrigerated morgue trucks.
With the rollout of shots picking up speed Wednesday, lawmakers in Washington closed in on a long-stalled $900 billion coronavirus relief package that would send direct payments of around $600 to most Americans. Meanwhile, the U.S. appeared to be days away from adding a second vaccine to its arsenal.
At the same time, a major snowstorm pushing its way into the Northeast raised concern it could disrupt distribution of the first vaccine.
US angling to secure more of Pfizer s coronavirus vaccine
by Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, The Associated Press
Posted Dec 16, 2020 2:06 pm EDT
Last Updated Dec 16, 2020 at 2:14 pm EDT
WASHINGTON U.S. officials say they’re actively negotiating for additional purchases of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine after passing up a chance to lock in a contract this summer since it was still unclear how well the shots would work.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and special adviser Dr. Moncef Slaoui also told reporters Wednesday that Pfizer had been unable to commit to a firm delivery date. Azar called that “the core issue.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday authorized the nation s first home COVID-19 test that doesn t need a lab or a medical provider s prescription.
The test, made by Australia-based Ellume, can deliver results in about 15 minutes and will cost about $30.
The FDA previously authorized tests allowing consumers to collect and send samples to a lab. Another home test, Abbott Laboratories BinaxNow, must be administered by a doctor or other provider.
The FDA authorized the Ellume tests for people ages 2 and older, with or without symptoms.
Ellume s rapid antigen test includes a nasal swab for users to collect a sample and place into a cartridge. A smartphone app instructs consumers how to use the test and displays results, which can be shared with a health provider.