Be days away here if hospitalization rates dont stabilize. Meantime, the first vaccinations now hours away in the uk. Tonight, how theyre unfolding the Pfizer Vaccine there. Who gets priority . And when could the fda give its approval here in the u. S. . The battle for control of the Senate Running right through georgia. Two critical Runoff Elections, two debates, two senate seats. And they will determine whether republicans keep control or democrats get control of the senate. As tonight, georgia now recertifies its election results, again declaring joe biden the winner. Tonight, the pandemic and whats happening in our schools, from new york to texas to minnesota, what we found. Failing grades and growing concern over students falling behind. What can be done . The Virginia Military institute removing the controversial statue of c confederate general stonewall jackson. Bob dylan selling his music catalog. And it follows a similar move by stevie nicks. And america strong tonight. The survivors. Remembering pearl harbor, 79 years later. Good evening and its great to start another week with all of you at home and we do have a lot to get to tonight. And were going to begin here with the headline that pfizer offered to sell more doses of the Pfizer Vaccine to the u. S. Earlier this year but the Trump Administration said no. And now pfizer may not be able to get the u. S. More doses until next june. The Trump Administration responding tonight and this evening, a spokesperson for the department of health and Human Services downplaying the news, saying they have five other vaccine candidates. But this could bring real questions and tonight, the staggering numbers right here. 14. 8 million cases, 1 million new cases in just the first five days of december. Were now at 2,100 deaths a day on average. Nearly 90 americans are lost every hour. More than 283,000 american lives lost now in this pandemic. Hospitalizations at a record high in icus across the country. This one in montana at 200 capacity. Their own staff now falling victim, as well. California, for one, imposing a strict new lockdown for most of the state. New yorks governor warning he might have to roll back the reopening here if numbers continue to climb at this rate. Massachusetts reopening a Field Hospital. And tonight, dr. Anthony fauci warning christmas will be more of a challenge than thanksgiving and that we face a dark january. Were going to begin here with that reporting that pfizer offered the u. S. More vaccine but that the Trump Administration declined. Now the wait for more could last until june. And heres our chief White House CorrespondentJonathan Karl leading us off. Reporter tens of millions of americans may have to wait longer months longer to receive a covid vaccine, because over the summer, the Trump Administration passed on buying more doses from pfizer. For months, the president has touted his efforts to deliver a vaccine. Vaccines are on their way at a level that nobody ever thought possible. Reporter but tonight, the New York Times reports and abc news has confirmed that pfizer offered to sell the u. S. Government additional doses of its covid19 vaccine late this summer, but the Trump Administration turned them down. They decided to buy only 100 million doses from pfizer, enough to vaccinate 50 million americans, because a full vaccine requires two shots. By contrast, the European Union bought 200 million doses with an option to buy more. Pfizer may not be able to provide the additional doses to the United States until june. U. S. Officials involved with operation warp speed tell abc news they didnt want to buy more vaccine from pfizer until they were sure it would be authorized by the fda. They also say that combined with vaccines from moderna and other companies, they will have enough vaccine to make sure that every american who wants to be vaccinated can be by the middle of next summer. Meanwhile, President Trump is refusing to acknowledge the reality that the pandemic is entering its most dangerous and deadly phase yet. Were rounding the turn, were rounding corner on the pandemic. Reporter the day after his spoke those words, his own personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani was in the hospital after testing positive for coronavirus. How is Rudy Giuliani doing . Rudy is doing well. I just spoke to him. Hes doing very well. No temperature. Reporter but tonight, giuliani is still in the hospital. This after he spent the last few weeks traveling the country, making unfounded allegations about Election Fraud, shaking hands and dolling out high fives. In michigan, giuliani asked a witness to take off her mask. She declined. I dont want you to do this if you feel uncomfortable, but would you be comfortable taking your mask off so that everybody can hear you more clearly . Can you hear me now . Can anyone hear her clearly . We can hear her. We can hear you. Okay. Going to be so many questions as we watch the condition of Rudy Giuliani, as they go back and try to retrace who he might have come in contact with. I want to get back to jon tonight, back to this reporting that pfizer offered more of the vaccine, the Trump Administration reportedly said no so there could be a wait, some are saying until june. President trump, jon, as you know, hosting what his team is calling that vaccine summit at the white house and youre learning that the twoo companies producing the leading vaccine candidates wont be there . Reporter neither pfizer norma der that will be at the summit, but more significantly, david, the white house did not invite anybody from the biden health team to this meeting, despite the fact that after january 20th of next year, it will be President Biden who has the responsibility for the Monumental Task of distributing tens of millions, even hundreds of millions of vaccine doses to americans around the country. All right, jon karl leading us off on a monday. Jon, thank you. As you know, this all comes as the virus surges across the country. Hospitals on the brink, tonight from new york to massachusetts, from california to montana. The front line workers facing the unthinkable. Abcs chief National Correspondent matt gutman with rare and difficult access tonight in billings, montana. Reporter another covid patient is flatlining here at the billings clinic in montana. Teams of exhausted nurses throwing on ppe. That patient would not survive. Doctors across this country are losing 90 americans to the virus every hour. Were running between 150 to 255 of our icu capacity every day. Reporter many Covid Patients here doubled up in rooms. Two doors down the hallway, under a tangle of tubes, is one of their own ellen edlund who was an icu nurse herself in this very ward. Kelly duffy has been ellens best friend for 20 years. They worked together in the icu. 100 caregiver to the core. Its just who she is. Reporter just before she was put on a ventilator, ellen texted kelly. Just pray for me, thats all you can do for me. Just please, you know she just was so scared. This is the first time kelly is going to get to see ellen. Reporter with the familys consent, we were granted extraordinary access. Kelly was going to see her friend for the first time in three weeks. Through the glass, this wasnt the skier and hiker she knew. Reporter we bodon ppe and prepare to go in. Hey, buddy. Ellen, its kelly. Reporter ellen is on ecmo. A machine is circulating and oxygenating her blood, and breathing for her. Her doctor erin rains spoke to ellen just before putting her on the machine. Ellen asked you, am i going to die . But you couldnt tell her categorically no. No, because a lot of times when you put someone on the ventilator they do die. Reporter and they do die. The hospital just lost a doctor to covid, dr. Larry antstuts. Its had a Chilling Effect on nurses here. Are people texting me, pray for me, kelly, im scared to go to work . Oh, yeah, all the time. Reporter that as the country topped a million cases in the first five days of december. In massachusetts, this 220bed Field Hospital now taking patients and another one is in the works. And the peak of the dreaded thanksgiving surge is still a week away. The problem is thats going to come right up to the beginning of the christmas than hanukkah potential surge. You have a surge upon a surge. Reporter with the number of icu beds in california dwindling, the state issuing a threeweek stay at home order to save lives. New york following californias lead, saying it will close restaurants. Back in ellens room, a moment of grace. Youre going to do great. I love to see those guys. Reporter big blue eyes, they opened. Reporter really drives it home, matt. Mat live from montana and we know its not just billings, matt, so many hospitals facing staffing shortages across the country. And an Alarming Number of Health Care Workers sickened and youve seen it right there. Reporter this hospital alone, david, has had to bring in more than 100 traveling nurses. Disturbing news out of l. A. County. The Health Office announcing that the number of Health Care Workers who have contracted the virus has more than doubled just over the past week. David . All right, matt gutman in montana. Matt, thank you. Meantime, the first vaccinations are now just hours away in the uk. And tonight, how theyre unfolding the Pfizer Vaccine there. Who gets priority and could it be a sign of whats to come here . And when could an fda panel give its emergency approval right here in the u. S. . Abcs James Longman tonight from london. Reporter tonight, britain is just hours away from beginning to vaccinate its country against covid. The Pfizer Vaccine in rows of specialized refrigerators in secured locations. And this is a life it could change. Tomorrow morning, 87yearold hari shukla will be among the first to get the historic shot. Its good, you know, that i got the opportunity of doing that. And so, im not nervous or anything like that. Im looking forward to it. Reporter hes part of the uks priority groups. Those over 80, nursing home residents and front line Health Care Workers. And the u. S. Could be administering this same vaccine in just days. An independent Fda Committee is set to vote as early as thursday with emergency use authorization coming any time after that. Once given the green light, people could get their first shots within 24 hours. Once authorized, its the states who will decide who gets it first. Cdc guidelines recommend Health Care Workers and nursing home residents. We want our Health Care Workers on the front lines to be able to get it. Reporter kristen took part in the vaccine trial and published a letter in the medical journal encouraging people to take the vaccine. After her second shot, she felt pain in her shoulder, a headache and high fiver. I was worried about it, but fortunately, none of it ever got serious enough that i had a major problem. Reporter experts say that people should expect some mild reaction that could last a few days, as with any vaccine, but kristen says her symptoms went away within 24 hours. I would do it again in a heartbeat, even if i knew i would have a strong reaction again. Reporter and she told us she was surprised when she felt all those side effects and thats part on the reason that shes speaking out. She doesnt want people to feel scared. She wants them to take the vaccine and that british couple who is going to get the vaccine here tomorrow, they say they cant wait for their jab. David . All right, James Longman, thank you. And as this pandemic rages on, the fight over control of the senate now, it runs right through georgia. Two critical Runoff Elections, two senate seats and they will determine whether republicans keep control or democrats get control of the senate. The president in talking about the president ial election and his failing battle to overturn it said in georgia, ive worked harder in the last three weeks than i probably have in my entire life. Georgia tonight, meanwhile, recertifying the results in that state, again declaring that joe biden won. Steve osunsami from georgia tonight with the nation now watching those Crucial Senate races. Reporter the deadline in georgia to register to vote in this upcoming Runoff Election is tonight. And at a rally here over the weekend, the president was trying to help the two sitting republican senators who hope to hold onto their seats. Friends of mine say, lets have were not going to vote, but if you do that, the red call left wins. Reporter the real worry that republicans might not show up to vote is born from the president s own madeup stories about widespread Election Fraud in the november election. He still refuses to admit that he lost here to joe biden and he continues to bash georgias governor, who says hes not overturning the election. And now the president is saying this, even as the pandemic rages. I probably worked harder in the last three weeks than ive ever worked in my life. Reporter senator Kelly Loeffler has sided with the president over the governor. Yes or no, senator loeffler, did donald trump lose. Reporter at a sunday night debate when asked by her opponent, rev ren rafael warnock, who won the election, she couldnt clearly answer. You know, President Trump has every right to use every Legal Recourse available. Reporter that Legal Recourse is drying up. Today, two lawsuits from the trump team were thrown out of court. We have now counted legally cast ballots three times. And the results remain unchanged. Reporter senator david perdue was a noshow sunday and jon ossoff had the floor to himself. Your senator is refusing to answer questions and debate his opponent because he believes he shouldnt have to. Reporter already, nearly a million requests for absentee ballots have been filed for this upcoming Runoff Election. And 1,000 of those ballots have been returned to county and state officials. Early voting starts a week from today. David . All right, here we go again. Steve osunsami tonight, thank you. Were going to turn next this evening in this pandemic to americas children now and whats happening in our schools. From new york to texas to minnesota, what we found tonight. In some places, failing grades, growing concern over students falling behind and we ask, what can be done . Heres rachel scott. Om covid te every week. Im a little nervous about her going back to school. Reporter but as the virus surges across the country, and many schools remain closed or on a hybrid model, parents and teachers are sounding the alarm on the crippling effects of remote learning. From schools in illinois we know they are falling behind at rates that we are not satisfied with, we are not happy with it. It breaks our hearts. Open our schools reporter to parents demanding schools open in coast to coast, School Districts showing rising numbers of students with failing grades. In houston, 42 of students received at least one f in the first grading period of the year. And in st. Paul, minnesota, nearly 40 of grades for high schools students were fs double the amount in a typical year. Those already disadvantaged hit particularly hard, magnifying inequalities for students of color and english learners. Like this junior in high school. I used to like math, but when all this started happening, like virtual learning, then i started hating math. You cant do math online, you reporter tonight, some School Districts are trying to figure out how to help those struggling students. David . This is really important and we will stay on this. Rachel scott tonight, thank you. President elect joe biden, who has vowed to make the pandemic his top priority, announcing the leaders of his health team. Biden dominating the California Attorney general for health and Human Services secretary. Vivek murphy for. The Biden Transition Team says it will announce no, maam nomi attorney general and secretary of defense later this week. When we come back here on a monday night, the Virginia Military understand constitute removing the statue of stonewall jackson. And news tonight about bob and news tonight about bob dylan and stevie nicks. I now earn even more cash back . Oh i got to tell everyone. Hey, rita you now earn 3 on dining, including takeout bon appetit. 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