The announcement comes days after Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech offered preliminary data to suggest its vaccine appears 95% protective.
Over the next few weeks, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and its scientific advisers will decide if thereâs enough evidence to allow emergency vaccinations. If so, first supplies will be scarce and experts say it likely will be spring before thereâs enough for early distribution.
Health and Human Service Secretary Alex Azar told âCBS This Morningâ on Friday that Pfizerâs emergency use authorization application for its coronavirus vaccine candidate âmeans that hope and help are on the way.â
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, has said in the meantime, citizens need to âdouble down on the public health measuresâ such as wearing a mask, social distancing and avoiding travel and people outside the household during Thanksgiving.
The U.S. leads the world with 11.7 million cases and more than 252,000 deaths.
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