The United States reported more than 200,000 coronavirus cases on Wednesday, the most in a single day since the beginning of the pandemic, as a White House coronavirus task force report warned that "the COVID risk to all Americans is at a historic high."
In another grim milestone, more than 100,000 people were hospitalized with the virus on Wednesday as morgues and hospitals across the country risk being overwhelmed.
The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Dr. Robert Redfield warned the next few months of the COVID-19 pandemic will be among "the most difficult in the public health history of this nation" while signing off on a CDC panel's decision to vaccinate health workers and nursing homes first. The Pfizer vaccine could be approved by Dec. 10 or 11, Operation Warp Speed chief science adviser Moncef Slaoui said.
The U.S. has recorded more than 14 million coronavirus cases and 274,000 deaths during the pandemic, according to a tally by NBC News.
Moderna to Begin Testing Its Coronavirus Vaccine on Children
Massachusetts-based biotech firm Moderna is planning a clinical trial of its coronavirus vaccine with children ages 12 through 17, NBC Boston reports.
The study will include 3,000 children with half of the participants taking two doses of the vaccine over a four-week span and half of the group receiving placebo shots, according to its listing on clincaltrials.gov.
A timeline for when the trial will begin remains unclear, but Moderna’s CEO said he hopes it can be completed by the spring in order to receive FDA approval in time for the start of the 2021 school year.
Moderna announced Monday that early trial results show its COVID-19 is more than 94% effective and has applied to the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization.
Most vaccine trials are generally tested on adults first to ensure safety before pediatric trials begin. As of late October, only Pfizer has included kids as young as 12 in its clinical trials.
Former Presidents Obama, Bush, Clinton Say They'd Take COVID Vaccine on Camera to Prove It's Safe
Former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton say they are willing to take the coronavirus vaccine in a public setting if it will help build confidence in the U.S. that the treatment is safe.
"I will be taking it, and I may take it on TV or have it filmed so people know that I trust this science,” Obama told SiriusXM’s “The Joe Madison Show” during an interview that is scheduled to air Thursday.
Bush aide Freddy Ford told NBC News that the 43rd president has offered "to do what he can to help encourage his fellow citizens to get vaccinated." And if deemed safe, after it's administered to the priority populations "Bush will get in line for his, and will gladly do so on camera."
"President Clinton will definitely take a vaccine as soon as available to him, based on the priorities determined by public health officials. And he will do it in a public setting if it will help urge all Americans to do the same,” Angel Ureña, a spokesman for Clinton, said in a statement to NBC News.
Their comments came as several polls find many Americans are skeptical about getting a government-approved COVID-19 vaccine, potentially jeopardizing U.S. vaccination efforts to control the pandemic. Their skepticism varies from fears about long-term side effects and concerns that President Donald Trump is pressing regulators to approve a vaccine before it is ready.
US Reaches 14 Million Confirmed Coronavirus Cases
The United States on Thursday surpassed 14 million coronavirus cases nationwide, according to a tally by NBC News.
The milestone comes just one day after the U.S. reported a record number of daily cases and deaths, as well as a record number of hospitalizations with more than 100,000 people admitted in hospitals across the country.
US Reports Record Number of Deaths Wednesday
The United States reported the highest number of deaths in a day since the pandemic began in March.
On Wednesday alone, 2,777 people died of COVID-19 nationwide, according to NBC News.
'Cancel Everything,' LA Mayor Says as He Issues 'Safer at Home' Order
The Los Angeles mayor on Wednesday night issued a "safer at home" order, NBC News reports.
The order, which modifies an existing one, means the city rules now mirror restrictions put in place by Los Angeles County, the mayor's office said. Those, among other things, bar most gatherings with people from different households. People are urged to stay at home as much as possible.
"My message couldn't be simpler: It's time to hunker down," Mayor Eric Garcetti said. "It's time to cancel everything. And if it isn't essential, don't do it."
Wednesday saw the highest daily number yet of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Los Angeles County, with 2,439, the county department of health said.
Health Experts Warn: We're in Really Big Trouble
Should People Who Recovered From COVID Get Vaccinated?
Public health officials hope to vaccinate as many people as possible to turn the tide of the coronavirus pandemic once a vaccine becomes available — even those who have already recovered from COVID-19, NBC News reports.
And while it isn't yet known how the immune systems of COVID-19 survivors respond to a vaccine — particularly among coronavirus "long-haulers," whose symptoms linger weeks and months after their diagnoses — there is likely to be little risk in getting the shot.
"The general recommendation is to get the vaccine, even if you were previously infected," said Dr. David Thomas, a professor of medicine and director of the infectious diseases division at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. "There are some nuanced questions that we don't have the answer to yet, but from what we know now, it's the right call to get the vaccine."
Several coronavirus vaccines are now in final stages for approval, but doctors are already worried that the public won't want to take them. Dr. Paul Biddinger, who sits on the Massachusetts governor's advisory group for COVID-19 vaccines, joined LX News to explain the many safety steps required for the vaccines to be approved for the general public and when to expect the first doses to be available.
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