FDA panel weighs whether to recommend Pfizer vaccine
[NFA] The United States’ daily death toll from COVID-19 has surpassed 3,000 for the first time, as the country prepared to roll out a coronavirus vaccine within days.
This report produced by Yahaira Jacquez.
As the United States weathers its worst death toll of the pandemic, a potential turning point Thursday, as a panel of outside advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is meeting to weigh whether to recommend the agency authorize Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine for emergency use, one of the last steps before vaccinations could begin.
The meeting was streamed live for all to watch.
On Thursday, in an interview on CBS This Morning, FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn said Thursday's meeting was a crucial step in the fight against the virus.
"This, if there is an authorization, will be the beginning of hopefully the end of this.
We can put this behind us and get to a more normal and healthy life.
My heart goes out to the people that have suffered from COVID-19." If authorized -- the vaccine would come at a pivotal moment.
On Wednesday, the United States' daily death toll topped 3,000 for the first time, more deaths than those suffered in the September 11 attacks.
And the number of people hospitalized with covid-19 reached a record 106,000, putting a strain on intensive care units at hundreds of hospitals across the country, which are now at or near capacity, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
At Methodist Hospital in St.
Louis Park, Minnesota, Dr. Nima Desi, the Chief Medical Officer says they're operating just short of capacity.
"We've been at surge levels since April.
Initial surge, we had between 40-60 patients of COVID a day.
Now we're seeing in the realms of 80-90 per day." The rising caseload IS putting a strain on already-exhausted healthcare professionals.
Jenna Jacobs is an ICU nurse at Methodist.
JACOBS: "These people are dying alone...It's very hard and it's a reality now.
We are holding people's hands on their last breaths, every day." Potentially helping to rein in the outbreak, a vaccine could start reaching healthcare workers, first responders and nursing home residents as soon as Sunday, though more likely early next week, according to Trump administration officials.
As of Thursday, nearly 290,000 people have died from COVID-19 in the U.S.
