The US Food and Drug Administration's outside advisers will meet on Dec. 10 to discuss whether to authorize the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc and German partner BioNTech for emergency use. The vaccine, which requires two doses administered about three weeks apart, has been shown to be 95% effective with no major safety concerns. The United States faces the challenge of distributing vaccines to more than 330 million Americans while also combating misinformation about vaccines spread on social media. Hospitals are straining under a record number of COVID-19 patients and doctors fear that number will surge following family gatherings this week. Testing shortages still plague many parts of the country 10 months after the first coronavirus case was detected in the United States.

Source: bd News24 November 22, 2020 16:07 UTC