The Pfizer vaccines require storage in ultra-cold freezer units and must be prepared for injection and given quickly once thawed, posing special challenges to medical authorities. Nevertheless, Osterholm said sizeable quantities of vaccines would not be available to the public at large before March or April. He urged Americans to do their utmost to slow the contagion by limiting social interactions to members of their immediate households, and above all, "No Christmas parties." In California's San Joaquin Valley agricultural region, less than 2% of intensive care unit (ICU) beds remain unoccupied, the California Department of Public Health reported on Thursday. Many Americans, however, have resisted public health directives to wear face coverings in public and avoid large crowds.

Source: Dhaka Tribune December 11, 2020 06:11 UTC