The U.S. government has placed an initial order for 100 million doses of a vaccine candidate being developed by Pfizer and a German firm, BioNTech, …
The U. S. government has placed an initial order for 100 million doses of a vaccine candidate being developed by Pfizer and a German firm, BioNTech, for $1.95 billion, the companies announced Wednesday. The U. S. can acquire up to 500 million additional doses, the statement said. Meanwhile, federal unemployment benefits are taking a hit at a time when more states are abruptly pausing their reopening plans. The $600 weekly jobless benefits bonus, approved in March, is about to expire and likely won’t be extended or replaced before next month. The U. S. has been averaging more than 60,000 new cases daily for multiple weeks, and hospitalizations have climbed to totals not seen in three months. A USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data through late Tuesday shows 10 states set seven-day records for new cases while five states had a record number of deaths over the period. Gov. Mike DeWine reversed course Wednesday, issuing a statewide face mask mandate in the face of rising coronavirus cases. DeWine previously resisted a statewide order, although mask use was mandated in public places in “red” counties where coronavirus cases were on the rise. Cases of COVID-19 continue to spike in Ohio. On Wednesday, the state reported its third highest case count since the outbreak began. – Patrick Cooley, Columbus Dispatch Senate Republicans are in talks with the Trump administration about temporarily extending the supplemental pay that millions of Americans receive on top of their weekly unemployment benefits. The extra $600 in weekly unemployment benefits, approved four months ago to help Americans deal with the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, is set to expire at the end of the month. Congressional leaders and the White House are in discussions about another broad coronavirus aid package but are unlikely to pass a new bill before the increased unemployment benefits expire. A short-term extension of unemployment benefits is now on the table, although it’s unclear how long that extension would run and whether it would be for $600 or a lesser amount. – Michael Collins, USA TODAY More than 59,000 Americans are hospitalized with COVID-19 related illness, a return to the peak that rocked the nation in April, according data from the COVID Tracking Project. Hospitalizations have been steadily rising since hitting a low point of 27,772 on June 15. Several days with more than 59,000 were reported in April before the number began dropping steadily. But it has been rising for more than a month, according to the data. Dr. Matthew G. Heinz is an internist in Arizona, which has struggled in recent weeks as the numbers rise. “Hospitalizations and deaths due to the virus lag significantly behind reports of new infections,” he said. Pfizer and BioNTech announced a deal with the federal government for 100 million doses of their vaccine candidate once the companies obtain approval or emergency use authorization from U. S. Food and Drug Administration. Americans will receive the vaccine for free, the firms said. If the ongoing studies are successful, Pfizer and BioNTech expect to be ready to seek Emergency Use Authorization or some form of regulatory approval as early as October. The companies expect to manufacture globally up to 100 million doses by the end of 2020 and potentially more than 1.3 billion doses by the end of 2021. The federal government, under Operation Warp Speed, has cut deals with multiple drug companies, trying to line up massive amounts of vaccines as soon as they become available. “Expanding Operation Warp Speed’s diverse portfolio by adding a vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech increases the odds that we will have a safe, effective vaccine as soon as the end of this year,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar. California’s confirmed coronavirus cases surged to over 409,000, giving the state the dubious distinction of the most cases in the nation. Johns Hopkins University data shows California has about 1,200 more cases than New York, which was the global hot spot for the virus and related fatalities this spring.
