Light at the end of the COVID tunnel as first approved vaccines are given in the UK

As UK administers first COVID vaccines, the US could see vaccines as early as mid December

Dawn Timmeney reports

PHILADELPHIA - A big day in the United Kingdom as people rolled up their sleeves to receive the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine. The country becoming the first in the world to administer a clinically tested and proven COVID-19 vaccine. Folks over 80 and frontline workers being inoculated in the first wave. Pfizer’s CEO reassuring people who may be concerned with its safety.

“This vaccine actually was tested, even because of the scrutiny, with even higher standards in terms of how we do things,” stated Pfizer CEO, Albert Bourla.

Dr. Oz states he fully expects the FDA to give Pfizer the okay Thursday.

“In this country, we’ll probably start vaccinating in about a week. My hope is we’ll also aim at the same people, older folks in nursing homes, also healthcare responders,” Dr. Oz explained.

FULL COVERAGE: CORONAVIRUS

Here in Philadelphia, the Health Commissioner, Dr. Thomas Farley, sounding the alarm, with 1,400 new cases and close to 900 people with COVID in city hospitals.

“The hospitals are clearly showing signs of strain. They have enough beds, but they are having difficulty maintaining staffing,” Dr. Farley stated.

And, it is much the same story in counties across Pennsylvania.

“We continue to see a rapid increase of positive cases reaching record high levels, which gives us significant cause for concern,” Pennsylvania Director of Testing and Contact Tracing, Michael Huff remarked.

Huff says 65 million people have been tested at over 900 sites and it is expanding efforts across Pennsylvania this week. Officials strongly encouraging folks to cooperate with contact tracers to keep the virus from spreading.

“I want to give a big thanks to those who have already answered the call. You might just have saved a life of someone you love or someone you don’t even know,” Special Assistant on Contact Tracing for Pennsylvania Health Department, Lindsey Maulden commented.

The big challenge still remains – with billions of people worldwide needing to be vaccinated, public health officials say immunity is still far off for most of the public, stressing everyone must continue to follow the rules.

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