Health regulators are holding an emergency meeting Tuesday to decide who they believe should receive the coronavirus vaccine first once one is authorized.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices is set to meet virtually from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Cambridge-based Moderna asked the Food and Drug Administration on Monday to allow emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine as new study results confirm the shots offer strong protection.
“Ten years of work, several billion dollars in investment have gone into putting us in a position to be relevant in this important time,” Moderna Co-Founder and Chairman Noubar Afeyan said.
Pfizer has also applied for emergency authorization of its vaccine candidate.
If both are approved, there could be about 40 million doses available by the end of the year.
The FDA’s advisory committee is set to rule on both applications later this month.
Even if approved, it will be months before a vaccine is widely available for everyone and health experts are urging people to continue taking precautions.
“Help is on the way but it’s not here yet, so we can do these things and we can prevent an even further escalation,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert.
In Massachusetts, people waited in long lines to get tested for COVID-19 following the Thanksgiving holiday.
“To get back to high school you have to get a test, so I’m waiting here today so I can get back in there and play sports again,” said student Steven Schneekloth.
With cases expected to rise, Worcester’s DCU Center is reopening as a field hospital with the help of the National Guard.
“We’re already seeing an increase in needs for COVID care and we’re prepared if it goes up,” said Dr. John Broach, medical director of the DCU Center Field Hospital. “We hope it doesn’t but we’re prepared if it does.”
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