Pfizer Vaccine A Step Away From FDA Authorization

Plus: Poll: 73% of Americans say pandemic is worsening

Covid-19 cases, and deaths, continue to rise. On Wednesday, more people in the U.S. died from Covid-19 than from the 9/11 terror attacks, a grim reminder of the sheer scale of this pandemic. But there was a spot of bright news: Today, a vaccine advisory board recommended that the FDA grant the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine emergency authorization for preventing Covid-19. While a few questions about safety, specifically allergic reactions, still remain, the panel of experts decided that the potential benefits of the vaccine outweigh the potential risks. Next, the FDA has to officially grant the vaccine Emergency Use Authorization, which could happen in the coming hours or days.

Business

54% of remote workers say that they hope to keep working from home after the pandemic is over. 

Google announced a new plan today to tackle Covid-19 vaccine misinformation on its platforms.

Billionaire Eric Lefkofsky just raised another $200 million for his company Tempus, which has been doing Covid-19 PCR tests and will soon start sequencing different strains of the virus.

Science & Health

Many U.S. hospitals are running critically short of ICU beds due to the latest Covid-19 case spike.

A wedding that turned into a Covid-19 super-spreader event has now sparked a new outbreak at a company networking event. 

More research shows that losing your sense of smell and taste may be some of the first symptoms of Covid-19 infection.

On The Upside

Northern Lights: Look up in the night sky tonight-- a rare solar event means that the beautiful Northern Lights will be visible over parts of America.