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Our show starts with news from the pharmaceutical industry. The drug company Pfizer says it's moved a big step closer to a breakthrough in the fight against coronavirus. Pfizer's one of many companies that are working on a coronavirus vaccine. It says an early look at research indicates its shot is more than 90 percent effective in protecting people from catching COVID-19. Pfizer's in the midst of its phase three trial, when tests are carried out on tens of thousands of volunteers. The disease continues to spread though at different rates in different countries.
Health officials say last Wednesday was the first time the United States recorded more than 100,000 positive tests in a 24 hour period. And the country's seen that several times since then. According to Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. has reported around 10 million positive tests in all since the pandemic began early this year. And health officials have blamed more than 237,000 deaths on coronavirus in America. Many people who catch the disease have no symptoms from it though. And officials estimate the overall survival rate for coronavirus is more than 99 percent. Still, because it appears to be deadlier than the flu there's been an international race to prevent its spread, develop treatments from existing and new medicines and manufacture an effective vaccine.
Has Pfizer done that? No one knows yet. A non-profit consumer rights organization criticized Pfizer's announcement. The group "Public Citizens" says publishing early and incomplete information in a press release is quote "bad science". It adds that more data is needed to prove the vaccine is effective against serious cases, hospitalizations and deaths from coronavirus. Pfizer also says more research and safety information needs to be gathered. If its vaccine is proven safe and effective, the company says it will be free to all American citizens. It's unclear though how many of those citizens would actually get it. In a cnn poll conducted last month, 45 percent of Americans said they would not try to get vaccinated once a drug becomes available.
