Over 1.28 lakh receive Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine in US
What's the story
Since vaccinations started in the United States on Monday, over 1.28 lakh people have reportedly received the vaccine so far. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has also issued guidelines on the allergic reactions from the vaccine. The US, which is the world's worst-hit country in the outbreak, witnessed a record single-day spike in new infections on Saturday.
Details
Over 1.28 lakh vaccinated this week
According to The New York Times, more than 1.28 lakh people received a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine this week. The government is reportedly expected to initially deliver enough vaccine for 2.9 million people to receive the first dose. However, the amount is not enough even for healthcare workers and long-term care facility residents at the frontlines of the outbreak, the report added.
Outbreak
US remains world's worst-hit country
The US has reported a total of 17.6 million infections so far, according to the Johns Hopkins University's tracker. On Saturday, the country recorded an all-time high of 4,03,359 fresh infections over a 24-hour period, according to the CDC. The death toll has now risen to 0.3 million. Globally, 76.2 million people have been sickened, while 1.68 million have died.
Recent news
2 vaccines get emergency approval in US
Earlier this month, the US had granted emergency-use authorization (EUA) to the mRNA vaccine developed by American giant Pfizer and the German drugmaker BioNTech. The vaccine was rolled out on Monday. On Friday, Moderna's mRNA vaccine became the second vaccine to be granted EUA in the US. Outgoing President Donald Trump said in a tweet that the distribution of Moderna's vaccine will start immediately.
Guidelines
CDC issues warning for people with allergies
The CDC on Saturday said it was monitoring the vaccine's allergic reactions. The agency also recommended to people who had a severe reaction after the first dose to not get the second dose. The CDC defined "severe allergic reaction" as needing the medication epinephrine or treatment in a hospital. People with severe allergies to food, pets, latex, or environmental conditions could still get vaccinated.