# data[].attributes.body
While the violent assault was occurring, Joe Biden gave a speech in which he told Trump to speak up and put a stop to it.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"Our democracy is under unprecedented assault," the president-elect added.

As supporters of President Donald Trump rallied outside the Capitol, clashing with police and breaching building security on Wednesday afternoon, President-elect Joe Biden called on Trump to "defend the Constitution."

"At this hour, our democracy is under unprecedented assault," Biden said. "I call on this mob to pull back and allow the work of democracy to go forward."

Biden called the riots "an assault on the citadel of liberty, the Capitol itself. An assault on the people's representatives and the Capitol Hill police sworn to protect them, the public servants who work at the heart of our republic. An assault on the rule of law like few times we've ever seen it. An assault on the most sacred of American undertakings, the doing of the people's business."

"I am genuinely shocked and saddened that our nation, so long the beacon of light and hope for democracy, has come to such a dark moment," the president-elect added. "This is not dissent, it's disorder. It's chaos. It borders on sedition. And it must end now."

Biden called on Trump "to go on national television now to fulfill his oath and defend the Constitution and demand an end to this siege."

"To storm the Capitol, to smash windows, to occupy offices, the floor of the United States Senate, rummaging through desks. On the Capitol, on the House of Representatives. Threatening the safety of duly elected officials. It's not a protest, it's insurrection," Biden said. "The world is watching."

"The words of a president matter -- no matter how good or bad that president is," Biden said.

Hours after the protests began and minutes after Biden spoke, Trump, in a video posted to Twitter, falsely said, "We had an election that was stolen from us," baselessly calling it a "fraudulent election."

"You have to go home now. We have to have peace. We have to have law and order," Trump said. "We don't want anybody hurt."

"I know how you feel. But go home and go home in peace," Trump said, adding: "We love you. You're very special."

Twitter responded by saying that it's blocking Trump's video from being replied to, retweeted or liked "due to a risk of violence."

Vice president-elect Kamala Harris, who was on the Hill earlier Wednesday, echoed Biden's comments in a tweet.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Biden to Trump: 'Demand an end to this siege'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
"Our democracy is under unprecedented assault," the president-elect added. As supporters of President Donald Trump rallied outside the Capitol, clashing with police and breaching building security on Wednesday afternoon, President-elect Joe Biden called on Trump to "defend the Constitution." "At this hour, our democracy is under unprecedented assault," Biden said.

# data[].attributes.body
New York is the 4th state to record over 1 million Covid cases. Florida, Texas, and California are the other 3 states that have passed this mark.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
New York on Saturday became the fourth state to record more than 1 million Covid-19 cases since the coronavirus pandemic started.

As of Saturday, New York had 1,014,044 confirmed cases, according to NBC News counts. California remains at the top of the list with 2.3 million confirmed cases, the most of any state in the country. Florida and Texas have 1.3 million cases and 1.7 million cases, respectively.

Public health officials in New York say the official number of cases represents a significant undercount, since many people in the New York City area were infected with the coronavirus last spring when testing was largely unavailable, NBC New York reported.

"As we start 2021, I encourage all New Yorkers to look to their better angels and continue the practices we know stop the spread of this virus - wash your hands, socially distance and wear a mask," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement.

Mayor Bill de Blasio has said that the city plans to to vaccinate 1 million residents in January alone.

The United States ended 2020 with the deadliest and most infectious month since the start of the pandemic.

More than 77,000 people died in December, while 6.4 million people contracted the virus amid the emergence of a new variant and delayed efforts to vaccinate people. The second-deadliest month was April 2020, with more than 58,000 deaths.

At least four cases of the Covid-19 variant first detected in the United Kingdom have recently been reported in Colorado, California and Florida, but public health experts believe it is likely circulating elsewhere in the country.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
New York becomes fourth state to record 1 million Covid-19 cases

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
New York on Saturday became the fourth state to record more than 1 million Covid-19 cases since the coronavirus pandemic started. As of Saturday, New York had 1,014,044 confirmed cases, according to NBC News counts. California remains at the top of the list with 2.3 million confirmed cases, the most of any state in the country.

# data[].attributes.body
On December 21st we are set to have the Bethlehem Star. This star will make Jupiter and Saturn viewable to the human eye.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
On Monday night, the sky will offer a sight that hasn't been seen since the Middle Ages and may have inspired one of the Bible's most famous stories.

The two largest planets in the solar system, Jupiter and Saturn, will be so close to one another in the sky that they will appear to be fused into a single point of light.

The last time this is believed to have been witnessed was in the year 1226, according to Michael Shanahan, the director of the Liberty Science Center Planetarium in New Jersey.

"The interesting thing about these long cycles in astronomy is that they come back at very different epochs of human history," Shanahan told TODAY. "The event that happened in the Middle Ages in 1226 occurred before dawn, so there was about an hour and a half before the sun rose to see it."

The last time astronomers believe it was possibly visible was in 1623, but it occurred right at sunset and Shanahan said there is no record of anyone having noticed it because the two planets were lost in the light of the setting sun.

There also has been speculation that the conjunction of the planets formed the "Christmas Star" or Star of Bethlehem that the three wise men in the Nativity story in the Bible were thought to have seen that inspired them to ultimately travel to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus.

"One possibility is that these two planets did join together in 7 B.C., about a year before the earliest possible time of the birth of Jesus, so that it could've been a conjunction of the two planets," Shanahan said. "If the wise men were, as we think, in fact astrologers, that could've been a thing they saw in 7 B.C. and said, 'Oh, there's a big event happening, let's go to Bethlehem and check it out."

Alignments between Jupiter and Saturn occur about every 20 years, but normally they are no closer than the width of two full moons. On Dec. 21, they will appear - emphasis on appear, as the planets are still millions of miles away from each other - just a tenth of a degree apart, which about the thickness of a dime held at arm's length, according to NASA.

The two planets will appear close in the sky for this whole month, which people can see by looking southwest just after sunset, NASA astronomer Henry Throop told TODAY in an email.

"For people who see it a few times during the period, it is a great chance to see the motions of the planets," Throop said. "You can imagine Jupiter and Saturn as runners on a track. Jupiter is moving faster, and looking from one night to the next, people will be able to see Jupiter approaching and passing Saturn in their paths around the sun."

Shanahan had some tips for the best way to view the rare planetary alignment on Dec. 21, which is the winter solstice, meaning it's the shortest day of the year in terms of sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Make sure you have a view to the southwest unobstructed by trees or buildings for a little over an hour after sunset. Viewers will also have to hope for clear weather on that night as well.

You don't want to miss it, as Jupiter and Saturn will not appear this close in the sky again until 2080, according to NASA.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Rare 'Christmas Star' will appear in the sky tonight for 1st time in 800 years

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
On Monday night, the sky will offer a sight that hasn't been seen since the Middle Ages and may have inspired one of the Bible's most famous stories. The two largest planets in the solar system, Jupiter and Saturn, will be so close to one another in the sky that they will appear to be fused into a single point of light.

# data[].attributes.body
Trump approves military bill for 781 billion dollars but is overrode by congress.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
WASHINGTON - The Senate on Friday joined the House to override President Donald Trump's veto of a sweeping military policy bill, delivering the first such blow to Trump just weeks before he leaves office.

The Senate then adjourned later in the day Friday, effectively killing the effort to increase stimulus check payments to $2,000, a demand Trump had made after signing a coronavirus relief bill that included $600 payments.

The Senate voted 81-13 to approve the $741 billion National Defense Authorization Act, achieving the two-thirds majority required to defeat the veto. The House overrode the veto on Monday by a vote of 322-87. As a result, the legislation will become law.

Trump vetoed the measure on Dec. 23 after lawmakers refused to include his request to add a provision repealing an internet liability law known as Section 230 that protects social media companies. The previous eight vetoes issued by Trump had been allowed to stand.

Among the lawmakers who voted against the override were Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Josh Hawley of Missouri and Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Ron Wyden of Oregon. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., was a "no" vote as well.

Kamala Harris, the vice president-elect and Democratic senator from California, voted in favor of the override.

Republicans Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, who'd dodged questions about how they'd vote on the issue, were not present. Perdue is quarantining after a member of his campaign team tested positive for the coronavirus, and Loeffler was campaigning in Georgia ahead of next week's runoff election, which will determine party control of the Senate.

Sen. Doug Jones, a Democrat from Alabama who's being considered as President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for attorney general, also missed the vote. He's been quarantining since his wife tested positive for the coronavirus earlier this week.

Trump criticized "Our Republican Senate" on Twitter after the vote, calling its refusal to add a Section 230 provision "Pathetic!!!"

The vote came after attempts by Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Sanders and Hawley to force a vote on Trump's call for $2,000 checks to Americans were rejected. In his tweet, Trump called Republicans' failure to approve the checks "Not fair, or smart!"

The NDAA is typically a bipartisan exercise that passes Congress with little drama. This year was different due to Trump's demand, which leaders of his party dismissed as irrelevant to a bill that structures the Pentagon. Both chambers originally passed the legislation with sweeping bipartisan support.

The process of overriding the veto took days in the Senate after Sanders led an objection to a speedy vote unless Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., would allow a vote on the CASH Act to raise stimulus payments to $2,000.

McConnell refused, choosing to wait him out instead.

Schumer, the minority leader, attempted to pass the House bill raising the stimulus payments by unanimous consent on Friday, but Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., objected. Sanders and Hawley tried again later in the day, offering to also vote on an alternate version offered by McConnell that combined the $2,000 checks with Section 230 reform and legislation to review the 2020 election, but that was blocked as well.

Trump, who'd repeatedly called for increasing the payments to $2,000, had been largely silent on the issue as Democrats and Hawley tried to get the measure passed this week.

Shortly after Thune objected, Trump tweeted that Republican South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem should run against Thune in a primary.

"She would do a fantastic job in the U.S. Senate, but if not Kristi, others are already lining up. South Dakota wants strong leadership, NOW!" Trump wrote.
Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics
It's unclear if Trump attacked Thune because of the objection. Trump also mocked Thune, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, in a tweet last week after the senator predicted any Republican objection to the Electoral College vote count on Jan. 6 would " go down like a shot dog."

About a half-hour after his Thune tweet on Friday, Trump tweeted another call for supporters to show up to rally for him on the Jan. 6 in Washington, D.C.

Thune made light of the Trump jibes to reporters after the vote. "Well, finally an attack tweet! What took him so long? It's fine - that's the way he communicates," Thune said, adding, "I'm not sure what I did to be deserving of all that, but that's fine."

The military legislation affirms a 3 percent pay raise for American troops and includes a provision led by Warren to rename U.S. military bases and property honoring Confederate soldiers within three years.

The last president to never have a veto overridden by Congress was Lyndon Johnson in the 1960s, according to Senate archives.

Frank Thorp V contributed.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Congress overrides Trump's veto for first time on major military bill

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
WASHINGTON - The Senate on Friday joined the House to override President Donald Trump's veto of a sweeping military policy bill, delivering the first such blow to Trump just weeks before he leaves office.

# data[].attributes.body
The new Congress is being sworn in as Pelosi is getting ready for the speaker vote.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Sunday marks the swearing-in of the 117th Congress, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., likely to win re-election despite a shrinking Democratic majority.

Pelosi is running unopposed but, with Democrats holding a smaller majority than the prior Congress, she can only afford to have a small handful of lawmakers peel off and opt to write-in someone else.

"Well, Nancy Pelosi will be the next speaker of the House of Representatives," Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told "Fox News Sunday." "There is incredible enthusiasm for Speaker Pelosi because she's done the work."

In a letter to colleagues Sunday morning, Pelosi said the new Congress will convene "during a time of extraordinary difficulty."

"Each of our communities has been drastically affected by the pandemic and economic crisis: 350,000 tragic deaths, over 20 million infections, millions without jobs - a toll almost beyond comprehension," she said. "Thank you for your generosity of spirit and patriotism to take on this challenge For The People."

"I am enormously grateful for the trust that Members have placed in me," she added. "I am confident that the Speaker's election today will show a united Democratic Caucus ready to meet the challenges ahead."

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the vote for speaker- which must be conducted in person- will look different than in past years. Members will be broken up into separate groups rather than having all of the elected representatives gathered on the floor at once. This roll call vote is expected to take a few hours after it begins Sunday afternoon.

At least a handful of members will not be present for the vote, including Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., who is battling pancreatic cancer, and Rep. David Valadao, R-Ca., and Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, R-Fla., who recently tested positive for Covid-19.

Pelosi won the prior vote for speaker by a 220 to 192 edge over House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.

Senators are also being sworn in on Sunday. The ceremonies will mark the end of Sen. David Perdue's term in office. Perdue, R-Ga., will leave the seat vacant until either he or Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff is certified as the winner of one of Tuesday's widely-watched Senate runoff in that state. Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., is also facing a runoff on Tuesday, but she will remain in her seat through the election because she was earlier appointed to continue a term that does not expire on Sunday.

The Senate will stand at 51 Republican senators and 48 Democrats following the swearing-in ceremonies. Should Democrats prevail in the Georgia runoffs, that split would become 50-50, with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris serving as the tie-breaking vote, giving Democrats the majority.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Pelosi readies for speaker vote as new Congress is sworn in

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sunday marks the swearing-in of the 117th Congress, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., likely to win re-election despite a shrinking Democratic majority. Pelosi is running unopposed but, with Democrats holding a smaller majority than the prior Congress, she can only afford to have a small handful of lawmakers peel off and opt to write-in someone else.

# data[].attributes.body
Trump signed a Covid Relief bill giving Americans their second stimulus check. Since, Wall Street has hit record numbers since covid has been a thing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Wall Street's main indexes were trading at record levels on Monday as President Donald Trump's signing of a long-awaited $2.3 trillion pandemic aid bill bolstered bets on an economic recovery.

In a sudden reversal late on Sunday, Trump backed down from his threat to block the hard-fought bill, restoring unemployment benefits to millions of Americans and averted a federal government shutdown.

"The passage of the stimulus bill is erasing some fears and investors are relieved that there is help out there," said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Spartan Capital Securities in New York.

Shares in airlines and cruise operators rose by between 3 percent and 5 percent, with technology companies and consumer services posting the biggest gains.

After a sharp recovery from a coronavirus crash in March, the S&P 500 is on track to rise more than 15 percent this year on the back of loose monetary policy, high liquidity and a Covid-19 vaccine program.

However, near-term outlook for equities remains clouded on worries over a resurgence in the coronavirus pandemic, mixed economic data and upcoming U.S. Senate runoffs in Georgia.

By midday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up by around 237 points, to 30,437. The S&P gained around 0.85 percent and the Nasdaq Composite rose by 0.76 percent.

Congressional Democrats on Monday will put to vote a proposal for higher pandemic relief payments for Americans, although it appears unlikely to gain traction in the Republican-controlled Senate.

"We will hold a recorded vote on our stand-alone bill to increase economic impact payments to $2,000. To vote against this bill is to deny the financial hardship that families face and to deny them the relief they need," Pelosi said in a statement last week.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Wall Street hits record levels after Trump signs Covid relief bill

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Wall Street's main indexes were trading at record levels on Monday as President Donald Trump's signing of a long-awaited $2.3 trillion pandemic aid bill bolstered bets on an economic recovery. In a sudden reversal late on Sunday, Trump backed down from his threat to block the hard-fought bill, restoring unemployment benefits to millions of Americans and averted a federal government shutdown.

# data[].attributes.body
Many people encouraging citizens to get the covid-19 vaccine such as VP Mike Pence.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
New York on Saturday became the fourth state to record more than 1 million Covid-19 cases since the coronavirus pandemic started.

As of Saturday, New York had 1,014,044 confirmed cases, according to NBC News counts. California remains at the top of the list with 2.3 million confirmed cases, the most of any state in the country. Florida and Texas have 1.3 million cases and 1.7 million cases, respectively.

Public health officials in New York say the official number of cases represents a significant undercount, since many people in the New York City area were infected with the coronavirus last spring when testing was largely unavailable, NBC New York reported.

"As we start 2021, I encourage all New Yorkers to look to their better angels and continue the practices we know stop the spread of this virus - wash your hands, socially distance and wear a mask," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement.

Mayor Bill de Blasio has said that the city plans to to vaccinate 1 million residents in January alone.

The United States ended 2020 with the deadliest and most infectious month since the start of the pandemic.

More than 77,000 people died in December, while 6.4 million people contracted the virus amid the emergence of a new variant and delayed efforts to vaccinate people. The second-deadliest month was April 2020, with more than 58,000 deaths.

At least four cases of the Covid-19 variant first detected in the United Kingdom have recently been reported in Colorado, California and Florida, but public health experts believe it is likely circulating elsewhere in the country.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
New York becomes fourth state to record 1 million Covid-19 cases

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
New York on Saturday became the fourth state to record more than 1 million Covid-19 cases since the coronavirus pandemic started. As of Saturday, New York had 1,014,044 confirmed cases, according to NBC News counts. California remains at the top of the list with 2.3 million confirmed cases, the most of any state in the country.

# data[].attributes.body
For the first time in US history, the government has executed more people than all of the 50 states, and the number of federal prisoners put to death this year 10 is the highest since 1896

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
federal executions: the us government has executed 10 people this year -- the most since 1896 - cnnpolitics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The US government has executed 10 people this year -- the most since 1896

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For the first time in US history, the government has executed more people than all of the 50 states, and the number of federal prisoners put to death this year -- 10 -- is the highest since President Grover Cleveland's second term in office, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

# data[].attributes.body
Mike Pence has gotten a public vaccination to persuade people to get the Covid vaccine.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
NBC News - Breaking News & Top Stories - Latest World, US & Local News

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Go to NBCNews.com for breaking news, videos, and the latest top stories in world news, business, politics, health and pop culture.

# data[].attributes.body
General Mark Milley met with Taliban negotiators in Qatar to discuss a solution to increased violence in Afghanistan. The Taliban has remained committed to earlier peace agreements with the US but, has increased violence against Afghan security forces to try and gain leverage in future peace talks.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Gen. Mark Milley met with Taliban negotiators in an unannounced visit to Qatar.

Gen. Mark Milley, the top U.S. military officer, met with Taliban negotiators in Qatar earlier this week to push for an end to increased violence in Afghanistan, his office confirmed on Thursday.

Milley also traveled to Kabul to meet with Afghanistan's president to discuss the security situation that could impact any progress in the Afghan peace talks taking place in Qatar that have dragged on for months.

"In coordination with the Department of State and the Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation (SRAR), the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley and SRAR negotiators met with Taliban representatives in Doha, Qatar as part of the military channel established in the U.S.-Taliban agreement," said Cmdr. Sarah Flaherty, a spokesperson for Milley in a statement.

"The Chairman discussed the need for an immediate reduction of violence and accelerate progress towards a negotiated political solution which contributes to regional stability and safeguards U.S. national interests," she added.

While the Taliban has maintained its commitment not to attacked American forces in Afghanistan under the U.S.-Taliban peace agreement from earlier this year, it has significantly ramped up attacks on Afghan security forces in an effort to gain leverage in the peace talks.

"The most important part of the discussions that I had with both the Taliban and the government of Afghanistan was the need for an immediate reduction in violence," Milley told an Associated Press reporter accompanying him on the trip to Qatar and Afghanistan. "Everything else hinges on that."

The Associated Press reported that Milley's meeting on Tuesday was actually his second unannounced meeting with Taliban negotiators as he had also met with them in early June, a meeting only being made public now.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with the Taliban negotiators in November in an effort to spur the stalled talks. Earlier this month slight progress was made in the talks as Afghan and Taliban negotiators agreed on rules and procedures for the talks.

But the symbolism of America's top general meeting with the Taliban is noteworthy, given that Milley has served three tours leading troops in Afghanistan.

After his meeting in Doha, Milley traveled to Kabul, Afghanistan where he met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.

"The senior leaders discussed the current security environment in Afghanistan," said Flaherty in a separate statement. "The United States remains fully committed to helping Afghans create a secure and stable Afghanistan by supporting inclusive efforts to achieve peace."

The U.S. military is on track to reduce troop levels in Afghanistan from 4,500 to 2,500 by mid-January as ordered by President Donald Trump. That troop reduction will still enable U.S. troops to maintain their advise and assist mission with Afghan forces and to carry out counterterrorism missions.

Given the increased violence levels in Afghanistan, it remains uncertain if the incoming Biden administration will agree to a full pullout of U.S. forces by May as outlined in the U.S.-Taliban peace agreement.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Top US general meets with Taliban negotiators

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Gen. Mark Milley met with Taliban negotiators in an unannounced visit to Qatar. Gen. Mark Milley, the top U.S. military officer, met with Taliban negotiators in Qatar earlier this week to push for an end to increased violence in Afghanistan, his office confirmed on Thursday.

# data[].attributes.body
Federal advisers recommend the Moderna vaccine. This would be the second vaccine released in the United States. Although, this vaccine is for people 18 and older. With two treatments it is 94% effective.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Federal advisers voted overwhelmingly Thursday to recommend the Moderna vaccine for people over the age of 18, clearing a path for government authorization on what would become the nation's second vaccine to prevent COVID-19.

The panel of independent advisers, called the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, found that based on evidence of a clinical trial involving 30,400 people, the Moderna two-dose vaccine is safe and likely more than 94% effective in preventing serious illness caused by the virus.

The decision paves the way for a final green light from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which in turn triggers the shipping of 5.9 million doses.

"All these vaccines will not be the magic bullet and miraculously reverses all the damage this pandemic has caused. It gives us hope that one day in the not-too-distant future, some semblance of normalcy will be within our reach," said Robert Wong, a physician at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System, who spoke during a public comment session.

Wong urged the panel and federal regulators to be "particularly cognizant" of ensuring equitable access among underserved and vulnerable populations that "have been disproportionately exacerbated by this pandemic."

The independent panel of advisers was asked to vote on this question: "Based on the totality of scientific evidence available, do the benefits of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine outweigh its risks for use in individuals 18 and older?"

The panel voted in favor, 20-0, with one abstention, to recommend the vaccine.

The questions of allergies were raised, following reports of rare reactions to the Pfizer vaccine, including two in Alaska on Wednesday.

Dr. Doran Fink, a senior vaccine official at the FDA, said researchers didn't have all the information. But he noted that "these cases underscore the need to be vigilant during the early stage of the campaign" and communicate those findings to the public.

Fink said the FDA was working with Pfizer to further revise fact sheets and warnings to health care providers to make clear that any facility administering it "should ensure that medical treatment for managing serious allergic reactions is immediately available." He said the FDA plans to do the same for Moderna, if it is ultimately authorized as expected.

If authorized, the 5.9 million doses shipped from Moderna would be in addition to the 6.4 million doses provided by Pfizer-BioNTech that started to roll out this week after being the first to get emergency use authorization.

A blood sample is prepared for analysis during a clinical trial of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in Deland, Fla., Aug. 4, 2020.

NurPhoto via Getty Images, FILE

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, said Wednesday that people shouldn't be concerned about having to choose between Moderna and Pfizer. An internal assessment by the FDA already found that the Moderna data show the benefits likely outweigh the risks.

"Moderna certainly will be available soon and have the same level of efficacy ... the same safety profile and virtually everything the same about that. So it wouldn't make much difference which of those you take," Fauci told CNBC's "Health Returns."

One primary difference is that Moderna requires fewer specific handling instructions because it does not require ultra-cold storage conditions like the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Moderna also is seeking authorization for ages 18 and older, whereas Pfizer's enrollment of older teens in trials this fall paved the way for authorization of anyone 16-plus.

Which sites get the first doses are being decided by state governors and health departments. As recommended by an ethics board, hospitals have been first in line, injecting front-line workers most likely to come in contact with the virus.

Nursing homes also are the priority, although they have been slower to roll out shots because they rely on CVS, Walgreens and other pharmacies that say the logistics are considerable to ensure no dose is wasted.

Florida and West Virginia were among the first to host vaccine clinics at nursing homes on Wednesday, with a nationwide rollout at long-term care facilities expected on Monday.

By February, it's expected that other seniors living independently - anyone over age 65 - will be able to ask their pharmacy for a vaccination.

"Our plans is to be able to immunize 100 million of these people (with) those vaccines by the end of the first quarter of the year 2021, somewhere during the month of March," Moncef Slaoui, Trump's top science adviser in the vaccine effort, told CNBC.

A dose of COVID-19 vaccine is administered during a clinical trial sponsored by Moderna at Accel Research Sites in DeLand, Fla., Aug. 4, 2020.

NurPhoto via Getty Images, FILE

A third vaccine also is on the horizon. Johnson & Johnson was expected by early January to know whether its vaccine was effective. If that vaccine comes online as well, that "will help us accelerate even faster coverage of that population," Slaoui said.

Estimates for the broader population remains March or April, with immunizations complete by June.

"By the time we get into mid, fall of 2021, we can be approaching some level of normality," he said.

"I would think that would be things like being able to go to theaters, clearly feeling much more comfortable about school, having restaurants open to indoor dining," Fauci said.
This report was featured in the Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, episode of "Start Here," ABC News' daily news podcast. "Start Here" offers a straightforward look at the day's top stories in 20 minutes. Listen for free every weekday on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, the ABC News app or wherever you get your podcasts.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Panel recommends Moderna vaccine, paving way for FDA authorization

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Federal advisers voted overwhelmingly Thursday to recommend the Moderna vaccine for people over the age of 18, clearing a path for government authorization on what would become the nation's second vaccine to prevent COVID-19.

# data[].attributes.body
With the COVID vaccines being given to health care workers, Americans are now hopeful of the future and perhaps some form of normalcy. Dr. Fauci, as well as several epidemiologist were asked for their predictions for the upcoming month. They talked about what they recommend the holidays and daily life should hopefully look like in the near future and what they recommend doing.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/16/well/live/life-after-covid.html?action=click&module=Editors%20Picks&pgtype=Homepage
(sorry link wouldn't load probably)