US surpasses 17m coronavirus cases just a day after setting record death toll — as it happened
- Biden picks Deb Haaland for interior secretary — report
- Congress closes in on $900bn Covid aid bill as Friday deadline looms
- FDA says extra doses of vaccine contained in Pfizer vials can be used
- Biden and Pence will soon receive Covid vaccine
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Respiratory therapists and nurses work in the Covid-19 alternative care site, built into a parking garage, at Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno, Nevada, on Wednesday. Photograph: Patrick T Summary
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FDA advisory panel recommends authorizing Moderna vaccine
US coronavirus cases surpass 17m
From me and Joan E Greve:
- Cedric Richmond, who is slated to be the director of the White House office of public engagement, tested positive for Covid-19. He was not in close contact with the president-elect, according to the Biden transition team.
- An FDA advisory panel voted to recommend authorizing the Moderna coronavirus vaccine. The recommendation clears the way for the FDA to approve the vaccine for emergency use, a decision that could as soon as later this week.
- The US has now confirmed more than 17 million cases of coronavirus. The virus continues to spread at an alarming rate, as the country sets new records for coronavirus cases and deaths. According to Johns Hopkins University, the US confirmed 247,403 cases of coronavirus yesterday, and another 3,656 Americans died of the virus yesterday as well.
- Joe Biden had chosen Deb Haaland to run the interior department. If confirmed, the progressive congresswoman would be the first Native American to serve as interior secretary.
- Another 885,000 Americans filed new claims for unemployment benefits last week, representing an increase from a week earlier. Economists warn that unemployment is moving in a startling direction as Americans prepare for the holidays amid more coronavirus-related layoffs.
- Congress is expected to pass another stopgap funding bill to continue negotiations over coronavirus relief. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said it was “highly likely” lawmakers would work through the weekend to reach a deal on a relief package and a government spending bill. The government is currently set to shut down tomorrow night.
More members of Biden’s climate team:
- Former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm has been chosen to serve as Secretary of Energy.
- Michael Regan, the secretary of Noth Carolina’s environmental agency, has been picked to serve as Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator.
- Brenda Mallory, an environmental lawyer, has been selected as chair of the Council on Environmental Quality.
- Former Environmental Protection Agency chief Gina McCarthy will be national climate adviser.
- Ali Zaidi, a longtime Biden adviser, will be deputy national climate adviser.
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“From the wildfires across California and the west to the storms battering our coasts, our climate crisis is a grave and growing threat to the American people and the planet we all share,” said Kamala Harris, discussing the administration’s picks to lead climate policy, including Deb Haaland. “On the campaign, President-elect Biden and I proposed one of the most ambitious climate plans in history. The team we are announcing today will help make that plan a reality. They are seasoned public servants and climate experts who reflect the very best of our country. They have the knowledge and experience to confront this global challenge head-on with our allies and partners around the world. And they are the team the American people need and deserve to help protect our communities — and our planet — for generations,” Harris said in a statement.
