Biden warns that cans won’t cease the deaths of “tens of 1000’s” of Individuals

President-elect Joe Biden on Tuesday urged Americans to remain “vigilant” over the holidays, adding that Pfizer and Moderna’s coronavirus vaccines are unlikely to stop the deaths of “tens of thousands” from the pandemic in the coming months will.

The United States is currently recording an average of nearly 3,000 Covid-19 deaths per day, Biden said during his remarks in Wilmington, Delaware, Tuesday afternoon. The vaccines, which are currently in short supply in the US, “won’t stop that,” he added.

“Putting the vaccination in the arms of millions of Americans from a vial is one of the greatest operational challenges the United States has ever faced,” he said, adding that vaccinating 320 million Americans “will continue for months ” will take. “Meanwhile, the pandemic rages on. Experts believe it could get worse before it gets better.”

US health officials have repeatedly announced that they will vaccinate at least 20 million Americans by the end of the year, in less than two weeks. More than 4.6 million doses of vaccine had been distributed in the U.S. as of Monday, and at least 614,117 people have received their first shots, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Both Pfizer’s and Moderna’s vaccines require two doses three to four weeks apart.

Biden was among those who received gunshots and received a Covid-19 vaccine on live television Monday afternoon. White House coronavirus advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci, who will remain in a similar position as Biden’s advisor on Covid-19 next year, also received a public shot Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the coronavirus continues to spread rapidly in the United States. The nation has at least 215,400 new Covid-19 cases and at least 2,600 virus-related deaths each day, based on a seven-day average calculated by CNBC using data from Johns Hopkins University. The United States still has the worst outbreak of any other country in the world.

A coronavirus model once quoted by the White House suggests that by April 1, more than 561,600 Americans could die from Covid-19 as new deaths hit record highs in many parts of the country. A worst-case forecast by the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation assumes that up to 715,000 Americans could die by that time.

To heighten fears, the UK has identified a new variant of the coronavirus that appears to be spreading faster.

Scientists and experts in infectious diseases are still putting together what they know about the new strain SARS-CoV-2 VUI 202012/01, which, according to the CDC, represents the first variant examined in December 2020. It has not yet been discovered in the US, but the agency said Tuesday it could already be spread across the country unnoticed.

“Ongoing travel between the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the high prevalence of this variant in current infections in the United Kingdom, increases the likelihood of imports,” said a CDC statement. “Given the low proportion of US infections sequenced, the variant could already be in the US without being discovered.”

When asked about the new variant of the virus on Tuesday, Biden said he had asked his Covid-19 task force if further pandemic restrictions were needed.

“One thing I’m waiting for from my Covid team is whether we should need testing before they get on a plane to go home, number one,” he said. “And number two, when you get home you should be quarantined. That’s my instinct, but I’m waiting to hear from my experts now.”

Why the Covid vaccine is “extra like a tetanus shot,” says NIH director

Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, told CNBC that “it was very likely” that the US government is close to a deal with Pfizer for up to 100 million additional doses of Covid vaccine.

“It’s good news that it sounds very likely,” said Collins. “We’re going to have 400 million doses between Pfizer and Moderna around June or July, but remember, these are vaccines that require two doses.”

In a Tuesday night interview on The News with Shepard Smith, Collins said he hoped for advances in Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca Covid vaccines, which could be rapidly produced on a large scale.

Operation Warp Speed ​​reported that there will be nearly six million doses of the Moderna vaccine in 3,400 locations between Tuesday and Wednesday. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 4,600,000 Covid vaccine doses have been distributed to health care facilities in the United States, and approximately 13% of those doses have been given to patients. Collins pointed out the “logistical challenge” when host Shepard Smith asked him about the differences.

“I think getting that number of doses into a system where the arms start injecting takes a little over a few days, and we’ve only had about ten days since that became possible,” said Collins.

Collins then put the responsibility on the states, saying it is their responsibility to figure out how they will administer the vaccines, as per the CDC recommendation of who should go first.

The vaccine news comes from reports of a new, highly contagious variant of Covid in the UK. The UK recorded nearly 700 Covid deaths in the past 24 hours, the highest number since early May. However, Collins said the rapidly spreading variant of Covid should come as no surprise.

“RNA viruses change over time … the original Wuhan virus can’t be found because it found another mutation on the way to New York, and what’s replaced is something more contagious,” said Collins . “That’s how it works.”

Due to the mutations in Covid, Collins said that it is possible that the population will need an updated version of the vaccine in a few years’ time and that the current vaccine “is more like your tetanus shot that requires a booster now and now . ” then, unlike something, you do it once and you’re done. “

The coronavirus pandemic has killed record numbers of Americans on a daily basis and the number is expected to deteriorate due to gatherings over the Christmas vacation. According to a CNBC analysis of Johns Hopkins data, more than 18 million people in the United States have Covid-19, a million more infected Americans than five days ago. In today’s remarks in Wilmington, Delaware, President-elect Joe Biden even warned: “Our darkest days in the fight against Covid are ahead, not behind, so we must prepare.”

Collins said that to fight the spread everyone must take responsibility and try not to be the person who becomes the super-spreader.

“It’s all the more reason why we have to practice wearing masks and distancing and washing our hands during these dark weeks, all of the things that people are fed up with but we can’t step back right now,” said Collins.

Asia Pacific shares barely increased; Trump calls the US help bundle Covid-19 unsuitable

SINGAPORE – Asia-Pacific stocks were slightly higher on Wednesday morning after US President Donald Trump made new remarks on the new Covid-19 aid package.

Mainland China stocks were higher in early trading, with the Shanghai Composite gaining 0.3% while the Shenzhen component gaining 0.33%. The Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong was slightly above the flatline.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 rose slightly while the Topix index rose 0.13%. South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.23%.

Australian stocks rose and the S & P / ASX 200 rose 0.63%.

MSCI’s broadest index for stocks in the Asia-Pacific region outside of Japan rose 0.29%.

Trump said on Tuesday that the US Congress passed the US $ 900 billion Covid Aid Act was an unsuitable “shame”.

Although the US president had not threatened to veto the legislation, he asked for a “suitable bill, otherwise the next government will have to deliver a Covid aid package”. The latest development could delay the delivery of funds to Americans suffering from the coronavirus pandemic.

A new variety of Covid in the UK has also weighed on investor sentiment worldwide in recent days. It comes at a time when vaccines are beginning to be adopted and daily coronavirus infections are on the rise again in major economies around the world.

In the Bank of Japan’s October monetary policy meeting minutes released on Wednesday, a member expressed concern that “deflation could occur” if Covid-19 re-spreads and depresses economic activity, so it “may attract attention” in governance monetary policy earned.

On Wall Street overnight, the S&P 500 fell for the third straight year as it fell 0.2% to 3,687.26. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 200.94 points to close at 30,015.51. The Nasdaq Composite outperformed as it rose 0.5% to close at 12,807.92, a new record.

Currencies and oil

The US dollar index, which tracks the greenback versus a basket of its peers, was last at 90.549 after previously rebounding from levels below 90.4.

The Japanese yen was trading at 103.55 per dollar, still stronger than last week. The Australian dollar changed hands at $ 0.754 in a week of trading when it was trading at $ 0.76 to below $ 0.75.

Oil prices fell on the morning of trading hours in Asia, with the international benchmark Brent crude oil futures falling 1.5% to $ 49.33 a barrel. US crude oil futures also fell 1.55% to $ 46.29 a barrel.

– CNBC’s Mike Calia and Maggie Fitzgerald contributed to this report.

Rachel Zoe praises “Precise Miracle” as a son recovering from the ski carry fall

Rachel Zoe still struggles to come to terms with the breathtaking events her family has seen over the past few days.

The fashion designer updated her fans on Tuesday December 22nd by telling Instagram and her that she and her husband Rodger Berman are relieved to have a 9 year old son Skyler back to his usual playful self two days after falling 40 feet off a ski lift.

“And just like that, after seeing a real miracle. # Sky is almost [100 emoji] Percent back to themselves after falling 40 feet off a ski lift less than 48 hours ago, “she wrote.” I can’t retell the story of how it really happened just yet, but @rbermanus and I will heal our pain in time knowing that Sky is okay and stronger than ever. I don’t usually share traumatic moments with my community, but the love we felt from so many of you has been overwhelming and has really helped us all to heal. “

Rachel’s post included a video of her son who appeared to be in a good mood as he demonstrated an acrobatic somersault on his family’s couch. She wrote that her son wanted her to post the video “because he felt bad, so many people were so worried about him.”

Pfizer is getting nearer to the US authorities deal for extra doses

The U.S. government is about to sign a deal with Pfizer for up to 100 million additional doses of its coronavirus vaccine, a source told CNBC’s Meg Tirrell on Tuesday.

The deal could be announced on Wednesday, according to the source. The New York Times reported the news first.

Pfizer declined to comment, saying the company “could not comment on confidential discussions that may be taking place with the US government.” The U.S. Department of Health did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The news comes after Pfizer CEO Dr. Albert Bourla told CNBC last week that the company is negotiating with the federal government to provide an additional 100 million Covid-19 vaccine doses next year.

Pfizer and the US are working out the timing details, Bourla said in an interview with CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Dec. 14. The company could provide many of these cans in the third quarter of 2021, but the U.S. government is pushing for them in the second quarter, he said.

“We’re working very cooperatively to find a solution and allocate that 100 million [doses] in the second quarter if possible or in many of them, “Bourla said, adding that the company has not yet signed an agreement with the US.

Unlike other drug companies, Pfizer did not accept federal funding to develop or manufacture its vaccine. Pfizer has already signed a contract with the US government to supply 100 million doses of the vaccine as part of Operation Warp Speed, enough to vaccinate 50 million people. Under the agreement, the Americans will receive the vaccine for free.

The initial doses of the Pfizer vaccine are limited as production begins. Officials predict it will be months before everyone in the US who wants to be vaccinated is vaccinated. The U.S. shipped 2.9 million doses of the vaccine last week and plans to ship 2 million doses of that vaccine this week, according to General Gustave Perna, who oversees logistics for Operation Warp Speed.

Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that Pfizer’s target for vaccine launch of 50 million doses worldwide by the end of the year was only half of its originally planned 100 million. In a statement, Pfizer said there were several factors influencing the number of estimated doses, including increasing the size of a vaccine at an “unprecedented” pace.

The US government has criticized Pfizer in recent weeks, stating that the drug company kept federal officials “at bay” throughout the manufacturing process for its vaccine.

Minister of Health and Human Services Alex Azar told CNBC on Thursday that he would like the federal government’s relationship with Pfizer to change.

“You’re part of Operation Warp Speed, but … it’s a different relationship” than the government deals with Moderna and other federal drug companies that have received federal funding, Azar told CNBC’s Squawk Box in an interview. “We pull together, give [Pfizer] A guaranteed purchase that allows them to make capital investments has a predictable buyer, but we don’t have full visibility into their making because they kept this a bit more on-market. “

Trump pardons 15, together with these convicted within the Mueller investigation

President Donald Trump on Tuesday pardoned 15 people, including those convicted as part of Special Envoy Robert Mueller’s investigation and four former Blackwater USA guards convicted of the 2007 murder of unarmed Iraqi civilians in Baghdad.

Pardons include ex-Congressmen Duncan Hunter from California, Chris Collins from New York, and Steve Stockman from Texas.

Collins, who last year pleaded guilty to crimes resulting from informing his son of nonpublic information about a pharmaceutical company, was the first member of Congress to endorse Trump’s campaign as president in 2015.

Trump, who has sharply criticized Muller’s investigation into his 2016 campaign and its contacts with Russians, apologized to former election worker George Papadopoulos, who was convicted of making false statements during the investigation.

“Today’s pardon helps correct the injustice Mueller’s team has done to so many people,” said Trump’s press secretary Kayleigh McEnany in a statement on Papadopoulous’ pardon.

Also pardoned Alex van der Zwaan, an attorney and Dutch national who plead guilty of lying to the FBI during the Mueller investigation. Van der Zwaan was the first person convicted in the investigation and was sentenced to 30 days in prison in 2018.

Trump has been particularly stingy when it comes to granting executive grace, which includes pardons and commutations, compared to previous presidents.

Trump had previously issued only 28 pardons and commuted the criminal convictions of 16 other people, a significantly lower rate than other one-year presidents, according to the Justice Department.

Trump’s pardons included those on financial scammer Michael Milken; Press Baron Conrad Black; former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arapaio, convicted of contempt of court; Lewis “Scooter” Libby, former advisor to ex-Vice President Dick Cheney on obstruction of justice; Conservative Gadfly Dinesh D’Souza for Campaign Submission Fraud; and Ex-New York Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik for Tax and Other Crimes.

In November, Trump apologized to his first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, for making false statements to FBI agents.

In July, Trump commuted the 40-month sentence of Republican adviser Roger Stone, who was convicted of lying to Congress.

Among the beneficiaries of his commutation was former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, who tried to sell an appointment to the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama when that president became president.

Trump previously apologized for several deaths, including early 20th century black boxing champion Jack Johnson for the crime of crossing the state line with his white girlfriend and Susan B. Anthony, the 19th suffragette, who was charged with illegal elections was convicted.

Trump also pardoned the late scientist Zay Jeffries, who was convicted of anticompetitive behavior by Sherman in 1948 for violating the antitrust law. That year, President Harry Truman awarded him the President’s Medal of Merit for his work during World War II, which included contributions to the Manhattan Project.

Trump pardoned Alice Marie Johnson, a woman convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, in August. The president had commuted Johnson’s life sentence two years earlier after lobbying reality TV star Kim Kardashian West on her behalf.

The only other president with a term in office in the past 30 years, Trump’s Republican compatriot George HW Bush, pardoned 74 people by comparison and issued commutations for three more.

Obama, who served two terms before Trump, pardoned 212 people, or more than six times the number Trump pardoned in half that time. Obama commuted the sentences of more than 1,700 people.

The last Republican to serve two terms, George W. Bush, pardoned 189 people and commuted 11 sentences.

Biden desires to push for extra funds within the subsequent Covid plan

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden gives a pre-holiday speech at The Queen in Wilmington, Delaware on December 22, 2020.

Alex Edelman | AFP | Getty Images

President-elect Joe Biden will call for a third round of stimulus checks in the next Covid-19 bill, he said on Tuesday.

The former vice president said at an event in Wilmington, Delaware that his plan calls for direct payments to Americans but declined to indicate how big they would be, calling it a negotiable matter.

“I think you see that there is a clear understanding that these issues go beyond any ideology,” said Biden. “The people hurt desperately and the Republicans hurt as much as the Democrats.”

Biden praised his former rival for the Democratic nomination, Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., And Senator Josh Hawley, R-Mo., For calling for direct payments in the latest Covid-19 aid package passed by Congress on Monday night.

The $ 900 billion legislation provided for $ 600 payments to most Americans, expected to arrive as soon as next week. This plan was based on the CARES Act, which was passed in March and provided for $ 1,200 checks.

Biden’s comments on direct payments came in response to a reporter’s question about comments he made ahead of the upcoming holidays that touched on the coronavirus and the massive hack recently exposed on US companies and government agencies.

In his roughly 10-minute speech, Biden warned of the growing toll on Covid-19.

“One thing I promise you about my leadership during this crisis I will tell you directly,” said Biden. “And here is the simple truth. Our darkest days in this fight against Covid are ahead, not behind us.”

Biden said during his remarks that he would present his plan to lawmakers early next year. It will be inaugurated on January 20th.

“Congress did its job this week,” he said. “It can and must do it again next year.”

Biden repeatedly referred to the $ 900 billion package as a “down payment” and did so again Tuesday. He said more funds would be needed for vaccine distribution, reopening schools, and helping firefighters, police and nurses.

Subscribe to CNBC Pro for the TV livestream, deep insights and analysis of how to invest over the next president’s term.

R. Kelly’s trial date must be set for September 2021 (replace)

R. Kelly has been in jail for 17 months and his legal team worked hard to get a judge to release him. Kellz ‘has been waiting for the trial and unfortunately the date has been postponed several times due to the pandemic and it looks like he will finally face a judge in 2021.

A journalist covering the R. Kelly case has reported that Judge Leinenweber has set a trial date for R. Kelly and his co-defendants for September 13, 2021.

“Kelly’s attorney, Steve Greenberg, sounds skeptical about what’s going on, but agrees to fix the date until it’s set in stone,” said Jason Meisner.

As we previously reported, R. Kelly’s legal team tried virtually everything to get him released pending trial, but nothing has worked so far. His team tried to play the COVID card that the judge closed on the case and even tried to release him after he was attacked in his cell in August.

One of R. Kelly’s attorneys, Nicole Blank Becker, exclusively told the Chicago Sun Times that he lived in fear and was “petrified and paranoid” after the attack. She went on to say that he “cannot sleep and is now afraid to leave his prison cell during the two hours he is allowed to leave each day. His insomnia is serious. “

“Robert is scared for his life … he’s been scared every day since he was beaten in his prison cell by his fellow MCC inmate Jeremiah Shane Farmer a month ago,” Becker said.

From now on, Kellz will remain behind bars until his set negotiation date.

Would you like updates directly in your text inbox? Contact us at 917-722-8057 or https://my.community.com/theshaderoom

Punch Bowl Social recordsdata for chapter after Covid destroys its enterprise

Punch Bowl Social on Broadway in Denver, November 1, 2016.

Andy Cross | Denver Post | Getty Images

Punch Bowl Social filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Monday after the coronavirus pandemic destroyed its business.

As recently as February, the once lively “eatertainment” chain appeared to be the future of the restaurant industry, offering arcade games and karaoke as well as food and drinks. Cracker Barrel invested $ 140 million in a stake in the company last year, and Punch Bowl had grown to 20 locations by the time it was locked in March.

The crisis has evaporated the customer base, and Cracker Barrel decided in March to prop up its own liquidity instead of helping Punch Bowl stay afloat.

CEO Robert Thompson, who founded Punch Bowl in 2012, left the company amid the pandemic. The main lender CrowdOut Capital became part-owner and hired a new managing director: John Haywood, who has made a name for himself as a turnaround specialist.

Punch Bowl has liabilities of between $ 10 million and $ 50 million, according to its bankruptcy filing. JPMorgan Chase, its top creditor, owes more than $ 10 million on a payment protection program loan. The majority of the other creditors are tenants of locations across the country.

The company is the latest in a spate of restaurants and retailers to file for bankruptcy during the pandemic, including parent company Chuck E. Cheese, Ruby Tuesday and J. Crew. Bankruptcy experts have predicted a new flurry of filings after the holidays.

In response to the CDC, the brand new pressure of Covid within the UK may already be floating round undetected within the US

Medical worker Christina Mathers attends to an unconscious patient who is holding the patient’s hand in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas on December 21, 2020.

Go Nakamura | Getty Images

The new coronavirus strain, which was first discovered in the UK, could already be in circulation in the US without notice, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday.

While the variant has not yet been found in the United States, the CDC noted that scientists have not sequenced the genetic coding for many Covid-19 infections here. The agency said “Viruses have only been sequenced from about 51,000 of the 17 million US cases,” so the new strain could have failed.

“Ongoing travel between the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the high prevalence of this variant in current infections in the United Kingdom, increases the likelihood of imports,” said a CDC statement. “Given the low proportion of US infections sequenced, the variant could already be in the US without being discovered.”

The new variant is currently known as “SARS-CoV-2 VUI 202012/01”, according to the CDC. It was spread across south east England in November and is reported to account for 60% of recent infections in London, the agency said. The CDC said it did not know why the new strain of the virus showed up, but it could have “just happened by accident”.

“Alternatively, it may arise because it is better suited to spread in humans,” said the CDC. “This rapid transition from a rare strain to a common strain has affected scientists in the UK who are urgently evaluating the characteristics of the variant strain and the disease it causes.”

The new coronavirus “mutates regularly,” the CDC found, but the vast majority of the mutations are insignificant. The significance of the new variant, first found in the UK, has yet to be determined, but the CDC noted that based on earlier data from the UK, the new strain “may be potentially more quickly transmissible than other circulating strains”.

The CDC noted that there have been multiple mutations of the coronavirus. Scientists are studying how this affects its ability to spread, or whether it has become more deadly or led to milder infections.

Scientists are also investigating whether the changes make testing less effective, the CDC said, adding that the Covid-19 tests are designed to detect the virus in different ways, “so that even if a mutation is one of the targets, the other PCR targets that are affected will still work. “

However, the mutations could potentially reduce the effectiveness of monoclonal antibodies in treating the virus, the CDC said. Monoclonal antibody treatments such as those received by President Donald Trump, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani have been identified as some of the few life-saving tools to fight the virus.

“Of these possibilities, the last one – the ability to evade vaccine-induced immunity – would probably be the most worrying, since after vaccination of a large part of the population there is an immune pressure that could favor and accelerate the emergence of such variants through selection for ‘ Escape mutants, ‘”said CDC. “There is no evidence that this is happening, and most experts believe that escape mutants are unlikely due to the nature of the virus.”

The coronavirus vaccine zone of President Donald Trump, Dr. Moncef Slaoui said Monday he expected the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 shots to be effective against the new tribe.