AT THE SAME TIME ANOTHER TREATMENT IS RUNNING IN SHORT
SUPPLY.
MIGUEL ALMAGUER LEADS
OUR COVERAGE TONIGHT.
>> Reporter: THE FDA’S
EMERGENCY
AUTHORIZATION
OFFICIALLY CLEARS THE
WAY FOR THE FIRST
COVID ANTIVIRAL PILL.
IF TAKEN WITHIN FIVE
DAYS OF THE ONSET OF
SYMPTOMS, IT COULD
REDUCE
HOSPITALIZATIONS BY
88% FOR THOSE
AMERICANS ALREADY
CONSIDERED HIGH RISK.
WITH TENS OF MILLIONS
LIKELY TO BECOME
ELIGIBLE, THE
TREATMENT, WHICH IS
HERE TO FIGHT OFF
OMICRON, NOW FOUND IN
ALL 50 STATES, COULD
BE AVAILABLE IN JUST
DAYS.
BUT SUPPLY WILL BE
TIGHT, AT LEAST FOR
NOW.
>> AS QUICKLY AS
PFIZER GETS THE PILLS
MANUFACTURED AND
DELIVERED, WE WILL
IMMEDIATELY PROVIDE
STATES PILLS FOR
DISTRIBUTION.
>> Reporter: IT WILL
NOT BEAT THE CRUSHING
WAVE OF PATIENTS
FLOODING HOSPITALS
TODAY, FALLING INTO
THE DEPTHS OF A DEADLY
WINTER SURGE, THE NEW
NUMBERS SHOULD BE
ALARMING IF YOU’RE NOT
VACCINATED.
>> IT JUST FEELS LIKE
NO ONE IS LISTENING.
I’M BEGGING YOU TO
PLEASE GET VACCINATED.
>> Reporter: FOR THE
SECOND DAY IN A ROW,
NEW CASES HAVE TOPPED
200,000.
NEARLY 1,400 PEOPLE
ARE DYING EVERY 24
HOURS, WITH THE
UNVACCINATED PAYING
THE GREATEST TOLL, DR.
FAUCI SUGGESTED THEY
BE DISINVITED FROM
HOLIDAY GATHERINGS.
>> I THINK WE’RE
DEALING WITH A SERIOUS
ENOUGH SITUATION RIGHT
NOW THAT IF THERE IS
AN UNVACCINATED
PERSON, I WOULD SAY,
I’M VERY SORRY.
NOT THIS TIME.
MAYBE ANOTHER TIME
WHEN THIS IS ALL OVER.
>> Reporter: AS
SEVERAL STATES HIT NEW
PANDEMIC RECORDS FOR
CASES AND
HOSPITALIZATIONS,
MEDICAL CENTERS ARE
NOW SCRAMBLING TO
SECURE THE ONLY
MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY
THERAPIES THAT APPEAR
TO BE EFFECTIVE
AGAINST OMICRON.
THOUGH TWO NEW STUDIES
OUT U.K. SHOW THE
VARIANT APPEARS TO BE
LESS SEVERE, IT CAN
STILL BE DEADLY.
IN THE NEW YORK AREA,
IT’S ACCOUNTING FOR
UPWARDS OF 90% OF ALL
NEW CASES.
TONIGHT IN STATES LIKE
MAINE AND ARIZONA, THE
NATIONAL GUARD AND
FEDERAL RESPONSE TEAMS
ARE JUST ARRIVING AT
HOSPITALS.
>> WE WOULD JUST CRY
ALL THE WAY HOME FROM
WORK EVERY DAY.
THE PERSONAL TOLL IS
VERY DIFFERENT.
THERE IS NO SHYING
AWAY FROM THAT.
>> Reporter: WITH
CALIFORNIA MOVING TO
REQUIRE ALL HEALTH
CARE WORKERS GET
BOOSTED BY FEBRUARY,
STATES AND CITIES ARE
TRYING TO FEND OFF NEW
COVID CLOSURES.
DISRUPTIONS TO THE NHL
SEASON MEAN THEIR
PLAYERS WON’T
PARTICIPATE IN THE
OLYMPICS.
IT COMES AS FAMILIES
ASK, SHOULD THEY
GATHER FOR CHRISTMAS.
>> SO MUCH ABOUT THE
SAFETY OF YOUR
GATHERING HAS LESS TO
DO WITH THE PLANE RIDE
OR THE TRAIN RIDE THAT
YOU ARE GOING TO DO TO
GET THERE AND VERY
MUCH TO DO WITH THE
BEHAVIOR THAT YOU HAVE
IN THE WEEK PRIOR TO
YOUR GATHERING.
>> Reporter: TONIGHT
OUR SECOND PANDEMIC
CHRISTMAS IN MANY WAYS
RESEMBLING OUR FIRST.
>> AND, MIGUEL,
WORRIES ABOUT
EXPOSURE.
WE’RE JUST LEARNING A
WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL
WHO WAS WITH THE VICE
PRESIDENT HAS TESTED
POSITIVE.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL US
ABOUT THAT?
>> Reporter: YEAH,
LESTER.
THAT WHITE HOUSE
OFFICIAL WHO TESTED
POSITIVE WAS WITH THE
VICE PRESIDENT
THROUGHOUT THE DAY
YESTERDAY.
THE VICE PRESIDENT HAS
SINCE TESTED NEGATIVE
AND WILL TEST AGAIN ON
FRIDAY.
FOLLOWING CDC