usatoday--2020-11-17--How LaMelo Ball went from misunderstood to can't-miss NBA draft pick

When LaMelo Ball enrolled in the college prep academy at Spire Institute in Ohio two years ago , his new coach , Jermaine Jackson , declared that Ball had the potential to be the first-overall pick of the 2020 NBA draft .
“ Everybody texted me , emailed me and called me telling me I was a damn fool , ’ ’ Jackson said .
But there were no objections from Ball 's father , LaVar Ball , who once said that in his heyday he `` would kill '' Michael Jordan one-on-one .
And who later said his oldest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stephen Curry , a two-time MVP NBA , when Lonzo was a freshman at UCLA .
And long before enrolling his son at Spire Institute , predicted all three of his sons — Lonzo , LiAngelo and LaMelo — would be playing for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 .
Never mind that on the court LaMelo Ball had become as exasperating as he was entertaining .
He had cherry-picked his way to 92 points in a game as sophomore at Chino Hills High in California in 2017 and in another game casually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
He had averaged a triple-double in the Junior Basketball Association ( JBA ) — a league LaVar founded after pulling LaMelo out of school at the start of his junior year — but he had also played defense as if he were social distancing .
And in October 2018 , about a month before enrolling at Spire Institute , he had triggered an on-court melee when he slapped an opposing player in the face in Lithuania , where Ball was touring with a team of American players from the JBA .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ Jackson said .
The mop-top haircut is long gone .
So are the braces .
As is the goofy grin .
DRAFT READY : How front offices and prospects prepared for the most unique draft At 19 , LaMelo Ball has matured into a 6-7 , 190-pound point guard .
He is projected by USA TODAY Sports to be a top-three pick in the NBA draft Wednesday and , well , where are all those skeptics ?
The youngest son of LaVar Ball and brother of Lonzo Ball — the No .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and starting point guard for the New Orleans Pelicans — Lamelo Ball has shed his reputation as supremely talented but maddeningly undisciplined .
“ He ’ s got an uncanny ability to pass the ball , and I think even maybe even at a little bit of higher level than his brother Lonzo when he came out of UCLA , '' ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said .
`` He can really pass it . ''
Training 'to be a Hall of Famer' LaMelo Ball was not available to be interviewed , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Institute to become Ball 's manager and full-time personal coach .
Although his work ethic at times has come under scrutiny , Ball is in the gym up to three times a day , Jackson said .
“ We do n't train and work out to be the No .
1 pick , '' Jackson said .
`` We train and work out to be a Hall of Famer .
I put him in his own category .
He ’ s one of one .
No one ever took the road he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ball being pulled out of high school at the start of his junior year by his father , who at the time told reporters he did n't like the new basketball coach at Chino Hills High , and that Ball needed fewer distractions .
At 16 , LaVar sent LaMelo and LiAngelo to Lithuania to play basketball against grown men .
And after LaMelo played his senior season at Spire Institute , LaVar sent him to Australia to play pro ball at 18 .
“ He really is misunderstood , ’ ’ said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coach at Chino Hills High School when LaMelo was a freshman .
“ He ’ s a really good kid and when it comes to the basketball aspect .
I know why he was lazy on the defensive end .
The kid literally was bored playing high school basketball .
“ He really felt that he could do anything he wanted .
So he gave up a bucket , he knew he could come back and go for an offensive run that could put the game away whenever he wanted .
That was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ’ Growing up , Ball played on teams with his brothers — he is about three years younger than LiAngelo , now 21 , and four years younger than Lonzo , now 23 — leaving him frequently matched up against players four years older .
During the 2015-16 season , the Ball brothers played for Baik at Chino Hills High , when LaMelo , then 13 , was a 5-10 , 120-pound freshman .
He helped lead the team to a 35-0 record and the mythical national championship .
“ His efficiency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baik said .
“ There were so many times that he bailed us out with clutch shots .
“ There was so much accountability , with his older brothers and myself , we got him to play defense , and he played with urgency.
’ ’ But with Lonzo Ball having graduated and enrolled at UCLA and Baik having left for a job closer to his home , LaMelo showed less urgency .
There were flashes of brilliance , like July 2017 , when Ball and Zion Williamson took the floor on opposing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Las Vegas .
Williamson , the eventual No .
1 pick of the 2019 NBA draft , had 32 points and 12 rebounds and led the SC Supreme past Ball 's team , the Big Ballers , 104-92 .
Ball played his typical suspect defense but finished with 35 points , 10 rebounds and six assists .
Jackson , then an assistant coach at Detroit Mercy , said , “ I was in the stands watching him play against Zion Williamson and right then and there I said , ‘ He ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the gym.
’ ” But there also was the cherry picking , and the half-court shots , and the social distancing on defense — long before the coronavirus pandemic hit .
Scrutiny intensified after LaVar Ball abruptly pulled LaMelo out of high school in October 2017 at the age of 16 .
There was the ragged play in the Junior Basketball Association , where Ball averaged a triple double but in one stretch missed 29 of 32 shots from 3-point range .
In 2018 , from January through April , there was his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ball averaged 6.5 points , 2.3 assists and 1.1 rebounds during his eight-game stint .
Then , in September , came the JBA team 's European tour that included the melee in Lithuania — about a month before Ball enrolled at Spire Institute and joined the school ’ s elite basketball program .
The roster included Isaiah Jackson , a five-star recruit who signed with Kentucky ; Rocket Watts , a four-star recruit who signed with Michigan State ; and Myron Gardner , a four-star recruit who signed with Georgetown .
“ He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( at Spire ) , and I think he fell in love with the game again , '' said Justin Brantley , then the basketball director at Spire Institute After the season , Jackson quit as Spire ’ s head coach to work with Ball full time .
In January 2019 , they headed to Australia and joined the country ’ s premier pro league , the National Basketball League .
Playing for the Illawarra Hawks , Ball averaged 17.0 points , 7.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists in 12 games before suffering a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought that because he was so young and that this is a physical league , when he first came out that he would struggle , '' said Matt Flinn , then head coach of the Illawarra Hawks .
`` But honestly he was never fazed .
“ I ’ m not sitting here saying it was all rainbows and butterflies.You know , obviously there were some times where we had to do our best to rein him in . ''
During practices , Flinn said , the team denied access to Facebook , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ball in the Family , ’ ’ a reality show about the Ball family .
The goal was to stay focused on basketball .
After practice , Ball spent additional time working with Jackson .
Flinn said he gave Ball keys to the gym .
“ He is a quintessential gym rat , ’ ’ Flinn said .
“ “ He ’ s got an amazing skill set .
He works in tight spaces .
He ’ s a great ball handler .
He ’ s ambidextrous when he passes the basketball .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot in terms of that real professional team environment .
“ When I look back on his journey with us , that ’ s a proud one because we sort of helped him establish to other people that he can exist in a professional environment.
’ ’ Though his passing and playmaking skills are two reasons Ball might be among the top three draft picks Wednesday , his jump shot needs work .
In Australia , he shot 37.3 % from the floor and 24.4 % from 3-point range .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is , he doesn ’ t shoot it and he ’ s got a bit of an odd release , ” said Bilas of ESPN .
“ It ’ s a very low release point when he lets it go .
So that ’ s got to improve.
” “ He ’ s got naturally quick feet , ’ ’ Flinn said .
“ He ’ s certainly got the tools to do it .
At that end , it ’ s desire and investment and coaching and buying into the system , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next level he ’ s going to get .
“ He ’ s never going to be defensive player of the year , but I wouldn ’ t bet against him.
’ ’ Ball 's unique path across continents to top-three talent in the 2020 draft by 19 years old in a high-profile , scrutinized environment has allowed for some growth personally and professionally .
“ The one thing that ’ s a little bit difficult for me is I ’ ve not met him yet , I don ’ t know him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from afar , you kind of wonder .
He has not had a normal maturation as a player .
I think going to Australia really helped him and he really improved and definitely matured that way .
But he didn ’ t have a normal high school experience for a great player and clearly didn ’ t have a normal experience after high school , but you can ’ t deny the talent.
” And , of course , there is the Ball family factor .
You see and hear less of LaVar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The brothers have forged their own path to some degree , choosing their representation and signing apparel deals .
LaMelo signed a shoe deal with Puma , which seemed to rankle LaVar in a recent episode of “ Ball in the Family.
” “ I ’ m not as worried about sort of what some have termed ‘ the baggage ’ that comes along with being a Ball , ” Bilas said .
“ I look at him as his own man .
”

How LaMelo Ball went from misunderstood to can't-miss NBA draft pick
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When LaMelo Ball enrolled in the college prep academy at Spire Institute in Ohio two years ago, his new coach, Jermaine Jackson, declared that Ball had the potential to be the first-overall pick of the 2020 NBA draft.
“Everybody texted me, emailed me and called me telling me I was a damn fool,’’ Jackson said.
But there were no objections from Ball's father, LaVar Ball, who once said that in his heyday he "would kill'' Michael Jordan one-on-one. And who later said his oldest son, Lonzo, was better than Stephen Curry, a two-time NBA MVP, when Lonzo was a freshman at UCLA. And long before enrolling his son at Spire Institute, predicted all three of his sons — Lonzo, LiAngelo and LaMelo — would be playing for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
Never mind that on the court LaMelo Ball had become as exasperating as he was entertaining.
He had cherry-picked his way to 92 points in a game as sophomore at Chino Hills High in California in 2017 and in another game casually launched a half-court shot — and made it.
He had averaged a triple-double in the Junior Basketball Association (JBA) — a league LaVar founded after pulling LaMelo out of school at the start of his junior year — but he had also played defense as if he were social distancing.
And in October 2018, about a month before enrolling at Spire Institute, he had triggered an on-court melee when he slapped an opposing player in the face in Lithuania, where Ball was touring with a team of American players from the JBA.
“Now look at him,’’ Jackson said.
The mop-top haircut is long gone. So are the braces. As is the goofy grin.
MOCK DRAFT: LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards are among projected top picks
DRAFT READY: How front offices and prospects prepared for the most unique draft
At 19, LaMelo Ball has matured into a 6-7, 190-pound point guard. He is projected by USA TODAY Sports to be a top-three pick in the NBA draft Wednesday and, well, where are all those skeptics?
“They’re not laughing now,’’ Jackson said.
The youngest son of LaVar Ball and brother of Lonzo Ball — the No. 2 pick of the 2017 NBA draft and starting point guard for the New Orleans Pelicans — LaMelo Ball has shed his reputation as supremely talented but maddeningly undisciplined.
“He’s got an uncanny ability to pass the ball, and I think even, maybe even at a little bit of higher level than his brother Lonzo when he came out of UCLA,'' ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said. "He can really pass it.''
Training 'to be a Hall of Famer'
LaMelo Ball was not available to be interviewed, according to Jackson, who in 2019 left Spire Institute to become Ball's manager and full-time personal coach. Although his work ethic at times has come under scrutiny, Ball is in the gym up to three times a day, Jackson said.
“We don't train and work out to be the No. 1 pick,'' Jackson said. "We train and work out to be a Hall of Famer. I put him in his own category. He’s one of one. No one ever took the road he’s traveled.’’
That road included Ball being pulled out of high school at the start of his junior year by his father, who at the time told reporters he didn't like the new basketball coach at Chino Hills High, and that Ball needed fewer distractions.
At 16, LaVar sent LaMelo and LiAngelo to Lithuania to play basketball against grown men. And after LaMelo played his senior season at Spire Institute, LaVar sent him to Australia to play pro ball at 18.
“He really is misunderstood,’’ said Steve Baik, who was head basketball coach at Chino Hills High School when LaMelo was a freshman. “He’s a really good kid and when it comes to the basketball aspect. I know why he was lazy on the defensive end. The kid literally was bored playing high school basketball.
“He really felt that he could do anything he wanted. So he gave up a bucket, he knew he could come back and go for an offensive run that could put the game away whenever he wanted. That was something he needed to grow out of.’’
Growing up, Ball played on teams with his brothers — he is about three years younger than LiAngelo, now 21, and four years younger than Lonzo, now 23 — leaving him frequently matched up against players four years older.
During the 2015-16 season, the Ball brothers played for Baik at Chino Hills High, when LaMelo, then 13, was a 5-10, 120-pound freshman. He helped lead the team to a 35-0 record and the mythical national championship.
“His efficiency was off the charts,’’ Baik said. “There were so many times that he bailed us out with clutch shots.
“There was so much accountability, with his older brothers and myself, we got him to play defense, and he played with urgency.’’
But with Lonzo Ball having graduated and enrolled at UCLA and Baik having left for a job closer to his home, LaMelo showed less urgency. There were flashes of brilliance, like July 2017, when Ball and Zion Williamson took the floor on opposing teams at the Adidas Uprising AAU tournament in Las Vegas.
Williamson, the eventual No. 1 pick of the 2019 NBA draft, had 32 points and 12 rebounds and led the SC Supreme past Ball's team, the Big Ballers, 104-92. Ball played his typical suspect defense but finished with 35 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.
Jackson, then an assistant coach at Detroit Mercy, said, “I was in the stands watching him play against Zion Williamson and right then and there I said, ‘He’s the baddest (expletive) in the gym.’ ”
But there also was the cherry-picking, and the half-court shots, and the social distancing on defense — long before the coronavirus pandemic hit.
Scrutiny intensified after LaVar Ball abruptly pulled LaMelo out of high school in October 2017 at the age of 16. There was the ragged play in the Junior Basketball Association, where Ball averaged a triple-double but in one stretch missed 29 of 32 shots from 3-point range.
In 2018, from January through April, there was his trip with LiAngelo to Lithuania, where Ball averaged 6.5 points, 2.3 assists and 1.1 rebounds during his eight-game stint. Then, in September, came the JBA team's European tour that included the melee in Lithuania — about a month before Ball enrolled at Spire Institute and joined the school’s elite basketball program.
The roster included Isaiah Jackson, a five-star recruit who signed with Kentucky; Rocket Watts, a four-star recruit who signed with Michigan State; and Myron Gardner, a four-star recruit who signed with Georgetown.
“He was surrounded by guys who could play (at Spire), and I think he fell in love with the game again," said Justin Brantley, then the basketball director at Spire Institute.
After the season, Jackson quit as Spire’s head coach to work with Ball full time. In January 2019, they headed to Australia and joined the country’s premier pro league, the National Basketball League.
Playing for the Illawarra Hawks, Ball averaged 17.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists in 12 games before suffering a season-ending foot injury.
“I really thought that, because he was so young and that this is a physical league, when he first came out that he would struggle,'' said Matt Flinn, then head coach of the Illawarra Hawks. "But honestly he was never fazed.
“I’m not sitting here saying it was all rainbows and butterflies. You know, obviously there were some times where we had to do our best to rein him in.''
During practices, Flinn said, the team denied access to Facebook, which since 2017 has been filming “Ball in the Family,’’ a reality show about the Ball family. The goal was to stay focused on basketball.
After practice, Ball spent additional time working with Jackson. Flinn said he gave Ball keys to the gym.
“He is a quintessential gym rat,’’ Flinn said. “He’s got an amazing skill set. He works in tight spaces. He’s a great ball handler. He’s ambidextrous when he passes the basketball. But he hadn’t been coached a lot in terms of that real professional team environment.
“When I look back on his journey with us, that’s a proud one because we sort of helped him establish to other people that he can exist in a professional environment.’’
'His own man'
Though his passing and play-making skills are two reasons Ball might be among the top three draft picks Wednesday, his jump shot needs work. In Australia, he shot 37.3% from the floor and 24.4% from 3-point range.
“The one thing he doesn’t do is, he doesn’t shoot it and he’s got a bit of an odd release,” said Bilas of ESPN. “It’s a very low release point when he lets it go. So that’s got to improve.”
Then there’s the defense.
“He’s got naturally quick feet,’’ Flinn said. “He’s certainly got the tools to do it. At that end, it’s desire and investment and coaching and buying into the system, which I’m sure at the next level he’s going to get.
“He’s never going to be defensive player of the year, but I wouldn’t bet against him.’’
Ball's unique path across continents to top-three talent in the 2020 draft by 19 years old in a high-profile, scrutinized environment has allowed for some growth personally and professionally.
“The one thing that’s a little bit difficult for me is I’ve not met him yet, I don’t know him,” Bilas said. “So from afar, you kind of wonder. He has not had a normal maturation as a player. I think going to Australia really helped him and he really improved and definitely matured that way. But he didn’t have a normal high school experience for a great player and clearly didn’t have a normal experience after high school, but you can’t deny the talent.”
And, of course, there is the Ball family factor. You see and hear less of LaVar than three or four years ago.
The brothers have forged their own path to some degree, choosing their representation and signing apparel deals. LaMelo signed a shoe deal with Puma, which seemed to rankle LaVar in a recent episode of “Ball in the Family.”
“I’m not as worried about sort of what some have termed ‘the baggage’ that comes along with being a Ball,” Bilas said. “I look at him as his own man.”


usatoday--2020-11-18--Twitter fact-checks Donald Trump tweet about the firing of Chris Krebs (on Twitter)

Twitter appended a label to fact-check President Donald Trump ’ s tweet about his firing of the nation ’ s top election security official Chris Krebs .
Krebs ’ recent statement that the Nov. 3 election “ the most secure in American history ” was “ highly inaccurate , ” the president wrote .
“ This claim about election fraud is disputed , ” the label read .
Trump announced in a tweet late Tuesday that he had “ terminated ” Krebs , the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency director who had contradicted the president ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed his Twitter profile bio to `` 1st Director '' of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency followed by `` former '' to reflect his new employment status and acknowledged his dismissal in a tweet : `` Honored to serve .
We did it right .
Defend Today , Secure Tomrorow ( sic ) . ''
'You 're the ultimate editor ' : Twitter 's Jack Dorsey and Facebook 's Mark Zuckerberg accused of censoring conservatives Sen. Cory Booker , D-N.J. , told Facebook ’ s Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter ’ s Jack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday that the U.S. was in “ dangerous waters ” with the president delegitimizing the election .
`` You have the tools to prevent him from weaponizing these platforms to degrade our democracy , '' Booker told the tech CEOs .
Zuckerberg and Dorsey were accused by Republican senators of meddling in the election to harm Trump .
Sen. Ted Cruz , R-Texas , called on Facebook and Twitter to produce hard data on how they enforce their policies to show if they disproportionately flag or censor Republicans .
Republicans routinely cite anecdotal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ often .
Researchers have found no evidence of systematic suppression of conservative voices or viewpoints .
The companies deny any politically motivated censorship .

Twitter fact-checks Donald Trump tweet about the firing of Chris Krebs (on Twitter)
Show Caption Hide Caption Sen. Ted Cruz grills Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey during Senate hearing How about Ted Cruz slams Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey over censorship at Senate hearing USA TODAY
Twitter appended a label to fact-check President Donald Trump’s tweet about his firing of the nation’s top election security official Chris Krebs.
Krebs’ recent statement that the Nov. 3 election “the most secure in American history” was “highly inaccurate,” the president wrote.
“This claim about election fraud is disputed,” the label read.
Trump announced in a tweet late Tuesday that he had “terminated” Krebs, the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency director who had contradicted the president’s claims of widespread voter fraud.
Krebs changed his Twitter profile bio to "1st Director" of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency followed by "former" to reflect his new employment status and acknowledged his dismissal in a tweet: "Honored to serve. We did it right. Defend Today, Secure Tomrorow (sic)."
Krebs fired: Trump ousts Homeland Security cyber chief Chris Krebs, who called election secure
Trump fires CISA Director Chris Krebs, who denied election fraud President Trump has fired Chris Krebs, the head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. CISA is tasked with protecting elections from cyberattacks. Newsy, Newsy
'You're the ultimate editor': Twitter's Jack Dorsey and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg accused of censoring conservatives
Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., told Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter’s Jack Dorsey during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday that the U.S. was in “dangerous waters” with the president delegitimizing the election.
"You have the tools to prevent him from weaponizing these platforms to degrade our democracy," Booker told the tech CEOs.
Zuckerberg and Dorsey were accused by Republican senators of meddling in the election to harm Trump.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, called on Facebook and Twitter to produce hard data on how they enforce their policies to show if they disproportionately flag or censor Republicans.
Republicans routinely cite anecdotal evidence that their posts are flagged more often. Researchers have found no evidence of systematic suppression of conservative voices or viewpoints. The companies deny any politically motivated censorship.


usatoday--2020-11-18--Chuck Grassley, the Senate's oldest Republican has tested positive for COVID-19

Chuck Grassley , the Senate 's oldest Republican has tested positive for COVID-19 The 87-year-old senator from Iowa is the @ @ @ @ @ Senate , making him third in line for the presidency .

Chuck Grassley, Senate's oldest Republican tests positive for COVID-19
The 87-year-old senator from Iowa is the president pro tempore of the Senate, making him third in line for the presidency.
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-11-17--Mark Zuckerberg defends not banning Steve Bannon from Facebook for beheading comments

Steve Bannon won ’ t be permanently suspended from Facebook even after the former Trump adviser suggested that Dr. Anthony Fauci , America 's top infectious-disease expert , and FBI Director Christopher Wray should be beheaded .
Bannon 's beheading comments made in a Nov. 5 video posted on Facebook were not a serious enough violation of the platform ’ s rules to warrant a suspension , CEO Mark Zuckerberg said during a Senate Judiciary hearing Tuesday .
Instead , Facebook took down the video after about 10 hours – and after having been viewed nearly 200,000 times – for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'You 're the ultimate editor ' : Twitter 's Jack Dorsey and Facebook 's Mark Zuckerberg accused of censoring conservatives Techlashing on Capitol Hill : Facebook 's Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter 's Jack Dorsey brace for Senate Judiciary hearing “ It called for the murder , the beheading , of Dr. Fauci and the director of the FBI , Christopher Wray .
Just think what that does , ” Sen. Patrick Leahy , D-Vt. , said to Zuckerberg during Tuesday 's hearing .
“ Now if you are going to have somebody threatening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do about that ?
” “ Senator , in that case , that content violated our policies and we took it down , ” Zuckerberg said .
In the video , Bannon criticized Fauci and Wray for disagreeing with President Donald Trump .
`` I 'd put the heads on pikes .
Right .
I 'd put them at the two corners of the White House as a warning to federal bureaucrats .
You either get with the program or you are gone , '' Bannon said during a livestream of his online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
According to Facebook ’ s rules , an account holder would have to commit “ multiple offenses like that ” before being banned from the platform , Zuckerberg said .
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Zuckerberg appeared via video stream during the hearing to answer questions about how they moderate content .
Republicans accused Facebook and Twitter of meddling in the election to harm the president by censoring conservatives with warnings on GOP tweets about mail-in balloting .
Democrats criticized the companies for failing to rein in Trump 's efforts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their GOP colleagues for putting on a “ political sideshow ” to browbeat two of the nation ’ s leading technology CEOs .
The bipartisan grilling from lawmakers – the second appearance from Zuckerberg and Dorsey in less than three weeks – reflected growing ire about `` Big Tech '' and all but guaranteed that legislation regulating the industry will be taken up by the next Congress .

Mark Zuckerberg defends not banning Steve Bannon from Facebook for beheading comments
Show Caption Hide Caption Sen. Ted Cruz grills Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey during Senate hearing How about Ted Cruz slams Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey over censorship at Senate hearing USA TODAY
Steve Bannon won’t be permanently suspended from Facebook even after the former Trump adviser suggested that Dr. Anthony Fauci, America's top infectious-disease expert, and FBI Director Christopher Wray should be beheaded.
Bannon's beheading comments made in a Nov. 5 video posted on Facebook were not a serious enough violation of the platform’s rules to warrant a suspension, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said during a Senate Judiciary hearing Tuesday.
Instead, Facebook took down the video after about 10 hours – and after having been viewed nearly 200,000 times – for violating its violence and incitement policies.
YouTube removed the video from Bannon's channel, "Steve Bannon's War Room." Twitter permanently banned Bannon.
'You're the ultimate editor': Twitter's Jack Dorsey and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg accused of censoring conservatives
Techlashing on Capitol Hill: Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter's Jack Dorsey brace for Senate Judiciary hearing
“It called for the murder, the beheading, of Dr. Fauci and the director of the FBI, Christopher Wray. Just think what that does,” Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said to Zuckerberg during Tuesday's hearing. “Now if you are going to have somebody threatening to murder somebody, what do you do about that?”
“Senator, in that case, that content violated our policies and we took it down,” Zuckerberg said.
“Oh my goodness, what a deterrent,” Leahy retorted.
In the video, Bannon criticized Fauci and Wray for disagreeing with President Donald Trump.
"I'd put the heads on pikes. Right. I'd put them at the two corners of the White House as a warning to federal bureaucrats. You either get with the program or you are gone," Bannon said during a livestream of his online podcast show "War Room: Pandemic."
According to Facebook’s rules, an account holder would have to commit “multiple offenses like that” before being banned from the platform, Zuckerberg said.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Zuckerberg appeared via video stream during the hearing to answer questions about how they moderate content.
Republicans accused Facebook and Twitter of meddling in the election to harm the president by censoring conservatives with warnings on GOP tweets about mail-in balloting. Democrats criticized the companies for failing to rein in Trump's efforts to delegitimize the election and took aim at their GOP colleagues for putting on a “political sideshow” to browbeat two of the nation’s leading technology CEOs.
The bipartisan grilling from lawmakers – the second appearance from Zuckerberg and Dorsey in less than three weeks – reflected growing ire about "Big Tech" and all but guaranteed that legislation regulating the industry will be taken up by the next Congress.


usatoday--2020-11-17--1 federal prison, 8 deaths: Report details COVID-19's early march through the system

A stinging analysis of one of the earliest and most lethal coronavirus outbreaks in the federal prison system found that a Louisiana facility , where eight inmates died , failed to implement timely screening , did not fully limit inmate movements and lacked adequate access to supplies of personal protective equipment ( PPE ) , an internal Justice Department report concluded .
After the first inmate at the Oakdale , Louisiana , complex tested positive March 21 , `` concern about access to PPE was so dire , '' staffers raided the facility 's medical unit during an overnight shift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department 's inspector general found .
While investigators determined that prison officials distributed surgical masks to staffers and inmates later that month , the virus was `` already spreading rapidly '' through the complex .
'People are falling sick every day : ' Lawsuit accuses feds of 'slow-walking ' releases at troubled Louisiana prison The review also found that after nearly 100 asymptomatic inmates had tested positive for the virus in mid-May , officials `` failed '' to comply with federal isolation and quarantine policies .
`` Some inmates who had tested positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to six days without being isolated , '' according to the report .
`` Moreover , staff who supervised these inmates were not advised that they would be interacting with COVID-19 positive inmates and were not furnished proper PPE prior to the inmates ’ isolation . ''
At the same time , the complex was dealing with a rash of staffing shortages , forcing some officers to work extended shifts – some as long as 40 consecutive hours .
One of the most striking findings in the report , however , found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earliest inmate infections and the prison 's Education Department .
Contact tracing revealed that the first four inmates to test positive were part of a class taught by an Oakdale teacher who had contracted the virus after traveling to New York City , ravaged by the virus earlier this year .
`` Additionally , the first inmate to die from COVID-19 at Oakdale was an assistant to the teacher , '' the report found .
Coronavirus outbreak : Hundreds of infected , quarantined inmates in prisons and jails challenging officials The virus ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distinguished Oakdale as the early epicenter of the pandemic in the vast federal prison system , prompting the May reassignment of the warden .
Deteriorating conditions at the facility also drew a flurry of lawsuits from the ACLU and inmates who feared they would fall victim to the virus ' march through the complex .
The past eight months have exacted a heavy toll in detention systems across the country , including in federal prisons where the virus has claimed the lives of 140 inmates and two staffers .
As of Tuesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are infected , while 17,635 prisoners and 1,638 staffers had recovered .
So far this month , the federal prison system has recorded 10 deaths , the most in a month since August when 13 died .
There are also active cases at 120 federal prison facilities , according to the agency .
In their response to the inspector general 's inquiry , federal prison officials contended that they had complied with screening guidance for staffers provided by the agency and had limited inmate movements prior to recording the first positive test of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the lack of access to protective equipment , the agency said , `` staff requested a greater level of ( equipment ) than CDC guidelines required . ''

1 federal prison, 8 deaths: Report details COVID-19's early march through the system
Show Caption Hide Caption Major coronavirus outbreak at San Quentin prison San Quentin prison officials are trying to stop a spike in coronavirus cases ravaging inside the state prison just north of San Francisco. About 1,100 prisoners have now tested positive for COVID-19. (July 1) AP
A stinging analysis of one of the earliest and most lethal coronavirus outbreaks in the federal prison system found that a Louisiana facility, where eight inmates died, failed to implement timely screening, did not fully limit inmate movements and lacked adequate access to supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE), an internal Justice Department report concluded.
After the first inmate at the Oakdale, Louisiana, complex tested positive March 21, "concern about access to PPE was so dire," staffers raided the facility's medical unit during an overnight shift in search of supplies, the Justice Department's inspector general found.
While investigators determined that prison officials distributed surgical masks to staffers and inmates later that month, the virus was "already spreading rapidly" through the complex.
'People are falling sick every day:' Lawsuit accuses feds of 'slow-walking' releases at troubled Louisiana prison
The review also found that after nearly 100 asymptomatic inmates had tested positive for the virus in mid-May, officials "failed" to comply with federal isolation and quarantine policies.
"Some inmates who had tested positive were left in their housing units for up to six days without being isolated," according to the report. "Moreover, staff who supervised these inmates were not advised that they would be interacting with COVID-19 positive inmates and were not furnished proper PPE prior to the inmates’ isolation."
At the same time, the complex was dealing with a rash of staffing shortages, forcing some officers to work extended shifts – some as long as 40 consecutive hours.
One of the most striking findings in the report, however, found a "common nexus" between the earliest inmate infections and the prison's Education Department.
Contact tracing revealed that the first four inmates to test positive were part of a class taught by an Oakdale teacher who had contracted the virus after traveling to New York City, ravaged by the virus earlier this year.
"Additionally, the first inmate to die from COVID-19 at Oakdale was an assistant to the teacher," the report found.
Coronavirus outbreak: Hundreds of infected, quarantined inmates in prisons and jails challenging officials
The virus' rapid spread at the rural compound quickly distinguished Oakdale as the early epicenter of the pandemic in the vast federal prison system, prompting the May reassignment of the warden.
Deteriorating conditions at the facility also drew a flurry of lawsuits from the ACLU and inmates who feared they would fall victim to the virus' march through the complex.
COVID-19 spikes again
The past eight months have exacted a heavy toll in detention systems across the country, including in federal prisons where the virus has claimed the lives of 140 inmates and two staffers.
As of Tuesday, at least 3,336 inmates and 1,078 staffers are infected, while 17,635 prisoners and 1,638 staffers had recovered.
So far this month, the federal prison system has recorded 10 deaths, the most in a month since August when 13 died.
There are also active cases at 120 federal prison facilities, according to the agency.
In their response to the inspector general's inquiry, federal prison officials contended that they had complied with screening guidance for staffers provided by the agency and had limited inmate movements prior to recording the first positive test of an inmate.
Of the concerns raised for the lack of access to protective equipment, the agency said, "staff requested a greater level of (equipment) than CDC guidelines required."


usatoday--2020-11-17--Supreme Court won't impose virus protections at Texas prison. What about houses of worship in NY?

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court refused Monday to require increased pandemic precautions at a Texas geriatric prison where 20 inmates have died .
At the same time , the justices are more likely in the coming days to order fewer COVID-19 restrictions at New York churches and synagogues .
While the prison case continues a pattern of high court actions in which it has refused to second-guess how state officials combat the virus , the religion cases will reveal whether the court 's beefed-up conservative majority is finally ready to assert itself .
The court earlier this year refused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nevada as Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the four liberal justices .
But since then , Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died and was succeeded by Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett , giving conservatives a 6-3 majority .
More : Justice Amy Coney Barrett could have immediate impact on American democracy That could be enough to topple New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo 's church-related restrictions , which limit attendance to 10 or 25 worshipers in areas where COVID-19 is most prevalent .
The restrictions were challenged in recent days by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Israel , an Orthodox Jewish organization .
The court ruled 5-4 in July that Nevada can impose tighter restrictions on churches than casinos while a legal dispute over its social distancing policies continued .
But four conservative justices dissented from the order , which upheld limits on church gatherings to 50 worshipers while allowing bars , restaurants , casinos and indoor amusement parks to operate at 50 % capacity .
The court also ruled 5-4 in May against a California church seeking to exceed a 25 % capacity threshold , which was more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justice Samuel Alito told the conservative Federalist Society last week that COVID-19 restrictions had resulted in `` previously unimaginable restrictions on individual liberty . ''
He denounced high court rulings that he said discriminated against religious groups and argued that the pandemic highlighted a wider assault on religious freedom .
In the prison case , the court upheld the COVID-19 protections taken by the state Department of Criminal Justice at the Wallace Pack Unit in southeast Texas .
Associate Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan dissented , arguing that prisoners remained at risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pack Unit are some of our most vulnerable citizens , '' Sotomayor wrote .
`` If the prison fails to enforce social distancing and mask wearing , perform regular testing , and take other essential steps , the inmates can do nothing but wait for the virus to take its toll . ''
Throughout the year , the court has not second-guessed prison officials ' refusals to move elderly or medically compromised inmates threatened by the COVID-19 virus in Texas , Louisiana and Ohio .

Supreme Court won't impose virus protections at Texas prison. What about houses of worship in NY?
Show Caption Hide Caption Virus cases surging in Texas border city At least one El Paso, Texas, hospital has added overflow tents to house patients as the border city sees a surge in coronavirus cases (Oct. 26) AP
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court refused Monday to require increased pandemic precautions at a Texas geriatric prison where 20 inmates have died.
At the same time, the justices are more likely in the coming days to order fewer COVID-19 restrictions at New York churches and synagogues.
While the prison case continues a pattern of high court actions in which it has refused to second-guess how state officials combat the virus, the religion cases will reveal whether the court's beefed-up conservative majority is finally ready to assert itself.
The court earlier this year refused to lift restrictions on churches in California and Nevada as Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the four liberal justices. But since then, Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died and was succeeded by Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett, giving conservatives a 6-3 majority.
More: Justice Amy Coney Barrett could have immediate impact on American democracy
That could be enough to topple New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's church-related restrictions, which limit attendance to 10 or 25 worshipers in areas where COVID-19 is most prevalent. The restrictions were challenged in recent days by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and Agudath Israel, an Orthodox Jewish organization.
The court ruled 5-4 in July that Nevada can impose tighter restrictions on churches than casinos while a legal dispute over its social distancing policies continued. But four conservative justices dissented from the order, which upheld limits on church gatherings to 50 worshipers while allowing bars, restaurants, casinos and indoor amusement parks to operate at 50% capacity.
The court also ruled 5-4 in May against a California church seeking to exceed a 25% capacity threshold, which was more stringent than local businesses faced.
Associate Justice Samuel Alito told the conservative Federalist Society last week that COVID-19 restrictions had resulted in "previously unimaginable restrictions on individual liberty." He denounced high court rulings that he said discriminated against religious groups and argued that the pandemic highlighted a wider assault on religious freedom.
More: Critics decry Alito's 'nakedly partisan' speech on COVID-19 measures, gay marriage
In the prison case, the court upheld the COVID-19 protections taken by the state Department of Criminal Justice at the Wallace Pack Unit in southeast Texas. Associate Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan dissented, arguing that prisoners remained at risk.
"The people incarcerated in the Pack Unit are some of our most vulnerable citizens," Sotomayor wrote. "If the prison fails to enforce social distancing and mask wearing, perform regular testing, and take other essential steps, the inmates can do nothing but wait for the virus to take its toll."
Throughout the year, the court has not second-guessed prison officials' refusals to move elderly or medically compromised inmates threatened by the COVID-19 virus in Texas, Louisiana and Ohio.


usatoday--2020-11-17--Joe Biden names 9 top White House appointees, including Rep. Cedric Richmond and campaign manager O'

President-elect Joe Biden announced Tuesday the appointment of nine White House aides , including counselors and senior advisers , as he continued to flesh out his staff despite President Donald Trump 's continued legal challenges on the results of the election .
Jen O ’ Malley Dillon , Biden 's campaign manager , will become deputy chief of staff .
Steve Ricchetti , a longtime Biden adviser and lobbyist , will become counselor to the president .
Rep. Cedric Richmond of Louisiana , who was national co-chairman of Biden 's campaign , will become senior adviser to the president and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Public Engagement .
Mike Donilon , chief strategist for the campaign , will become a senior adviser to the president .
And Dana Remus , the campaign 's general counsel , will become counsel to the president .
“ I am proud to announce additional members of my senior team who will help us build back better than before , '' Biden said in a statement .
`` America faces great challenges , and they bring diverse perspectives and a shared commitment to tackling these challenges and emerging on the other side a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The announcements followed Biden naming Ron Klain as chief of staff last Wednesday .
Biden was expected to nominate Cabinet members in the coming days .
• O ’ Malley Dillon , who was only the second woman to lead a successful presidential campaign , after Kellyanne Conway for Trump .
O'Malley Dillon had managed former Rep. Beto O'Rourke 's rival campaign for president before joining Biden 's campaign .
O'Malley Dillon previously served as deputy campaign manager for then-President Barack Obama ’ s 2012 reelection , executive director of the Democratic National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s 2008 race .
She was also a founding partner at Precision Strategies , a Democratic consulting firm .
`` We have hard things to do , and with his leadership , we can do them together for the American people , '' O'Malley Dillon said in a tweet , calling it `` absolutely the honor of my life '' to work for Biden .
• Ricchetti served as chief of staff to Biden during his second term as vice president and deputy chief of staff for operations for then-President Bill Clinton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s lobbying firm represented groups including the American Hospital Association , Health Insurance Association of America , drugmakers such as Eli Lilly , Novartis , Pfizer and Sanofi-Aventis , General Motors and communications firms such as AT & T and Nextel .
Before joining the campaign , Ricchetti was managing director of the Penn Biden Center .
• Richmond , who announced Tuesday that he would leave Congress after 10 years , served on the Ways and Means Committee , which deals with taxes , trade deals , Social Security and Medicare .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congressional Black Caucus .
Richmond said as part of the new administration he would talk to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , or Whip Jim Clyburn , D-S.C. , at any time .
“ You can ’ t govern if you don ’ t win , '' Richmond said .
“ We control the House and our agenda is far more aggressive than what the Republicans want to do . ''
• Donilon , who oversaw television advertising , speechwriting and polling for the campaign , previously served as counselor to Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a media strategist for decades , worked previously on six presidential campaigns and more than 25 campaigns for Senate , House , governor and mayor .
Donilon was also managing director of the Biden Institute and assistant professor at the University of Delaware .
• Remus had been general counsel to the Obama Foundation and the former president 's personal office .
During the Obama and Biden administration , she served as deputy assistant to the president and deputy counsel for ethics .
She was previously a law professor at the University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito .
• Julie Rodriguez will become director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs .
She had been deputy campaign manager and worked as traveling chief of staff for Vice President-elect Kamala Harris ' presidential campaign .
She also worked as state director for Harris .
• Annie Tomasini will become director of Oval Office operations .
She served as Biden 's traveling chief of staff during the campaign .
Tomasini has served the Biden family for over a decade in several positions , including as deputy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and press secretary when he was a senator from Delaware .
• Julissa Reynoso Pantaleon will become chief of staff to first lady Jill Biden .
Pantaleon , who is a partner at the law firm of Winston & Strawn , had served as U.S. ambassador to Uruguay and as deputy assistant secretary of state for the Western Hemisphere in the U.S. Department of State .
• Anthony Bernal will become senior adviser to Jill Biden .
He had served as her deputy campaign manager and chief of staff during the campaign , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than a decade .

Joe Biden names 9 top White House appointees, including Rep. Cedric Richmond and campaign manager O'Malley Dillon
Show Caption Hide Caption Biden: 'More people may die' if Trump resists smooth transition President-elect Joe Biden said "more people may die" without cooperation from the Trump administration on COVID vaccine distribution. Associated Press, USA TODAY
President-elect Joe Biden announced Tuesday the appointment of nine White House aides, including counselors and senior advisers, as he continued to flesh out his staff despite President Donald Trump's continued legal challenges on the results of the election.
Jen O’Malley Dillon, Biden's campaign manager, will become deputy chief of staff. Steve Ricchetti, a longtime Biden adviser and lobbyist, will become counselor to the president. Rep. Cedric Richmond of Louisiana, who was national co-chairman of Biden's campaign, will become senior adviser to the president and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.
Mike Donilon, chief strategist for the campaign, will become a senior adviser to the president. And Dana Remus, the campaign's general counsel, will become counsel to the president.
“I am proud to announce additional members of my senior team who will help us build back better than before," Biden said in a statement. "America faces great challenges, and they bring diverse perspectives and a shared commitment to tackling these challenges and emerging on the other side a stronger, more united nation."
The announcements followed Biden naming Ron Klain as chief of staff last Wednesday. Biden was expected to nominate Cabinet members in the coming days.
The latest appointees are:
• O’Malley Dillon, who was only the second woman to lead a successful presidential campaign, after Kellyanne Conway for Trump. O'Malley Dillon had managed former Rep. Beto O'Rourke's rival campaign for president before joining Biden's campaign.
O'Malley Dillon previously served as deputy campaign manager for then-President Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection, executive director of the Democratic National Committee and battleground states director for Obama’s 2008 race. She was also a founding partner at Precision Strategies, a Democratic consulting firm.
"We have hard things to do, and with his leadership, we can do them together for the American people," O'Malley Dillon said in a tweet, calling it "absolutely the honor of my life" to work for Biden.
• Ricchetti served as chief of staff to Biden during his second term as vice president and deputy chief of staff for operations for then-President Bill Clinton. Between government jobs, Ricchetti’s lobbying firm represented groups including the American Hospital Association, Health Insurance Association of America, drugmakers such as Eli Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer and Sanofi-Aventis, General Motors and communications firms such as AT&T and Nextel. Before joining the campaign, Ricchetti was managing director of the Penn Biden Center.
• Richmond, who announced Tuesday that he would leave Congress after 10 years, served on the Ways and Means Committee, which deals with taxes, trade deals, Social Security and Medicare. He previously served as chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. Richmond said as part of the new administration he would talk to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., or Whip Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., at any time.
“You can’t govern if you don’t win," Richmond said. “We control the House and our agenda is far more aggressive than what the Republicans want to do."
• Donilon, who oversaw television advertising, speechwriting and polling for the campaign, previously served as counselor to Biden when he was vice president. Donilon, a media strategist for decades, worked previously on six presidential campaigns and more than 25 campaigns for Senate, House, governor and mayor. Donilon was also managing director of the Biden Institute and assistant professor at the University of Delaware.
• Remus had been general counsel to the Obama Foundation and the former president's personal office. During the Obama and Biden administration, she served as deputy assistant to the president and deputy counsel for ethics. She was previously a law professor at the University of North Carolina and she clerked for Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito.
• Julie Rodriguez will become director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. She had been deputy campaign manager and worked as traveling chief of staff for Vice President-elect Kamala Harris' presidential campaign. She also worked as state director for Harris.
• Annie Tomasini will become director of Oval Office operations. She served as Biden's traveling chief of staff during the campaign. Tomasini has served the Biden family for over a decade in several positions, including as deputy press secretary when he was vice president and press secretary when he was a senator from Delaware.
• Julissa Reynoso Pantaleon will become chief of staff to first lady Jill Biden. Pantaleon, who is a partner at the law firm of Winston & Strawn, had served as U.S. ambassador to Uruguay and as deputy assistant secretary of state for the Western Hemisphere in the U.S. Department of State.
• Anthony Bernal will become senior adviser to Jill Biden. He had served as her deputy campaign manager and chief of staff during the campaign, after working for the family for more than a decade.


usatoday--2020-11-18--Pfizer to seek approval from FDA 'within days' after further analysis finds COVID-19 vaccine 95% eff

Pfizer and its collaborator BioNTech announced early Wednesday it plans to start the Food and Drug Administration approval process “ within days ” for its candidate vaccine , BNT162b2 , after further analysis showed it ’ s 95 % effective .
Newly released data found the candidate vaccine prevented 95 % of infections from the virus that causes COVID-19 after evaluating 170 people who were infected , 162 of which took the placebo , the company said in a news release .
There were 10 severe cases of COVID-19 in the trial , with nine of them occurring in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release , the candidate vaccine was 94 % effective in adults over 65 years of age , but maintained efficacy across gender , race and ethnicity demographics .
Researchers also found the vaccine was “ well tolerated ” across the 43,000 study participants who were enrolled with no serious safety concerns .
The participants reported mild to moderate side effects , mostly fatigue and headache .
“ The study results mark an important step in this historic eight-month journey to bring forward a vaccine capable of helping to end this devastating pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chairman and CEO .
“ With hundreds of thousands of people around the globe infected every day , we urgently need to get a safe and effective vaccine to the world.
” By reaching this safety milestone , the companies say they plan to submit a request to the FDA for emergency use authorization “ within days.
” Pfizer and BioNTech are expected to produce up to 50 million doses globally in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses by the end of 2021 .
The news comes days after Moderna , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early Monday its candidate vaccine , mRNA-1273 , developed in collaboration with the U.S. government , appeared to be 94.5 % effective against COVID-19 .
Demand for dry ice : COVID vaccine candidate from Pfizer must be stored at minus 112 , prompting a rush on dry ice Both the Moderna and the Pfizer/BioNTech candidate vaccines depend on a technology called mRNA that uses the body 's natural processes to turn cells into factories producing a protein found on the outside of the virus that causes COVID-19 .
The immune system then learns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus if it appears .
While Pfizer has passed the safety milestone , Moderna will likely take longer to do this because it enrolled its trial participants at a slightly slower pace .
Both companies will have to show they can safely produce their vaccine at scale .
Pfizer said it would provide the FDA with all necessary information in its emergency use application .
It 's not clear when Moderna will complete that process , but it is not expected to slow its application .
Once receiving each application , the FDA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ independent Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee .
It 's not known how long that process will take , but the regulatory agency is expected to issue an emergency use authorization for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine before the end of the year .
Health and patient safety coverage at USA TODAY is made possible in part by a grant from the Masimo Foundation for Ethics , Innovation and Competition in Healthcare .
The Masimo Foundation does not provide editorial input .

Pfizer to seek approval from FDA 'within days' after further analysis finds COVID-19 vaccine 95% effective
Show Caption Hide Caption Pfizer says vaccine 95% effective, will seek FDA's okay "within days" Pfizer says its potential COVID-19 vaccine was 95% effective in final results. It will submit the candidate for approval from the FDA within days. Newsy, Newsy
Pfizer and its collaborator BioNTech announced early Wednesday that it plans to start the Food and Drug Administration approval process “within days” for its candidate vaccine, BNT162b2, after further analysis showed it’s 95% effective.
Newly released data found the candidate vaccine prevented 95% of infections from the virus that causes COVID-19 after evaluating 170 people who were infected, 162 of whom took the placebo, the company said in a news release.
There were 10 severe cases of COVID-19 in the trial, with nine of them occurring in the placebo group.
According to the news release, the candidate vaccine was 94% effective in adults over 65 but maintained efficacy across gender, race and ethnicity demographics.
Researchers also found the vaccine was “well tolerated” across the 43,000 study participants who were enrolled with no serious safety concerns. The participants reported mild to moderate side effects, mostly fatigue and headache.
“The study results mark an important step in this historic eight-month journey to bring forward a vaccine capable of helping to end this devastating pandemic,” said Dr. Albert Bourla, Pfizer chairman and CEO. “With hundreds of thousands of people around the globe infected every day, we urgently need to get a safe and effective vaccine to the world.”
By reaching this safety milestone, the companies say they plan to submit a request to the FDA for emergency use authorization “within days.”
Pfizer and BioNTech are expected to produce up to 50 million doses globally in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses by the end of 2021.
COVID-19: How Pfizer and Moderna's vaccines differ Pfizer and Moderna have both announced promising results in the phase 3 trials of their COVID-19 vaccines. Here's how they differ. USA TODAY, Storyful
The news comes days after Moderna, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based biotechnology company, announced early Monday that its candidate vaccine, mRNA-1273, developed in collaboration with the U.S. government, appeared to be 94.5% effective against COVID-19.
6 lawmakers in 5 days: New COVID-19 infections put spotlight on Congress’ loose guidelines
Demand for dry ice: COVID vaccine candidate from Pfizer must be stored at minus 112, prompting a rush on dry ice
Both the Moderna and the Pfizer/BioNTech candidate vaccines depend on a technology called mRNA that uses the body's natural processes to turn cells into "factories" producing a protein found on the outside of the virus that causes COVID-19. The immune system then learns to recognize that protein and attack the virus if it appears.
Though Pfizer has passed the safety milestone, Moderna will likely take longer to do so because it enrolled its trial participants at a slightly slower pace.
Both companies will have to show they can safely produce their vaccine at scale. Pfizer said it would provide the FDA with all necessary information in its emergency use application. It's not clear when Moderna will complete that process, but it is not expected to slow its application.
Coronavirus: How vaccines are developed and tested Pressure to create a coronavirus vaccine is increasing by the day, but for a safe vaccine to enter the market, it takes time. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Once receiving each application, the FDA will review them, as will the independent Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee.
It's not known how long that process will take, but the regulatory agency is expected to issue an emergency use authorization for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine before the end of the year.
Contributing: Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY. Follow Adrianna Rodriguez on Twitter: @AdriannaUSAT.
Health and patient safety coverage at USA TODAY is made possible in part by a grant from the Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation and Competition in Healthcare. The Masimo Foundation does not provide editorial input.


usatoday--2020-11-18--As COVID-19 rages, millennials make up growing share of 'sandwich generation,' caring for kids and p

At 36 , he takes care of his three-year-old daughter while his wife works as a full-time teacher , and helps support his 76-year-old mother , who has health issues .
Holmes , who lives in Delta , Colorado , spends four hours a day running his mother 's 50-sheep farm with his daughter in tow .
And since the pandemic began , he has handled her grocery shopping and other errands .
He also contributes about $ 200 to help her pay the monthly bills .
From Friday through Sunday , he works the night shift at a local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It can be very stressful , ” he says .
“ It always feels like there ’ s something I need to be doing . ''
Like many other millennials , Holmes is grappling with just the latest financial woe to bedevil his generation .
Millennials , age 24 to 39 , graduated from college just as the Great Recession of 2007-09 was upending the economy , setting back their careers and salaries .
They took on hundreds of billions of dollars in student debt .
And now , as a result of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suddenly becoming the largest contingent of the “ sandwich generation , ” the cohort of adults providing financial and other support to both children and elderly parents . '
I will be put out of my house ' : Some Americans who struggled early in crisis are on brink , others find jobs Bidenomics : What the president-elect 's plans mean for the economy , your finances and another COVID-19 stimulus package Millennials make up 39 % of the sandwich generation , according to a survey of 1,000 adults conducted by Morning Consult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and early August .
That ’ s about the same share comprised by Generation X , age 40 to 55 , with millennials possibly poised to overtake that older group within the next couple of years , according to New York Life , which provided the survey results exclusively to USA TODAY .
Five years ago , Millennials made up about a quarter of all family caregivers , according to an AARP study cited by New York Life .
For years , the sandwich generation has featured middle-aged Americans -- in other words @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With the oldest millennials turning 40 next year , that group already has started to age into the financially-crunched predicament as their boomer parents reach their 60s and 70s .
The pandemic , however , has tipped more millennials into a juggling act of caregiving , and at younger ages .
“ The sandwich generation is becoming increasingly young , ” says Jeff Beligotti , vice president and head of long-term care solutions for New York Life .
“ We think generally the situation with COVID has accelerated the trend.
” Forty percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caring for an aging parent during the health crisis , compared to 34 % of Gen Xers and 13 % of boomers , according to the survey .
As a result , Beligotti says , “ It has continued to financially squeeze the millennial generation , ” whose careers and finances were impeded by the Great Recession .
Some Millennials are caring for parents who contracted COVID-19 while others are doing their grocery shopping and running other errands to ensure they remain COVID-free , Beligotti says .
Those responsibilities are likely to continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presumably next year , and the outbreak has faded .
Ninety percent of the adults surveyed expect to provide financial , housing or caregiving support beyond the pandemic .
The outbreak is taking a greater financial toll on millennials than other age groups , the New York Life study says , noting the group is also saving for a house purchase or a child ’ s education .
Fifty-four percent of all those surveyed say they ’ re spending more each month to care for others in the health crisis , with 23 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Housing deals : From outside Philadephia to the outskirts of Dallas , these 10 suburbs offer the most home for your money Nearly 70 % of the survey respondents are paying for the extra expenses out of their own budgets ; 40 % are contributing less to savings ; 30 % are setting aside less for their retirement ; 27 % are working more hours ; 27 % are drawing from emergency savings ; and 18 % are delaying paying other bills .
And it 's not just about money .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ duties , 43 % of sandwich generation members are spending less time on rest and relaxation , 39 % are getting less sleep and 37 % are exercising less .
the survey shows .
Buyer beware : Are you tempted to sign up for 'Trumpcare ' during open enrollment ?
Be careful , experts warn As a result of the financial burden , Holmes and his wife are contributing less to their savings , eating out twice a month , down from their previous weekly ritual , and scaling back on the painting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local community college .
“ I don ’ t see myself doing this for five more years , ” says Holmes , who eventually wants to rise through the managerial ranks at the grocery store .

As COVID-19 rages, millennials make up growing share of 'sandwich generation,' caring for kids and parents
Show Caption Hide Caption Three reasons why retirement saving is now harder for millennials Saving for your retirement is daunting for all generations, but a new study suggests it has gotten even harder for millennials. USA TODAY
Cooper Holmes' life is a whirlwind of family responsibilities.
At 36, he takes care of his 3-year-old daughter while his wife works as a full-time teacher, and helps support his 76-year-old mother, who has health issues.
Holmes, who lives in Delta, Colorado, spends four hours a day running his mother's 50-sheep farm with his daughter in tow. And since the pandemic began, he has handled her grocery shopping and other errands. He also contributes about $200 to help his mother pay the monthly bills.
From Friday through Sunday, he works the night shift at a local grocery store, stocking shelves.
“It can be very stressful,” he says. “It always feels like there’s something I need to be doing."
Like many other millennials, Holmes is grappling with just the latest financial woe to bedevil his generation.
Millennials, age 24 to 39, graduated from college just as the Great Recession of 2007-09 was upending the economy, setting back their careers and salaries. They took on hundreds of billions of dollars in student debt. And now, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, they’re suddenly becoming the largest contingent of the “sandwich generation,” the cohort of adults providing financial and other support to both children and elderly parents.
'I will be put out of my house': Some Americans who struggled early in crisis are on brink, others find jobs
Bidenomics: What the president-elect's plans mean for the economy, your finances and another COVID-19 stimulus package
Millennials make up 39% of the sandwich generation, according to a survey of 1,000 adults conducted by Morning Consult for New York Life in late July and early August. That’s about the same share as Generation X, age 40 to 55, with millennials possibly poised to overtake that older group within the next couple of years, according to New York Life, which provided the survey results exclusively to USA TODAY.
Five years ago, Millennials made up about a quarter of all family caregivers, according to an AARP study cited by New York Life.
For years, the sandwich generation has featured middle-aged Americans -- in other words, Gen Xers and baby boomers. With the oldest millennials turning 40 next year, that group already has started to age into the financially-crunched predicament as their boomer parents reach their 60s and 70s. The pandemic, however, has tipped more millennials into a juggling act of caregiving, and at younger ages.
“The sandwich generation is becoming increasingly young,” says Jeff Beligotti, vice president and head of long-term care solutions for New York Life. “We think generally the situation with COVID has accelerated the trend.”
Forty percent of millennials are more likely to be caring for an elderly parent during the health crisis, compared with 34% of Gen Xers and 13% of Boomers, according to the survey.
As a result, Beligotti says, “It has continued to financially squeeze the millennial generation.”
Some millennials are caring for parents who contracted COVID-19, while others are doing their grocery shopping and running other errands to ensure they remain COVID-free, Beligotti says. Those responsibilities are likely to continue even after a vaccine is available, presumably next year, and the outbreak has faded. Ninety percent of the adults surveyed expect to provide financial, housing or caregiving support beyond the pandemic.
The outbreak is taking a greater financial toll on millennials than other age groups, the New York Life study says, noting the group is also saving for a house purchase or a child’s education. Fifty-four percent of all those surveyed say they’re spending more each month to care for others in the health crisis, with 23% spending an additional $200 monthly.
Housing deals: From outside Philadephia to the outskirts of Dallas, these 10 suburbs offer the most home for your money
Nearly 70% of survey respondents are paying for the extra expenses out of their own budgets; 40% are contributing less to savings; 30% are setting aside less for their retirement; 27% are working more hours; 27% are drawing from emergency savings; and 18% are delaying paying other bills.
And it's not just about money. As a result of the pandemic and caregiving duties, 43% of sandwich generation members are spending less time on rest and relaxation, 39% are getting less sleep and 37% are exercising less. the survey suggests.
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As a result of the financial burden, Holmes and his wife are contributing less to their savings, eating out twice a month, down from their previous weekly ritual, and scaling back on the painting and other classes they take at a local community college.
“I don’t see myself doing this for five more years,” says Holmes, who eventually wants to rise through the managerial ranks at the grocery store.


usatoday--2020-11-18--COVID vaccine candidate from Pfizer must be stored at minus 112, prompting a rush on dry ice

Minus 112 is so cold rubber shatters , metals can become brittle and exposed skin freezes almost instantly .
It ’ s also the temperature required to store what ’ s expected to be the first COVID-19 vaccine .
With last week 's news that the vaccine candidate from Pfizer and its collaborator BioNTechwas more than 90 % effective and could be approved within a month , the reality of moving and storing the life-saving vials came into sharp focus .
Dry ice orders are spiking and the backlog to buy some $ 15,000 medical-grade ultracold freezers is up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 250 % from the first quarter , ” said Dusty Tenney , CEO of Stirling Ultracold , an Athens , Ohio , company that makes laboratory-grade ultracold freezers .
Monday 's announcement that Moderna 's COVID-19 vaccine was 94.5 % effective , is stable at regular refrigerator temperatures for 30 days and is able to be held at room temperature for up to 12 hours took the edge off the urgency .
But the United States will need all the vaccines it can get .
Development of Moderna 's vaccine is slightly behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not as robust , making the Pfizer-required cold chain an issue local health departments will be grappling with for months .
In Akron , fifth-generation ice man Harry Gehm is getting calls from across the region .
“ The Ohio health department called for 15,000 pounds of dry ice a week , ” he said from the offices of Gehm & Sons , founded in the 1880s .
“ The hospitals and Giant Eagle ( a grocery and pharmacy chain ) have been calling to make sure I have the capacity.
” States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ required an extreme cold chain distribution , and have been working to create the infrastructure necessary to deliver and store it .
Now they 've got to finalize their plans .
Of the four COVID-19 vaccines currently in Phase 3 clinical trials in the United States , Pfizer 's is both the furthest along and the only one that requires such a low temperature .
Pfizer expects to produce up to 50 million vaccine doses by the end of the year , and up to 1.3 billion doses in 2021 .
If the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year will be allocated proportionally across countries that have supply agreements , the company said .
Each person will need two doses , given 21 days apart .
As part of an agreement signed this summer with the U.S. government , Pfizer will deliver 100 million doses following the vaccine ’ s successful manufacture and approval , with the option to acquire an additional 500 million doses .
I volunteered for Moderna 's COVID vaccine trial : Here 's why I think I got the vaccine , not a placebo The Pfizer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that tells the body to produce a protein from the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 .
That protein tells the immune system to make antibodies against the virus , protecting it from infection .
The proteins are encased in tiny fat globules and very fragile .
“ It just sort of disintegrates , ” said Dr. Paul Offit , director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children 's Hospital of Philadelphia and a professor of vaccinology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania .
To keep the molecule stable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ultracold temperatures , between minus 112 and minus 76 .
Generally , the guidance is minus 94 and below .
At those temperatures , it is stable for up to six months .
Once the vaccine arrives at a hospital or clinic , it can be held at regular refrigerator temperatures of between 35 to 46 degrees for up to five days before it must be discarded .
That ’ s no mean feat .
At minus 22 , sap in trees freezes .
At minus 58 , some steel alloys become brittle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freeze .
At minus 97 , tires can shatter , said Tonya Kuhl , chair of the chemical engineering department at the University of California , Davis .
Keeping anything that cold requires specialized equipment – or lots and lots of dry ice .
`` In the science world , it ’ s not that cold , '' Kuhl said .
`` But in the regular world , it certainly is .
That temperature is really important in storage to keep things stable.
” Medical-grade ultracold freezers are not cheap .
An upright @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refrigerator can run about $ 25,000 .
An under-counter freezer the size of a dorm fridge is about $ 10,000 .
And a model on wheels about the size of a beach cooler runs $ 7,000 .
Pharmacies , clinics , hospitals and doctors ' offices have been snapping them up as fast as they can build them .
Stirling Ultracold has increased hours on its factory floor and is working six days a week to meet demand .
Even so , they ’ re back-ordered for at least a month , Tenney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not like rummaging around in the fridge for a snack .
Once the door is open , a wave of fog swirls out as the cold hits the moisture in the room air .
Gloves and long sleeves must be worn to keep from getting freezer burns from the unit itself or the items inside .
The good news , say administrators , is that many hospitals and academic medical centers already had ultracold freezers because they ’ re used to store blood products , lab diagnostic materials and biological samples .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already had them on hand , ” said Azra Behlim , senior director of pharmacy sourcing at Vizient , a purchasing and support network for non-profit health systems .
Vizient works with more than 60 % of all hospitals in the United States .
Even so , some are buying the freezers “ just to make things easier ” when the vaccine starts shipping , she said .
But with the expectation that more vaccines will soon become available that can be stored at regular refrigerator temperatures , other medical systems are holding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they should jump through all these logistical hoops ” when it might not be necessary , Behlim said .
The first vaccines will be going to frontline health care workers , most of whom can be readily supplied at large hospitals that already have ultracold infrastructure .
Dry ice looms large in the Pfizer vaccine delivery system .
The Pfizer vaccine is being shipped in specially designed , insulated containers about the size of a carry-on suitcase .
The vaccine is stored in flat , pizza box-sized compartments , each able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doses per vial , so each tray holds 975 doses .
The thermal container boxes , which are reusable , can hold up to five of the trays for a grand total of 4,875 doses per fully-loaded container , weighing about 70 pounds .
More : Pfizer 's COVID-19 vaccine candidate shown to be 90 % effective in early findings These `` shippers , '' as Pfizer calls them , have space at the top for a bag of dry ice .
The dry ice can keep the vaccine at the necessary temperature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five days as long as it ’ s opened no more than twice a day for very short periods of time , said Bob Swanson , the Immunization Program Director at the Michigan Department of Community Health .
Dry ice , as opposed to water-based “ wet ice , ” is the solid form of carbon dioxide when it ’ s cooled to minus 78.5 degrees .
The shipping containers require about 25 pounds of dry ice to be refilled .
Gehm , the ice man , says he ’ s getting calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to order 25 pounds a week .
“ I can make 3,000 pounds an hour , so we ’ re good there , ” he said .
Most dry ice in the United States is made in the Midwest near large ethanol gas plants , which produce carbon dioxide as a byproduct , said Gehm .
The carbon dioxide is transported in tankers and forced into a sealed chamber where it ’ s put under pressure to cool it .
“ It runs about 2.3 pounds of liquid to make one pound of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A 3-foot cube of dry ice weighs about 1,500 pounds .
Not everyone lives within easy transport distance of a dry ice manufacturer , however .
North Dakota has so few , the state Department of Health is considering buying a small maker to produce its own , said state Immunization Program Manager Molly Howell .
If a medical center can be assured of getting dry ice , an expensive ultracold freezer may not be necessary because the packages are designed to be re-iced with dry ice .
“ Really , you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Swanson , with Michigan 's health department .
Once the vaccine container arrives at the site , it will be refilled with dry ice within 24 hours , he said .
“ As long as you don ’ t open the container more than twice a day , you can refresh it with more dry ice five days out and then 10 days out .
So it creates a 15-day window , ” he said .
When it ’ s time to use the vaccine , it ’ s thawed to refrigerator temperature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ degrees .
It ’ s then mixed with a saline solution shipped separately .
Once that ’ s done , the five-dose vial can be stored for up to six hours in a refrigerator .
If all the vaccine isn ’ t used by then , it would need to be discarded .
It ’ s the possibility of having to discard vaccine that keeps doctors up at night .
After more than $ 10 billion in taxpayer money spent to create COVID-19 vaccines and in the midst of a frightening surge in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any to go to waste .
“ There 's going to be a lot of tripping and falling , ” said vaccine expert Offit .
“ We 're going to learn a lot over the next few months about how we probably could have done this differently .
”

COVID vaccine candidate from Pfizer must be stored at minus 112, prompting a rush on dry ice
Show Caption Hide Caption COVID-19: Pfizer's vaccine candidate shown to be 90% effective Pfizer and BioNTech released early study results indicating that their vaccine prevented more than 90% of infections with the virus that causes COVID-19. USA TODAY
Minus 112 is so cold rubber shatters, metals can become brittle and exposed skin freezes almost instantly. It’s also the temperature required to store what’s expected to be the first COVID-19 vaccine.
With last week's news that the vaccine candidate from Pfizer and its collaborator BioNTech was more than 90% effective and could be approved within a month, the reality of moving and storing the life-saving vials came into sharp focus.
Dry ice orders are spiking and the backlog to buy some $15,000 medical-grade ultracold freezers is up to six weeks.
“Sales are up 250% from the first quarter,” said Dusty Tenney, CEO of Stirling Ultracold, an Athens, Ohio, company that makes laboratory-grade ultracold freezers.
Monday's announcement that Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine was 94.5% effective, is stable at regular refrigerator temperatures for 30 days and is able to be held at room temperature for up to 12 hours took the edge off the urgency.
But the United States will need all the vaccines it can get. Development of Moderna's vaccine is slightly behind Pfizer, and its manufacturing capacity is not as robust, making the Pfizer-required cold chain an issue local health departments will be grappling with for months.
USA TODAY Editorial Board: Don't inject politics into vaccine policy
In Akron, fifth-generation ice man Harry Gehm is getting calls from across the region.
“The Ohio health department called for 15,000 pounds of dry ice a week,” he said from the offices of Gehm & Sons, founded in the 1880s. “The hospitals and Giant Eagle (a grocery and pharmacy chain) have been calling to make sure I have the capacity.”
States have known for months the Pfizer vaccine required an extreme cold chain distribution, and have been working to create the infrastructure necessary to deliver and store it. Now they've got to finalize their plans.
Of the four COVID-19 vaccines currently in Phase 3 clinical trials in the United States, Pfizer's is both the furthest along and the only one that requires such a low temperature.
Pfizer expects to produce up to 50 million vaccine doses by the end of the year, and up to 1.3 billion doses in 2021. If the vaccine is approved, the doses available this year will be allocated proportionally across countries that have supply agreements, the company said. Each person will need two doses, given 21 days apart.
As part of an agreement signed this summer with the U.S. government, Pfizer will deliver 100 million doses following the vaccine’s successful manufacture and approval, with the option to acquire an additional 500 million doses.
I volunteered for Moderna's COVID vaccine trial: Here's why I think I got the vaccine, not a placebo
The Pfizer candidate vaccine is composed of messenger RNA that tells the body to produce a protein from the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. That protein tells the immune system to make antibodies against the virus, protecting it from infection.
The proteins are encased in tiny fat globules and very fragile. “It just sort of disintegrates,” said Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and a professor of vaccinology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
To keep the molecule stable, the vaccine must be stored at ultracold temperatures, between minus 112 and minus 76. Generally, the guidance is minus 94 and below. At those temperatures, it is stable for up to six months.
Once the vaccine arrives at a hospital or clinic, it can be held at regular refrigerator temperatures of between 35 to 46 degrees for up to five days before it must be discarded.
That’s no mean feat. At minus 22, sap in trees freezes. At minus 58, some steel alloys become brittle. At minus 76, car batteries freeze. At minus 97, tires can shatter, said Tonya Kuhl, chair of the chemical engineering department at the University of California, Davis. Keeping anything that cold requires specialized equipment – or lots and lots of dry ice.
"In the science world, it’s not that cold," Kuhl said. "But in the regular world, it certainly is. That temperature is really important in storage to keep things stable.”
Ultra-cold needs special equipment
Medical-grade ultracold freezers are not cheap. An upright model the size of a large home refrigerator can run about $25,000. An under-counter freezer the size of a dorm fridge is about $10,000. And a model on wheels about the size of a beach cooler runs $7,000.
Pharmacies, clinics, hospitals and doctors' offices have been snapping them up as fast as they can build them. Stirling Ultracold has increased hours on its factory floor and is working six days a week to meet demand. Even so, they’re back-ordered for at least a month, Tenney said.
Opening such a freezer is not like rummaging around in the fridge for a snack. Once the door is open, a wave of fog swirls out as the cold hits the moisture in the room air. Gloves and long sleeves must be worn to keep from getting freezer burns from the unit itself or the items inside.
The good news, say administrators, is that many hospitals and academic medical centers already had ultracold freezers because they’re used to store blood products, lab diagnostic materials and biological samples.
“More than 50% of our members already had them on hand,” said Azra Behlim, senior director of pharmacy sourcing at Vizient, a purchasing and support network for non-profit health systems. Vizient works with more than 60% of all hospitals in the United States.
Even so, some are buying the freezers “just to make things easier” when the vaccine starts shipping, she said.
But with the expectation that more vaccines will soon become available that can be stored at regular refrigerator temperatures, other medical systems are holding off.
“They’re wondering if they should jump through all these logistical hoops” when it might not be necessary, Behlim said. The first vaccines will be going to frontline health care workers, most of whom can be readily supplied at large hospitals that already have ultracold infrastructure.
Dry ice is key for Pfizer vaccine delivery
Dry ice looms large in the Pfizer vaccine delivery system. The Pfizer vaccine is being shipped in specially designed, insulated containers about the size of a carry-on suitcase.
The vaccine is stored in flat, pizza box-sized compartments, each able to hold 195 vials. There are five doses per vial, so each tray holds 975 doses. The thermal container boxes, which are reusable, can hold up to five of the trays for a grand total of 4,875 doses per fully-loaded container, weighing about 70 pounds.
More: Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine candidate shown to be 90% effective in early findings
Coronavirus: How vaccines are developed and tested Pressure to create a coronavirus vaccine is increasing by the day, but for a safe vaccine to enter the market, it takes time. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
These "shippers," as Pfizer calls them, have space at the top for a bag of dry ice. The dry ice can keep the vaccine at the necessary temperature for 10 days if unopened, or five days as long as it’s opened no more than twice a day for very short periods of time, said Bob Swanson, the Immunization Program Director at the Michigan Department of Community Health.
Dry ice, as opposed to water-based “wet ice,” is the solid form of carbon dioxide when it’s cooled to minus 78.5 degrees.
The shipping containers require about 25 pounds of dry ice to be refilled. Gehm, the ice man, says he’s getting calls from small hospitals across Ohio that want to order 25 pounds a week.
“I can make 3,000 pounds an hour, so we’re good there,” he said.
Most dry ice in the United States is made in the Midwest near large ethanol gas plants, which produce carbon dioxide as a byproduct, said Gehm.
The carbon dioxide is transported in tankers and forced into a sealed chamber where it’s put under pressure to cool it.
“It runs about 2.3 pounds of liquid to make one pound of dry ice,” Gehm said. A 3-foot cube of dry ice weighs about 1,500 pounds.
Not everyone lives within easy transport distance of a dry ice manufacturer, however. North Dakota has so few, the state Department of Health is considering buying a small maker to produce its own, said state Immunization Program Manager Molly Howell.
If a medical center can be assured of getting dry ice, an expensive ultracold freezer may not be necessary because the packages are designed to be re-iced with dry ice.
“Really, you have up to 15 days,” said Swanson, with Michigan's health department. Once the vaccine container arrives at the site, it will be refilled with dry ice within 24 hours, he said.
“As long as you don’t open the container more than twice a day, you can refresh it with more dry ice five days out and then 10 days out. So it creates a 15-day window,” he said.
When it’s time to use the vaccine, it’s thawed to refrigerator temperature, which is between 35 and 46 degrees. It’s then mixed with a saline solution shipped separately.
Once that’s done, the five-dose vial can be stored for up to six hours in a refrigerator. If all the vaccine isn’t used by then, it would need to be discarded.
It’s the possibility of having to discard vaccine that keeps doctors up at night. After more than $10 billion in taxpayer money spent to create COVID-19 vaccines and in the midst of a frightening surge in cases, they don’t want any to go to waste.
“There's going to be a lot of tripping and falling,” said vaccine expert Offit. “We're going to learn a lot over the next few months about how we probably could have done this differently.”