Pfizer reveals vaccine breakthrough

The COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer andnbsp;BioNTech prevented more than 90% of infections in a late-stage study, according to preliminary results. The announcement — released by Pfizer and not yet in a peer-reviewed medical journal — suggests the company is on course to file for emergency-use approval with U.S. regulators later this month, if pending data also confirms it is safe, per The Associated Press. The findings come after 94 participants, split between those who got a placebo and those who received the vaccine, contracted the virus. Nearly 44,000 people were enrolled in the study. Authorities have said it is unlikely that any vaccine will be available until near the end of 2020, and initial supplies will be limited.Over 10 million Americans had reported COVID-19 cases as of Monday, according tonbsp;Johns Hopkins Universitynbsp;data.The FDA hasnbsp;issued an emergency use authorizationnbsp;for Eli Lillys antibody therapy, bamlanivimab, to treat some cases of COVID-19 in adult and pediatric patients. Stocks jumped following the news from Pfizer, with shares of airlines, travel companies and banks climbing.More than a million Americans have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 10 days alone, reports The New York Times. While the soaring infection rates have prompted some restrictions, local officials have opted for “a lighter touch” compared to the pandemic’s early onset, avoiding a return to lockdowns.Presumptive president-elect Joe Biden announced a new coronavirus task force on Monday.nbsp;nbsp;Globally, more than 50 million people have tested positive, and new infections are up by more than 27% in the past two weeks.Mark Meadows, President Trump’s chief of staff, has tested positive — along with five other White House staffers.Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson has also tested positive for coronavirus.