• Dr Anthony Fauci says that the US should not expect things to return to normal until mid- to -late 2021, disagreeing with President Trump’s assessment that the US has “rounding the corner” on the epidemic – even without a vaccine or treatment. Sources 1,2
• Michael Caputo, a Trump appointee serving as spokesperson at US Department of Health and Human Services (although he does not have a medical or scientific background) has repeatedly demanded the right to review CDC publications; if they did not align with Trump’s statements, Caputo attempted to alter or stop them. Source
• China promises its coronavirus vaccine candidates to Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Viet Nam, and lends $1 billion to Argentina, Barbados, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago and Uruguay to support access to the vaccine. Sources 1,2
• India reports a record-breaking total of 96,551 new infections. Source
• France announces its highest-ever total of new infections, at 9,843. Source
• FDA plans tougher criteria for coronavirus vaccine EUA, calling it an “EUA-plus.” Source