President Donald Trump once hailed mRNA vaccines as a "miracle" for combating COVID-19.

The CDC, a $9.2 billion-a-year agency tasked with reviewing life-saving vaccines, monitoring diseases and watching for budding threats to Americans’ health, is without a clear leader.

On the day the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic, Koloud “Kay” Tarapolsi reflected the views of many people when she told an Associated Press reporter: “If we avoid each other and listen to the scientists, maybe in a few weeks it will be better."

At the same time, more than 4 million residents with certain disabilities or health concerns become eligible for a vaccine. Set in motion over one year, that's warp-speed spending in a capital known for gridlock, ugly argument and now an episode of violent insurrection. At one turn after another, that may be the rhetorical question of these COVID-19 times. The U.S. reached a total of 3,000 COVID-19 deaths even before March 2020 was out. By December, the country was experiencing the toll of 9/11 day after day after day.

Walensky, 51, an infectious-diseases specialist at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, is expected to become CDC director after Biden is inaugurated. Redfield kept a low profile during his first two years in office after being appointed by the Trump administration in 2018. Much of that has to do with cycles of funding for the national public health system that rise in reaction to a crisis and then fall, hurting efforts to prevent the next crisis. Last week, Biden said he would ask for $160 billion for vaccinations and other public health programs, including an effort to expand the public health workforce by 100,000 jobs. Georgetown's Westmoreland called for a law or other measure to prohibit political appointees from having editorial review of CDC science and to ban them from controlling when the agency releases information.

Trump administration political appointees tried to block or change more than a dozen government reports that detailed scientific findings about the spread of the coronavirus, according to a House panel investigating the alleged interference. New York political operative and Trump loyalist Michael Caputo was installed as the department's top spokesman during a period of high tension between White House officials and Azar. — Intensely challenged articles that detailed scientific findings on the spread of COVID-19 among children. The HHS public affairs office that Caputo once headed “is not a science or medical program office," wrote Hall. Redfield responded at the time that he had told CDC staffers to ignore Alexander's email, and that he is fully committed to maintaining the independence of the MMWR health reports.

(AP Photo/David Goldman, File)NEW YORK – Deciding that health care workers and nursing home residents should be first in line for the initial, limited supplies of COVID-19 shots wasn't that hard a call. If essential workers are indeed next up, states already have different ideas about who among them should be closer to the front of the line. Redfield declined to say if he would prioritize senior citizens over essential workers even if the panel recommended the reverse. Most states followed the panel's recommendation that health care workers and nursing home residents get the very first doses. Utah said long-term care residents should be in line behind health care workers, instead of sharing the front with them.

At issue is what happened last summer to an email sent to the CDC from a now-departed HHS adviser, Dr. Paul Alexander. She said she was ordered to delete it the following day, a Sunday. Kent testified that she believed the order to delete the email came from Redfield. Redfield said Thursday in a statement that “regarding the email in question, I instructed CDC staff to ignore Dr. Alexander’s comments. “I considered this to be very unusual,” she said, according to the partial transcript released by Clyburn.

“Let them steal Georgia again, you’ll never be able to look yourself in the mirror,” Trump told rallygoers. The Jan. 5 Senate runoffs in Georgia will determine the balance of power in Washington after Biden takes office. Democrats need a Georgia sweep to force a 50-50 Senate and position Vice President-elect Kamala Harris as the tiebreaking vote. Trump continued to reiterate his unsubstantiated claims of fraud, despite his own administration assessing the election to have been conducted without any major issues. Chants of “Fight for Trump” drowned out the two senators as they briefly spoke to the crowd.

State health officials decline to identify which hospitals have expressed interest, but say there is need statewide. Hospitalizations have not yet reached their summer heights in Georgia, but beds are filling rapidly with COVID-19 cases. ___HARRISBURG, Pa. — States faced a deadline on Friday to place orders for the coronavirus vaccine as many reported record infections, hospitalizations and deaths. Ukraine, which is facing a rapid rise in coronavirus cases, tightened weekend restrictions last month but lifted them this week. ___ATLANTA — Vice President Mike Pence is trying to boost Americans’ confidence in the COVID-19 vaccines that are awaiting regulatory approval and distribution.

Across the U.S., the surge has swamped hospitals with patients and left nurses and other health care workers shorthanded and burned out. Keeping health care workers on their feet is considered vital to dealing with the crisis. The Illinois plan gives highest priority to health care workers but also calls for first responders to be in the first batch to get the shot. Utah officials said frontline health care workers will take top priority, with the five hospitals treating the most COVID-19 patients getting the first doses. Advocates strongly expressed frustration over the way some states are putting medical workers ahead of nursing home residents.

The Education Ministry says about 493,430 students began taking the one-day test at about 1,380 test sites across South Korea on Thursday. The university from which a South Korean graduates significantly affects job prospects, social standings and even marriage partners. Health care workers, citizens above 65 and people living in care homes will be the first groups to be vaccinated. Redfield says earlier surges in COVID-19 illnesses were concentrated in one area of the country or another, and health care workers and equipment could be shifted from one place to another to deal with it. ___TORONTO — Canada’s health minister says health officials will soon complete a review of the coronavirus vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech.

NEW YORK – A group of Democratic lawmakers called on the Trump administration Monday to stop the expulsion of unaccompanied children and other asylum seekers at the U.S. border using emergency powers granted during the coronavirus pandemic. “Clearly, expulsions lack a public health rationale, and the U.S. government is fully capable of receiving and placing unaccompanied children and asylum seekers while also protecting public health,” said the letter, signed by 58 lawmakers. The CDC’s order covers the U.S. borders with both Mexico and Canada, but has mostly affected the thousands of asylum seekers and immigrants arriving at the southern border. Public health experts had urged the administration to focus on a national mask mandate, enforce social distancing and increase the number of contact tracers to track down people exposed to the virus. In their letter, the lawmakers say the order endangers children, including by exposing them to risks such as human trafficking.

___CARSON CITY, Nev. — Nevada topped 100,000 total coronavirus cases on Saturday. There’s been more than 15,000 cases and 81 confirmed deaths, according to the state Department of Health and Social Services. ___ATHENS, Greece — Greece surpassed 2,000 coronavirus cases for the first time since the start of the pandemic. The total confirmed coronavirus cases reached 39,251 and 626 deaths. Germany’s total cases since the pandemic started has increased to 518,753 and its death toll to 10,452.

NEW YORK – Federal health officials on Friday issued new rules that will enable large cruise ships to start sailing again in U.S. waters, though not immediately. In mid-March, the CDC ordered cruise ships to stop sailing to U.S. ports because several outbreaks convinced officials that the vessels were potential cauldrons of infection. To resume carrying passengers, the companies have to demonstrate they have procedures for testing, quarantining and isolating passengers and crew. But at least 19 outbreaks were identified on cruise ships between mid-March and mid-April, the new CDC order noted. The CDC document is “an important step toward returning our ships to service from U.S. ports,” said Kelly Craighead, the trade group's president.

FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn pledged that career scientists, not politicians, will decide whether any coronavirus vaccine meets clearly stated standards that it works and is safe. In one of the largest studies yet, Johnson & Johnson aims to enroll 60,000 volunteers to test its single-dose approach in the U.S., South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. J&J’s vaccine is made with slightly different technology than others in late-stage testing, modeled on an Ebola vaccine the company created. Yet Redfield struggled to defend against criticism that CDC bowed to political pressure with guidelines that discouraged testing of people without COVID-19 symptoms. Going forward, “we need uniformity throughout the country.”In a testy exchange, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky insisted public health officials were wrong that a lockdown could change the course of the pandemic.

Officials announced seven new coronavirus cases Thursday, all of them imported, marking 39 days since China has reported a case of domestic transmission. Neighboring Slovakia had 338 cases Tuesday for a confirmed total of 7, 269 cases and 41 deaths since the start of the pandemic. ___LONDON — Scotland has recorded 486 positive coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, the highest number of daily cases in a single day. She says there were two recorded deaths in the past day, bringing the total confirmed toll to 2,508. Spain recorded 241 more virus-related deaths on Tuesday, bringing the total confirmed death toll to 30,904.

___WASHINGTON — The White House is urging U.S. governors to put politics aside and help the Trump administration promote future coronavirus vaccines as safe and effective. Trump has escalated his promise for a coronavirus vaccine before Election Day. ___ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s president, who has long called for a reform of the United Nations, said the world body has failed in its response to the coronavirus pandemic. ___BOISE, Idaho — Idaho school districts vary widely when it comes to letting the public know about coronavirus cases in classrooms. Greek authorities say the fire was started by residents angry at a lockdown order after 35 COVID-19 cases were recorded at Moria.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and Health Officer Dr. Raul Pino are not comfortable with people celebrating Halloween the traditional way amid the coronavirus pandemic. The latest data from the Florida Department of Health shows there have been more than 38,000 cases of coronavirus in the county. The DOH reports there have been 1,280 hospitalizations and 431 coronavirus deaths in Orange County since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. The latest two-week positive rate data shows Orange County around 4 percent, Demings said he is happy with the number but it could be better. “Wear your mask, wash your hands, and keep your distance,” Dr. Pino reminded residents.

In this Aug. 31, 2020 file photo, President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the James Brady Press Briefing Room in Washington. Most Americans are deeply pessimistic about the direction of the country and skeptical of President Donald Trumps handling of the coronavirus pandemic. And as the nation nears 200,000 deaths from the coronavirus pandemic, just 39% of Americans approve of Trump's handling of the health crisis. Americans have a more favorable views of public health officials, as they have throughout the pandemic. Public health officials say transmission rates are higher indoors versus outdoors.

After promises of a COVID-19 vaccine, the director for the Center for Disease Control told the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday a vaccine will likely not be available to the masses until next year. Redfield said that high-risk Americans might receive the vaccine as early as November. She said that a COVID-19 vaccine for the masses will likely be distributed in the middle of next year. I think that wearing that mask is one of the best ways to prevent COVID-19,” said Dr. Prins. I think he got the message confused,” President Trump told reporters when asked about Redfield’s remarks.

While we may sometimes forget that we are still in a pandemic, we should never let our guard down especially as flu season gets underway. According to health officials, flu season typically begins in late fall, with peaks in mid-to-late winter -- January to February -- and through early spring. Long story short, flu season sticks around for a while. Thirteen weeks to be exact, although, on some rare occasions, flu season can linger into May. The CDC recommends that everyone over the age of 6 months get the yearly flu vaccine.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. The federal government has told states to prepare for a coronavirus vaccine to be ready to distribute by Nov. 1. The CDC also sent three planning documents to some health departments that included possible timelines for when vaccines would be available. It also states that initially available vaccines will either be approved by the Food and Drug Administration or authorized by the agency under its emergency powers. Several public health experts pointed out that final stage trials of experimental vaccines are still recruiting, and are at best halfway through that process. "It gives the appearance of a stunt rather than an expression of public health concern, Hotez said.

(Kevin Dietsch/Pool via AP)NEW YORK A top U.S. health official triggered a new round of confusion while trying to clarify a change to the coronavirus testing guidance. The change posted this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was sharply criticized by public health experts. It also said a doctor or public health officials could still recommend a test. State Health Officer Scott Harris links increased mask usage to a drop in hospitalizations and the percentage of positive tests. On Thursday, official data showed the U.K. recorded 1,522 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours the most since around mid-June.

Health experts continue to caution Americans to practice social distancing and to avoid returning to their normal activities. ”At some point, he said at his daily briefing, social distancing guidelines will disappear and people will be able to sit together at sports events. Under the new guidelines for essential workers, the CDC recommends that exposed employees take their temperatures before their shifts, wear face masks and practice social distancing at work. Employers are asked to take exposed workers’ temperatures and assess symptoms before allowing them to return to work, aggressively clean work surfaces, send workers home if they get sick and increase air exchange in workplaces. Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, chimed in with a cautionary tweet from the sidelines, writing: “Social distancing bends the curve and relieves some pressure on our heroic medical professionals.