SARAH MCCAMMON, HOST:
Today, the European Union began vaccinating the first of its nearly 450 million people using the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine. A nursing home patient, a 101-year-old woman, became the first person in Germany to get the shot. In Italy, it was a 29-year-old nurse who rolled up her sleeve in Rome. Hungary also began vaccinating its frontline workers. Mexico began using the vaccine on Friday, the first in Latin America to do so.
Meanwhile, in the U.S., the Trump administration reached a deal with Pfizer to buy an additional 100 million doses, most of which will be delivered by the end of June. The CDC has prioritized health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities. And as high-profile people, including Vice President Pence, President-elect Joe Biden and Dr. Anthony Fauci, get their shots, polls show some Americans who were initially resistant now say they are willing to get vaccinated.
All of this is good, but we're in a terrible time with the virus right now. Infections are expected to surge yet again after the holidays. And with so many hospitals past capacity with COVID patients, public officials continue to warn Americans to be diligent, wear masks, stay at home as much as possible and keep social distance when it's not.
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