No new COVID-19 deaths reported, cases increase by 600 – KCCI Des Moines

POINT ERIC: ERIC:. WE WILL BE PREPARED. NOW TO THE BIG STORIES IN THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK. IOWA HOSPITALS ARE ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR THE MODERNA VACCINE TO ARRIVE. ITS ARRIVAL IS BRINGING HOPE IN THE HAWKEYE STATE, WHERE NEARLY 3600 PEOPLE HAVE DIED OF THE DISEASE. ALYX: IN WASHINGTON, LAWMAKERS WILL VOTE ON A MUCH-NEEDED RELIEF FOR AMERICANS STRUGGLING DURING THE PANDEMIC. BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE ARE EXPECTED TO PASS THE DEAL AFTER MONTHS OF DEBATE. ERIC: THE CDC URGES PEOPLE TO STAY HOME THIS CHRISTMAS. THE WARNING COMES AS THE TSA REPORTS A SURGE IN HOLIDAY TRAVELERS. THIS MORNING, MORE HELP IS ON THE WAY AS ANOTHER COVID-19 VACCINE STARTS ROLLING OUT NATIONWIDE. ALYX: TOMMIE, WHAT DOES MODERNA’S VACCINE MEAN FOR IOWA HOSPITALS? TOMMIE: IT MEANS WE WILL SEE A NEW ROUND OF FRONT-LINE WORKERS RECEIVING THE VACCINE ACROSS IOWA. ULTIMATELY, ANOTHER STEP CLOSER TO COMBATING COVID-19. MORE THAN 73,000 NEW DOSES OF BOTH THE PFIZER AND MODERNA VACCINES WILL ARRIVE IN IOWA TODAY. THAT’S ACCORDING TO THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH’S SCHEDULE. NOW, BROADLAWNS MEDICAL CENTER EXPECTS TO RECEIVE THEIR FIRST SHIPMENT THIS WEEK. THE HOSPITAL ADMINISTERED SOME VACCINES TO WORKERS LAST WEEK. UNITYPOINT AND MERCYONE SHARED WHAT THEY RECEIVED. THE MAJORITY OF THE DOSES COMING TO IOWA TODAY WILL BE THE NEWLY APPROVED MODERNA VACCINE. >> THERE IS LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL. THERE ARE NOW TWO VACCINES THAT ARE APPROVED. THEY ARE INCREDIBLY EFFECTIVE AND EFFICACIOUS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE VACCINE. IT’S GOING TO BE SLIGHTLY EASIER TO TO DISTRIBUTE BECAUSE IT DOESN’T REQUIRE AS LOW TEMPERATURE AS PFIZER. TOMMIE: WHICH MEANS THE MODERNA VACCINE WILL REACH MORE RURAL AREAS OF IOWA. MORE ON THAT IN YOUR NEXT HALF-HOUR. ALYX: THAT SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU. POLK COUNTY HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY METRO COMPANIES NEED TO BE PATIENT AS THE ROLLOUT CONTINUES. THEY ADVISE EMPLOYERS TO STAGGER VACCINATIONS AND GIVE IT TO THE HIGHEST PRIORITY STAFF FIRST. ERIC: A FEDERAL ADVISORY PANEL IS RECOMMENDING WHO SHOULD BE NEXT TO RECEIVE A VACCINE. THE CDC PANEL SAYS PEOPLE 75 YEARS AND OLDER, AS WELL AS ESSENTIAL WORKERS, SHOULD BE NEXT IN LINE. THOSE ESSENTIAL WORKERS INCLUDE FIREFIGHTERS, POLICE, TEACHERS, SCHOOL STAFF, GROCERY WORKERS AND U.S. POSTAL SERV