BioNTech and Pfizer announced Wednesday the European Medicines Agency was targeted by a cyberattack and regulatory documents related to their coronavirus vaccine submission were accessed.
Why it matters: The EMA is currently working to authorize coronavirus vaccines for use in European Union member states, and said it is launching an investigation into the attack. The hack is the latest in a series of attacks and warnings about cyber threats against vaccine-producers and public health agencies.
The market for mental wellness products and services is booming, as the pandemic has gotten on just about everyone's last nerve.
Axios Re:Cap goes deeper with Michael Acton Smith, co-founder and co-CEO of meditation app Calm, which was just valued at $2 billion. The discussion includes how mental wellness differs from mental health, the B2B of the industry and those election night ads on CNN.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D), 72, tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, and is experiencing no symptoms as he self-isolates, he tweeted Wednesday.
The big picture: Current coronavirus hospitalizations and cases are skyrocketing in Pennsylvania, as well as in many states across the U.S., per the COVID Tracking Project. Wolf tweeted on Tuesday that "hospitalizations are reaching critical levels" in his state.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Wednesday released a detailed outline of their $908 billion coronavirus stimulus proposal, according to a copy of the draft legislation obtained by Axios.
Details: The proposal includes an extension of enhanced unemployment insurance benefits by 16 weeks, but it does not include provisions on direct payments to individuals, increased funding for state and local governments, or detailed language on liability protections — some of the most disputed aspects under negotiation by both parties.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) and Bloomberg Philanthropies announced on Wednesday a partnership to help mayors across the country prepare for the distribution of limited stocks of the coronavirus vaccine.
Why it matters: Although the Trump administration is leaving it up to governors to decide who gets vaccinated and when, mayors will play a major role in coordinating distribution between state and local governments and building trust in an environment in which health authorities have frequently been questioned.
Some public health experts have suggested that pro athletes should be among the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, believing it could engender confidence in those who are hesitant to get vaccinated.
The big picture: Though there was backlash over the summer when it looked like leagues were consuming an unfair proportion of limited testing resources, the benefits of athletes as "vaccine-influencers" may be too great to pass up.
The first Americans will receive a coronavirus vaccine soon, but President Trump has done almost nothing to convince skeptical Americans that they ought to get vaccinated.
Why it matters: The more people who get vaccinated, and the more quickly they do so, the faster and more safely we can all get back to our normal lives. But roughly a third of Americans still say they don't want one.
The United Arab Emirates said Wednesday that the coronavirus vaccine developed by China's state-owned Sinopharm appears to be safe and 86% effective, according to an interim analysis of the company's Phase III trials.
Why it matters: It's the first public release of information about one of the main Chinese-developed COVID-19 vaccines, which was tested in the UAE in a trial involving 31,000 volunteers from 125 countries that began in September.
Growing dread and acceptance of the winter ahead is weighing on Americans' physical and mental health and raising fears about debt and job security, according to the latest installment of the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index.
The big picture: We're tracking a return to anxiety levels and routines not seen in months, as experts warn that the pandemic will get worse before vaccines are widely available.
