We're just four days away from Thanksgiving, and coronavirus cases are rising across the country.
The US surpassed 12 million cases of the virus yesterday — and nearly a quarter of those cases were recorded in November.
As Americans begin to prepare for the holiday, here's the latest on the pandemic:
- Staggering Covid-19 numbers: Saturday was the 19th day in a row that the US reported over 100,000 new cases, according to Johns Hopkins. The spring and summer peak records of new cases did not exceed 60,000.
- Long lines at food banks: With less than a week until Thanksgiving, the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic is forcing some Americans to go to food banks for the first time. At a food drive in DeKalb County, Georgia, people lined up at 5:30 a.m. ET yesterday for an event that was not supposed to start until 10 a.m., CNN’s Natasha Chen reported. Meanwhile, at the First Unitarian Church in Los Angeles, volunteers are working to ensure residents do not go hungry this Thanksgiving. They expected about 1,000 people to line up. If you are facing food insecurity today, learn how to get help here.
- Experts urge Americans to skip travel this holiday: The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week urged against Thanksgiving holiday travel. The nation's top health experts are urging Americans to alter their holiday plans this year, too: White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx said Americans should limit indoor gatherings to immediate households this Thanksgiving. And Dr. Anthony Fauci said he'll be having a Thanksgiving Zoom call with his three daughters.
- The good news? Experts say promising vaccines are on the horizon. On Friday, Pfizer and BioNTech submitted an application to the US Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization for their Covid-19 vaccine candidate. Earlier this week, Pfizer said a final analysis of the Phase 3 trial of the vaccine showed it was 95% effective in preventing infections, even in older adults, and caused no serious safety concerns.