The Pfizer vaccine will undergo a crucial committee hearing today likely determining whether it will gain emergency approval and be available next week. Matt Doyle has the story.
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Congress is reportedly closing in on a deal for a near trillion-dollar COVID relief bill. Matt Doyle has the story.
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Northwestern State University in Natchitoches will host the LHSAA Football Prep Classic at the end of the month. Brooke Thorington has more.
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A committee of medical experts will hold a public panel today likely determining whether or not the Pfizer vaccine is cleared for emergency approval by the FDA.
The panel will review the results of both the FDA’s and Pfizer’s findings on the efficacy and safety of the vaccine. LSU Health New Orleans Genetics Department Chair Lucio Meile (Me-lay)…
Cut 4 (06) “…granted.”
Meile is a former FDA employee.
Once the panel makes its recommendation Meile says the ball will be in the FDA’s court…
Cut 5 (06) “…does.”
The FDA has already posted its review of the vaccine publicly. Meile says that review “looks extremely good”, but the report also warns some suffer heavy, temporary side effects after their second shot.
Meile says the FDA emergency approval of the vaccine is expected to happen very shortly after the panel submits its recommendation.
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A CDC committee will meet Friday and Sunday to finalize plans on who to vaccinate first. If both committees wrap their work up by the end of the weekend shots could start being put in arms early next week.
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Congressman Garret Graves feels we could have an agreement in place on a COVID relief bill in Washington sometime next week.
The price tag is reportedly around 900 billion dollars. Graves says much of that is another round of the Payroll Protection Program and funding for COVID response and vaccine distribution.
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An initial bipartisan relief proposal did not include any stimulus checks, but the White House has stepped in requesting at least 600 dollar direct payments. Graves says it’s one of the four biggest issues left.
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Under the Trump Administration proposal, the checks would be in lieu of restarting federally boosted unemployment payments.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says a deal can’t be done without another round of aid to state governments, but Graves says current proposals are too weighted towards big states.
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The LHSAA announced this week they are moving the annual Football Prep Classic from the Superdome to Northwestern State in Natchitoches. Due to COVID capacity restrictions and the risk of cancellation, the games have been moved. Northwestern State Athletic Director Greg Burke says they are pleased to be hosting the event.
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The championship typically lasts three days but this year will be four days, December 27th through the 30th.
Burke says LHSAA had discussed a while back hosting the prep classic as a back-up and on Tuesday it was official. Burke says despite the short timeline with help from the city they can pull off the event.
Cut 11 (09) “…way possible.”
LHSAA says at Northwestern they’ll be able to sell 4,250 tickets a game for the Prep Classic versus current capacity restrictions at the Dome and the possibility the City of New Orleans might not allow fans in the stadium.
Burke says Northwestern State had record enrollment this fall and hosting the Prep Classic is a perfect opportunity to showcase the campus and recruit students.
Cut 12 (11) “…popular choice.”
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The department of health reported its single highest day number of COVID-19 cases Wednesday with 4,339 new cases. Acadiana Region Medical Director Dr. Tina Stefanski says cases were already on an uptick and now we are beginning to see spikes from Thanksgiving, two weeks ago today.
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In addition to the highest daily number of new cases and we are just below the second wave peak of 1,600 hospitalizations at 1,537. Stefanski says we haven’t seen the full effect of Thanksgiving on our healthcare system.
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The availability of COVID vaccines for the general public is still six months away, Stefanski says until then we have to remain diligent.
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Louisiana Tech was scheduled to play Baylor from the Big 12 to open its football season, but that game never happened because of COVID, so it only makes sense that the Bulldogs conclude their regular season by facing TCU on Saturday in a game that was recently scheduled. Coach Skip Holtz on the Horned Frogs
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Holtz calls TCU one of the better teams in the Big 12, even though they are 5-and-4 on the season and unranked. Tech has been playing two quarterbacks. Luke Anthony and Aaron Allen and Holtz say that will not change on Saturday as he wants to continue to develop both guys
cut 17 (19) “…to play.”
Holtz says Anthony will start on Saturday, he considers Aaron Allen a co-starter. Tech enters the game with a 5-and-3 record and he expects to play in a bowl game, but the bowl experience this year will be much different…
cut 18 (22) “…go home.”
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The Saints will visit the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, who will start rookie Jalen Hurts at quarterback. Coach Sean Payton says his defense will need to be ready for a different offense due to Hurts’ ability to run the ball.
cut 19 (15) “…hadn’t seen.”
Sunday will be a big game safety Malcolm Jenkins, who’s in his second stint with the Saints, after playing six seasons in Philadelphia. Payton says he regrets letting Jenkins leave after the 2013 season…
cut 20 (11) “…here we go.”