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A third Covid-19 vaccine from J&J is one step closer to getting the green light from the FDA for U.S. distribution. CEO Alex Gorsky will be with us at Tuesday's Healthy Returns Spotlight for an exclusive conversation with Meg Tirrell. Join us and read more on that below. Older Americans who are now eligible for vaccines are struggling to book an appointment online. Meg also speaks with Merck CEO Ken Frazier on what's next after retiring from the drugmaker.
| | J&J files for FDA authorization of its Covid-19 vaccine | The agency set an advisory meeting date of Friday, Feb. 26. If it follows the same pattern for Pfizer and Moderna, if the committee votes yes, we could see authorization from the FDA the next day and first shots the following Monday. Pfizer's review meeting was scheduled 20 days after it submitted its application while Moderna's was 17 days. Many hoped the FDA would move faster on J&J, but it's a bit longer: 22 days. What we're most looking forward to are the briefing documents, which will contain the FDA's analysis of the J&J data, and which often contain more details about the vaccine. Those should be released by Feb. 24.
-Meg Tirrell; Berkeley Lovelace Jr. | | | | Older Americans struggle to book vaccine appointments online | Older Americans across the U.S. who are now eligible for Covid-19 vaccines are struggling to book an appointment to get the shots. Some have recruited younger family or friends who can quickly maneuver through the registration process before all of the spots are taken. However, the amount of doses from Pfizer and Moderna are still limited, which has triggered demand that has far outpaced supply. 70-year-old author and screenwriter Jane Heller told us she wanted to throw her computer out the window. Angela Abruzzino, of Buffalo County, New York, said she's been trying for days to book appointments for her parents, who are both over 80 years old. The process has been a full-time effort, and it's so far been fruitless, she said.
-Noah Higgins-Dunn | | | | An industry titan retires; Merck CEO tells us what's next | Ken Frazier will retire as Merck CEO at the end of June after a decade at the helm that saw the transformation of cancer treatment and, at the end, put a spotlight on him as a singular voice on issues of social justice. Frazier spoke with CNBC about what comes next – public policy, but not politics – and what he's most proud of in his legacy at Merck.
-Meg Tirrell | | | | Andrew Witty named UnitedHealth Group CEO | UnitedHealth Group CEO David Wichmann announced his retirement Thursday morning, and Optum chief Sir Andrew Witty was named his successor, effective immediately. Such an abrupt leadership change often spooks investors; shares fell on the day. A source familiar with Wichmann's decision says the move was personal. The challenges of the pandemic this past year reaffirmed the importance of making more time for his family, and he felt he could retire with the company on good footing. Wichmann was not one for the limelight. Witty, who spent nearly 10 years as CEO of GlaxoSmithKline, just returned from an 8-month leave of absence helping the WHO and the UK during the Covid crisis. For now, he'll also remain CEO of United's fast-growing Optum division.
-Bertha Coombs | | | | CDC urges Americans not to gather for Super Bowl | The CDC is urging Americans to forgo in-person Super Bowl parties for Zoom watch parties – or to watch the big game Sunday with people they already live with. Parties could lead to surge in coronavirus infections just as the country is recovering from its recent peak. "Whichever team you're rooting for and whichever commercial is your favorite, please watch the Super Bowl safely, gathering only virtually or with the people you live with," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said this week at a White House Covid-19 briefing. By all indications, the U.S. outbreak is slowing, but epidemiologists are warnings that the level of infection remains high across much of the country and with the arrival of more contagious variants, nationwide gatherings could undo the nation's progress.
-Will Feuer | | | | CDC director says schools can safely reopen without vaccinating teachers | Walensky also said teachers don't need to get vaccinated against Covid-19 before schools can safely reopen. "Vaccinations of teachers is not a prerequisite for safely reopening schools," she told reporters during a White House Covid briefing. School systems across the U.S. have been under pressure to reopen after shifting to remote learning last year due to the pandemic. A study from the CDC last month found little evidence of the virus spreading in schools when precautions were taken, such as wearing masks, social distancing and properly ventilating rooms. Still, some teachers don't want to return to the classroom until they're vaccinated.
-Berkeley Lovelace Jr. | |
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