November 18 top news briefs

It is Wednesday, November 18. Here are today’s top news briefs.

Hurricane Iota has killed at least 11 people in Central America. Six people died in Nicaragua, two died in Colombia, and one person died each in Panama, Guatemala, and El Salvador. The deaths were a result of floodwaters, landslides, and falling trees and poles.

Dr. Anthony Fauci said Americans should think twice before traveling to visit their family for the Thanksgiving holiday because of concerns with coronavirus. Fauci said that’s where many of the infections in the U.S. happen — at small, indoor gatherings with 10 to 12 people. Fauci encouraged people to think about the risks and the benefits.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) announced a statewide requirement to wear a mask indoors, which is a reversal from her position over the summer that she was not going to mandate masks. Reynolds said she didn’t want to make the mask order, but has to because there were rising Covid-19 hospitalizations and that the hospital system could become overwhelmed. The mask requirement applies to those who will be indoors with people within six feet away for at least 15 minutes.

New York City is closing all of its public schools and returning to virtual learning because there is a 3% Covid-19 positivity rate. Schools were open for in-person classes for the past eight weeks.

Pfizer announced that their Covid-19 vaccine, developed with German company BioNTech, is now 95% effective after more data analysis. They previously said the vaccine was 90% effective, so it’s a significant improvement. Pfizer said they would apply for emergency authorization with the FDA within days. CBS News explained that the vaccine would require patients to get two shots in three weeks. The vaccine must be kept 100 degrees below zero Fahrenheit, so it will be a big logistical challenge to mass-produce and ship the vaccine across America and the world. Pfizer has developed special suitcases that can keep the vaccines at that temperature. There is another vaccine developed by Moderna that also has a 95% effective rate. Scott Gottlieb, a former FDA administrator, said the vaccines were game changers and that they could end the coronavirus epidemic in the U.S. by next year if everything goes right.

Boeing’s 737 Max plane has received green light from the FAA to allow it to resume flying in the U.S. with passengers again. The planes were grounded since March 2019 after two plane crashes killed 346 people in Indonesia and Ethiopia. There was a flight control system that malfunctioned. The FAA is requiring inspection of all planes to ensure their software is fixed and that pilots undergo additional training before they can be flown. There are 72 Max planes in the U.S., operated by Southwest, American, and United Airlines.

That is all the top news briefs for today. Stay with the light.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/iota-continues-bring-deadly-floods-central-america/story?id=74272821&cid=clicksource_4380645_1_heads_hero_live_headlines_hed

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2020/11/18/dr-anthony-fauci-says-think-twice-holiday-travel-plans/6338735002/

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/18/us/coronavirus-mask-mandate-iowa-reynolds.html?action=click&module=Spotlight&pgtype=Homepage

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pfizer-covid-vaccine-pfizer-95-percent-effective-fda/