A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now infected more than 80.2 million people worldwide and killed over 1.7 million of them, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
Here's how the news is developing today. All times Eastern.
Dec 21, 2020, 1:14 PM EST
European Commission authorizes Pfizer vaccine
The European Commission authorized the Pfizer vaccine on Monday, hours after the European Medicines Agency issued a recommendation granting a conditional marketing authorization (formal authorization) for the vaccine.
"It will be available to all EU countries at the same time, on the same conditions," tweeted EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen gives a press statement after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) gave the green light to European countries to start Covid-19 vaccinations in Brussels, Dec. 21, 2020.
Johanna Geron/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
French Prime Minister Jean Castex tweeted, "Vaccination will start in the 27 EU countries on December 27, 28 and 29."
ABC News’ Ibtissem Guenfoud contributed to this report.
Dec 21, 2020, 12:20 PM EST
WHO: New variant's reproduction rate is 0.4 higher
The reproduction rate of a new COVID-19 variant linked to an uptick in cases in England is 0.4 higher than other known strains, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 technical lead, said Monday.
That means the number of people an infected individual transmits to increases from 1.1 to 1.5 with the new variant.
There’s "zero evidence" that the new variant causes more severe disease, said Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme.
The variant was reported to the WHO on Dec. 14. In the last few days, a number of countries have introduced travel bans to the United Kingdom.
The variant has also been identified in one patient in Australia, one in Iceland, one in Italy, one in the Netherlands, and believed to be in about 10 people in Denmark, Van Kerkhove said.
Studies around antibody response are underway. WHO officials said they expect results in the "coming days and the coming weeks."
ABC News’ Christine Theodoroucontributed to this report.
Dec 21, 2020, 12:03 PM EST
Cuomo wants NY on list requiring UK travelers to get tested
Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants New York state added to the list of countries requiring United Kingdom travelers to get tested before flying in the wake of a new variant of the novel coronavirus linked to an uptick in cases in England.
"If 120 countries require testing ... why are we doing nothing?" Cuomo said.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, May 27, 2020.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP, FILE
"I know and I believe my intuition is correct that it is another disaster waiting to happen,” Cuomo said.
British Airways and Delta have agreed to the governor’s request to test passengers flying from the U.K. to New York, Cuomo said. Virgin Atlantic is considering the request, Cuomo said.
A number of countries have introduced travel bans to the U.K. France, Germany and several other European countries have suspended flights, while similar measures have been taken around the world -- as far as Canada and Hong Kong.
People wait to board the last train to Paris at St Pancras station in London, Dec. 20, 2020.
Stefan Rousseau/PA via AP
Dec 21, 2020, 11:19 AM EST
US averaging 2,613 deaths per day
The U.S. is now averaging 2,613 new coronavirus-related deaths per day -- more than triple the seven-day average from two months ago, according to ABC News’ analysis of data compiled by the COVID Tracking Project.
A Covid-19 patient from Louisiana is transported by helicopter at Houston's United Memorial Medical Center, Dec. 8, 2020, in Houston, Texas.
Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/Polaris, FILE
A patient is transported outside of Tisch Hospital in New York, Nov. 13, 2020.
Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images, FILE
So far this month, 49,752 Americans have died from COVID-19, according to the COVID Tracking Project.
In the last seven days, there have been approximately 18,000 deaths recorded -- equaling approximately 108 American deaths reported every hour.
Hospital beds are set up in the practice facility at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, Calif., DEc. 9, 2020, ready to receive patients as needed.
California OES via AP, FILE
In the week ending Dec. 19, 16 states hit a record number of new deaths: Alabama, Arizona, California, Delaware, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.
ABC News’ Arielle Mitropouloscontributed to this report.