"Transparency, equity, and safety will continue to be our top priorities as we begin the distribution process for Phase 1," Newsom said in a tweet about the vaccine, which will be manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer.
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1st person in US to try COVID-19 vaccine talks side effects
1st person in US to try COVID-19 vaccine talks side effects
Like most vaccines, the Pfizer vaccine -- which is given in two doses over three weeks -- caused mild side effects in its clinical trial. The company did not record any serious safety concerns during the trial.
Meanwhile, about 14,000 people tested positive for the coronavirus on Sunday alone and more COVID-19 patients are now hospitalized in California than ever before.
The state's COVID-19 positivity rate on Monday stood at 6.2%.
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Newsom said health officials anticipate another large surge in cases within two weeks. Research shows that 12% of new patients will end up being hospitalized.
CDC says some may feel flu-like side effects from COVID-19 vaccine
'No walk in the park': CDC says some may get flu-like side effects from COVID-19 vaccine
The governor also said he's considering reinstating a stay-at-home order for all counties in the purple tier as fears grow that ICU beds may soon reach capacity.
"If these trends continue, we're going to have to take much more dramatic, arguably drastic action," Newsom said, including "the potential for a stay-at-home order for those regions in purple."
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Northern California intensive-care unit beds are projected to fill up fastest, as soon as early December, if current COVID-19 trends continue. In Southern California, ICU beds are projected to meet capacity around mid-to-late December if trends hold.
In Los Angeles County on Monday, a new stay-at-home order went into effect that prohibits people from gathering with others who are members of a different household. The county's playgrounds and card rooms are also closed. No indoor nor outdoor dining is allowed at restaurants, and all retail stores can only open at limited capacity.
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