Covid Vaccines: Shortly before 7 a.m., the F.D.A. put out an unusual statement, saying that it was moving rapidly to authorize Pfizer’s vaccine — comments that were later echoed by Alex M. Azar, the secretary of health and human services.

Minutes later, Mr. Trump lashed out at the agency and Dr. Hahn directly in a tweet, demanding that Dr. Hahn “stop playing games and start saving lives!!!” He called the F.D.A. “a big, old, slow turtle,” flush with funds but mired in bureaucracy.

Federal officials have said 2.9 million doses could be sent around the country within days of an authorization. That is only about half of the doses that Pfizer will provide in the first week. The other half will be reserved so that the initial recipients can have the second, required dose about three weeks later.

First in line to get it are health care workers and nursing home residents.

“We could see people getting vaccinated Monday, Tuesday of next week,” Mr. Azar said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Friday.

The new vaccine could not arrive at a better time — or, perhaps, a worse one.

The day before the panel endorsed it, the United States set another record for daily virus-related deaths, breaking the 3,000 mark. And on Thursday, reported deaths neared 3,000, and the case count — at least 223,570 new infections reported — made it the second-worst day since the virus reached American shores.

— Sharon LaFraniere, Noah Weiland, Maggie Haberman and Katie Thomas
The New York Times