"CBS Evening News" headlines for December 17, 2020

Here's a look at the top stories making headlines on the "CBS Evening News with Norah O'Donnell."

• Dec 17, 2020
• 01:53

FDA panel votes for Moderna vaccine

A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel voted to recommend Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use authorization on Thursday. Meanwhile the rollout of Pfizer's vaccine to frontline health care workers continues. Columbia University professor of epidemiology and medicine Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr joins CBSN's "Red & Blue" anchor Elaine Quijano with more on what the safety data shows.

• Dec 17, 2020
• 07:32

FDA panel endorses Moderna's COVID vaccine

A second coronavirus vaccine could begin shipping this weekend that will provide millions of additional doses to Americans. This comes as the U.S. sets another deadly record as the pandemic surges. Jonathan Vigliotti reports.

• Dec 17, 2020
• 04:15

Extra doses found in Pfizer vaccine vials

Vials of Pfizer's COVID vaccine were found to contain an extra dose as a second vaccine is on its way to approval. Errol Barnett has more.

• Dec 17, 2020
• 02:34

Doctor answers questions on COVID vaccines

Members of an FDA advisory panel voted 20-0 to recommend Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use. The FDA could authorize it within days, along with the Pfizer vaccine that health care workers started receiving this week. CBS New York's Dr. Max Gomez answers some common questions about the new vaccines on CBSN NY.

• Dec 17, 2020
• 02:17

Congress nearing deal on COVID-19 aid package

A COVID-19 aid package with another round of stimulus checks appears to be right around the corner. The roughly $900 billion deal had been gridlocked for months. CBS News correspondent Debra Alfarone joins CBSN AM from Capitol Hill with what's expected to be in the bill.

• Dec 17, 2020
• 03:45

Jobless claims rise as COVID surge worsens

The Labor Department has released the latest figures showing an increase in the number of Americans filing for unemployment for the second straight week. Lori Bettinger, the president of BancAlliance and former director of the Troubled Asset Relief Program during the Obama administration, joined CBSN to discuss what the latest jobs numbers mean for the current state of the U.S. economy.

• Dec 17, 2020
• 08:06

FDA panel looks at Moderna's COVID vaccine

The FDA is considering emergency authorization for the Moderna coronavirus vaccine, as the nation continues to break records for daily new cases and deaths. Jennifer Gommerman, a professor of immunology at the University of Toronto, joins CBSN to talk more about the Moderna vaccine and the latest developments with the Pfizer doses.

• Dec 17, 2020
• 04:48

Doctor argues why pulse oximeters are needed

Emergency medicine physician Dr. Richard Levitan explains why he believes pulse oximeters are so important to preventing COVID-19 deaths. Levitan joins "CBS This Morning" to discuss why the devices are still needed, despite the new vaccine.

• Dec 17, 2020
• 05:02

COVID vaccination effort ramps up in the U.S.

A second COVID-19 vaccine by Moderna could inch closer to approval in the U.S. on Thursday. The Pfizer vaccine is already being distributed at hospitals and nursing homes across the country. The massive vaccination effort comes as the number of new COVID-19 infections continues to break records in the U.S. David Begnaud reports.

• Dec 17, 2020
• 03:50

Pfizer vials contain extra vaccine doses

Doctors across the nation this week expected to receive the Pfizer vaccine with five doses in each vial. But to their surprise, they've found there may be more full doses available in each vial than previously thought. Errol Barnett reports.

• Dec 17, 2020
• 02:14

Biden to get vaccine next week

President-elect Joe Biden could receive the COVID-19 vaccine as early as next week. This comes as Vice President Mike Pence and his wife prepare to get vaccinated Friday in a public event. CBS News political contributor Sean Sullivan joins CBSN with more.

• Dec 17, 2020
• 11:33

French president tests positive for COVID-19

French President Emmanuel Macron is self-isolating after testing positive for coronavirus. European leaders are now self-isolating after coming in to contact with Macron in recent days. Roxana Saberi reports.

• Dec 17, 2020
• 01:41

NYC holiday season in the time of COVID-19

In a year unlike any other, Anthony Mason walks around his native New York City to take stock of the pandemic's impact on this city's iconic holiday season. Mason goes Christmas wreath shopping with Cyndi Lauper, walks down shuttered Broadway with Tony winner Brian Stokes Mitchell, watches New York City Ballet's Tiler Peck dance "The Sugar Plum Fairy" from George Balanchine's "The Nutcracker," and visits with Central Synagogue's Cantor Mutlu for a Hanukkah message that meets the moment for a city that has survived and continues to endure.

• Dec 17, 2020
• 06:25

Congress closes in on COVID relief deal

Congress appears to be on the verge of finally reaching deals on COVID relief and government funding ahead of tomorrow's shutdown deadline. CBS News chief congressional correspondent Nancy Cordes has the latest from Capitol Hill while CBS News political contributor Molly Hooper joins to discuss the latest developments.

• Dec 17, 2020
• 11:08

ICU beds running low in San Francisco

Dr. Grant Colfax, San Francisco's director of public health, said on Thursday that the region's COVID-19 cases remain at a dangerous level and there continues to be a shortage of ICU hospital beds. He urged residents to protect their loved ones and their neighbors. Watch his remarks.

• Dec 17, 2020
• 09:18

Leaders criticized over pandemic response

A recent article in The Atlantic looks at how state and federal leaders have continued to give conflicting guidance to the American public about the spread of the coronavirus. The author of that article, Derek Thompson, joins CBSN's Tanya Rivero to discuss his reporting.

• Dec 17, 2020
• 07:29

"Catastrophic situation" looms in San Francisco as ICU beds run low

Bay Area ICU capacity remains at 13.1%, which has trigged a stay-home order for the entire region.

• Dec 17, 2020

How the pandemic upended plans for 6 college students

CBS News spoke to five students who had their plans upended by the pandemic.

• Dec 17, 2020

CVS offers $250 bonus to 200,000 employees for pandemic work

Drugstore chain that's player in COVID-19 fight says it will spend about $60 million to give workers extra cash.

• Dec 17, 2020

NBA star comes up with plan to help local businesses

"This is our city, these are our communities, let's help each other in this time of need!" Nance said.

• Dec 17, 2020

FDA considers Moderna vaccine

Food and Drug Administration advisers are holding a key meeting Thursday to consider approving Moderna's coronavirus vaccine candidate for emergency use. CBS News correspondent David Begnaud and internal medicine physician Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider join CBSN with the latest on the United States' dire fight against the deadly disease, including extra doses in Pfizer's vaccine vials as well as concerns about rare allergic reactions.

• Dec 17, 2020
• 09:44

Jobless claims increase for 2nd straight week

Unemployment is on the rise as coronavirus cases surge nationwide. According to the latest figures released by the Department of Labor, 885,000 Americans filed for first-time unemployment the second week in December. Frances Stacy, director of portfolio strategy at Optimal Capital, joined CBSN to discuss what these latest numbers mean for the U.S. economy.

• Dec 17, 2020
• 09:47

George Clooney defends Tom Cruise's COVID-19 rant

Clooney said Cruise "didn't overreact" on the expletive-filled tape, which was recorded during his "Mission: Impossible" production.

• Dec 17, 2020

U.S. poverty jumps the most in 60 years

Nearly 8 million Americans fell into poverty between June and November, a new analysis shows.

• Dec 17, 2020

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