Your guide to the latest Hill developments, news narratives, and media headlines from Hogan Lovells Government Relations and Public Affairs practice.

In Washington:

• On Monday, Moderna announced that its coronavirus is 94.5% effective against COVID-19 in its phase three testing. The results make Moderna the second company to report preliminary data on a successful vaccine. Pfizer was the first, reporting 90 percent effectiveness one week ago. The Moderna two-dose vaccine offers an advantage with a higher efficacy rate and its distribution because of its ability to remain stable at a higher temperature. Pfizer’s vaccine would be required to keep stable at extremely cold temperatures that were fifty degrees colder than any previous vaccine ever administered complicating storage and transportation. Both companies must accumulate more safety data before applying for authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Anthony Fauci said he believes that vaccinations can start to happen in the U.S. in the second half of December.

• The House will take up several COVID-19 related bills under suspension this week including: “Combating Pandemic Scams Act” (H.R. 6435) that requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to inform the public about mail, telemarketing, and internet scams related to COVID-19; the “Pandemic Effects on Home Safety and Tourism Act” (H.R. 8121) which requires the Commerce Department to study the effects of the COVID–19 pandemic on the travel and tourism industry, including domestic, international, leisure, business, conventions, meetings and events.; “FEMA Assistance Relief Act” (H.R. 8266) which increases the federal cost-share for disaster assistance provided for COVID-19 pandemic assistance and for other natural disasters declared in calendar year 2020, and it expands the eligible uses of federal disaster with respect to the pandemic; and “Securing America From Epidemics (SAFE) Act” (H.R. 6334) that statutorily authorizes the United States to participate in the international Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and to provide U.S. foreign aid funding to the organization.

• In a press conference on Monday, President-elect Joe Biden warned of a “dark winter” ahead as the nation battles COVID-19, cautioning that things will get tougher before getting easier. He emphasized the need to be better coordinated or “more people may die” and called on the Trump administration to give his transition team the access needed to plan the distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine. Biden also called on Congress to set aside partisan differences and pass a COVID relief bill. "The refusal of Democrats and Republicans to cooperate with one another is not due to some mysterious force beyond our control," Mr. Biden said, "It's a conscious decision. It's a choice that we make."

• NIH official Dr. Anthony Fauci told NBC’s Today Show on Monday said that he's "concerned" about the stalled transition process between President Trump and President-elect Biden. Fauci specifically highlighted the need for a "smooth process" for approving and distributing a COVID-19 vaccine. "The virus is not going to stop and call a timeout while things change. The process is just going to keep going," he added.

• Dr. Scott Atlas, a member of President Donald Trump's coronavirus task force, faced heavy criticism after telling Michiganders to “rise up” against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's stringent new COVID restrictions. Atlas tweeted, “The only way this stops is if people rise up. You get what you accept.” Whitmer said Monday that his statement was 'incredibly reckless' as coronavirus infection rates climb in the state. The Governor had placed a new temporary order restricting indoor restaurants and bars, in-person schooling, high school athletics and closing down businesses like movie theaters, bowling alleys, and casinos.

• A 45-year-old Army reservist from Florida has died from COVID-19, an Army Reserve spokesman said Monday, marking the military’s 10th death from the disease. Lt. Col. Simon Flake identified the deceased service member as Sgt. 1st Class Calvin Ogletree III from Lakeland, Florida. The Pentagon has reported 99,839 cases of COVID-19 connected to the Defense Department, according to Monday’s figures.

In the News:

• British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Sunday that he would self-isolate after the UK’s contact-and-tracing system notified him that he came into contact with a person infected with COVID-19. In a video posted on Monday to Twitter, Johnson said that he would rely on Zoom to work remotely for the next two weeks while isolating in his apartment at No. 10 Downing Street. Johnson was hospitalized for COVID-19 in April. The U.K. has seen a surge of new coronavirus infections in recent weeks and on Sunday reported nearly 25,000 new confirmed cases of the virus.

• The U.S. passed 11 million on Sunday, as the nation continues to break records for hospitalizations and daily new infections and many officials having to look at mandating new restrictions as the pandemic’s surge is accelerating. Just last week, the country hit 10 million cases. In the Spring, the first 1 million cases took more than three months. The latest 7-day average “shows the United States is reporting more than 144,000 daily cases and 1,120 daily deaths, the highest for any country in the world.”

• Costco stores will no longer allow medical exemptions from mask-wearing in its stores, requiring everyone except children under the age of 2 years to wear a mask.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) has had an outbreak of at least 65 staffers have been infected with the coronavirus, according to an internal email obtained by The Associated Press.

[View source.]