The BulleTin • Tuesday, March 23, 2021 A13
Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2021
TODAY
WEDNESDAY
TONIGHT
HIGH
52°
LOW
30°
Partly sunny
SATURDAY
60°
30°
Sun and areas of low
clouds
Low clouds
ALMANAC
FRIDAY
48°
28°
54°
35°
Partly cloudy
SUNDAY
70°
30°
Plenty of sun
Partly sunny and mild
OREGON WEATHER
Bend Municipal Airport through 5 p.m. yest.
TEMPERATURE
Yesterday Normal
Record
50°
52° 77° in 1939
36°
29°
8° in 1913
High
Low
THURSDAY
PRECIPITATION
24 hours through 5 p.m. yesterday
Trace
Record
0.48" in 2012
Month to date (normal)
0.09" (0.54")
Year to date (normal)
1.18" (3.16")
Barometric pressure at 4 p.m.
30.01"
SUN, MOON AND PLANETS
Rise/Set
Today
Wed.
Sun
7:03am/7:21pm 7:01am/7:23pm
Moon
1:28pm/4:33am 2:36pm/5:15am
Mercury 6:27am/5:20pm 6:27am/5:24pm
Venus
7:09am/7:14pm 7:08am/7:17pm
Mars
9:56am/1:23am 9:54am/1:22am
Jupiter
5:32am/3:40pm 5:29am/3:37pm
Saturn
5:03am/2:43pm 4:59am/2:40pm
Uranus 8:25am/10:24pm 8:21am/10:20pm
Full
Last
New
First
Mar 28
Apr 4
Apr 11
Apr 19
Tonight's sky: Ursa Major is climbing higher
above the northern horizon before midnight.
Source: Jim Todd, OMSI
UV INDEX TODAY
10 a.m.
Noon
2 p.m.
4 p.m.
3
5
5
3
The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index ™ number,
the greater the need for eye and skin protection. 0-2 Low,
3-5 Moderate; 6-7 High; 8-10 Very High; 11+ Extreme.
ROAD CONDITONS
For web cameras of our passes, go to
www.bendbulletin.com/webcams
I-84 at Cabbage Hill: Chilly today with clouds
and sun. Partly cloudy tonight.
US 20 at Santiam Pass: Partly sunny and
chilly today. Becoming cloudy tonight.
US 26 at Gov't Camp: Partly sunny today.
Increasing cloudiness tonight.
US 26 at Ochoco Divide: Partly sunny and
chilly today. Partly cloudy tonight.
ORE 58 at Willamette Pass: Partly sunny
today. Cold tonight with increasing clouds.
Periods of snow Wednesday.
ORE 138 at Diamond Lake: Clouds and sun
today. Partly cloudy tonight.
SKI REPORT
EAST: Partly sunny,
breezy and mild
Tuesday. Still mild
Wednesday with sun
followed by afternoon
clouds.
CENTRAL: Sunny to
partly cloudy, breezy
and mild Tuesday.
Partly to mostly cloudy
Wednesday; showers
late.
WEST: Partly sunny
and pleasant Tuesday.
Becoming cloudy
Tuesday night. Periods
of rain Wednesday;
cooler.
Seaside
50/41
Cannon Beach
50/41
Hood
River
NATIONAL WEATHER
0s
10s
20s
30s
40s
50s
60s
70s
80s
90s
100s
110s
NATIONAL
EXTREMES
YESTERDAY (for the
T-storms
Shown are today’s noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day.
Rain
Showers
Snow
Flurries
Ice
Warm Front
Stationary Front
Cold Front
Source: OnTheSnow.com
College
Continued from A1
Workers in those careers are badly
needed, Dalton said.
“The skilled workforce is at an all-
time low, as far as inventory goes,” he
said. “There’s been a lack of training
for so many decades.”
More than 80% of construction
contractors surveyed nationwide in
2019 said they had difficulty filling
positions, according to the Virgin-
ia-based Associated General Contrac-
tors of America trade association.
Furthermore, a 2019 study com-
missioned by the American Truck-
ing Associations determined that the
trucking industry will need to hire
about 1.1 million new drivers over the
next decade to meet demand.
Ron Cholin, owner of Prineville-
based trucking company Stinger
Transport, hopes that Baker Technical
Institute’s training will help fill staffing
needs for his and other companies.
“Anytime we can get more driv-
ers coming into the industry, they’re
more than welcome,” he said.
Don’t expect Baker Technical In-
stitute to construct a massive college
campus in Prineville any time soon,
however. Although the college has
a small campus in Baker City, the
Prineville branch’s staff will mostly
teach in portable classrooms, on land
donated by local businesses or the city,
Dalton said.
The purpose of this nontraditional
setup is to easily bring students to sites,
like construction zones, for training,
Dalton said. The college also occasion-
House: Chamber shuts down; Senate still has hearings scheduled
Continued from A1
The Legislature has not been vacci-
nated as a group. Individuals who are
over 65 or fall into other priority eli-
gibility groups can be inoculated. But
lawmakers currently are not eligible as
a group until April 19, when essential
workers are eligible.
Kotek issued a statement late Mon-
day afternoon that after consulting
with Marion County health officials,
the House members would quaran-
tine through at least March 29.
How the reported case affects the
Senate was not immediately known.
The Senate is scheduled for floor ses-
sions on Wednesday and Thursday.
Oregon is one of only four states
that has not reported a COVID-19
case involving a state lawmaker or ex-
ecutive officer, according to the politi-
cal tracking website Ballotpedia.org.
Nationwide, 221 legislators and
executive officeholders have been in-
fected in 46 states. Vermont, Mary-
land and Delaware are the only other
states besides Oregon to report no
cases to date.
Kotek’s abrupt adjournment of the
session on Monday at first seemed to
be out of frustration over House Re-
publicans requiring each bill be read
in full prior to debate and a vote.
At the beginning of the press call,
Kotek emphasized her frustration
with Drazan and leaders of the Re-
publican caucus. The GOP caucus has
not waived the usual courtesy of hav-
ing bills read by title only. By requir-
ing the full bill to be read, the pace of
action has slowed to a crawl.
Kotek said using the bill-reading
requirement was not unprecedented,
but it was rarely used so early in a ses-
sion.
Republicans are “not interested in
being part of the process,” Kotek said.
The delay could make getting
through budget and other key bills
Yesterday
City
Hi/Lo/Prec.
Abilene
65/54/0.08
Akron
68/39/0.00
Albany
66/25/0.00
Albuquerque
57/46/0.00
Anchorage
25/4/0.00
Atlanta
71/52/0.00
Atlantic City
55/40/0.00
Austin
84/56/0.02
Baltimore
63/29/0.00
Billings
46/32/0.00
Birmingham
74/47/0.00
Bismarck
62/16/0.00
Boise
46/34/0.27
Boston
58/35/0.00
Bridgeport, CT 53/33/0.00
Buffalo
68/41/0.00
Burlington, VT
68/28/0.00
Caribou, ME
62/30/0.00
Charleston, SC 76/53/0.00
Charlotte
70/46/0.00
Chattanooga
73/44/0.00
Cheyenne
38/23/Tr
Chicago
68/46/0.00
Cincinnati
70/45/0.00
Cleveland
69/41/0.00
Colorado Springs 41/30/0.39
Columbia, MO
67/49/0.00
Columbia, SC
74/51/0.00
Columbus, GA
75/54/0.00
Columbus, OH
70/40/0.00
Concord, NH
65/22/0.00
Corpus Christi
78/60/0.00
Dallas
63/55/1.08
Dayton
70/41/0.00
Denver
40/29/0.31
Des Moines
52/48/0.03
Detroit
71/34/0.00
Duluth
51/36/0.03
El Paso
64/54/0.00
Fairbanks
27/-2/0.00
Fargo
53/21/0.00
Flagstaff
49/20/Tr
Grand Rapids
69/39/0.00
Green Bay
59/48/0.00
Greensboro
67/41/0.00
Harrisburg
65/32/0.00
Hartford, CT
65/28/0.00
Helena
48/34/0.00
Honolulu
81/69/0.00
Houston
76/50/0.12
Huntsville
71/46/0.00
Indianapolis
67/43/0.00
Jackson, MS
74/43/0.00
Jacksonville
68/56/0.02
Today Wednesday
Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W
73/47/s
72/43/c
66/52/pc
68/55/c
65/42/s
58/48/sh
56/35/c
44/27/sn
26/16/c
33/29/c
69/57/c
72/60/sh
53/49/pc
55/51/r
83/50/pc
79/56/t
66/50/pc
61/52/r
46/26/c
52/33/pc
68/59/t
72/61/sh
58/26/c
49/30/s
55/29/s
53/36/c
58/42/s
52/46/sh
56/42/s
50/46/r
67/51/s
69/53/sh
65/44/s
61/50/pc
55/34/s
53/40/pc
68/54/c
75/58/c
63/52/c
69/56/c
67/57/c
70/59/sh
37/23/sf
37/23/s
63/53/r
60/42/c
67/56/c
71/55/pc
65/53/pc
71/53/c
43/27/c
39/24/sf
61/47/r
57/42/pc
67/54/c
74/57/c
73/58/c
73/60/c
66/53/pc
70/54/c
65/36/s
55/42/c
87/65/t
83/68/t
74/51/s
76/49/c
67/54/c
70/53/c
42/28/c
39/25/sf
58/46/r
49/38/pc
65/51/pc
70/50/c
41/36/r
39/25/sn
71/48/pc 62/38/pc
17/3/s
26/15/sn
52/31/c
45/26/c
36/23/sf
41/21/s
68/53/r
63/42/sh
57/48/r
54/33/r
57/50/pc
65/52/c
71/46/s
58/51/sh
66/40/s
56/47/sh
44/28/sf
48/31/c
80/69/s
80/69/sh
83/61/t
79/67/t
65/58/t
69/60/c
65/56/sh 70/50/pc
69/60/t
74/65/sh
73/55/pc
79/60/c
Amsterdam
Athens
Auckland
Baghdad
Bangkok
Beijing
Beirut
Berlin
Bogota
Budapest
Buenos Aires
Cabo San Lucas
Cairo
Calgary
Cancun
Dublin
Edinburgh
Geneva
Harare
Hong Kong
Istanbul
Jerusalem
Johannesburg
Lima
Lisbon
London
Madrid
Manila
53/40/pc
54/43/r
72/56/s
84/72/c
94/78/s
68/46/pc
81/58/c
48/38/pc
66/50/t
52/35/pc
74/66/s
77/56/pc
87/58/pc
45/29/pc
85/78/pc
55/39/c
53/39/r
53/33/pc
76/59/pc
71/63/s
45/37/r
80/55/pc
73/57/t
76/68/pc
68/48/s
55/43/c
66/35/s
92/79/c
City
Juneau
Kansas City
Lansing
Las Vegas
Lexington
Lincoln
Little Rock
Los Angeles
Louisville
Madison, WI
Memphis
Miami
Milwaukee
Minneapolis
Nashville
New Orleans
New York City
Newark, NJ
Norfolk, VA
Oklahoma City
Omaha
Orlando
Palm Springs
Peoria
Philadelphia
Phoenix
Pittsburgh
Portland, ME
Providence
Raleigh
Rapid City
Reno
Richmond
Rochester, NY
Sacramento
St. Louis
Salt Lake City
San Antonio
San Diego
San Francisco
San Jose
Santa Fe
Savannah
Seattle
Sioux Falls
Spokane
Springfi eld, MO
Tampa
Tucson
Tulsa
Washington, DC
Wichita
Yakima
Yuma
Yesterday
Hi/Lo/Prec.
37/33/0.35
66/52/0.03
68/39/0.00
67/50/0.00
68/41/0.00
48/42/0.50
70/42/0.00
69/53/0.00
71/46/0.00
59/48/0.02
71/47/0.00
78/58/0.00
68/48/Tr
59/35/0.00
71/47/0.00
76/51/0.00
62/42/0.00
59/35/0.00
60/48/0.00
55/51/1.09
50/39/0.47
74/56/0.03
80/52/0.05
68/44/0.00
65/35/0.00
72/55/0.00
66/35/0.00
59/25/0.00
55/30/0.00
69/43/0.00
56/24/0.00
52/33/0.01
67/38/0.00
69/34/0.00
65/45/0.00
70/43/0.00
45/29/0.02
73/57/0.00
66/49/0.00
61/49/0.00
63/39/0.00
53/39/Tr
78/55/0.00
53/40/0.10
57/30/0.00
44/34/0.14
63/47/0.00
73/58/Tr
67/50/0.00
61/54/0.28
66/37/0.00
53/51/1.36
57/33/0.00
77/53/0.00
Today Wednesday
Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W
40/33/r
40/32/pc
58/45/r
53/40/pc
67/52/r
68/46/c
63/50/pc
69/50/s
68/54/c
70/55/pc
54/40/r
50/36/pc
73/48/t
76/59/s
73/56/pc
77/52/s
69/59/c
76/58/pc
59/48/r
55/34/sh
70/60/t
77/62/sh
81/63/s
85/73/pc
55/49/r
58/40/c
56/40/r
44/30/r
67/59/t
73/59/sh
74/67/t
74/70/r
62/47/s
54/50/r
63/46/s
55/50/r
57/51/c
62/53/c
63/40/pc
61/42/r
56/41/r
49/37/pc
79/59/pc
85/64/s
75/58/pc
81/53/s
59/49/r
58/42/pc
65/47/pc
58/51/r
64/49/pc
71/51/s
65/50/pc 69/54/sh
54/37/s
51/43/c
63/40/s
54/47/sh
61/52/c
68/54/c
50/29/c
50/30/s
46/26/s
57/35/pc
61/51/pc 62/52/sh
66/48/s
66/53/sh
68/44/s
71/43/s
63/51/r
68/47/pc
47/33/sh 51/37/pc
83/55/pc
79/57/t
64/50/pc 69/53/pc
66/52/s
66/51/s
67/45/s
69/47/s
53/30/pc 43/21/sn
73/55/pc
76/60/c
54/41/pc
50/41/r
48/37/r
49/29/c
51/33/s
45/34/sn
58/42/t
63/44/s
78/62/s
81/66/s
70/47/s
63/43/s
60/42/pc 64/45/pc
65/52/pc 62/54/sh
52/39/r
55/40/sh
60/35/pc
58/35/c
72/52/pc
77/47/s
98/70/0.00
81/54/0.00
64/28/0.00
34/30/0.11
82/61/0.09
77/68/0.00
88/72/0.00
54/46/0.05
52/32/0.00
64/25/0.00
48/37/0.00
90/76/0.00
57/41/0.00
82/50/0.00
84/72/0.00
45/36/0.08
52/30/0.00
58/36/0.00
93/79/0.44
50/32/0.00
69/67/1.54
57/54/0.23
85/72/0.00
61/55/0.29
61/30/0.00
50/41/0.08
45/34/0.03
43/25/0.03
101/71/s
80/52/s
58/38/pc
34/19/c
79/59/t
80/68/pc
87/63/pc
58/41/s
50/37/pc
62/38/pc
55/37/s
86/73/s
57/34/pc
81/53/s
87/69/s
46/41/pc
59/42/s
62/51/pc
87/77/t
54/40/pc
74/68/r
69/59/pc
86/63/pc
57/48/s
57/43/pc
48/41/pc
48/38/pc
47/32/pc
INTERNATIONAL
48 contiguous states)
National high: 93°
at Zapata, TX
National low: -2°
at Daniel, WY
Precipitation: 1.67"
at Hastings, NE
In inches as of 5 p.m. yesterday
Ski resort
New snow
Base
Anthony Lakes Mtn
1
0-78
Hoodoo Ski Area
0
0N.A.
Mt. Ashland
0
65-71
Mt. Bachelor
6
115-124
Mt. Hood Meadows
6
0-204
Mt. Hood Ski Bowl
9
75-97
Timberline Lodge
8
0-170
Willamette Pass
1
0-45
Aspen / Snowmass, CO
4
53-73
Mammoth Mtn. Ski, CA
0
80-125
Squaw Valley, CA
0
0-130
Park City Mountain, UT
0
55-70
Sun Valley, ID
0
54-75
Cooler with a couple of
showers possible
Sunshine, breezy and mild
NATIONAL
Yesterday
Today Wednesday
Yesterday
Today Wednesday
Yesterday
Today Wednesday
City
Hi/Lo/Prec. Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W
City
Hi/Lo/Prec. Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W
City
Hi/Lo/Prec. Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W
Astoria
51/43/0.73 50/39/pc 50/41/r
La Grande
43/36/Tr
47/24/pc 47/34/sn
Portland
54/44/0.31 57/39/pc 51/42/r
Baker City
52/33/0.03 50/23/s 50/32/sn
La Pine
43/30/0.07 47/21/pc 46/28/sn
Prineville
50/32/Trace 56/27/pc 46/37/c
Brookings
49/42/0.12 57/41/pc 55/42/r
Medford
56/42/0.16 58/34/pc 57/42/c
Redmond
53/32/Tr
52/25/pc 53/32/c
Burns
49/31/0.02 48/21/pc 50/31/c
Newport
48/43/0.74 50/37/pc 48/40/r
Roseburg
53/42/0.15 56/35/pc 53/42/r
Eugene
53/42/0.11 56/35/pc 51/40/r
North Bend
52/44/0.56 53/38/pc 52/42/r
Salem
54/42/0.12 55/36/pc 50/39/r
Klamath Falls
47/31/0.02 50/21/pc 53/30/c
Ontario
54/41/0.04 58/29/s 55/37/c
Sisters
46/32/0.00 54/31/pc 52/36/sn
Lakeview
44/30/0.01 46/21/pc 53/33/c
Pendleton
55/38/0.09 54/34/s 54/40/c
The Dalles
55/37/Tr
58/40/pc 53/41/r
Weather(W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice, Tr-trace, Yesterday data as of 5 p.m. yesterday
-0s
56°
27°
TRAVEL WEATHER
Umatilla
61/41
Rufus
Hermiston
56/40
60/42
60/39
Arlington
Hillsboro Portland
Meacham Lostine
59/39
56/35 57/39
46/23
Wasco
46/23 Enterprise
Pendleton
The Dalles
Tillamook
44/22
57/36
54/34
Sandy
58/40
McMinnville
53/37
Joseph
Heppner
La
Grande
53/38
Maupin
Government
58/38
47/24
42/23
Camp
56/34 Condon 52/36
Union
Lincoln City
49/32
43/28
48/24
Salem
51/40
Spray
Granite
Warm Springs
55/36
Madras
54/28
Albany
44/19
Newport
Baker City
56/32
56/32
Mitchell
50/37
54/35
50/23
Camp Sherman
48/28
Redmond
Corvallis
John
Yachats
Unity
53/32
52/25
55/36
Day
Prineville
50/40
51/25
Ontario
Sisters
56/27
Paulina
47/25
58/29
Florence
Eugene 54/31
Bend Brothers 47/23
Vale
52/38
56/35
52/30
44/23
Sunriver
58/28
Nyssa
50/27
Hampton
Cottage
La Pine
59/29
Juntura
Oakridge
Grove
47/21
46/22
OREGON EXTREMES Coos Bay
Burns
54/25
51/31
55/34
Fort
Rock
53/37
48/21
Riley
YESTERDAY
Crescent
48/23
47/23
High: 61°
47/23
Bandon
Roseburg
Christmas Valley
Jordan Valley
at Hermiston
Beaver
Frenchglen
Silver
52/39
56/35
47/22
43/21
Low: 14°
Marsh
Lake
46/21
Port Orford
47/20
48/22
at Crater Lake
Grants
Burns Junction
Paisley
54/42
Pass
52/22
Chiloquin
49/26
61/35
Rome
Medford
51/23
Gold Beach
58/34
54/22
53/42
Klamath
Fields
Ashland
McDermitt
Lakeview
Falls
Brookings
47/23
54/34
50/21
44/19
57/41
46/21
-10s
63°
27°
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
Astoria
50/39
MONDAY
48/39/0.37
66/54/0.00
69/55/0.00
87/63/0.01
90/77/0.14
67/36/0.00
86/64/0.04
48/30/0.01
68/50/0.02
47/32/0.04
73/61/0.02
81/64/0.00
95/83/0.00
45/36/0.09
81/66/0.00
50/45/0.00
52/40/0.00
48/37/0.00
78/62/0.00
69/58/0.00
54/43/0.52
76/69/0.00
70/57/0.10
79/65/0.00
70/46/0.00
55/39/0.00
63/30/0.00
93/79/0.01
ally travels to other parts of the Pacific
Northwest for courses, he said.
“We don’t need to put several mil-
lion (dollars) into a facility,” Dalton
said. “We try and operate very nimbly.”
Baker Technical Institute has talked
with Central Oregon Community
College about using classroom spaces
in Prineville now and then, Dalton
said. And if the technical college’s
Prineville branch expands quickly
into other fields that are more class-
room-centric, like computer science
or health care, a permanent space
55/42/c
57/42/pc
72/56/s
87/60/pc
98/80/pc
67/44/pc
62/55/sh
54/39/pc
64/50/t
49/28/c
75/68/s
73/53/pc
69/51/s
45/25/c
86/79/s
53/43/sh
51/42/sh
59/37/s
73/59/t
75/68/sh
44/34/r
57/50/s
62/54/t
76/69/pc
64/47/s
53/39/c
69/38/s
94/78/pc
Mecca
Mexico City
Montreal
Moscow
Nairobi
Nassau
New Delhi
Osaka
Oslo
Ottawa
Paris
Rio de Janeiro
Rome
Santiago
Sao Paulo
Sapporo
Seoul
Shanghai
Singapore
Stockholm
Sydney
Taipei City
Tel Aviv
Tokyo
Toronto
Vancouver
Vienna
Warsaw
103/68/s
80/50/pc
55/46/c
39/25/s
81/57/s
83/72/pc
87/63/pc
64/50/pc
48/32/c
55/47/c
62/45/c
86/75/s
60/38/pc
77/51/s
86/66/t
54/38/pc
60/42/pc
62/49/pc
86/76/t
51/37/c
81/64/s
62/55/r
67/60/pc
65/56/c
58/50/c
48/40/r
49/35/c
47/34/c
might be necessary in the future, he
said.
Prineville Mayor Jason Beebe said
Baker Technical Institute’s expansion
into his city was a win for both local
companies and residents looking for
a solid job.
“The local employers are only
as strong as the workforce that can
serve them in the community,” he
said. “I know there’s a pretty big need
right now for truck driving in Crook
County.”
e e
Reporter: 541-617-7854, jhogan@bendbulletin.com
AstraZeneca says
data shows vaccine
effective for all adults
BY MARIA CHENG
AND LAURAN NEERGAARD
AP Medical Writers
Gary A. Warner/Oregon Capital Bureau file photo
The Oregon House chamber in Salem. There are 60 members of the state House.
Kotek’s abrupt adjournment of
the session on Monday at first
seemed to be out of frustration
over House Republicans requiring
each bill be read in full prior to
debate and a vote.
difficult to do with 98 days left in the
session.
Drazan has said the slowdown is an
attempt to get Kotek to jettison legis-
lation other than bills dealing with the
budget, COVID-19 and wildfire relief.
“Here in Oregon, the House is run-
ning a crushing number of commit-
tees and pushing controversial leg-
islation,” Drazan said in a statement
earlier Monday.
Drazan said bills were being drafted
“on the fly” with little to no public in-
put and with revisions that caught Re-
publicans by surprise several times.
She accused Kotek of an unwilling-
ness to “compromise or work to build
bipartisan support.”
Kotek said Drazan’s idea of biparti-
sanship was to have Democrats with-
draw large amounts of their agenda or
face endless delaying tactics or even a
walkout.
“I am frustrated this is becoming
normalized behavior,” Kotek said.
Voters have given Democrats a su-
permajority of more than three-fifths
of the seats in the House and Senate.
Republicans could not win legisla-
tive and executive office races in re-
cent elections, Kotek said. Now they
are using blocking tactics to stop an
agenda that Oregon voters endorsed
at the ballot box.
“At the end of the day, votes will
matter,” Kotek said.
e e
gwarner@eomediagroup.com
WASHINGTON — Astra-
Zeneca reported Monday that
its COVID-19 vaccine provided
strong protection among adults of
all ages in a long-anticipated U.S.
study, a finding that could help re-
build public confidence in the shot
around the world and move it a
step closer to clearance in the U.S.
In the study of 30,000 people,
the vaccine was 79% effective at
preventing symptomatic cases of
COVID-19 — including in older
adults. There were no severe ill-
nesses or hospitalizations among
vaccinated volunteers, compared
with five such cases in participants
who received dummy shots — a
small number, but consistent with
findings from Britain and other
countries that the vaccine protects
against the worst of the disease.
AstraZeneca also said the study’s
independent safety monitors
found no serious side effects, in-
cluding no increased risk of rare
blood clots like those identified in
Europe, a scare that led numerous
countries to briefly suspend vacci-
nations last week.
“I do hope it puts to bed any
doubts about the vaccine efficacy,”
Mene Pangalos, AstraZeneca’s bio-
pharmaceuticals research chief,
told The Associated Press. “Overall
where the vaccine is being used, it’s
been shown to be highly effective.
So I hope that the U.S. study now
Matthias Schrader/AP
Medical staff prepares a syringe from a
vial of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vac-
cine in Germany on Monday. The vaccine
is approved in 70 countries, but not yet in
the United States.
will continue to give the vaccine some
momentum and get it used even fur-
ther around the world.”
The company aims to file an appli-
cation with the Food and Drug Ad-
ministration in the coming weeks,
and the government’s outside advis-
ers will publicly debate the evidence
before the agency makes a decision.
Pangalos said the vaccine could win
emergency authorization toward the
second half of April. If so, the com-
pany would deliver 30 million doses
immediately and an additional 20
million within the first month.
What that will mean for Ameri-
ca’s vaccination plans is unclear. The
Biden administration already proj-
ects there will be enough doses for all
adults by the end of May thanks to
increasing supplies from the makers
of the three vaccines already in use in
the U.S. — Pfizer, Moderna and John-
son & Johnson.