COVID Live Updates: Moderna creating combination COVID-flu vaccine

NEW YORK (WABC) -- Moderna's success in developing a COVID-19 vaccine is now leading to new endeavors, and the company plans to use the same technology to develop three new vaccines.

The mRNA vaccines would target the seasonal flu, Nipah virus, and HIV.

Moderna says one will be a combinatory vaccine that could target both the regular seasonal flu and the virus that leads to COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2.

An mRNA vaccine tells a person's body how to build specific proteins that then trigger their body's natural defenses.

What to know about coronavirus:

When can you get the COVID vaccine?

Where to get tested in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut

Coronavirus by zip code - New York City

Do you have coronavirus symptoms?

Here are more of today's headlines:

100-year-old woman beats COVID

A 100-year-old COVID patient defied the odds and was discharged from the hospital. Tina Pignataro won her fight against the virus and left the emergency field hospital at Staten Island University Hospital.

Yankee Stadium could become vaccination site

A spokesperson with the New York Yankees said the organization is currently working with city representatives to finalize details to use the stadium as a vaccination site.

Elected leaders dropped ball on vaccine rollout in Tri-State

The rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations has been rocky and confusing across the New York area and large swaths of the country, and now, one former federal health official says we're at least a month behind where we should be.

"Unacceptable," former FDA Associate Commissioner Peter Pitts said. "The baton was dropped, and we need to pick it up and get going."

CDC expands negative COVID-19 test requirement to all air passengers entering the United States

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expanding the requirement for a negative COVID-19 test to all air passengers entering the United States. The new rules go into effect Jan. 26.

Before departure to the United States, a required test, combined with the CDC recommendations to get tested again 3-5 days after arrival and stay home for 7 days post-travel, will help slow the spread of COVID-19 within US communities from travel-related infections. Pre-departure testing with results known and acted upon before travel begins will help identify infected travelers before they board airplanes.

Nearly 2.3M children have tested positive for COVID

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association is reporting they have found about 171,000 new child COVID-19 cases over the week ending with Jan. 7 (2,128,587 to 2,299,666).

NY State now has 12 cases of more contagious COVID variant

Twelve cases of the more contagious variant of COVID-19 have now been confirmed in New York State, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday. He said about 80 cases total have been confirmed nationwide. He called the variant, "The X factor...That's what is panicking federal officials. Because it's a much higher rate of infection." Cuomo called the changing federal policies, which now call for everyone over age 65 to be vaccinated, "extraordinarily difficult."

Third lawmaker in Capitol siege lockdown tests positive for COVID-19

A third Democratic member of the House who was forced to go into lockdown during last week's violent siege at the U.S. Capitol has tested positive for COVID-19. Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., said on Twitter that he tested positive Tuesday morning. He said he is not feeling symptoms but expressed dismay at the spate of positive test results and blamed Republican members of Congress who declined to wear a mask when it was offered to them during the lockdown.

"Today, I am now in strict isolation, worried that I have risked my wife's health and angry at the selfishness and arrogance of the anti-maskers who put their own contempt and disregard for decency ahead of the health and safety of their colleagues and our staff," Schneider said.

Cuomo expands vaccine eligibility to anyone over 65

New York state expanded eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine again to allow anyone over age 65 to get it, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday. Cuomo said the state's following new federal guidance, which now means more than one out of three New Yorkers are eligible to get vaccinated. The federal government will also no longer hold back required second doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, a move expected to practically double supply.

Fears of vaccine shortage after Rockland County runs out

Rockland County received a new shipment of COVID-19 vaccine doses Tuesday, one day after saying they had run out of shots and did not know when more would arrive. Still, the story highlights fears of a shortage as municipalities ramp up efforts to vaccinate their eligible citizens. The Rockland County Department of Health said it had administered all of the 1,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine that it received from the state last week and had requested more, with Rockland County Executive Ed Day's office saying there had been no word as how many would arrive next or when.

NYC City Council looks at streamlining vaccine distribution

The New York City Council is holding hearings Tuesday to discuss streamlining the vaccination distribution process in the city. All-night vaccinations are now underway at two 24/7 vaccine mega-sites, located at the Brooklyn Army Terminal in Sunset Park and the Bathgate Contract Postal Station in the Bronx. Both were completely booked overnight, an indication of how high the demand is for the shots. After a rocky start, Mayor Bill de Blasio says the city managed to vaccinate 100,000 people last week with the goal is to inject shots into the arms of a million New Yorkers by the end of this month.

FTC warns nursing homes not to take residents' stimulus payments

The Federal Trade Commission has issued a warning to nursing homes about their residents' stimulus checks. The FTC wants to make it abundantly clear that the stimulus payment is meant for the individual, not the place they might live. According to the FTC, some nursing homes across the country tried taking their residents' payments and that kept some attorneys general very busy recovering those funds for people. The facility may not put their hands on the payment, or require somebody to sign it over to them, even if that somebody is on Medicaid.

Feds asking states to vaccinate everyone 65 and older

The Trump administration is asking states to vaccinate everyone older than 65, and those 16 and older with a pre-existing condition. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told GMA Tuesday morning that the states' vaccination efforts are "too narrowly focused."

Coronavirus by zip code - New York City

Percent Positive by Zip Code in NYC

COVID Vaccine Calculator: Find out how many people may get a COVID-19 vaccine before you

Do you have coronavirus symptoms?

Where to get tested for COVID-19 coronavirus

WATCH: Eyewitness to a Pandemic

UPDATES

New York City

New Jersey

Long Island

Westchester and Hudson Valley

Connecticut

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on coronavirus

Submit a News Tip