Coronavirus Updates: Pfizer to begin testing vaccine on children

NEW YORK (WABC) -- Drugmaker Pfizer says it's planning to start testing its COVID-19 vaccine on children as young as 12.

This will be the first coronavirus vaccine trial to include children in the United States.

The vaccine research center at Cincinnati children's hospital says teens aged 16 and 17 will get the vaccine this week.

Kids between the ages of 12 and 15 will be enrolled in the trial later.

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Here are more of today's headlines:

New York City releases winter outdoor dining guidance

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio signed an executive order Wednesday, authorizing use of temporary outdoor heaters to extend outdoor dining in winter months in New York due to COVID-19. Participans in the Open Restaurants program will have three options to provide comfort heating for their customers. The options include: electric radiant heaters, natural gas radiant heaters and portable heaters fueled by propane.

Top college football coach tests positive

Alabama head football coach Nick Saban announced he tested positive for COVID-19 Wednesday. He says he does not have any symptoms right now.

Underground market reopens

Turnstyle, the collection of small businesses in the Columbus Circle subway station, reopened to the public Wednesday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced.

7 NJ MVC centers closed due to COVID-19 cases

Seven New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) offices are closed due to employees testing positive for COVID-19.

Trick-or-treating is on in Nassau County; officials encourage 'recalibration' of holiday

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said on Wednesday she is not banning trick-or-treating this year.

"I'm not going to tell you not to trick-or-treat. When my kids were little, I wouldn't have told them not to trick-or-treat," she said. Curran is encouraging people to celebrate in different ways this year by doing scavenger hunts in their backyards with their children or watching scary movies together.

Cuomo: State could withhold funding from schools in red zones

New York State could withhold funding from schools in red zones that refuse to close, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday.The governor said that schools that have thus far remained open will be served shut down orders and the state will commence withholding funding.

Cuomo also announced penalties for the village of Southhampton and the promoters of a concert by the Chainsmokers this summer.

Sweet 16 party COVID spread

A Long Island venue is being hit with more than $10,000 in fines after hosting a Sweet 16 party where 37 people in attendance tested positive for coronavirus.

Vaccine trial halted

A Phase 3 trial for Eli Lilly's monoclonal antibody COVID-19 treatment is on pause following a potential safety concern.

"Safety is of the upmost importance to Lilly," the pharmaceutical company said in a statement. "We are aware that, out of an abundance of caution, the ACTIV-3 independent data safety monitoring board (DSMB) has recommended a pause in enrollment. The trial, evaluating Lilly's investigational neutralizing antibody as a treatment for COVID-19 in hospitalized patients, is sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Lilly is supportive of the decision by the independent DSMB to cautiously ensure the safety of the patients participating in this study."

5 suspected COVID-19 cases at same EMS station in Queens

The FDNY says they have five suspected cases of COVID-19 at the same EMS station in Queens. All five members of the department are on medical leave from EMS station 49, at 25-3 Hoyt Avenue.

Last week, the NYPD announced they had 36 suspected cases within the first week of October.

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