1. Moderna said its coronavirus vaccine was 94.5 percent effective, joining Pfizer as a front-runner in the race to help end the pandemic. Both companies plan to apply within weeks to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency authorization to begin vaccinations. A vaccine widely available to the public is still months away. Officials said the two companies could produce enough vaccine for about 20 million people by sometime in December, with the first doses going to people in high-risk groups like health care workers, emergency medical staff and nursing home residents. Ten other vaccine makers are also conducting big Phase 3 trials. Here is what you need to know about the Moderna vaccine and our vaccine tracker. A half-dozen states will seek an extra layer of scrutiny to reassure the public that an F.D.A.-approved vaccine is safe amid doubts about the Trump administration’s virus response.