Some of our most vulnerable citizens are getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

Today, CVS and Walgreens are starting to administer vaccinations to nursing home residents and workers across New York.

New Jersey missed the federal deadline to begin vaccines in nursing homes, and can't start until Dec. 28.

Connecticut started rolling out the vaccine in nursing homes on Friday.

Over the weekend, a federal panel recommended that front-line essential workers, including emergency responders, teachers and grocery store workers, and people 75 and older should be next in line to get a COVID-19 vaccine.

President-elect Joe Biden and the incoming first lady are expected to receive the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine this morning. Vice President Mike Pence got his vaccine on Friday. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, and her husband will get the shot next week.

This morning, News 12's Danielle Campbell was joined by Dr. Nicolas Hernandez, from Plainview Hospital, to talk about vaccines and what we need to do to celebrate the holidays safely.

Dr. Hernandez has not only been treating patients for months, he is a COVID-19 survivor who lost two family members to the virus.

In the video below, Dr. Hernandez tells us what the last nine to 10 months have been like for him:

What was it like to get the COVID-19 vaccine? Dr. Hernandez explains in the video below:

This morning we are learning about a new strain of the coronavirus that spreads even faster.

British officials say the new strain of the virus could be up to 70 times more contagious than the original. To combat the spread of the variant, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is sending parts of the country into full lockdown, and banning Christmas gatherings outside of individual households.

So far there are no cases of the new strain in the United States. Britain's new restrictions will remain in effect for at least two weeks.

This is what Dr. Hernandez had to say about the virus transmission: