This morning, Moderna announced it is asking U.S. and European regulators to allow emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine.

Moderna says new study results show their COVID-19 vaccine is more than 94% effective against the virus.

A vaccine can't come soon enough. The staggering number of COVID-19 cases are soaring across the country. The U.S. reported more than 155,000 new infections Sunday.

There were also 1,189 virus-related deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.

We've recorded more than 13.3 million cases since the pandemic began. More than 266,000 people have died.

White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx says she hopes to brief President-elect Joe Biden's administration today on America's response to the pandemic. The move is seen as critical for moving forward.

This morning in the New Normal, Dr. Thomas McGinn joined News 12's Elizabeth Hashagen to discuss vaccines, the rising coronavirus numbers and hospitalizations.

Dr. McGinn is the executive vice president of Physician Enterprise at CommonSpirit Health. They operate 137 hospitals, and more than 1,000 care sites across 21 states.

Below are Dr. McGinn's comments on the Moderna vaccine and all the ways it works:

Moderna's late stage COVID-19 vaccine trial had 30,000 participants:

- 15,000 people who received the vaccine, with 11 developing COVID-19;

- 15,000 people who received the placebo, with 185 developing COVID-19;

That amounts to a 94.1% efficacy for Moderna's vaccine.

None of the 11 people who received the vaccine became severely ill, but 30 of the 185 who received the placebo became severely ill, and one of them died.

Dr. McGinn comments on what efficacy means:

Will any of these vaccines put a dent on the pandemic numbers that we are experiencing right now? Dr. McGinn says yes:

On Tuesday, the CDC's advisory committee on vaccines will hold an emergency meeting. They are expected to discuss how to prioritize vaccines, once they are approved for emergency authorization.

The FDA is scheduled to meet with its Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee on Dec. 10 to review Pfizer's application and on Dec. 17 to review Moderna's application.

If the FDA allows emergency use, Moderna expects to have 20 million doses ready for the U.S. by year's end. Recipients will need two doses, so that's enough for 10 million people.

Dr. McGinn discusses how the distribution will happen, and what are the next steps:

A viewer asked, why is it safe for kids to go to in-person school, but its not safe to have holiday dinners with family? Below is Dr. McGinn's answer: