if you ride, you get it. geico motorcycle. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more. next at 5:00, the country moves a big step closer to ending the pandemic. a key committee endorses pfizer's covid-19 vaccine. what happens now? plus the local company using artificial intelligence to figure out who gets the vaccine. for some, it could come down to their zip code. >> also ahead, the growing backlash to the lockdown. restaurants put away their chairs and tables as they run out of patience. plus, a different kind of s.o.s. salon owners and their frustration over trying to meet the governor's moments. >> building a better bay area for a safe and secure future. this is abc 7 news. and we begin with a pivotal moment in the fight against covid-19. this afternoon an fda advisory panel recommended widespread use

for covid-19. >> this encouraging news comes as the state has seen its deadliest day since the pandemic began nine months ago, 220 people died yesterday for a total of more than 20,000. >> one of those deaths is family matriarch jean mickelson. her son john remembers his last moments with her. >> she said she was surrounded by angels and it was humbling because she was, in fact, surrounded by angels ready to take her to her eternal home. >> a somber reminder of what's been lost and what is at stake. good evening, i'm dan ashley. >> and i'm ama daetz. thank you for joining us. we want to begin with a key endorsement for the vaccine. kris? >> this was a marathon meeting and one of the consequential steps, the first wave of vaccinations in this country.

while it wasn't a unanimous vote, it was an overwhelming endorsement of pfizer's historic vaccine. >> we do have a favorable vote and that concludes this portion of the meeting. >> the question on the table for the fda's advisory panel, based on the totality of scientific evidence available, do the benefits of the pfizer biontech covid-19 vaccine outweigh the use for those 17 years of age or older? >> we will take into consideration when deciding on not only the eoa issuance here, but also how to move on. >> the vote happened after more than eight hours where the 23-member panel made up of the world's leading independent scientists and health care experts raised their questions and concerns. >> because the stakes are so high, i think having an outside group look and ask hard questions of not only pfizer, but of the fda and get those questions answered, that seems to me to be a smart thing.

>> pfizer's executive team led the presentations and answered questions about the vaccine and its lightning speed development. >> we were able to enroll over 40,000 participants in a record six weeks, give them each two doses of vaccines and ensure their safety while conducting the trial with strict compliance and uncompromising quality. >> the main concerns raised by the panel, possible allergic reactions to the vaccine and pfizer's plans to monitor those who get vaccinated for possible side effects. while the yes vote is not the final seal of approval their green light does make a huge difference. >> i think they'll probably take a couple of days to review the committee's report and review their internal data and there will probably be an fda committee meeting and i expect we'll hear a final verdict within the next couple of days. >> any this conversation to continue and for this independent panel to be very involved in watching the fda's

approval process. we're expected to hear a decision in a matter of days. thank you. >> a reminder, you can download our abc 7 news app for any developments on the vaccine including the final vote on the pfizer vaccine which we expect very soon. meanwhile, we are learning a bay area company could help determine when many of us here and across the country, for that matter will get a vaccine once it is fully approved. cornell bernard with the story you'll see only on abc 7 news. >> berkeley-based data science company is about to make headlines in the vaccine world. >> it's deep thought, and deep thinker. >> gary velasquez has been thinking for months about how to help those most at risk get the covid-19 vaccine first. his company is partnering with health care provider blueshield of california to locate those most vulnerable if they contract covid-19. >> vulnerability is defined to

us of the probability of hospitalization, icu. >> using private and public health data, the algorithm can determine who is high risk right down to their zip code. >> we can tell you how many are vulnerable to hospitalization with the five-digit zip code. >> in the bay area the number of projected hospitalizations are high. data shows more than 50,000 in sonoma county, 43,000+ in san francisco and more than 111,000 in alameda county. a person's age and medical history are factored in and much more. >> it incorporates a number of factors like the place where you live, the presence or absence of pharmacies and food deserts in your area and the quality of the air. >> the information could help counties pinpoint areas where the vaccine should be distributed first for those who want and need it. it is currently negotiating

about a penn. velasquez founded his company long before covid and he hopes the science can help those get the vaccine. >> i think we somehow are at the right place at the right time with the relationships. >> cornell bernard, abc 7 news. >> new developments in sonoma county. a stay at home order will go into effect at end of the day tomorrow because of rising case numbers and hospitalizations. six other bay area counties face stay at home orders. >> in marin county, a covid-19 protest that resonated across the state. as wayne friedman explains, hairstylists and salon owners are fed up insisting their salons are safe. >> when we last saw kelly little two days ago, she'd been in her salon racing the clock trying to get in one more client before noon when marin county ordered her to close. >> these are our last few hours to work for four weeks maybe? >> save our salon!

>> today kelly and every other stylist in marin had too much free time. so she joined a protest outside the offices of marin county health, fighting for a right to work. >> and the thing is that we are not spreading covid! we have our mask on. >> california's covid-19 health guidelines see it another way. marin county public health officer dr. willis. >> the state's stay at home order is a response to this crisis. >> it's a problem we've heard before and one that bears repeating, hairstylists and salon owners have been out of work roughly five months three separate times. >> why are we shut down again? it doesn't make any sense. >> we have families to take care of. i have three kids, a wife. i have to make money. >> you ask for patience from your landlords and your creditors to please, be patient. >> it's old? >> yeah. we're all behind, and it's the holidays. >> stylists say they've been out

of work for so long and suffered so much hardship that some of them have little choice except to keep working in violation of the shutdown. >> we would rather be in our own salon doing hair instead of going rogue. >> we're better off long term. economically and from a health perspective if we take proactive action earlier. >> save our salon! >> that cuts both ways. one, a state tried to slow the spread of covid-19 and two, a class of workers just trying to survive. in marin county, wayne friedman, abc 7 news. >> with climbing covid-19 case rates and hospitalizations, some restaurant owners say they're unfairly being targeted with a new shutdown of outdoor dining. abc 7 news reporter chris nguyen has a report from across the bay area. >> employees at the post begin moving their furniture back inside. >> it's been hard these last couple of weeks to try and anticipate what to do.

>> victoria breslin was planning to re-open for outdoor dining in defiance of the health order to keep paying her staff, but word got out and she was contacted by local officials about the consequences she could face including her liquor license. >> i was willing to pay fines and potentially be arrested. >> the safety measures are not optional, and businesses have a legal obligation to comply with all directives. the countiy will take further action as necessary to bring businesses into compliance. breslin isn't alone in her frustration as some restaurants push back on the state's insistence that outdoor dining is too dangerous at this point in the pandemic. in danville, rodney worth is looking at reopening his outdoor patio saying he has nothing left to lose. >> just losing money hand over fist. it's ai juggling act. we don't know what we'll do one

day to the other. >> he called out gavin newsom by naming a sushi platter, back at the post breslin says she's considering legal action against the county and will stay open for takeout as long as she can. >> why are we being held accountable and why are we being the scapegoats? it's important to stand up and i will continue to do it however i can. >> restaurant owners fighting back all in their own ways. chris nguyen, abc 7 news. santa clara county is stepping up its covid testing efforts with a new door to door pilot program. the plan is to send teams out in the hardest hit areas of the county beginning with east san jose. workers in full ppe will knock on doors offering the tests that residents will administer themselves. >> with this intervention coupling testing and high-touch case investigations and contact tracing we are able to support families in their language with someone who happeneds their culture and helps support them

to access various services. >> officials say this program is needed because residents in communities like east san jose are fearful of seeking out help and are unsure how to access services. still ahead, plexiglass protection. a look at whether these barriers help slow the spread of covid-19. >> and what happened in those chaotic moments on the bart platform that led to the death of oscar grant. his family tonight asking new questions and ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (beeping sound) ♪ ♪

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new details today in the killing of oscar grant. 11 years after grant was shot and killed by a bart police officer in oakland, his family is demanding another officer be charged with murder. ance ar hassan explains why. >> we have been seeking justice for almost 12 years now. >> reporter: wanda johnson is the mother of oscar grant, the unarmed black man who was shot

and killed by bart police in 2009. officer johannes mehserle was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and has served his time, but the family says there's more to this case. >> the district attorney nancy o'malley said that she was reopening the case, and we're still waiting to find out what charges they're going to bring against the officer. that would be officer peroni, claims that officer peroni used repeated and unreasonable and unnecessary use of force. it states that peroni, quote, was in large part responsible for setting the stage even if inadvertent for the shooting of oscar grant. the family wants him to be charged with felony murder. >> bring officers against officer peroni. in an e-mail to abc news, they're working diligently to

conduct a thorough review of the case, but quote, as is our policy with any open investigation we cannot comment further. >> keith garcia, president of the bart police officers association tells abc 7 news that he won't issue a statement unless the d.a. brings any charges, but he raises doubts about a felony murder charge when officer mehserle was convicted by a jury of involuntary manslaughter. a lawyer for the family explains. >> an independent report goes on the document that peroni caused brain injury to oscar grant, caused brain injury. that's a felony. the grant family believes there's enough evidence to bring charges now and the district attorney's office says they'll have more after christmas. in oak landz, ansar hassan, abc 7 news. >> efforts are under way to discover a gasoline spill last month. pipeline operator kinder morgan says it is working with the epa, state, fish and wild life and

other agencies to address the leak of up to 42,000 gallons of gas south of broadway. preliminary findings determined that tree root his grown into the pipeline causing it to crack. now to those mrekplexiglass bars at stores, takeout and public transportation. you've seen them. do they really help slow the spread of the virus? do they work? whit johnson looked for answer sfoos from checkout counters, plexiglass dividers are everywhere. how well do these dividers help curb the transmission of covid-19? >> they do compartmentalize the air which i think is a good safety precaution that reduces their risk to some degree. >> in a gma investigates exclusive, howard stone and his team at princeton university take us inside their lab using a fog machine and a green laser beam, these new demonstrations visualize when particles

potentially carrying virus can go, even when plexiglass dividers are present. >> when you speak, you produce exhaled air and that exhaled air will contain small droplets and if you're infected some of those small droplets will contain some virus. that air approaches the barrier, but it can't pass through the barrier. as it comes to the edge it picks up other air motions and it will eventually work its way around to the other side. >> watch as some of that green fog eventually makes its way up and around the divider. that type of particle flow could be seen in real life, like at a checkout counter where plexiglass dividers are in close proximity to people which is why mask wearing is so critical, says stone, to break up that jet stream. what about a restaurant setting when diners aren't masked? this video shows how particles can travel when a divider is farther away. >> as they move, they'll be mixing with the other air in the room. that's good.

it dilutes what you exhale. >> there are studies that 300 to a thousand virus particles are needed. that's why we need to be careful because even a small amount of virus may potentially infect someone. >> and these animations by the university of central florida show how the virus could potentially spread in indoor spaces in just two minutes. watch the red particles. >> if someone's infected it would be exhaling warm air with potentially viruses in their breath. what happens with warm air? just like with a hot air balloon it elevates and takes the viral particles and that interacts with the system which could potentially drive it around the barriers into neighboring areas. >> a recent stud ny in south koa re-created a scenario where someone was infected while 20 feet away with someone who had the virus and after five minutes' exposure suggesting that six feet may not be enough.

whit johnson, abc news, new york. the view of sutro tower will look different soon. that's because for the first time in weeks rain is can take you to deep, depressive lows. or, give you

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the drive through christmas market in los gatos raising money for out of work restaurant employees. he changed his business model because of santa clara county's ban on sitdown dining. he set the market up in front of his restaurant selling gifts, food and groceries. he says he wants to be able to write $500 checks to out of work restaurant employees on christmas day. the market will be open from noon to 7:00 p.m. daily until christmas day. that is wonderful. we love seeing all those efforts this time of year, and let's get to spencer cristian for the accuweather forecast, dry so it's good for him for now, but rain on the way? >> rain is on the way, ama. the rainy season will finally

become the rainy season or at least the rainy weekend. a live view from our exploratory camera looking back at the skyline or a portion of it in san francisco. oakland, 56, in mountain view, san jose, 56 degrees and 50 at half moon bay and the view of the post-sunset sky from the east bay hills camera. the temperature readings in santa rosa and novato. concord is our mild spot at 62 degrees and look across at the embarcadero and we'll see clouds increasing overnight and it will be cooler tomorrow than it was today. rain will develop tomorrow night in the north bay and over the weekend we get steady and more widespread rain. tonight as the clouds increase look for low temperature it is dropping into the upper 30s in most of the inland valley locations, and mainly low to mid 40s on the bay shoreline and tomorrow we'll have bright skies early in the day and increasing

clouds later especially in the north bay where the rain will start first. the highs tomorrow will range from low to mid-50s at the coast everywhere else expect we don't expect 60-degree temperature readings tomorrow. the abc 7 storm impact of light intensity and light rain will strike late tomorrow night in the north bay. by saturday we'll see light rain or shower spreading to most parts of the area. it will get steadier and it will be more widespread and no flooding in those burn scar areas. here is the forecast animation starting midnight tomorrow night taking us into early -- actually, this is at midnight tomorrow night and we'll see the rain spreading across the north bay and we'll see the rain breaking up and spreading throughout the region, there's been a break in the rain late saturday night into sunday and we'll get more widespread rain and it will be the wetter of the two days this weekend.

our projection for rafrl total is generally under a quarter of an inch of rain and we will see a quarter of an inch to a half inch. >> after a wet and relatively cool week end, we won't get a warm-up, but dry are conditions on monday and tuesday with our next chance of rain mid-week next week. dan and ama? >> all right. thank you so much, spencer. still ahead here, a

for people with heart failure taking entresto, it may lead to a world of possibilities. entresto helped people stay alive and out of the hospital. don't take entresto if pregnant; it can cause harm or death to an unborn baby. don't take entresto with an ace inhibitor or aliskiren, or if you've had angioedema with an ace or arb. the most serious side effects are angioedema, low blood pressure, kidney problems, or high blood potassium. ask your doctor about entresto. to your friends... your family... to your teachers. in that spirit of giving, chevy's proud to give our employee discount to everyone. the chevy price you pay, ...is what we pay. not a cent more. because giving, ...and giving back, is what the holidays are all about.

use the chevy employee discount for everyone to get a total value of over eight thousand four hundred dollars on this silverado. get the chevy employee discount for everyone today. coming up tonight on abc 7 news at 6:00, talk about insult to injury. fraudsters claiming fraud. 7 on your side's michael finney explains how criminals are double dipping and how it hurts

unemployed workers. plus see how it will expand coronavirus testing capacity in the bay area. plus the abc 7 team gets results. do you think cats have nine lives? thanks to dan noyes they may get 10. those in half an hour on abc 7 news at 6:00. >> finally here tonight, a quick game of can you spot the real dog? >> take a look. one of these things is not like the other or perhaps four of these things. can you find them? four rescued furry friends are hiding amongst the pile of holiday-themed stuffed animals. >> the blinking kind of gives it away. >> if these adorable faces look familiar. they're from humboldt county. we've been following the pups since halloween when they dressed up and changed their halloween costumes. how cute is that? >> anything we can have this time of year and this year to make us smile, bring it on. >> ama, you are so right. we need it. "world news" with david muir is

next. i'm dan ashley. >> i'm

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learn more about the condition at factsonhand.com tonight, breaking news as we come on the air. just in, an fda advisory panel giving the green light for the pfizer vaccine here in the u.s. the panel recommending emergency approval. scientists and doctors on the panel saying the fda should move forward. the vote a short time ago, 17-4. so, who were the four who voted against it and what we've learned tonight about their reason why. and a volunteer in pfizer's trial who reported mild side effects also urging the fda to approve the vaccine now. the fda now makes the next move and it could come at any time. the first shipment of millions of doses ready to all 50 states within 24 hours of the final sign-off from the fda. fedex will take the west, u.p.s. will take the east. and tonight, in the uk, how this is working already, from the mome t