Bio-N-Tech

The new deal effectively doubles the federal government's order from the company. Pfizer says the U.S. government has agreed to pay $1.95 billion for the additional doses.

"Scientifically, it is highly likely that the immune response by this vaccine also can deal with the new virus variant," BioNTech CEO Ugur Sahin said Tuesday.

Almost a year ago, "HealthLink on Air" first talked about a novel coronavirus with Upstate’s chief of infectious disease, Dr. Stephen Thomas, who is also…