Moderna said Monday its COVID-19 vaccine is proving highly effective in a major trial, a second ray of hope in the global race for a shot to tame a resurgent virus that is now killing more than 8,000 people a day worldwide.

The company said its vaccine appears to be 94.5% effective, according to preliminary data from Moderna’s ongoing study. A week ago, competitor Pfizer Inc. announced its own vaccine appeared similarly effective — news that puts both companies on track to seek permission within weeks for emergency use in the U.S.

The results are “truly striking,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious diseases expert. Earlier this year, Fauci said he would be happy with a COVID-19 vaccine that was 60% effective.

A vaccine can’t come fast enough, as virus cases topped 11 million in the U.S. over the weekend — 1 million of them recorded in just the past week — and governors and mayors are ratcheting up restrictions ahead of Thanksgiving. The pandemic has killed more than 1.3 million people worldwide, over 245,000 of them in the U.S.

Comcast plans to equip more than 20 different locations in the Twin Cities with WiFi-connected “Lift Zones” before the end of 2020, designed to help students get online, participate in distance learning and do their homework.

University President Julie Sullivan spoke about changes within the university amid the pandemic, particularly the recent announcement of free testing and a quiet period. Sullivan thanked USG and the student body for their compliance with university regulations.

“If it weren’t for what you have been doing all semester, frankly, we wouldn’t still be open,” Sullivan said.

Logan Sriharatsa can be reached at srih1201@stthomas.edu.