friends can influence others into making bad decisions-- but it also turns out... They can influence people into make good ones too. Faith abubey takes a look.. At how friends.. Who play it safe.. Can help others make.. Better choices. reporting teenagers are stilll deloping the most advanced parts of their brains--those parts that help make good decisions--and making poor decisions at a young age can prove harmful and long lasting. For some, making the choice to do drugs at a young age can result in future substance abuse and poorer education outcomes. Neuroscientists at the fralin biomedical research institute at virgina tech found that teenagers who have not done drugs can be influenced to continue making safe decisions when they see other teens play it safe. These teenagers' brains are wired to interpret friends' safe decisions like a reward. These safer decisions can benefit them in the long run--and this is encouraging. Parents can be more confident their teenagers will make better decisions when they spend time with other teenagers who make similarly good decisions. And this can be key in helping the next geneartion of children avoid future substance abuse disorders. With this medical minute, I'm faith abubey.>> ((dana)) now to the latest on the coronavirus. The white house task force.. Pushes states.. To speed up vaccinating american victor oquendo has the latest. victor oquendo reporting as the us suprasses a staggering 21 million confirmed covid- 19 cases -- the white house coronavirus task force is calling on states to speed up vaccinations, particularly among senior citizens. Alex azar, United States Secretary of Health and Human Services: "We are seeing goverrs who are leaving vaccines sitting in freezers rather than getting the vaccine out into people's arms. So far - 5-point 3 million people have been vaccinated - that's just a fraction of the more than 17 million available doses. With a growing number of healthcare workers declining the shot - azar saying those priority groups are just recommendations and should not get in the way. Alex azar, United States Secretary of Health and Human Services: by all mes, you ought to be opening up to people 70 and over 65 and over. You ought to be making sure that the nursing home patients are getting vaccinated. In north carolina seniors waiting up to 5 hours to get the vaccine?cars lined up for miles in places like california where hospitals are overrun-- those vaccines cant come soon enough in la county- it's ambulances that are lining up. Our kaylee hartung on the frontlines with emts kaylee hartung How long have you had to wait with patients in this parking lot today? Brandon gray, emt, are ambulance: Five, six hours, but yesterday I was at San Dimas Hospital, 17 hours in the back of a rig with a semi critical patient // It's gambling with somebody's life, counting the minutes, like, how quick can I get in my bed before something bad happens because I have limited resources. And if they're really going downhill, there may not even be a spot to put them in the hospital Bill Weston - Director of Operations, care ambulance: I was actually deployed to Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Katrina. And this is by far the worst disaster I've ever been involved in. In order to speed up the process hhs sec. Alex azar is announcing and accelearted rollout program including 19 pharmacy chains in over 40,000 locations across the us. Victor oquendo abc news miami gardens>> ((dana)) many of us are glad 20-20 is over. One beverage company.. Ev created a soda to say.. Good-bye. We'll tell you about this flavor... Coming up.. On w-a-w-v news at noon.