Because vaccines must be stored at – 75 degrees Celsius, US officials describe the transport as an unprecedented effort by the government, shipping companies and the health industry.
Subjects of top priority are health workers and the elderly in nursing homes. The goal is that by the second quarter of 2021, all people will be vaccinated. The US ordered a total of more than 100 million doses from Pfizer, 200 million from Moderna.
The first shipments of the Pfizer vaccine will reach 145 distribution centers on December 14, 425 other locations will receive the vaccine on December 15 and the remaining 66 sites on December 16, federal officials said. COVID-19 vaccine is distributed based on the adult population of each state.
The vaccine is being shipped to hospitals and other locations for storage at extremely low temperatures, around minus 94 degrees. Pfizer is using containers with dry ice and GPS-enabled sensors to ensure every shipment stays colder than the weather in Antarctica.
The vaccination rollout will ensure each person is given the two necessary doses for adequate protection against COVID-19. That means the government is withholding 3 million doses for two weeks after the booster is given to people who got the vaccine in the first batch.
The FDA approved emergency vaccines on December 12 and said the vaccine is highly protective, with no major safety issues.
Before the US, the UK also had a large-scale vaccination of people. Initially did not see any side effects or any strange reactions, only a few cases had a vaccine ingredient allergy but not serious.