U. S. rollout faces major logistical challenges

— The nation’s first COVID19 vaccine will begin arriving in states Monday morning, U. S. officials said Saturday, after the government gave the final goahead to the shots needed to end an outbreak that has killed nearly 300,000 Americans.

Trucks will roll out Sunday morning as shipping companies UPS and FedEx begin delivering Pfizer’s vaccine to nearly 150 distribution centers across the states, said Army Gen. Gustave PerWASHINGTON na of Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration’s vaccine development program. An additional 425 sites will get shipments Tuesday, and the remaining 66 on Wednesday. Initially, about 3 million doses are expected to be shipped nationwide.

Perna compared the vaccine distribution effort to DDay, the U. S. led military offensive that turned the tide in World War II.

“DDay was the beginning of the end and that’s where we are today,” Perna said.

The first shipments will leave Pfizer’s manufacturing plant in Kalamazoo, Mich., by truck and then be flown to regional hubs around the country. Medical distributor McKesson and pharmacy chains, including CVS and RiteAid, also are involved in the initial rollout and vaccinations at nursing homes and assisted living centers.

In a key distribution challenge, the vaccine, codeveloped with BioNTech, must be stored and shipped at ultralow temperatures — about 94 degrees below zero. Pfizer has developed shipping containers that use dry ice.

The Food and Drug Administration authorized emergency use of the vaccine late Friday. On Saturday, a panel of experts advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention formally recommended the vaccine for people 16 years of age and older.