US says vaccine to start arriving in states Monday

WASHINGTON» The nation’ s first COVID- 19 vaccine will begin arriving in states Monday morning, U.S. officials said Saturday, after the government gave the final go-ahead 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 locations, said Army Gen. Gustave F. Perna of Operation warp Speed, the Trump administration’s vaccine development program. Another 450 sites will get the vaccine Tuesday and Wednesday.

The locations include hospitals and other sites able to meet the ultra- cold storage requirements for the vaccine. Within three weeks, vaccines should be delivered to local pharmacies and other locations, Perna said at a news conference.

The vaccine was timed to arrive monday morning so that health workers would be available to receive the shots and begin giving them, Per na said.

It was unclear who would receive the first dose of the vaccine, though health

workers and nursing home residents were the priority. Perna said that decision would be determined by health authorities.

The announcement kicks off amassive logistical operation involving the federal

and state governments, private companies and health care workers to quickly distribute limited vaccine supplies throughout the U. S.

Initially, about 3 million shots are expected to shipped nationwide, accord

ing to officials with Operation Warp Speed. A similar amount is to be held in reserve for those recipients’ second dose.

Initial shipments are expected to leave Pfizer’s manufacturing plant in Kalama

zoo, Michigan, via truck and then be flown to regional hubs around the country.

Adding to the distribution challenge is that the Pfizer- Biontech vaccine must be stored and shipped at ultra- low temperatures of

about 94degreesbelowzero Fahrenheit. Pfizer has developed shipping containers that use dry ice, and GPSenabled sensors will allow the company to track each shipment andensure it stays cold.