Officials expect the first shipments of Pfizer’s vaccine for the novel coronavirus to be delivered by Dec. 15, as cases of COVID-19 continue to spike nationwide, according to multiple reports.
Citing a document from Operation Warp Speed, the government’s effort to speed up the path to a vaccine, CNN reported Tuesday that federal officials expect Pfizer’s vaccine to be delivered in the coming weeks, provided it’s authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency use.
Officials in Missouri confirmed to KTVI that authorities expect the first doses of Pfizer’s vaccine to arrive in the state on Dec. 15, “if all goes as planned.” State officials expect about 50,000 doses of the vaccine in the initial shipment, KTVI reported.
>> Related: Who will get the COVID-19 vaccine first? CDC meets this week to discuss distribution
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday that officials also expect his state to get its first shipment of Pfizer’s vaccine on Dec. 15. He said he expects enough doses will be shipped to inoculate 170,000 New Yorkers.
New York’s first delivery of the Pfizer vaccine will be enough for 170,000 New Yorkers.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) December 2, 2020
We expect, if all safety & efficacy approvals are granted, to receive these doses on December 15.
The FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee will meet Dec. 10 to review Pfizer’s vaccine data and determine whether the drug is safe and effective against COVID-19. The vaccine has already been approved for emergency use in the United Kingdom, according to BioNTech, a drug-maker that partnered with Pfizer to create the vaccine.
>> Related: Coronavirus: UK approves Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use
Pfizer and BioNTech asked the FDA for an Emergency Use Authorization for their COVID-19 vaccine on Nov. 20, The Associated Press reported. Last month, company officials said a clinical trial found their vaccine to be 95% effective.
>> Related: Pfizer says vaccine 95% effective in final analysis of clinical trial
Federal officials estimate that the first shipments of the COVID-19 vaccine from biotechnology company Moderna could be delivered by Dec. 22, if the FDA approves it for emergency use, CNN reported. The company asked for emergency authorization for the drug on Monday.
The FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee will meet Dec. 17 to discuss the request. Officials with Moderna previously said a clinical trial found the company’s vaccine to be 94% effective.
>> Related: Moderna says new results show vaccine 94% effective; company seeking emergency OK today
The U.S. continues to lead the world with the most cases of COVID-19. Since January, more than 13.7 million coronavirus infections have been reported nationwide, causing over 272,000 deaths, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University.
Cox Media Group
