During a press conference Tuesday, HHS Secretary Alex Azar said distribution could begin shortly after December 10th. That is when an FDA advisory committee will meet to discuss the Pfizer vaccine candidate.
“As General Perna has shared, we believe we can distribute the vaccine to all 64 jurisdictions within 24 hours of FDA authorization,” Azar said. “Then, we hope the administration can begin as soon as the product arrives. One of the private sector partners we’ve enlisted, CVS Health, has said that they expect to be vaccinating residents of nursing homes, one of the top priority groups, within 48 hours after FDA authorization.”
Azar also said the department’s transition official is now in contact with President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team.
Operation Warp Speed Chief Operating Officer General Gustave Perna said the states received vaccine allocation numbers last Friday and the initial shipment will consist of more than six million doses. He explained, “And then, what will happen if there’s more available after the initial push, then it will go out in the following weekly cadences of distribution accordingly. But, yes, 40 million by the end of the year.”
Azar added, “We have an end in sight and we have much happier holidays in the near future. The American people can be confident that hope and help are on the way.”
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