A wave of good news over the past week from major pharmaceutical companies regarding the success of experimental COVID-19 vaccines could lead to the deployment of tens of millions of doses to be administered by year’s end.
Pfizer, who said its vaccine trial showed an effective rate of 95%, hopes to administer some 50 million vaccine doses by the end of next month. Likewise, Moderna, who on Monday announced a 94.5% effective rate for its COVID vaccine, said it hopes to distribute 20 million doses before New Year’s Day.
Use of those vaccines is still dependent upon FDA stamping approval on the companies’ requests for emergency use. Nonetheless, getting millions of vaccine doses – some of which are required to be kept at -70 degrees Celsius (almost 100 degrees below 0 degrees Fahrenheit) – to the hospitals, pharmacies and clinics where they’ll be administered will take a coordinated supply chain effort and more than a few very cold reefer trailers.
