UPS, FedEx To Transport Initial Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Doses

(RTTNews) - Logistics majors UPS and FedEx are participating in the initial delivery of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine doses as the United States is set to begin vaccinations Monday following drug regulators' approval of the vaccine.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC, gave the approval for Pfizer- BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine, following the Emergency Use Authorization or EUA issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on last Friday.

Pfizer commenced first shipments of the vaccine, with freight trucks carrying around 184,275 vials of the vaccine set off from its facility in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on Sunday.

The vaccines will be distributed by the U.S. Department of Defense in partnership with agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services, including the CDC, to government-designated facilities across the country.

Earlier, Gen. Gustave Perna, chief operating officer of Operation Warp Speed, noted that Pfizer would move vaccine from its manufacturing facility to the UPS and FedEx hubs, and then it would go out to the already identified 636 locations nationwide.

According to Perna, it is expected that 145 sites across all the states will receive vaccine on Monday; another 425 sites on Tuesday; and the final 66 sites on Wednesday in the initial delivery of the Pfizer orders for vaccine.

In a statement, UPS announced its distribution plans and efforts for Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine as part of Operation Warp Speed to support vaccinations of healthcare workers.

UPS will move the vaccine within the first days to states designated by Pfizer based on orders received by Operation Warp Speed and CDC officials.

The vaccines will originate from storage sites in Michigan and Wisconsin, to be transported to UPS Worldport facilities in Louisville, where they will be expedited Next Day Air to select destinations, including hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities, to inoculate healthcare workers.

FedEx said its unit FedEx Express will transport the first shipments of COVID-19 vaccine using its FedEx Priority Overnight service supported by FedEx Priority Alert advanced monitoring.

The company said FedEx network is positioned to handle COVID-19 vaccine shipments around the world with temperature-control solutions, and near real-time monitoring capabilities.