Coronavirus
Pfizer Picks Four States to Test Transportation of COVID-19 Vaccine
Pfizer has launched a pilot in Rhode Island, Texas, New Mexico, and Tennessee to test the distribution of its COVID-19 vaccine, which has to be kept at temperatures well below freezing.
Pfizer’s vaccine candidate has to be shipped and stored at minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 70 degrees Celsius). Its distribution therefore relies on a “cold chain,” a multipart pipeline that keeps the shots chilled, from manufacturer to injection.
Most vaccines — including Moderna’s coronavirus shot — are stored at 35 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit.
States have been rushing to buy hypercold freezers for the vaccine, which could be available to all Americans by April.
