Chicago Receives the First Large Shipment of Pfizer Vaccine

The United States reported that the first mass shipment of the vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech arrived by air, as laboratories await emergency approval and airlines prepare for distribution.

Last Friday, a United Airlines plane arrived in Chicago. It contained the first large shipment of the coronavirus vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech. Despite the fact that it did not receive approval for administration to the population. 

While waiting for the “green light” from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the two allied laboratories published that the efficacy of their vaccine is 95% according to the results of the phase 3 study.

For its part, the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States assured that it supported this first shipment from Brussels to the US.

At the same time, the other parts of the pharmaceutical chain are preparing to comply with the cold chain and logistics requirements that the vaccine requires to combat the virus.

Pharmaceutical companies await FDA approval

However, Pfizer warned that it would not make any shipment of its vaccine until the FDA gave its emergency approval. The process began on November 20 with the request of the laboratory associated with BioNTech. Despite this, the agency has not published its concept yet on the same vaccine. However, it is expected to do so after their meeting on December 10.

Just a couple of weeks later, the first Americans could receive the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Especially, if the FDA finds no negative or red flags in the application of the vaccine, according to CNBC.

This is the vaccine that requires a lower storage temperature. Iata, International Air Transport Association, pointed out that it presents an additional challenge when it comes to transporting it from one country to another. Besides, preserving and distributing it in different territories would be a problem. 

Moderna, the pharmaceutical company, announced the coronavirus vaccine’s 94.1% effectiveness. On the other hand, it is 100% effective against severe forms of the disease. Initially, the preliminary results of the effectiveness of the vaccine had been 94.5%. Also, the company stated last week that it would request authorization in the United States and Europe for its use.