First Batch Of COVID-19 Vaccines In The US Expected To Arrive On Dec. 13

If things go as per plan, a few Americans are likely to lay their hands on the much-awaited COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 13. The vaccine, which is pegged as a collaboration between Pfizer and BioNTech, has shown promising results in its earlier studies -- indicating the prevention of over 90% of COVID-19 infections.

The decision to sanction the application for emergency authorization lies in the hands of the FDA, which ideally takes about two to three weeks to come by. “It's typically months, occasionally weeks,” said Dr. Greg Poland, director of the Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group.

While there’s a lot of ambiguity in this regard, speculations are rife that the aforementioned regulatory timeline is when the vaccine would be administered. Credible reports suggest that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine is being shopped in special insulated containers that are similar in the size of a carry-on suitcase. The vaccine must be stored at sub-zero temperatures.

Front-line health care workers will be at the top of the list while deciding upon who gets the vaccine first. In October, as per a recent report, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine etched out a common goal to plan out fair distribution which is being used as a guideline by the CDC committee.

The power for the final go-ahead however lies within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The ACIP reportedly takes the official call on the distribution-related aspects of the vaccine but isn’t permitted to make a recommendation before the authorization of the vaccine comes through. Hence, December 12 is when a meeting is likely to be carried out. Immunizations are likely to come through post voting and approval.

In keeping with the calculations, it is likely for the first batch of the COVID-19 vaccine to be administered on Dec. 13.