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Over 16 Million COVID-19 Cases in the US... Government Announces "First Vaccine Arriving from the 14th"

Arrival at 636 Locations Across the U.S. from 14th to 16th
Total of 3 Million Doses... Vaccinations May Begin as Early as the 14th

Over 16 Million COVID-19 Cases in the US... Government Announces "First Vaccine Arriving from the 14th" [Image source=AP Yonhap News]


[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] The U.S. government announced on the 12th that the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine will begin arriving across the United States starting on the 14th (local time). The cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. has surpassed 16 million.


According to the Associated Press and others, General Gustave Perna, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the U.S. government's COVID-19 vaccine development program "Operation Warp Speed," stated at a briefing that "once delivery companies UPS and FedEx begin shipments, Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine will start arriving at 145 delivery sites nationwide from the morning of the 14th." He added that on the 15th, vaccines will arrive at 425 sites, and on the 16th, at 66 sites.


Accordingly, emergency vaccinations are expected to begin as early as the 14th in some regions. The initial supply of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines in the U.S. amounts to a total of 3 million doses, with healthcare workers and long-term care facility residents prioritized for vaccination. However, the AP reported that it remains unclear who will receive the first vaccinations. General Perna explained that health authorities will make that decision.


Earlier, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the emergency use of the COVID-19 vaccine jointly developed by U.S. pharmaceutical company Pfizer and German company BioNTech, and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommended its use.


The vaccine doses will be distributed within the next three weeks to vaccination facilities designated by each state government, including local pharmacies. The initial supply will be transported from Pfizer's factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to regional logistics hubs by truck and airplane, then forwarded to their destinations. Since the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine requires ultra-cold storage, it will be transported using dry ice and special containers. Sensors capable of real-time monitoring of location and temperature will also be attached.


COO Perna compared the start of vaccine transportation to "D-Day," the Normandy landings during World War II, saying, "D-Day was the beginning of the end, and today we have reached that point." He emphasized that months of work remain ahead and stressed, "With diligence, courage, and strength, we will ultimately achieve victory."


Meanwhile, despite the approval of the COVID-19 vaccine, the number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. has exceeded 16 million. The previous day saw new records set again for daily new cases and deaths. According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, on the 11th, the U.S. recorded 231,775 new COVID-19 cases, the highest since the pandemic began. The previous record was 227,828 cases on the 4th. The number of deaths also reached 3,309 on the 11th alone, surpassing the previous highest daily death toll of 3,124 on the 9th.


CNN reported, "The seven-day average of daily new infections reached a record high of 210,764, and the seven-day average of daily deaths also hit a pandemic high of 2,359."


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