The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Defense are holding a public briefing with Operation Warp Speed on COVID-19 vaccine distribution Saturday. The Food and Drug Administration on Friday authorized Pfizer’s vaccine for emergency use, the go-ahead to start delivering nearly three million doses of the vaccine across the country.
Frontline medical workers and residents of long-term care facilities will be the first to get the vaccine, and could receive it as early as Monday.
How to watch COVID-19 vaccine distribution briefing today
- What: Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Defense hold a briefing with Operation Warp Speed on COVID-19 vaccine distribution.
- Date: December 12, 2020
- Time: 11:30 a.m. ET
- Location: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Online stream: Live on CBSN in the player above and on your mobile or streaming device
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said the vaccines will ship via UPS and FedEx. UPS says the process has already begun, and it has already shipped vaccine kits with supplies including syringes, masks and a diluting agent for the Pfizer vaccine, which will be used to administer the drug.
U.S. Marshals will protect the vaccine as it travels in Pfizer’s specially built deep-freeze “suitcases” to nearly 600 sites nationwide.
Deputies will be stationed at several points in the distribution process to protect storage stockpiles, manufacturers, transports, and receiving facilities. The agency is responsible for disseminating medical materials and pharmaceuticals to the American people in a time of crisis, according to the Strategic National Stockpile Security Operations Program.
Note: Streaming plans are subject to change
