CORONAVIRUS
First Shipment Of COVID-19 Vaccines To Arrive In Utah Monday
Dec 11, 2020, 9:52 PM
Pfizer says it's COVID-19 vaccine is 100% effective in kids 12 to 15. (Justin Tallis-Pool/Getty Images)
(Justin Tallis-Pool/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Officials with the Utah Department of Health confirmed the first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines will arrive in the Beehive State on Monday.
Health officials said a second shipment will arrive on Tuesday.
The announcement comes after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the nation’s first COVID-19 vaccine Friday night.
.@UtahDepOfHealth has received notice from the CDC that Utah’s first shipment of #COVID19 vaccine will arrive on Monday, with a second shipment arriving Tuesday.
— State of Utah COVID-19 Response (@UtahCoronavirus) December 12, 2020
Thousands of doses will be sent to Utah hospitals, which will manage the distribution. Vaccines will be distributed between five ultra-cold freezers at Utah’s largest hospitals.
Dr. Russell Findlay with University of Utah Health said the Pfizer vaccine must be shipped in dry ice and stored at -70 degrees Fahrenheit.
“There are a lot of details involved in making sure that the handling and storage requirements are met to a T. It has to be correct. We have no margin for error,” he said.
Earlier this week, Governor Gary Herbert said Utah’s hospital workers will be the first to get the shots, with teachers and school staff not far behind.
