New Jersey could receive its first shipment of Covid-19 vaccines in late December.
What We Know:
- Pfizer stated Friday morning that it would present an Emergency Use Authorization request to the FDA for its COVID-19 vaccine. Earlier this week, the company said a final report of trial results showed the vaccine is 95% effective.
- Pfizer’s two-shot vaccine has already been in bulk production for months, and thousands of doses will be ready for distribution if and when the FDA approves. Pfizer said it’s on the path to producing 50 million doses of the vaccine by the end of 2020 and plans to make 1.3 billion doses of the vaccine in 2021.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy stated, “Should this application be approved and should this be approved, we would then expect that our first shipment of roughly 130,000 doses would arrive in the state around Christmas time with more to follow.”
- “Operation Warp Speed” stated the federal government’s plan for administering the vaccine. Upon authorization, the drug will initially be proportioned for high-risk populations and health care workers.
- Murphy has drawn his own robust vaccination administration plan, aiming to reach 70% of the state’s population. Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli stated back in October that such an attempt would need about 81,000 vaccinations over five days.
- Governor Murphy mentioned, “We have to get into a different mindset for next six weeks. We have to put the health, our health, and the health of our loved ones and our communities before our want to party and celebrate.”
- With the vaccine apparently around the corner, officials warn now is not the time to let your guard down, but double down on your safety efforts.
The governor states all options are on the table regarding further restrictions if the spread continues at a continuously high rate.
