SACRAMENTO, Calif. — During a press conference on Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Californians could receive the first batch of the coronavirus vaccine as early as Tuesday, Dec. 15.
It’s expected that 327,000 doses from Pfizer will be available with the first round of vaccines that arrive in California.
“We expect the Moderna FDA approval, or the discussion of it, a week later,” Newsom said.
As vaccines from other companies and distributors get approval, Newsom said 2.16 million doses of the vaccine could be distributed in California by the end of the year. The first people to get the vaccine will be primarily high-risk healthcare workers. The state’s Community Vaccine Advisory Committee made that decision last week. It was the first step in their 6-step plan to distribute the vaccine.
Step 2 of the plan is reviewing vaccine orders made by individual county health departments after a public forum on vaccine allocation this week.
“The state is reviewing those orders. Then we will submit them to the CDC,” Newsom said.
Step 3 and 4 involve the process of preparing and filling those orders. As of now, the state is preparing for two types of vaccines – one coming first from Pfizer and the second from Moderna. Each vaccine requires what’s called cold-chain delivery.
“One requires cold storage, the other ultra-cold storage,” Newsom said.
Step 5 involves logistics of vaccine delivery. Shipping companies like UPS and FedEx will drop off the vaccine to hospitals and vaccine providers who already have approved cold-chain storage units. To increase storage capacity, the state has purchased additional cold storage units for providers to use.
“We will see delivery of those units by the end of this month or early January,” Newsom said.
Step 6 is administering the vaccine. Once again, this first batch will go to medical professionals and high-risk people, like those at assisted living facilities. For now, mask and social distancing rules will remain in place, even after people received their vaccination. Experts still don’t know if people who are vaccinated can spread the virus.
6 steps in vaccine process
STEP 1a – (Completed) Community Vaccine Advisory Committee planned. Enrolling providers, Making prioritization guidelines. Made the plan who gets first doses.
STEP 1b – (Wednesday) Community Vaccine Advisory Committee discuss allocation of vaccine. Public can watch here. https://covid19.ca.gov/
STEP 2 – State is Reviewing local Public Health Dept. vaccine orders. State will then then submit orders to CDC.
STEP 3 – CDC will receive, and review vaccine orders then submit the orders to distributors.
STEP 4 – Orders fulfillment. Vaccine prepare for shipping from distribution center to CA Providers ( 2 different types of vaccines one from Pfizer on Moderna one vaccine requires ultra-cold storage the other just cold storage)
STEP 5 – Logistics of shipping. UPS, FedEx, DHL will transport vaccine directly to providers and maintaining cold-chain requirements for transport. No vaccines will be stored at state facilities.
STEP6 – Providers receive Vaccine, store them according to cold-chain requirements and administer vaccine to patients.
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