UC Davis Health is laying out its COVID-19 vaccine distribution and storage plan to the public as it’s poised to receive its first batch of Pfizer vaccines as early as Monday.UC Davis Health says it has not been told how much of the vaccine will be delivered in the first shipment or exactly when it will arrive, but it’s among at least seven California hospitals scheduled to receive the first allotment. An outside advisory group to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday endorsed the vaccine, clearing the way for the FDA to soon authorize Pfizer’s vaccine for emergency use.Gov. Gavin Newsom has said that California will independently review COVID-19 vaccines approved by the FDA before distribution happens in the state. It’s not clear how long that will take.Here’s the UC Davis Health plan that’s been laid out:How the vaccine is getting to SacramentoThe vaccines are being transported from a Pfizer distribution center to Sacramento in specially designed, temperature-controlled thermal shippers that use dry ice to maintain recommended storage temperature conditions. The vaccine vials will then be taken to a secure freezer for storage. Who gets the vaccine first UC Davis Health says it will then begin immunizing a limited number of UC Davis Medical Center employees.Priority for staff and employee vaccinations is based on the risk of COVID-19 infection associated with people’s job duties. In the emergency department, for example, custodial workers, physicians, nurses, first responders and clerks are among the job classifications included in the top tier for vaccination priority. “We are prepared to inoculate up to 400 employees per day, depending on the availability of supplies and other factors,” UC Davis Health said in a news release.As vaccines from other manufacturers become available, UC Davis Health says it will continue to give the vaccine to more employees.How it will be storedUC Davis Health says it has “ample” storage for the first allotment of vaccines.The medical center’s storage space for the Pfizer vaccine includes a freezer that is similar in size to a large residential refrigerator/freezer and can hold vials containing 150,000 doses.Each vial holds five doses of vaccine, which must be administered within 48 hours of being thawed.More freezers are expected to be delivered in the coming weeks. UC Davis Health is one of 150 sites worldwide that is participating in the clinical trial for the Pfizer vaccine.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
UC Davis Health is laying out its COVID-19 vaccine distribution and storage plan to the public as it’s poised to receive its first batch of Pfizer vaccines as early as Monday.
UC Davis Health says it has not been told how much of the vaccine will be delivered in the first shipment or exactly when it will arrive, but it’s among at least seven California hospitals scheduled to receive the first allotment.
An outside advisory group to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday endorsed the vaccine, clearing the way for the FDA to soon authorize Pfizer’s vaccine for emergency use.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has said that California will independently review COVID-19 vaccines approved by the FDA before distribution happens in the state. It’s not clear how long that will take.
Here’s the UC Davis Health plan that’s been laid out:
How the vaccine is getting to Sacramento
The vaccines are being transported from a Pfizer distribution center to Sacramento in specially designed, temperature-controlled thermal shippers that use dry ice to maintain recommended storage temperature conditions.
The vaccine vials will then be taken to a secure freezer for storage.
Who gets the vaccine first
UC Davis Health says it will then begin immunizing a limited number of UC Davis Medical Center employees.
Priority for staff and employee vaccinations is based on the risk of COVID-19 infection associated with people’s job duties.
In the emergency department, for example, custodial workers, physicians, nurses, first responders and clerks are among the job classifications included in the top tier for vaccination priority.
“We are prepared to inoculate up to 400 employees per day, depending on the availability of supplies and other factors,” UC Davis Health said in a news release.
As vaccines from other manufacturers become available, UC Davis Health says it will continue to give the vaccine to more employees.
How it will be stored
UC Davis Health says it has “ample” storage for the first allotment of vaccines.
The medical center’s storage space for the Pfizer vaccine includes a freezer that is similar in size to a large residential refrigerator/freezer and can hold vials containing 150,000 doses.
Each vial holds five doses of vaccine, which must be administered within 48 hours of being thawed.
More freezers are expected to be delivered in the coming weeks.
UC Davis Health is one of 150 sites worldwide that is participating in the clinical trial for the Pfizer vaccine.