Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
First Moderna Shots Expected To Be Administered Today
Stat: FDA Grants Authorization To Moderna's Covid-19 Vaccine
And now there are two. The Food and Drug Administration on Friday issued an emergency authorization for a Covid-19 vaccine developed by Moderna, the second such vaccine to be cleared in the United States. Inoculations should begin within days, as was the case following last week’s authorization of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech. (Herper, 12/18)
Seattle Times: Gov. Jay Inslee Announces Western States’ Approval Of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine
The Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup has authorized use of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, Gov. Jay Inslee announced Sunday. The vaccine won emergency approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday and the first shipments are expected to arrive in Washington this week. Moderna’s vaccine is the second to gain approval from the FDA and the work group comprised of vaccine experts from Washington, Oregon, California and Nevada. (Rietmulder, 12/20)
NBC News: First Shipments Of Moderna Vaccine Roll Out, A New Weapon In U.S. Covid-19 Response
Distribution for Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine began on Sunday, just two days after the Food and Drug Administration authorized it for emergency use. Moderna’s vaccine distribution means the U.S. now has two vaccines in its arsenal to fight the pandemic that has infected more than 17.7 million Americans and claimed more than 317,000 lives. (Kesslen, 12/20)
Courier-Journal: Moderna Coronavirus Vaccines Arrive At Louisville UPS Worldport
Two truckloads filled with "hundreds" of boxes filled with doses (UPS could not say how many) stopped at the UPS Worldport early Sunday, and officials said a third could arrive later in the day. One delivery from the shipment will be taken to a location in Louisville, they added, while the others were set to be sent to other cities. Moderna's vaccine is similar to the vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech, which was flown into Louisville last week to be shipped around the country and was made available to a number of local health care workers Monday. That experience came in handy Sunday, as UPS spokesman Jim Mayer said handling practices for workers at the facility do not differ between the two vaccines. (Aulbach, 12/20)
Fox Business: FedEx Begins Shipping Second COVID-19 Vaccine, With First Moderna Shots Expected Monday
FedEx began shipping the second coronavirus vaccine candidate to earn emergency authorization in the U.S. after Moderna, a Massachusetts-based biotech company, received the authorization for its vaccine candidate from an FDA advisory panel on Thursday. Employees at a factory in the Memphis area and a facility in Olive Branch, Mississippi were boxing up the vaccine developed by Moderna Inc. and the National Institutes of Health. (Fordham, 12/20)
CBS News: First Shipments Of Moderna's Coronavirus Vaccine Begin Distribution In The U.S.
Initial shipments of the second coronavirus vaccine authorized in the U.S. left a distribution center Sunday, a desperately needed boost as the nation works to bring the coronavirus pandemic under control. The trucks left the factory in the Memphis area with the vaccine developed by Moderna Inc. and the National Institutes of Health. The much-needed shots are expected to be given starting Monday, just three days after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized their emergency rollout. (12/20)
