Washington: Hours after approving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, the US government placed an order to secure 100 million more doses from Moderna.
Earlier, the US had decided against ordering beyond 100 million doses of Pfizer vaccine so that other countries can have access to it. 20 million doses are expected to be administered by December-end.
The US on Friday became the 6th country to approve the vaccine after UK, Bahrain, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Mexico. The virus has taken 3 lakh lives in the US.
Both Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines are based on mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) and require storing at -70 and -20 degrees Celcius respectively.
US President Donald Trump announced that the vaccine will be administered within next 24 hours.
“Today, our nation has achieved a medical miracle. We have delivered a safe and effective vaccine in just 9 months. This is one of the greatest scientific accomplishments in history. It will save millions of lives and end the pandemic once and for all. The Pfizer vaccine is over 95% effective, far exceeding expectations. This vaccine will be free for all Americans. We have already begun shipping the vaccine to every state and zip code in the country. The first vaccine will be administered in less than 24 hours,” Trump said.
Health workers are expected to get the first shots.
Over 15 lakh people have died worldwide because of the coronavirus.
