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Added on the 14/01/2021 13:00:00 - Copyright : EFE Inglés
Across the country, some non-healthcare workers are getting their COVID-19 vaccines earlier than expected. In a scattershot practice, non-priority people are getting vaccinated ahead of schedule when pharmacies have extra doses thawed that must be used. Both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines need to be stored at cold temperatures and used within hours of thawing. Business Insider reports the phenomenon occurs when vaccine providers must either throw out extra doses when they expire or give them to random people. In other instances, confusion about the amount of doses per vial and rumors of excess supply have led to mishaps in vaccine allocation. The US federal government hasn't specified what should be done when there are more thawed doses than eligible recipients.
On Wednesday, Pfizer and BioNTech announced having reached a deal with the U.S. government with an additional 100 million doses by July 31. That's up from the initial 100 million doses ordered already. The deal follows a similar extension of doses reached by the U.S. with Moderna for their vaccine. Both vaccines require two doses to be administered. The $2 billion deal calls for at least an additional 70 million doses to be provided to the U.S. by June 30. The remaining 30 million doses needing to be delivered by July 31. It also allows for the U.S. to obtain up to an additional 400 million doses in the future.
The US government has ordered another 100 million doses of Moderna's coronavirus vaccine. This brings the total number of vaccines ordered to 200 million, says Business Insider. If the vaccine receives emergency-use authorization from the FDA, Moderna plans to deliver. The delivery will be for 20 million doses by the end of December with the rest over the start of 2021. The US still has the option to purchase another 300 million doses from Moderna. Everyone who wants the vaccine should be able to get one, timing is the main concern.
The European Union has exported "over one billion" doses of Covid-19 vaccines in the past 10 months, according to the bloc's chief Ursula von der Leyen. SOUNDBITE
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