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 If regulators approve any of the vaccines in coming weeks, the
companies have said distribution could begin almost immediately with
governments around the world to decide who gets them and in what
order. The following is an outline of the process:
WHEN WILL COMPANIES ROLL OUT A VACCINE?
Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca have already started manufacturing
their vaccines. This year, Pfizer said it will have enough to
inoculate 25 million people, Moderna will have enough for 10 million
people and AstraZeneca will have enough for more than 100 million
people.
The U.S. Department of Defense and the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) will manage distribution in the United States,
likely starting in mid-December with an initial release of 6.4
million doses nationwide.
UK health authorities plan to roll out an approved vaccine as
quickly as possible, also expected in December.
In the European Union, it is up to each country in the 27-member
bloc to start distributing vaccines to their populations.
WHO WOULD GET AN APPROVED VACCINE AND WHEN IN THE UNITED STATES?
Upon authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the
CDC has said first in line for vaccinations would be about 21
million healthcare workers and 3 million residents in long-term care
facilities.
Essential workers, a group of 87 million people who do crucial work
in jobs that cannot be done from home, are the likely next group.
This includes firefighters, police, school employees, transportation
workers, food and agriculture workers and food service employees.
Around 100 million adults with high-risk medical conditions and 53
million adults over the age of 65, also considered at higher risk of
severe disease, are the next priority.
U.S. public health officials said vaccines will be generally
available to most Americans in pharmacies, clinics and doctors
offices starting in April so that anyone who wants a shot can have
one by the end of June.
It is unclear when a vaccine will be available for children. Pfizer
and BioNTech have started testing their vaccine in volunteers as
young as 12.
WHEN WILL A VACCINE BE AVAILABLE IN OTHER COUNTRIES?
The European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada and Australia
are all running rapid vaccine regulatory processes.
Many of AstraZeneca's doses this year are expected to go to the
United Kingdom, where health officials have said that if approved
they could begin vaccinating people in December. At the top of their
list is people living and working in care homes.
In Europe, the E.U. drugs regulator has said it could rule on the
safety of a COVID-19 vaccine in December.
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Most countries have said the first vaccines will go to the elderly and
vulnerable and frontline workers like doctors.
Countries say they are buying vaccines via the European Commission's joint
procurement scheme, which has deals for six different vaccines and nearly 2
billion doses.
Delivery timelines vary and most countries are still drawing up plans for
distributing and administering shots.
Italy expects to receive the first deliveries of the Pfizer-BioNTech shot and
AstraZeneca's shot early next year. Spain plans to give vaccines in January.
In Bulgaria, the country's chief health inspector expects the first shipments in
March-April. Hungary's foreign minister said doses will land in the spring at
the earliest.
Germany, home to BioNTech, expects to roll out shots in early 2021 with mass
vaccination centers in exhibition halls, airport terminals and concert venues.
It will also use mobile teams for care homes. Front-line healthcare workers and
people at risk for serious COVID-19 are expected to get inoculated first.
WHEN WILL DEVELOPING COUNTRIES HAVE ACCESS TO VACCINES?
COVAX, a program led by the World Health Organization and the GAVI vaccine group
to pool funds from wealthier countries and nonprofits to buy and distribute
vaccines to dozens of poorer countries, has raised $2 billion.
Its first goal is to vaccinate 3% of the people in these countries with a final
goal of reaching 20%. It has signed a provisional agreement to buy AstraZeneca's
vaccine, which does not require storage in specialized ultra cold equipment like
the Pfizer vaccine.
It is expected but not certain that less wealthy countries in Africa and South
East Asia, such as India, will receive vaccines at low or no cost under this
program in 2021. Other countries such as those in Latin America may buy vaccines
through COVAX. Several are also striking supply deals with drugmakers.
HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?
Vaccine makers and governments have negotiated varying prices, not all of which
are public. Governments have paid from a few dollars per AstraZeneca shot to up
to $50 for the two-dose Pfizer regimen. Many countries have said they will cover
the cost of inoculating their residents.
(Reporting by Carl O'Donnell and Julie Steenhuysen; Additional reporting by
Michael Erman in New York, Caroline Copley in Berlin, Francesco Gaurascio in
Brussels, Josephine Mason in London, Krisztina Than in Budapest and Tsvetelia
Tsolova in Sofia; Editing by Caroline Humer and Bill Berkrot)
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