Officials from the Defense Department and the Department of Health and Human Services are holding a briefing on the distribution of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine on Saturday morning. The briefing comes after the Food and Drug Administration authorized the vaccine for emergency use on Friday evening.
The briefing will be held by top officials involved with Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration’s effort to produce and distribute a vaccine:
- Army General Gustave Perna, the chief operating officer of Operation Warp Speed
- Dr. Moncef Slaoui, chief advisor to Operation Warp Speed
- HHS Secretary Alex Azar
How to watch the COVID-19 vaccine briefing today
- What: The Defense Department and the Department of Health and Human Services host a briefing on COVID-19 vaccine distribution
- Date: Saturday, December 19, 2020
- Time: 10:30 a.m. ET
- Online stream: Live on CBSN in the player above or on your mobile streaming device
The Moderna vaccine has been authorized for people aged 18 or older. Six million initial doses will soon be shipped out across the country.
“With the availability of two vaccines now for the prevention of COVID-19, the FDA has taken another crucial step in the fight against this global pandemic that is causing vast numbers of hospitalizations and deaths in the United States each day,” FDA Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn said in a press release announcing the decision.
The Moderna vaccine is expected to be about 94.1% effective, similar to Pfizer’s vaccine, which was approved last week. But unlike Pfizer’s vaccine, Moderna’s does not need to be stored at sub-zero temperatures.
