US COVID Vaccine Delivery Operation Begins... Trump and White House Top Officials to Receive Priority Vaccination (Comprehensive)

FDA followed by CDC approval... All administrative procedures for vaccination completed
Transportation started to 636 distribution sites nationwide following ultra-fast operation
Trump, Pence and White House top officials to be vaccinated from the 14th

On the 13th (local time), employees of the American transportation company UPS are moving a container containing Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine that arrived at Louisville International Airport in Kentucky, USA. The vaccine, whose first shipment began on this day from Pfizer's manufacturing plant in Kalamazoo, Michigan, started being delivered to 636 destinations across the United States via aircraft operated by transportation companies such as UPS and FedEx. Louisville, USA = Photo by Reuters and Yonhap News Agency

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] As the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the U.S. pharmaceutical company Pfizer arrives across the United States, the countdown to vaccinations began on the 14th (local time). The vaccine is being administered to approximately 2.9 million priority recipients, and White House leaders including President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence plan to receive the vaccine soon. U.S. health authorities plan to vaccinate over 100 million Americans by March next year.

Moncef Slaoui, the chief of the U.S. government's 'Operation Warp Speed,' stated in an interview with Fox News on the 13th, "The initial distribution of vaccines will cover about 2.9 million doses, which will be sequentially delivered to 636 distribution sites nationwide by the 16th," adding, "Starting vaccinations on the 14th, we plan to vaccinate 100 million people by March next year." He further added, "We hope to achieve a vaccination rate of 75-80% between May and June next year to establish herd immunity."

Vaccine supply was officially launched as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced approval for Pfizer's vaccine following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The day before, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended approval of the Pfizer vaccine with 11 votes in favor, 0 against, and 3 abstentions, which the CDC accepted. ACIP's recommendation and CDC approval are essential for the use of the new vaccine. The Associated Press reported that all official approval procedures by U.S. health authorities for vaccine distribution and administration have been completed.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the morning of the same day, trucks loaded with the first batch of Pfizer vaccines began transportation from the Pfizer manufacturing plant in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Workers scanned the vaccine packages and transferred them into frozen containers with dry ice. When the first batch was loaded onto the trucks, employees applauded. Then, three trucks carrying the vaccines moved to Capital Region International Airport in Lansing, Michigan, escorted by security personnel wearing bulletproof vests and riding in pickup trucks. The vaccines were transferred to cargo planes operated by logistics companies such as UPS and FedEx, which were on standby. These vaccines will be distributed to all 50 states and U.S. territories. The allocation by region was based on the adult population of each state. An executive from a UPS partner company said, "Today, we are not just transporting cargo; we are delivering hope."

President Trump and other senior White House officials are expected to be among the first to receive the vaccine. According to the Washington Post (WP) and others, President Trump, Vice President Pence, and senior White House officials plan to complete their vaccinations within ten days starting from the 14th.

This is interpreted as an effort to dispel widespread distrust and fear of side effects related to the vaccine across the United States. It is known that not only the general public but also frontline nurses have a high level of distrust toward the vaccine. According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), a survey conducted by the American Nurses Association (ANA) in October involving 13,000 nurses showed that only 34% of respondents said they would voluntarily get vaccinated. Thirty-six percent said they would not voluntarily get vaccinated, and 31% were uncertain about getting vaccinated. Earlier, the University of Chicago's National Opinion Research Center (NORC) conducted a survey from the 3rd to the 7th of this month with 1,117 Americans, and only 47% responded that they would get vaccinated.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

John Ullyot, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council (NSC), stated in a press release that "senior officials from the executive, legislative, and judicial branches will also be vaccinated according to protocols for the continuous operation of government during a pandemic or catastrophic emergency," emphasizing, "Americans should be confident that they are receiving a safe and effective vaccine based on the advice of public health experts and national security leadership."

The cumulative death toll in the U.S. is approaching 300,000, and the damage continues to expand. According to COVID-19 statistics from Johns Hopkins University, the cumulative confirmed cases in the U.S. stand at 16,226,561, with 299,023 deaths recorded. Since the 8th, daily new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. have exceeded 200,000, with deaths increasing by more than 2,000 daily.

As the surge in COVID-19 patients worsens the shortage of hospital beds, mortality rates among patients with diabetes and hypertension are also rising. The New York Times (NYT) reported, citing CDC data on causes of death in the U.S., that from March 15 to last month 21, deaths from diabetes increased by 15% and deaths from hypertension increased by 11% compared to the same period last year. It explained that the main factor was the healthcare system's inability to function properly due to COVID-19.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.