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First Doses Of First Covid Vaccine For Washington Expected In Mid-December

Pfizer

Washington state health officials say they expect to receive their first shipment of the first Covid vaccine by mid-December. That’s if a federal committee approves the vaccine produced by Pfizer when it meets on December 10.

Michele Roberts is in charge of vaccine planning for the Department of Health. She says the state has been told it will receive about 62,000 doses in that first shipment and 200,000 by the end of the month.

"Regular shipments will begin in January. We do not have an estimate yet on the Moderna vaccine. We expect to learn more after they submit their application for an emergency use authorization to the FDA," she said.

Roberts says if the federal committee authorizes the Pfizer vaccine for emergency use, there will be one more step before it will become available in Washington. She says a group of scientists from several Western states has been formed to review the vaccine and offer its own recommendation for safety and effectiveness. She estimates that process would take a day or two.