US Expects 1st Shipments of Pfizer's COVID-19 Vaccine on 15 December, Reports Suggest

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The United States expects the first shipments of coronavirus vaccines from pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and Moderna on 15 December and 22 December, respectively, CNN reported, citing a document from task force Operation Warp Speed.

The dates are contingent on the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) emergency use authorisation of the two vaccines.

According to the document, the FDA's vaccines advisory committee is set to meet on 10 December to review Pfizer's data and make a recommendation to the watchdog about whether to authorise the jabs.

The FDA and CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices will then have a four-day window to make a final decision.

Thus, the first Pfizer vaccine doses are expected on 15 December.

As for Moderna's vaccine, an FDA committee meeting will consider it on 17 December. It will be followed by a four-day review, which will pave the way for first shipments on 22 December.

CNN added that official forecasts expect an estimated 22.5 million doses of the Pfizer and 18 million doses of the Moderna vaccine will be produced in December.