State Expecting Thousands of Doses of Moderna's COVID-19 Vaccine

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2020 -- 12:06 PM

(WBAY) State officials say they’re expecting thousands of doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine to arrive later this week.

Monday afternoon, Governor Tony Evers announced the state will receive an initial shipment of 16,000 doses, and in the coming weeks, will receive a total of 100,000 doses.

Moderna’s vaccine can be stored in normal freezers, allowing it to be directly shipped to vaccinating units.  Pfizer’s vaccine was taken to “ultra-cold storage freezers” ahead of distribution.

The company had recommended its vaccine be stored in commercially-available low temperature freezers. The freezing process can extend vaccine shelf life for up to six months.

Ahead of receiving Moderna’s vaccine, Governor Evers and state health officials activated the federal government’s long-term care pharmacy distribution program in order to allow on-site vaccination for Wisconsin’s long-term care facility residents and staff.

That distribution program was activated on December 14.  State officials say 29,000 of the 100,000 vaccine doses from Moderna will be reserved for Wisconsin citizens in the program, which is scheduled to begin on December 28.

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