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(CNN) – The distribution of Moderna’s covid-19 vaccine will be “typical” and will not require special handling or storage, the company’s chief medical officer told CNN on Sunday.
Moderna’s vaccine should be shipped and stored at -20 degrees Celsius, or approximately the temperature of a home freezer. Other vaccines, such as chickenpox, must also be delivered at that temperature.
“From a distribution point of view, I don’t think our vaccine poses unique challenges,” said Dr. Tal Zaks. “Our vaccine does not require any unusual infrastructure.”
LOOK: How do the different vaccines against the coronavirus work? Here a look
The company said it will apply for an emergency use authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration on Monday. The agency is scheduled to meet with its advisory committee on December 17 to review the application.
The federal government, which has contracted with McKesson, a medical distribution company, will handle the distribution of Moderna’s vaccine, Zaks said.
«We are working closely with [Operation Warp Speed] and the [Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades de EE.UU.] to prepare for that once we hopefully have the emergency use authorization, ”he said, adding that the distribution will involve both trucks and planes.
When people receive the Moderna vaccine, they will be given instructions on how to report any side effects, Zaks said.
Patients will receive phone numbers from both the company and the FDA to make those reports, so Moderna can track any adverse reactions once the vaccine is on the market. In clinical trials, some study subjects experienced symptoms such as body aches and fatigue, but without serious side effects, according to the company.
Moderna’s covid-19 vaccine was designed in just two days
Covid-19 vaccine maker Moderna designed its novel coronavirus vaccine in just two days.
On January 11, Chinese authorities shared the genetic sequence of the new coronavirus, according to Moderna’s website. Two days later, on January 13, the infectious disease research team at the National Institutes of Health and Moderna finalized the sequence of mRNA-1273, the formal name for the company’s covid-19 vaccine.
The company then went on to formulate a clinical batch, according to a company spokesperson.
