
The Moderna Covid-19 vaccine will be going to more sites than the Pfizer vaccine, partly due to the fact that it can be accommodated in more places, US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said during an Operation Warp Speed news briefing Monday.
"This first wave of Moderna shipments will be sent to more than 3,500 sites, a greater number than the Pfizer vaccine was sent to, in part because the Moderna vaccine can be accommodated in more sites, including harder-to-reach and more rural places," Azar said.
"As we move forward, states will continue to adjust where they want these doses shipped to meet their needs," he added.
Azar also spoke about recommendations from the US Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which made more recommendations about who should get the vaccine next.
The committee voted 13-1 on Sunday to prioritize adults ages 75 and older and frontline essential workers to receive Covid-19 vaccines in Phase 1b of allocation. The committee vote also included prioritizing adults ages 65 to 75, people ages 16 to 64 who have high-risk medical conditions, and other essential workers in Phase 1c of allocation.
"Those recommendations are there for states and other public health jurisdictions to use," Azar said. "We believe that these jurisdictions and their leaders are in the best position to understand their specific needs and allocate vaccines in these early days to save the most lives possible."