MEMPHIS, Tenn.–The CEO of FedEx and Vice President Mike Pence said Americans can find hope in the coronavirus vaccine when they both spoke in Memphis, Tennessee Thursday afternoon.
Pence said he expects vaccines to begin shipping within 24 hours of approval from the Food and Drug Administration, and the first doses could be administered within 24 hours of distribution.
“It’s an amazing thing. Because of the great work of our research companies, our pharmaceutical companies, and because of our great partnership with FedEx and other great companies around the country, help is on the way,” said Pence.
FedEx has been getting ready for the distribution of the vaccine for months.
“Every single person, all of my business partners, and all 600,000 of us have no higher priority than to have get these vaccines delivered on time and to the right locations,” said Fred Smith, founder, chairman, and CEO of FedEx.
Health and Human Services Secretary and former Eli Lilly Executive Alex Azar said the first week’s allocation includes 6.4 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine followed by 40 million doses — enough for 20 million Americans — at the end of December.
Pfizer and Moderna have submitted their vaccines for emergency use authorization, which could be approved before Christmas.
