The first federally approved coronavirus vaccines were injected into American arms Monday, a landmark moment as the nation struggles to contain a virus that's killed almost 300,000 Americans.
Sandra Lindsay, an ICU nurse, was the first person in New York State to receive the shot, which was livestreamed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
The Covid-19 vaccine, developed by German company BioNTech and its United States partner Pfizer, was given emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration on Friday night.
Trucks departed Pfizer's plant in Portage, Michigan, on Sunday and the company expects to deliver 2.9 million doses to 636 predetermined locations by the end of this week.
This marks the start of a colossal logistical challenge, with cargo trucks and planes fanning out across the country. All the while, these vaccines must be kept at minus 94 Fahrenheit, transported to their destination in specialist boxes packed with dry ice.
"We now believe that the first individuals will be vaccinated here in the commonwealth tomorrow morning," Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said in a statement Sunday. "We are less than 24 hours away from the beginning of the end of this virus."
