Pfizer, U.S. strike $2 bln COVID vaccine deal

[NFA] The U.S. government will pay Pfizer nearly $2 billion for 100 million additional doses of its COVID-19 vaccine to bolster its supply as the country grapples with a nationwide spike in infections.

This report produced by Jillian Kitchener.

As the U.S. struggles with a nationwide spike in coronavirus infections, Pfizer on Wednesday said the federal government will pay it $2 billion for an additional 100 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine.

Pfizer will deliver at least 70 million doses by June 30 and the rest no later than July 31 - bringing the total number of doses provided to 200 million for a total price of about $4 billion.

The deal comes after growing concern that the federal government had not done enough to secure the much-needed authorized vaccines – the other produced by drug company Moderna.

In a statement, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar on Wednesday said QUOTE: "This new federal purchase can give Americans even more confidence that we will have enough supply to vaccinate every American who wants it by June 2021.” But how smooth will the rollout be?

More than 600,000 Americans - including hospital staff, nursing home residents and government officials - have received their first COVID-19 vaccine doses, according to the CDC, in tightly controlled environments.

But beginning in January or February, tens of millions of essential frontline workers in a range of industries will be eligible for inoculation.

A panel of independent experts have recommended to the CDC that those workers include: first responders and teachers… as well as food and agriculture, manufacturing, Postal Service, public transit and grocery store employees.

But it’s not clear yet how health departments and pharmacies will verify the identity of a significantly larger and more diverse group of people eligible for the next round of vaccines.

Adding to the monumental task: The criteria to qualify as an essential, frontline worker varies from state to state.