COVID-19 vaccines en route to KC metro

It's a turning point in the fight against COVID-19 as shipments of the Pfizer vaccine are being shipped throughout the United States.

The first doses of the vaccine are expected in the Kansas City metro later this week.

WE HAVE TEAMCOVERAGE ON WHAT YOUCAN EXPECT HERE IN THEMETRO.WE BEGIN WITH 41 ACTIONNEWS REPORTER NICKSTARLING, WHO SHOWSUS HOW MISSOURI ANDKANSAS ARE PREPARINGFOR THE VACCINE IN THECOMING DAYS.THE FIRST DOSES OF THEVACCINE have taken OFFACROSS THE COUNTRY.IT'S A MONUMENTALMOMENT IN ERADICATINGTHE VIRUS.THE FIRST TO RECEIVE THEVACCINE IN THE METROARE FRONT-LINE STAFF ATHOSPITALS AND THENPEOPLE LIVING IN LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES ASTHEY ARE HIGHEST ATRISK.Dr. Lee Norman, Secretary of theKansas Department of Health andEnvironmentProbably on Monday orTuesday we will be getting thevaccine and then startingWednesday or Thursdaygetting it to localities wherethey can start givingimmunizations into people'sarms.THE VACCINE WILL COMEFROM SEVERALDISTRIBUTION CENTERSIDENTIFIED BY OPERATIONWARP SPEED.

KANSAS ISEXPECTING 150,000 DOSESOF THE VACCINE ANDMISSOURI 339-THOUSANDBY THE END OF THE WEEK.Richard W.

Smith, RegionalPresident, Americas andExecutiveVice President of GlobalSupport,FedEx ExpressOur goal is to move COVID-19vaccine shipments as safelyand quickly as possible wewant to get them to thecommunities in need as fastas we can.SHIPPING THE VACCINEHAS ITS CHALLENGES--THEPFIZER VACCINE NEEDS BETO STORED AT 94-DEGREES BELOW ZERO.WHILE TRANSPORTING THEVACCINE--FEDEX is usingTHESE DEEP-FREEZECOOLERS.PHARMACIES WILLADMINISTER THE VACCINETO NURSING HOMES ANDSENIOR LIVING FACILITES.Larry Merlo, CEO of CVS HealthThis is a process that is notnew for us.

We have servicedlong term care facilities formany years now, as you thinkabout conducting clinics forthe seasonal flu shot."BUT THERE'S A LOT OFSECRECY SWIRLINGAROUND WHEN THEVACCINE WILL BE SHIPPEDHERE AND WHERE ITWILL BE STORED-THAT'SFOR SECURITY REASONS.Dr. Lee Norman, Secretary of theKansas Department of Health andEnvironmentThey're not real enthusiasticabout saying where they arestrategic stockpiles are norare we saying a lot aboutwhere they will arrive in thestate of Kansas or the state ofMissouri and the reason is justoperation security we want tokeep our strategic stockpileskind of under wraps a little bitjust so it doesn't cause a lotofpublic attention.THESE SHIPMENTS OFFERA GLIMMER OF LIGHT INTHIS LONG BATTLE WITHCOVID-19--BUT it will still bea while BEFORE THEGENERAL PUBLIC CANvaccinated.REPORTING IN KANSASCITYNI