Boost in supplies seen as Covid vaccine stocks fall short of promises

Fri, 23 Apr 2021

Boost in supplies seen as Covid vaccine stocks fall short of promises

Robert Besser
25 Feb 2021, 14:38 GMT+10

Moderna has announced that it will place 15 doses in the same-size COVID-19 vaccine vials now permitted to hold 10.
The plan will allow Moderna to boost production and delivery of the vaccine at a faster pace.
The U.S. hoped to have 200 million doses in stock by the end of March, but Pfizer and Moderna have only shipped a combined 72 million doses.

WASHINGTON, DC - Moderna has announced, following approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, that it will place 15 doses in the same-size COVID-19 vaccine vials now permitted to hold 10.

Currently, one vial of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine can inoculate five people with the two dose requirement. The new plan would boost its effectiveness to 15 doses per vial. The plan will also allow Moderna to boost production and delivery of the vaccine at a faster pace, while reducing pressure in the manufacturing process.

The U.S. now faces a shortage of vaccines. While it was hoped to have 200 million doses in stock by the end of March, in fact, Pfizer and Moderna have only shipped a combined 72 million doses. Officials in a number of states have expressed their dissatisfaction at not being able to receive adequate amounts of the vaccine.

President Joe Biden reportedly declared in mid-February that his administration had negotiated agreements with Pfizer and Moderna for 600 million doses of the COVID-19 two-shot vaccines, enough to inoculate 300 million people.

In written testimony submitted prior to the hearing, Pfizer also said it will increase supplies of the COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks, shipping some 13 million doses on a weekly basis by mid-March.

Watch latest videos

News RELEASES

Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Colorado Star.

More Information

45 ℉

Partly Cloudy in Aurora/Buckley Afb

International Business

Section

UN agency voices concern over shutdown of major Libyan oil

Tripoli [Libya], April 23 (ANI/Xinhua): The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Thursday expressed concern over the recent ...

Heritage Trust Fund: 'I'm left high and dry' - Tokyo Sexwale

Tokyo Sexwale insisted the Heritage Trust Fund was real, despite National Treasury and the Reserve Bank saying he had been ...

US Unemployment Claims Reach Lowest in Over a Year

WASHINGTON - U.S. unemployment compensation claims dropped again last week to their lowest level in more than a year, the ...

US weekly jobless claims decline further

The latest data raises expectations for another month of blockbuster job growth in April.It was the second straight week that ...

Asia markets rebound after Wall Street rally

Asia markets clawed back the week's losses on Thursday after Wall Street broke a two-day dip overnight that had been ...

Dredging in Naboc River costs zero peso to govt

DAVAO DE ORO, April 21 (PIA) - Dredging activities in the Naboc River in Monkayo, Davao de Oro as part ...

US

Section

U.S. to leave Afghanistan in state of war

An Afghan taxi-driver in Vancouver told one of us a decade ago that this day would come. "We defeated the ...

Slowdown in demand causes Iowa counties to turn away more vaccines

DES MOINES, Iowa: As the number of Iowa residents who have been vaccinated against Covid rises, the demand has fallen ...

Concerns over Covid causes U.S. to urge not traveling to 80% or world

WASHINGTON D.C.: Citing the need to protect U.S. citizens from contracting the Coronavirus, the U.S. State Department said on April ...

Power industry says will slash carbon emissions by 80%

WASHINGTON D.C.: A group of 13 American power companies wrote to President Joe Biden this week urging him to enact ...

Expect Covid booster after one year, says Pfizer CEO

NEW YORK, New York: Those who have been inoculated against COVID-19 with the Pfizer vaccine will likely need a third ...

American woman dies at 115, had 193 grand, great grandchildren

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina - Hester McCardell Ford, age 115 to 116 and believed to be the oldest living person in ...

Movie Review

Beverly Hills Cop III