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'We're ready': Tampa General Hospital prepares to take in Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine once approved

With freezers that will be kept at -70 degrees in place, the hospital has the capacity to take in 30,000 vials.

TAMPA, Fla. — While Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine nears approval by the Food and Drug Administration, hospitals across the country are getting ready.

Five Florida hospitals have been selected to get the vaccine first, one of them right here in Tampa Bay. Tampa General Hospital has been preparing for the vials to arrive over the last few weeks. 

"This is like, a moon landing level initiative. This is pretty amazing," said Dr. Jason Wilson, the Associate Medical Director ER at Tampa General Hospital. 

It will be the quickest approval for a vaccine in the U.S., and doctors are anxiously awaiting an emergency approval. Scientists think Pfizer's mRNA vaccine will be the first COVID-19 vaccine to be distributed in the country.

"Everything we've seen so far, even with more data coming out today of what the complete clinical trial actually looks like from Pfizer, we're very encouraged for this data," Wilson said.

He and his staff have used the last few weeks to prepare the storage of Pfizer's vaccine. 

RELATED: US regulators post positive review of Pfizer vaccine data

Credit: Tampa General Hospital
Two ultracold storage freezers in the Tampa General Hospital inpatient pharmacy where COVID vaccines will be stored. Photographed Dec. 3, 2020.

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With freezers that will be kept at -70 degrees in place, the hospital has the capacity to take in 30,000 vials.

"You'll see vaccine move into this area, probably by next week. At this time, I would expect there to be vaccine in our freezer at Tampa General Hospital," Wilson said.

Once the FDA approves Pfizer's vaccine, it'll be shipped to TGH and stored in its freezers. When vaccinations start, a vial is taken out and chilled to room temperature. Each vial has enough doses to vaccinate five people.

Once someone is vaccinated, they'll need to get a second shot 28 days later to ensure immunity. Per guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, front-line health care workers and those in long-term care facilities will be treated first.

"At a place like TGH, our first emphasis is going to be on this frontline health care workers who are taking care of COVID patients day in and day out. Right now is a survey to assess desire to take the vaccine. We have a very good response from that survey, a lot of people are really excited to get this vaccine," Wilson said.

Wilson says Pfizer's vaccine won't be available to the general public right away. He expects COVID-19 vaccines will be available for everyone a few months into 2021.

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