Trucks carrying Johnson & Johnson’s newly licensed Covid-19 vaccine began deploying Monday en route to states and places that have been looking for more doses to increase vaccines.
McKesson Corp., which acts as a centralized J&J vaccine distributor, works with FedEx and UPS to ship doses nationwide. Shipments are expected to reach states and vaccination sites as early as Tuesday, the Biden administration said.
A FedEx Corp spokeswoman said the collections had begun at a McKesson facility in Olive Branch, Mississeny.
UPS trucks picked up the J&J vaccine at a McKesson facility in Shepherdsville, Ky., Monday and took them to a UPS center in Louisville, Ky, a United Parcel Service Inc. spokesman said. Doses will be moved to UPS locations across the country to be delivered by vehicle on Tuesday morning.
On Saturday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the use of the J&J vaccine. The pharmaceutical company had made about four million doses for its initial shipment. The administration said it expects about 20 million doses to be delivered by the end of March.