RAPID CITY, S.D. — The COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by Pfizer has arrived in Rapid City.
Communications Specialist with Monument Health Dan Daly says the box arrived early Monday and the pharmacy staff already put it in the deep freeze.
The vaccine must be kept cold. Pfizer says they have specially designed, temperature-controlled thermal shippers utilizing dry ice to maintain recommended storage temperature conditions of -70°Celsius for up to 10 days unopened.
Pfizer will utilize GPS-enabled thermal sensors with a control tower that will track the location and temperature of each vaccine shipment across their pre-set routes, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These GPS-enabled devices will allow Pfizer to proactively prevent unwanted deviations and act before they happen.
The state is expected to get about 7,800 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency use last Friday. The vaccine requires two doses administered about three weeks apart.
Avera Health also received their first shipment of vaccine today. Sanford will receive theirs tomorrow.
Both Monument and Avera says vaccine administration will begin as early as today.
