COVID-19 Vaccine Manufacturing in U.S. Races Ahead

Peter Loftus, reporting for The Wall Street Journal (News+ link):

After a slow start, Pfizer Inc., its partner BioNTech SE and Moderna Inc. have raised output by gaining experience, scaling up production lines and taking other steps like making certain raw materials on their own. Pfizer figured out how to stretch scarce supplies of special filters needed for the vaccine production process by recycling them. Moderna shortened the time it needed to inspect and package newly manufactured vials of its vaccine. […]

The increased output should be enough to fully vaccinate 76 million people in the U.S. in March, another 75 million in April and then 89 million more in May, according to estimates from Evercore ISI analysts. The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines require two doses.

By midsummer, 75% of Americans 12 years old and above should be vaccinated, according to Morgan Stanley.

Outstanding news all around. This sort of large-scale industrial effort — both to manufacture the vaccines and get them into arms — exemplifies the U.S. at its best. Sign up and get vaccinated as soon as you can.

★ Monday, 22 March 2021