Promise of a coronavirus vaccine brings hope - and more questions

FOX 2 - The hope of a coronavirus vaccine being ready by the end of the year is promising. But it won't be available to everyone but actually delivering it out to millions of people will be a challenge.

Pfizer made an announcement this week that a vaccine which is estimated to be 90 percent effective, represents hope - but also questions. Like, who gets it first.

Dr. Julie Swann is a health systems and supply chain, expert.

"Initially the vaccine will go to some prioritized groups, those who are at greatest risk of being exposed to Covid, frontline health workers and those at risk for severe outcomes such as populations in nursing homes."

The first step is following those who initially get the vaccine to see if there are bad side effects. Then the first doses come out in December and January to those who need it most.

Dr. Swann says that most will be able to get the vaccine by springtime. 

"There will be a number of places that will be able to distribute the vaccine," she said. "It may go to commercial pharmacies, mass vaccination clinics, coordinated with local health departments, it could go to employers, or to schools."

Keep in mind, the Covid vaccine by Pfizer would require two doses - so more will be needed. Another challenge will be how cold the vaccine can be kept in order to be delivered.

"The infrastructure needed to keep these vaccines cold enough, this may imply that some locations for distributing the vaccine will be more appropriate than others," she said. "We may have to drive further in some locations for the populations to receive those vaccines."

To learn more watch the rest of the video above.