BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The two COVID-19 vaccines that will be available starting next week in Massachusetts will require different kinds of storage, which will translate into slightly different timelines of distribution.
While the Moderna vaccine needs to be kept at the temperature of a regular freezer, the Pfizer vaccine needs to be kept colder than Antarctica in winter.
Gov. Baker said Wednesday Pfizer's two-dose COVID-19 vaccine will be distributed in phases to all residents in the Commonwealth free of charge, starting with the state's "highest-risk and highest-need individuals."
On Tuesday December 15th, front line medical workers will become the first people in the state to receive the first part of the two-dose vaccine. That includes all clinical and non-clinical healthcare workers doing direct and COVID-facing care.
Read More: Here's Massachusetts' COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Timeline
Dr. Eric Dickson, who is in charge of the UMass field hospital at the DCU Center in Worcester, told WBZ NewsRadio he's concerned smaller hospitals may no be able to keep the Pfizer vaccine cold enough.
"I'm very much a proponent of getting it to the major centers, letting them take care of the rest of the region," Dr. Dickson said. "Then one week later we'll have the Moderna vaccine hopefully, and that's very easy to manage and that could go out to smaller facilities."
WBZ NewsRadio's Karyn Regal reports:
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Written by Brit Smith
(Photo: Getty Images)