Coming to a distribution center near you: vaccines.
That’s right, coronavirus vaccines are officially en route to distribution centers and airports across the United States, and their departure from a Pfizer plant in Michigan at around 8:25 a.m. local time was captured in an emotional video by Kristen Shamus of the Detroit Free Press.
“Minutes ago, trucks filled with coronavirus vaccines departed the Pfizer facility in Portage, Mich., headed for distribution centers and airports. Crowds who gathered outside the facility cheered the departing FedEx and UPS trucks,” the publication tweeted alongside a video on Sunday morning.
The video shows three semi-trucks (one FedEx, one UPS, and one Boyle Transportation) carrying the vaccines, led and trailed by unmarked police vehicles, rolling out of the Pfizer plant as people standing on the sidelines cheer and scream messages of thanks. As the final truck, a FedEx truck, passed by the crowd the driver waved as people cheered him on. History in the making.
a year ago i could not have imagined the depths of emotion i would feel at watching a 3 min video of some delivery trucks pulling slowly out of a parking lot https://t.co/FoYLzxLJFA
— Tracy Chou (@triketora) December 13, 2020
I’m a NYC ER doc.. i didnt expect it.. but out of nowhere i just started crying watching this video. Must have had something bottled up. So thankful for everyone involved making this vaccine…
— Jakub Bartnik, DO (@EDTakeDown) December 13, 2020
So grateful to see such a historical moment. Can’t imagine what/how the drivers are feeling knowing how precious their cargo is. Most important trip of their lives.
— Dr Tera Jones-I am woman hear me roar (@MammaTJones) December 13, 2020
As the Detroit Free Press noted, the three trucks contained 1.95 million doses of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine, which is reportedly 95 percent effective. The vaccines could be given to people as early as Monday morning, per the outlet, and Pfizer plans to deliver enough vaccines for 20 million Americans in December.
After the first people in the UK started receiving the vaccine last week, people around the world became a bit more hopeful that there’s a light a the end of this very dark coronavirus tunnel. And as Portage residents — including 76-year-old Joyce Hutcheson — lined up to see the trucks roll out, it’s clear that hopeful sentiment is spreading.
“It’s history, and it’s hope,” Hutcheson told the Detroit Free Press. “…It is pretty exciting. I’m pretty proud of our Pfizer here in Kalamazoo.”