COVID-19 vaccine arriving Sunday at Louisville's UPS Worldport

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The COVID-19 vaccine is on its way to Kentuckiana, with doses of the Pfizer vaccine expected to arrive at Louisville's UPS Worldport by midday Sunday.

After getting the Food and Drug Administration's approval, Pfizer announced UPS and FedEx will start shipping the vaccine nationwide Sunday — a cold and careful process.

"The Pfizer vaccine has to drive and has to move at negative 70 degrees Celsius," said Wes Wheeler, president of UPS Healthcare. "The only way to keep a package cold at that temperature is with dry ice."

Every package will also be equipped with a GPS tracker and thermal sensor.

"I can't think of anything more important to do right now than this, and we are ready," Wheeler added.

Hospitals and long-term care facilities are first in line to receive the vaccine. Locally, UofL Health, Norton Healthcare, Baptist Health Louisville and Clark Memorial Hospital are on the list.

According to Gen. Gustave Perna, chief operating officer of Operation Warp Speed, 145 sites across the country will receive the vaccine Monday, followed by 425 sites Tuesday and 66 sites Wednesday.

"It's an inflection point. It's a turning point," said University of Louisville Dr. Jon Klein. "It's not the end. It's not time to let our guard down. But it's really, truly, a hopeful moment."

Klein said progress will take patience. He estimated that herd immunity through the vaccine won't happen until we're over halfway through 2021.

"Sometime in July or August, we should get to the point of herd immunity, when there will be sufficient supply," he said. "We will reach herd immunity, one way or another."

Local hospitals could roll out the vaccine to employees as early as Tuesday.

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