MEMPHIS, Tenn. —
FedEx is waiting to the official "go" to start shipping COVID-19 Vaccine across the United States. UPS and FedEx are spitting the country in half . It's reported, UPS is handling to the East, FedEx to West. Both shipping giants and their thousands of employees know they are about to embark on a monumental task.
FedEx says that shipping the COVID vaccine will be its highest priority.
"We have plenty of well trained excellent pilots and crew members to fly these missions," said Richard Smith, FedEx Regional President of the America's.
Smith said not only are pilots and crew ready to transport the COVID-19 vaccine, the thousands of employees in the FedEx delivery system are ready to take on this very important mission.
We don't decide where the vaccines go how much is allocated with in the state we are the transportation provider and our mission is to get it there rapidly and reliably safely and security," said Smith.
Smith alongside UPS executive Wesley Wheeler testified in front of a senate committee yesterday.
Smith compared the two rivals of UPS and FedEx working alongside each other to football.
"It's almost like 2 rival football college teams say Ole Miss Hotty Toddy and Mississippi State coming together on an NFL team to play as teammates," said Smith.
During the hearing more details about how the Pfizer vaccine will be administered once its delivered were revealed.
"Pfizer has very specific protocol as to how the package is handled. How many times a day it can me withdrawn? I think the best answer anser to the questions is that the states and the dosing centers have to have their patients lined up. lines up so they don't waste any vials," said Wesley Wheeler, UPS President of Global Health.
FedEx says they have tracking and monitoring devices that will keep track of the vaccine locations and the ability to get the COVID-19 vaccine to the American people.
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"We have the assets we have the crews we have the infrastructure to support this mission," said Smith.
In an ironic twist, the pilots transporting the vaccine don't have medical clearance to take it. Right now, if they took the vaccine, according to the pilots union, it would medically disqualify them. The Airline Pilots Association is petitioning the FAA to change that.