Pfizer to send over 224,000 COVID-19 doses to Houston area hospitals

BRAZIL - 2020/12/04: In this photo illustration various medical syringes seen with Pfizer company logo displayed on a screen in the background. (Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

The Texas Department of Health says the first shipment of COVID-19 vaccine doses (224,250) will go out on Dec. 14 to 109 Texas hospitals in 34 different counties 

Memorial Hermann Health System will be receiving more than 16,500 doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine according to the Texas Department of Health.

Memorial Hermann Health System will receive more doses than any other hospital system in Houston.

Eearing a protective face coverings to combat the spread of the coronavirus, Matron May Parsons (R) talks to Heather Price (L) during training in the Covid-19 Vaccination Clinic at the University Hospital in Coventry, central England on December 4, 2 …

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 The companies claimed their data revealed the vaccine candidate is 95% effective and protects many older, high-risk patients from dying.

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RELATED: Pfizer, BioNTech apply for emergency use authorization of COVID-19 vaccine

The companies plan to globally produce 50 million vaccine doses in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses by the end of 2021, according to a previous press release.

It could take the FDA up to four weeks to approve the request. Friday’s filing sets off a chain of events as the FDA and its independent advisers debate whether the immunizations are ready.

RELATED: Pfizer to seek clearance soon; new data shows its COVID-19 vaccine is 95% effective

“Help is on the way,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert said on the eve of Pfizer's announcement, adding that it's too early to abandon masks and other protective measures. “We need to actually double down on the public health measures as we're waiting for that help to come.”