Rady Children's Hospital has been asked by the California Department of Public Health to store COVID-19 vaccines until they are approved by the FDA for distribution, the hospital confirmed Tuesday.
The hospital was chosen as a potential storage site because of its highly secure ultra-low-temperature freezer storage capacity, according to a spokesperson.
"Rady Children’s is proud to be part of this initiative that could help bring an end to the pandemic and keep our community safe," the spokesperson said.
The hospital doesn't know how much of the vaccine it will harbor, or when it will arrive.
Earlier on Tuesday, a CDC panel voted in favor of prioritizing health care workers and long-term care facilities in the early stages of vaccine distribution.
So far, two pharmaceutical companies (Moderna and Pfizer) have request emergency use authorization from the FDA for their vaccines. The approval process could take weeks.
