Moderna Implements More Expansive Employee COVID-19 Vaccination Program Than Pfizer

Moderna will give its coronavirus vaccine to employees immediately, while Pfizer will wait until workers are eligible under prioritization guidelines.

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Moderna's generous vaccination plan for employees and their families could invite criticism, given that supplies are limited and some priority groups continue to wait for the shots.

Moderna, Inc. has initiated a much more generous vaccination program for employees than rival Pfizer Inc., a move that may serve business continuity interests, but also invite criticism.

In a statement, Moderna said that its “workers, contractors and board members in the US” would be provided their vaccine, and that the program would extend to “adult household members of our team to reduce the risk of absenteeism and disruption due to a COVID-19 infection in an adult household member.”

Moderna said the program is “confidential and entirely voluntary” and that the company would incur the cost of the vaccine supply and its administration. Moderna also is working with health authorities to comply with reporting and monitoring requirements.

“The very small quantities of vaccine to be used are separate and distinct from those committed by Moderna to the US Government,” the company said.

Indeed, while prioritizing employees seems sensible, with vaccine supplies limited and many high-risk individuals, health care workers and other priority groups waiting in line, Moderna’s decision to vaccinate board members as well as employee family members may raise eyebrows.

The announcement also may be intended to help increase public confidence in the Moderna product. Many public health leaders, as well as President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President Mike Pence have received their first inoculations publicly. Enthusiastic employees rolling up sleeves for the shot likely could help fight hesitancy, which remains a problem. (Also see "Patient Warehousing Emerges As Another COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence Problem" - Pink Sheet, 22 Oct, 2020.)

Moderna recently increased its production estimate to 600 million vaccine doses globally in 2021. The company expects 100 million doses will be available in the US by the end of the first quarter. (Also see "Moderna Increases Minimum Supply Of Coronavirus Vaccine Doses For 2021" - Scrip, 4 Jan, 2021.)

Pfizer told the Pink Sheet in a statement that it will vaccinate employees when they become eligible under US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, the same approach used for the placebo arm of its clinical trial. (See sidebar.)

“The first group is expected to be the company’s essential workers, especially in manufacturing, who are critical to the vaccine effort and the continued supply of all Pfizer medicines,” the company said.

Pfizer added that “there are no plans to prioritize the vaccination of our executives or board members ahead of other high-risk groups.”

Pfizer’s apparently less rapid employee vaccination program comes as the company anticipates more than double the supply of Moderna: 1.3 billion doses by the end of the year.