Anne Saker|The Columbus Dispatch

With the scheduled Tuesdayarrival of dozens of dry-ice coolers, Ohiowill deploy a new defense against the novel coronavirus vials of vaccine invented, tested and put into service in record time. Here's what we know about who is in line for the vaccines, as well as their distribution and storage.

For at least the first three weeks of availability, the Ohio Department of Health has directed that only people to be vaccinated are:

All vaccination will be voluntary since the vaccines are still considered experimental.

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It's not clear yet the order of vaccination after Phase 1A. The states are waiting for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is developing the guidance, to recommend who is next,but the Ohio Department of Health has a draft plan that lists priorities.

Phase 1B would vaccinate older adults living in congregate or overcrowded settingsand people at significantly higher risk for COVID-19 because they have underlying health conditions.

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Phase 2 is where the jockeying comes in. This expansion of vaccination would include:

Critical risk workers essential to society (e.g., health care and public health operations and human services operations) and at high risk of exposure. This phase would also include:

Phase 3 would cover young adults, children, workers in essential industries and occupations not included in phases 1 and 2. Phase 4 is everyone else.

Because the initial quantities of the vaccines will be limited, public health officials urge maintaining vigilance about mask-wearing, hand-washing and social distancing. It could be at least a year before enough people are vaccinated to ease the health safeguards.

The clinical research has shown that the vaccine candidates do not generate severeside effects two months after the second injection. The shots might come with temporary side effects such as fever and muscle pain,a signal that the vaccine successfully triggered an immune reaction for the virus to be blocked.

CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens and two other private companies will be delivering and administering the vaccinations to nursing homes.

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What we dont know: Whos precisely is next in line for the vaccine. Unions for grocery workers and other organizations for essential workers are jostling for the chance.

What we won't know for quite a while: How long immunity from the vaccine will last. The vaccineswere invented, put through clinical trials and brought to market inside a year. We don't have enough information about the longevity of theireffects.

Ohio COVID-19 vaccines: What to know about Pfizer vaccine distribution

Ohio is preparing to receive its first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines in the coming weeks. Here's what you need to know.

What we know: Right now, the Pfizer vaccine is expected to get emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration at any moment and another one from Moderna is expected to be authorized in the next few weeks.But, public health agencies and hospitals, with long experience in planning vaccination campaigns, didn't wait for FDA approval to get ready. The delivery systemis set up and ready to receive the doses.

The two leading candidate vaccineseach pack slightly different pieces of genetic material from the virus. When injected, the messenger RNA makes the human immune system familiar enough with the virus to fight it off.

The vaccines dont prevent infection. But they stop it from progressing into the disease COVID-19, which has killed at least 290,000 Americans, including more than 7,200 Ohioans.

The vaccines are taken in two doses, like the two-shot series for shingles. The coronavirus vaccines, because they carry genetic material, require super-cold temperatures from the factory to distribution. The vials are packed in dry-ice coolers, a huge boost to Cold Jet based in the Cincinnati suburb of Loveland. For more than 30 years, the company has built dry-ice makers, and in 2020, sales have exploded more than 200% over 2019, said spokeswoman Lauren McNutt. Strong demand is expected well into 2021.

The vaccine manufacturers are the New York giant Pfizer working with the German company BioNTech and the Cambridge, Massachusetts-basedfirm Moderna. Both companies ran Cincinnati test sites for the final clinical trials and Pfizer enrolled test subjects in Columbus. AstraZeneca, which is working on another promising COVID-19 vaccine, enrolled trial participants at Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center.

Last week, Gov. Mike DeWine announced the delivery schedule for Ohio.

On Tuesday, Pfizer delivers 9,750 doses to 10 Ohio hospitals, including Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital,and 88,725 doses to Walgreens and CVS Pharmacy across the state, which will supply nursing homes.

On Dec. 22, Pfizer delivers another 123,000 doses for nursing homes and staff. Moderna delivers 201,000 doses to 98 hospitals for health care workers caring for COVID-19 patients and 108 health departments for emergency medical service workers and other first responders.

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The next week, the exactdate is not certain, Pfizer delivers another 148,000 doses and Moderna another 89,000 for workers and patients in hospitals and nursing homes.

What we dont know: These delivery totals are for the whole state. Its not clear yet how the shipments will be further divided for each of Ohios 88 counties, a decision that rests with the Ohio Department of Health.

Federal and state authorities have not released information on vaccine shipments past the end of December.

What we know: The cold chain doesnt stop at delivery. Pfizers vaccine candidate must be shipped and stored at minus 94.Once transferred to refrigeration to thaw for injection, it must be used within five days. Modernas candidate must be shipped and stored at minus 4 but can be stored for six months. Once in refrigeration, it keeps for up to 30 days.

Ohio hospital officials say they have the storage capacity for their doses of vaccine.

When the statedecides on how to apportion the doses as they arrive at county facilities, local public health officials from other jurisdictions can collect their shares.

Columbus Public Health has been preparing for the vaccine for months, said spokeswoman Kelli Newman. The city health department bough additional cold storage units in anticipation of the vaccine and the possibility of unique storage needs, Newman said.

"We have them in place and we are ready to go," Newman said."Once we receive the vaccine, we will be ready to distribute it strategically and equitably, beginning with those most at risk for COVID-19 complications and those working on the front lines during the pandemic."

Likewise, Franklin County Public Health has also beefed up its cold storage options for vaccines, said spokeswoman Mitzi Kline. The county health department hasordered one commercial grade refrigerator, two commercial grade freezers and several portable freezers, Kline said.

What we dont know: The location of the vaccine distribution warehouses isn't being disclosedto protect people, equipment and the doses.

Dispatch reporter Max Filby contributed to this story.

@apsaker

asaker@enquirer.com

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As early as Tuesday, the coronavirus vaccine arrives. Who's first in line, and what we know about who's next - The Columbus Dispatch