May 4, 2020 / Thomas Brewster, Forbes Staff
The U.S. government is getting its vaccine supplies ready in anticipation of a working cure. Two separate orders signed off on May 1, 2020, total $100 million and specify needles and syringes “for a COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Campaign.”
One $27.5 million order went to Colorado-based Marathon Medical, the other $83.7 million to Texan business Retractable Technologies. The orders were placed by the Health and Human Services (HHS) department’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR).
The orders come as a raft of different vaccines are under development and testing. The U.S. government has backed a handful, including a $450 million deal with Johnson & Johnson arm Janssen Pharmaceutical for its COVID-19 cure. That vaccine could be ready by early 2021.
