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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday informed Pfizer that "it will rapidly work toward finalization and issuance of an emergency use authorization" and notified the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Operation Warp Speed that they can implement their vaccine distribution plans.

Pfizer plans to distribute 2.9 million doses of the vaccine that will be shipped to 64 jurisdictions in all 50 states and five U.S. territories within 24 hours after the FDA's issuance of an emergency use authorization, according to federal officials. It is expected to happen on Saturday.

Another 2.9 million doses will arrive in 21 days for the initial vaccine recipients to get their second and final dose. Around 500,000 doses will be reserved at Pfizer's plant in Michigan for emergency use.

Pfizer will load the vaccines on trucks from the  warehouse to airports, where UPS and FedEx will ship them in temperature-controlled containers to providers across the country within one or two days.

UPS and FedEx plan to prioritize vaccine shipping ahead of holiday gifts. Each vaccine package will be tracked by GPS-enabled thermal sensors to make sure the vaccine goes to the right place, at the right time and at the right temperature. Pfizer has already started to ship vaccine supplies separately that include syringes, PPE and the diluent needed to administer the shots.

Health care workers and nursing home residents are expected to get vaccinated first. But vaccinations won't start until the CDC advisory committee recommends the vaccine and the CDC accepts that recommendation. The CDC advisory committee is expected to vote Sunday on whether to recommend the vaccine.

"We could see people getting vaccinated Monday, Tuesday of next week," Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told "Good Morning America" on Friday.

Some 20 million Americans are expected to be vaccinated this month, up to 50 million in January, and "we could have 100 million vaccinations in arm by the end of February… We remain confident that across our portfolio of multiple vaccines, we will have enough doses for any American who wants a vaccine by the end of the second quarter of 2021," Azar added.

The coronavirus vaccine developed by Moderna is expected to get approval from the FDA soon.

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