Smithsonian Collects Objects From First Known U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Effort

As the nation marks the one-year anniversary of the pandemic and surpasses a death toll of more than 525,000 people, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History has acquired materials connected with the first-known doses of FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine administered in the U.S. The first doses of vaccine were administered Dec. 14 by Northwell Health, a New York-based health provider. The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic March 11, 2020.

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The acquisition further includes additional vials from doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines administered at Northwell, as well as the supplies needed to prepare, inject and track the vaccinations, such as diluent, syringes and vaccination record cards. Northwell also donated shipping materials that document the enormous effort required to support vaccine distribution and preserve vaccine potency, such as a specialized vaccine “shipper” that monitors and maintains temperature.

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The museum’s staff also canvassed the nation, asking what it should collect to document this pandemic. The public can continue to make suggestions at inquiry@si.edu and share their Stories of 2020 at a site that will serve as a digital time capsule for future generations. The portal, open through April, will accept stories in English or Spanish and photos or short video.

Learn More, Read the Complete Announcement

See Also: Northwell Health Donation of COVID-19 Vaccine Materials Object List