Multidose COVID-19 vaccines will test state tracking systems

A participant in a COVID-19 clinical trial. | Photo by Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images

When the COVID-19 vaccine becomes available in the United States, officials’ first challenge is getting the people in the door for their shots. Then, they’ll have a second problem: making sure they come back again to get a second dose of the same vaccine. With two two-dose vaccines headed for authorization, the logistical challenges of a vaccination program are only magnified.

“You don’t want to have someone get the first dose of one brand of vaccine, and a second dose of another,” says Ben Moscovitch, project director of health information technology at The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Assuming the Food and Drug Administration authorizes the vaccines after they review the data later this month, states will start to receive shipments of the...