Nov. 11—News this week from Pfizer pharmaceuticals of a coronavirus vaccine breakthrough is prompting Sacramento and Northern California healthcare providers to step up preparations for mass distribution.

That includes the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, which is in talks with state officials about serving as a vaccine storage and distribution site for Northern California. The vaccine requires specialized low-temperature freezers for storage, and UC Davis has some and is buying more.

Dr. David Lubarsky, chief executive for UC Davis Health, said a limited number of vaccine doses could be available as early as December in California for first responders and healthcare workers. The general public, he said, probably won't have access until after the middle of next year.

The UC Davis Medical Center is administering an experimental vaccine or a placebo to about 230 local volunteers as part of the national Pfizer trial, one of a handful of tests underway internationally. Pfizer reported on Monday the tests nationally have shown an initial 90% success rate.

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