US: Los Angeles hospital gets COVID-19 vaccine shipment

Cedars-Sinai medical center in Los Angeles received an initial shipment of COVID-19 vaccine doses on Tuesday. It's one of several hospitals in Southern California set to receive the vaccine, according to a Cedars-Sinai statement.

Healthcare workers at the facility's intensive care units and emergency department will be among the first to be offered vaccinations, which are voluntary, the statement from Cedars-Sinai said.

Vaccinations against COVID-19 have begun in California amid a huge surge in infections and hospitalizations.

The first shipments of the Pfizer vaccine left Michigan early Sunday for 145 distribution centers nationwide. California’s initial batch was scheduled to total 325,000 doses arriving over several days. Gov. Gavin Newsom said another 400,000 doses would arrive next week.