'This Is A Box Of Vaccines': Cuomo Lays Out Coronavirus Endgame

NEW YORK CITY — First there was the poster. Then the dreaded, sculpted peak of coronavirus mountain. And finally a pandemic-themed sequel to the poster.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is fond of using props and visuals, as viewers of his Emmy-winning daily coronavirus briefings from the pandemic's dark early days know.

But on Thursday he may have unveiled the most substantive, literally life-changing prop of all.

"This is a box of vaccines," he said.

Cuomo showed off an actual box designed to transport and store about 5,000 doses of Pfizer coronavirus vaccine — the first shipment of which is expected to reach the state Dec. 15, assuming federal approval.

He later clarified that the vials in the box — which he left open immediately after a lengthy discussion of how the sensitive vaccine requires special handling — didn't contain the actual vaccine.

But everything else about the box was real, from its geo tracker and thermal monitor, to the dry ice wrapping covering the trays carrying glass vaccine vials.

Each vial will contain five vaccine doses, he said. Those doses are frozen and need to be thawed for 30 minutes before they're diluted and need to stand for another two hours, he said.

Health workers administering the vaccine only have a few short hours to use it — and it's only effective after a second dose.

"It’s not easy but it’s real,” Cuomo said.

"This is the weapon that’s going to win the war," he said, pointing at the dry ice-packed box.

Cuomo said he'd be taking the vaccine himself soon.