A powerful EF3 tornado hit Rocky Mount, North Carolina, severely damaging Pfizer’s manufacturing plant. With peak winds of 150 mph, the tornado traveled 16 miles, causing 16 injuries, including two life-threatening ones, but fortunately, there were no fatalities.
The Pfizer facility in Rocky Mount is one of the world’s largest sterile injectable plants, producing about 400 million units of medicine annually, encompassing neuromuscular blockers and anesthesia. However, the tornado wreaked havoc, particularly destroying the warehouse that held 50,000 pallets of medicine.
Albert Bourla, Pfizer’s CEO, reassured that the damage to the manufacturing facilities was not as dire as initially feared. Nevertheless, it will take several weeks to complete the necessary repairs and resume normal production. Although short-term shortages of certain medicines are anticipated due to the tornado’s impact, Pfizer has implemented contingency plans to mitigate the effects of the outage.
The warehouse at Pfizer’s Rocky Mount plant, containing 50,000 pallets of medicine, was completely obliterated by the tornado. While the manufacturing facilities endured some damage, it was not as extensive. Regardless, the recovery process will be time-consuming.
To ensure stability in the supply of critical medicines, Pfizer remains committed to promptly resolving the situation. They have emphasized the importance of transparency and have contingency plans in place to minimize disruptions during the outage.
Throughout the recovery and rebuilding process, Pfizer continues to prioritize the safety and well-being of its employees and patients who rely on their medications. Regular updates on repair progress and resumption of production will be provided to keep everyone informed.
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