AP journalists on two continents used textbook planning and multiformat coordination to keep AP competitive as Moderna and Pfizer made news about their COVID-19 vaccines three times during the week, causing the markets — and the world — to react.
AP medical writers Lauran Neergaard and Linda A. Johnson worked their sources to get the latest developments, while health and science video journalists Kathy Young and Federica Narancio prepped video edits in advance for core customers, followed by spot edits. For AP Horizons clients, video journalist and motion graphics designer Marshall Ritzel made an animation explaining the vaccines’ brand-new technology.
Seattle photographer Ted S. Warren reached out to two original volunteers who received the Moderna vaccine in March, making fresh portraits and reaction for both video and the wire, while Boston-based video journalist Rodrique Ngowi camped out at Moderna’s headquarters for a live shot.
In Europe, Frank Jordans and Dorothee Thiesing scored an interview with the head of BioNTech, Pfizer’s German partner.
Not to be outdone, the health and science team and the misinformation team published a special edition Viral Questions based on the vaccine news.