NEW YORK:Pfizer Inc said on Monday it would start a pilot program for COVID-19 immunization in four U.S. states to help refine the plan for delivery and deployment of its vaccine candidate.

The four states – Rhode Island, Texas, New Mexico, and Tennessee – were selected for the program because of their differences in overall size, diversity of populations and immunization infrastructure, the drugmaker said in a statement.

"The four states included in this pilot program will not receive vaccine doses earlier than other states by virtue of this pilot, nor will they receive any differential consideration," Pfizer said.