Cold chain, COVID-19, COVID-19 vaccine, Vaccine distribution, Vaccine containment

The development of the COVID-19 vaccine is proving to be an accomplishment never thought possible. Where most therapeutics take 10-15 years to clear clinical and regulatory approvals, J&J, Moderna and now a third vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech are making their way to the frontline in less than 12 months. However, there are still numerous obstacles yet to be overcome including the distribution and containment of the vaccine at sub-zero temperatures.

Cold Chain Temperature Management Matters

To ensure product quality, a temperature-controlled supply chain known as the cold chain was established to ensure temperature-sensitive products are monitored at every step of the process. Products such as meats, dairy, and of course pharmaceutical and biological products have to be kept at certain temperatures – sometimes at extremely low cryogenic temperatures (as low as minus 90 degrees Celsius)from the time they are made during the manufacturing process until those products are delivered to hospitals, pharmacies, clinics and eventually patients. 

If at any point during the lifespan of that product and at any inventory level, the item’s temperature varies from the required set-point or beyond the defined time constraint, quality suffers and the product no longer functions as it was meant to, or in the worst case puts patients at risk. Maintaining that temperature threshold throughout the process can be challenging and requires active monitoring through a well-connected system. Cold chain technologies have evolved over the years. There are now common solutions for tracking and maintaining these temperatures, and there are multiple variables and scenarios to consider when moving from the manufacturing environment, through transit and to the millions of front-line workers, and every day citizens, who need them.

The Battle for Air Cargo Capacity

The federal government of the United States, for example, has developed plans for distributing the vaccine but has left distribution logistics up to the states, including receiving, storing and administering a vaccine that requires ultracold refrigeration. The air cargo sector is facing this challenge as it battles another one: lack of capacity. With almost a dozen-plus types of vaccines on the horizon, it is impossible at this point to predict exactly how many doses will need to be transported and when, or the specific conditions in which they will need to be kept. 

Pfizer, for example, expects to distribute 25 million doses in the U.S. in 2020 and another 1.3 billion globally in 2021, but its vaccine needs to be kept at minus 70 degrees Celsius. Specialist air cargo operators are used to handling temperature-sensitive cargo, but the enormity of this operation is going to put pressure on them never seen before. In addition, there are concerns about the availability of dry ice required to keep the vaccines at their deep-frozen state. Demand for dry ice has skyrocketed during the pandemic as consumers order more online and producers provide more delivery options.

Pharma is always the priority. When it’s vaccine season, other cargo gets bumped.” – Christos Spyrou, CEO and founder of Neutral Air Partner

Logistics: Warehouse, Storage and Delivery to Patients

The final and most important step in the cold chain process is the delivery to patients. The United States government has authorized UPS, FedEx and one other airline to transport the vaccine but there are many steps along the way, from collection to kitting, and ultimately storage. Where are they being stored? And for how long? Are they using FIFO (first-in, first-out) stocking in the warehouse and storage units?

Vaccine manufacturers, and in this case the United States federal government, can leverage intelligent, post-dock visibility into all shipments as they move through the carrier network and onto the final recipient, including hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, long-term care facilities and certain federally run sites. A centralized portal for multi-carrier and global tracking enables companies to track all shipments, anywhere in the world, in exactly the same way. Ideally, this will allow companies to manage by exception and proactively resolve problem shipments, capture proof of delivery and leverage chain of custody controls. 

Accelerating the Need for Digital Transformation

The COVID-19 vaccine challenge is highlighting the need for further progress in digitization, which would allow the whole supply chain to better coordinate and track and monitor shipments more effectively. For the cargo industry, which has lagged behind the passenger side for some years now, the challenge of transporting COVID-19 vaccines may be the catalyst it needs to focus on digital improvements. As for the manufacturers, they have stepped up and are in the process of delivering multiple vaccines. But the next question will be – how will they leverage this level of efficiency, transparency, and collaboration to other therapeutic areas?

Cold chain, COVID-19, COVID-19 vaccine, Vaccine distribution, Vaccine containment

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