Moderna and IBM to team up on COVID-19 vaccine tracking
Pharmaceutical company Moderna is teaming up with IBM to explore how technology such as AI, blockchain and hybrid cloud could be used to support COVID-19 vaccine management. This includes piloting open, standardized, tech-enabled vaccine distribution approaches aimed at improving supply chain visibility and enabling near real-time tracking of vaccine roll-outs.
The goal is to identify ways in which technology can be used in order to help accelerate secure information sharing between governments, healthcare providers, life sciences organizations and individuals. The companies are initially planning to see how IBM tech could be applied in the USA which includes vaccine management systems that provide end-to-end traceability to address potential supply chain issues and enable secure data sharing between different parties.
Michael Mullette, Managing Director for North American commercial operations at Moderna said the company is looking to “increase education and awareness of the importance of vaccination to help defeat Covid-19. IBM is expected to lead to digital innovations that will help instill confidence in the vaccine process.”
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UK-Germany trade slumps amid Brexit and COVID pandemic
Trade between the UK and Germany slumped in January amid the economic fallout from Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic in the first month after leaving the European Union. Imports from the UK fell by more than 56% to €1.6bn (£1.4bn) in January from the same month a year ago, after the end of the Brexit transition period and the start of a new trading relationship between Britain and the EU.
Economists said that a reduction in trade volumes between Britain and EU nations was to be expected in January after companies stockpiled goods in the lead-up to the Brexit deadline on 31st December, meaning that not as many shipments would need to be made at the start of the year. UK trade has also been disrupted by the toughest Coronavirus restrictions since the first wave of the pandemic. UK manufacturers experienced further supply chain disruption as a result of Brexit and COVID last month, with firms reporting the third biggest rise in supplier delivery times on record since 1992.
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FedEx to commit to carbon-neutral delivery operations by 2040
The world’s largest cargo airline FedEx has announced an ambitious goal to achieve carbon-neutral operations globally by 2040. The company is designating more than $2 billion of the initial investment in three key areas: vehicle electrification, sustainable energy and carbon sequestration.
“We have a responsibility to take bold action in addressing climate challenges.” Said Frederick W. Smith, Chairman and CEO of FedEx Corp. One of their key steps toward reaching their carbon-neutral goal includes vehicle electrification: By 2040, the entire parcel pickup and delivery fleet will be made up of zero-emission electric vehicles.
The path toward sustainability will require new strategies for removing and storing Earth’s excess carbon. The Yale Center for Natural Carbon Capture will help catalyze interdisciplinary research across natural sciences and engineering, in an effort to accelerate this work. Through such efforts, Yale scientists aim to create a portfolio of carbon removal strategies that have impacts on a global scale.
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Have a nice weekend!
