09/16/2020

Coronavirus Tracker: Getting the Vaccine Distributed

Sept. 16, 2020

Current updates on association response to the global COVID-19 crisis, along with a roundup of conference, travel and business news and information.

Planning Vaccine Distribution
When nearly everyone on the planet needs a product virtually all at once, conventional shipping logistics won’t cut it. That’s the situation that will face the world’s supply chain and distribution infrastructure when a hoped-for COVID-19 vaccine becomes available, according to the International Air Transport Association.

“The potential size of the delivery is enormous. Just providing a single dose to 7.8 billion people would fill 8,000 747 cargo aircraft,” IATA said in a press release on September 9.

Vaccines must be transported in line with international regulatory requirements and under conditions and timelines that protect the quality of the product. IATA said temperature-controlled facilities and equipment, as well as staff training and enhanced security, will be essential.