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Original title: Some COVID-19 vaccines must be transported and stored at minus 70 degrees. The new temperature sensor will help distribute Source: cnBeta.COM
While scientists and pharmaceutical companies are actively promoting the new corona COVID-19 vaccine, some startups are also actively solving problems that arise during the vaccine distribution process. Like most medications, vaccines must be kept within a certain temperature range to be effective. In cold chain transportation from pharmaceutical companies to hospitals, clinics and pharmacies, the temperature of vaccines must be constantly monitored to ensure that they remain effective after delivery. .
In promoting the COVID-19 vaccine, the US government plans to incorporate small temperature sensors into vaccine packaging, refrigerators, and freezers to monitor the temperature on all transportation links. Michal Chojnacky, a member of the Thermodynamic Metrology Group at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, said: “The industry has expanded tremendously. Whether we know it or not, all of this is ready by now.”
Currently, the United States needs billions of new coronavirus vaccines to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic, but the vaccine is very fragile. According to estimated statistics, about a quarter of the vaccines showed signs of degradation when they were delivered to doctors. Although this is not to say that these vaccines are no longer safe, it does mean that these vaccines cannot trigger an immune response strong enough to protect people from disease.
To make matters worse, the currently developed COVID-19 vaccine must be transported and stored at -94 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 70 degrees Celsius).
Ten years ago, the mass distribution of these vaccines will be more difficult. Kevin Riley, president of sensor company SmartSense, said that at the time, most drug temperature monitoring was done manually. “Every few hours, someone has to record the temperature.” They do it with a pencil, paper and clipboard. “He said.
Compared to Moderna and Pfizer, candidates for vaccines that must be stored and transported in extremely cold temperatures, these traditional methods can lead to the transport of noxious heat. Joe MunDELL, chief revenue officer for Sonicu, a wireless monitoring company, said, “You have to open the door to check the temperature, and then the temperature will change and the integrity of a small part of the product will disappear.”
Many pharmacies, drug companies, and doctor’s offices have started to become automatic data loggers, found in freezers or shipping containers to continuously monitor internal temperature. However, the data still needs to be physically downloaded from the device. “You have to connect it to your computer to download the data and view the temperature logs,” said Mark Sawicki, chief business officer for Cryoport Systems, which makes cold chain products.
Companies like SmartSense and Cryoport produce next-generation internet-connected cold chain sensors. The small devices are housed within shipping equipment and freezers, and continuously transmit temperature data to pharmaceutical companies and pharmacy managers.
