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The Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation has asked the country’s aviation industry to prepare for the launch of a vaccine. Transporting the vaccine is a difficult task that requires airlines, airports, and ground handling teams to work together. As India approaches its first doses of vaccine to reach the population, the industry must be prepared.
Get prepared
In a statement seen by Indian Express, the Secretary of Civil Aviation called on the industry to begin preparing for the next launch of the vaccine. He said of the plans,
“All the main stakeholders (airports, airlines and ground handling personnel) have been alerted and asked to draw up their plans. The exact SOPs will be formulated with the Ministry of Health and the Department of Pharmaceutical Products when we know the exact requirements of the vaccine: what precautions should be taken, how it should be transported and what other measures are required. “
Plans will likely include each company’s capacity to carry vaccines, the necessary cold chain facilities, and any additional resources. While much depends on the specific vaccine, the general facilities will need to be prepared very soon.
In the coming weeks, the government will design the formal procedure for handling and transporting vaccines. India has yet to approve any COVID-19 vaccines, with the most likely candidate being Oxford-AstraZeneca.
Launch of vaccines in India
The most important part of transporting COVID-19 vaccines is maintaining an end-to-end cold chain. India has a few distinct advantages in this process for various reasons. First, the vaccine most likely to be approved first is the one made by Oxford and AstraZeneca, which only requires refrigerator temperatures (2-8 ° C).
This separates the vaccine from those of Pfizer and Moderna, which are already being shipped globally, and must be kept at -70 ° C. Second, this vaccine is manufactured in India itself, allowing for shorter domestic flights. The production plant is located in Pune, India, a well-connected domestic airport.
Most countries are flying long haul flights to bring vaccines from Europe and the US to Pfizer and Moderna Airlines in the US are also transporting the vaccine domestically right now. The UK’s approval of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine today could mean that India is just days away from its own launch.
Start at full speed
As millions of people around the world begin to receive their first doses, India has a huge task ahead of it. India plans to provide between 600 and 800 million doses in the next six to eight months, according to Times of India. Vaccine approval could come next week, which means airlines need to be ready on short notice.
Almost 50 million shots are already ready for transport, which means the process could begin very soon for airlines. Transporting the vaccine will undoubtedly be the biggest mission in the aviation industry this year and next.
What do you think about the vaccine implementation plans? Let us know in the comments below!
