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Shipping a coronavirus vaccine around the world will be the “biggest transportation challenge” according to the airline industry.
The equivalent of 8,000 Boeing 747s will be needed, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said.
The Covid-19 vaccine does not yet exist, but IATA is already working with airlines, airports, global health agencies and pharmaceutical companies on a global air transport plan.
The dispensing schedule assumes that only one dose is needed per person.
“The safe delivery of Covid-19 vaccines will be the mission of the century for the global air cargo industry. But it will not happen without careful prior planning. And the time for that is now,” said IATA Executive Director Alexandre de Juniac.
While airlines have been shifting their focus to cargo delivery during the severe recession in passenger flights, shipping vaccines is much more complex.
Not all aircraft are suitable for delivering vaccines, as they require a typical temperature range of 2-8 ° C to transport drugs. Some vaccines may require freezing temperatures, which would exclude more planes.
“We know the procedures well. What we have to do is scale them to the magnitude that will be required,” added Glyn Hughes, head of cargo for the industry body.
Flights to certain parts of the world, including some areas in Southeast Asia, will be critical as they lack vaccine production capacity, he added.
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Military precision
Distributing a vaccine in Africa would be “impossible” at this time, says IATA, given the lack of carrying capacity, the size of the region and the complexity of border crossings.
Transportation will need “near military precision” and will require fresh facilities in a network of locations where the vaccine will be stored.
About 140 vaccines are in early development, and about two dozen are being tested in people in clinical trials.
One is being developed by the University of Oxford which is already in an advanced stage of testing.
IATA has urged governments to begin careful planning now to ensure they are fully prepared once the vaccines are approved and available for distribution.
In addition to making sure they are handled and transported at controlled temperatures, safety is another issue.
“The vaccines will be very valuable commodities. Arrangements must be made to ensure that shipments remain secure against tampering and theft,” added IATA.
