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Shipping a coronavirus vaccine around the world will be the airline industry’s biggest challenge, requiring the equivalent of 8,000 jumbo jets to get a single dose to 7.8 billion people, according to the aviation industry. .
The International Air Transport Association has warned of severe capacity limitations that could hamper efforts to quickly distribute a vaccine around the world. As drug makers rush to develop a vaccine and gain regulatory approval, the international aviation group is working with airlines, airports, health agencies and pharmaceutical companies to draft an air transportation plan.
IATA Director General Alexandre de Juniac said: “The safe delivery of Covid-19 vaccines will be the mission of the century for the global air cargo industry. But it won’t happen without careful advance planning. And the time for that is now. We urge governments to take the initiative to facilitate cooperation along the logistics chain so that facilities, security arrangements and border processes are ready for the gigantic and complex task ahead. “
Although providing a single dose to 7.8 billion people would fill 8,000 Boeing 747 freighters, the IATA said, any vaccine can require multiple doses. Vaccines must also be stored at a certain temperature, which means that not all aircraft are suitable.
Vaccines can be shipped by land, especially in developed economies with local manufacturing capacity, but will need to be shipped by air to other countries.
IATA warned that, with the severe drop in passenger traffic, airlines had reduced their fleets and stockpiled many aircraft for the long term.
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On Wednesday, AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford said they had stopped trials of their Covid-19 vaccine to investigate the “potentially unexpected illness” of a volunteer. GSK and France’s Sanofi are also working on a coronavirus vaccine, and other vaccines are being developed around the world, in China, Russia and the United States. About two dozen are being tested in humans.
“Even if we assume that half of the necessary vaccines can be transported by land, the air cargo industry will still face its greatest individual transport challenge. When planning their vaccine programs, particularly in the developing world, governments must take into account the limited air cargo capacity that is available at this time, ”said De Juniac.
“If borders remain closed, travel is reduced, fleets are grounded and employees are withdrawn, the ability to deliver life-saving vaccines will be greatly compromised.”
