It is expected that COVID-19's vaccine will be marketed by next year (2021. Companies like AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, etc. are planning to launch the vaccine for COVID-19. Transporting and distributing this vaccine requires a unique logistics framework. It is being said that the vaccine will require to transport at minus 80-degree Celsius and within 10-15 days from the place of production to the end-users.
Under this condition, what are the major logistics challenges, and how can a developing country like Bangladesh solve it?
In their target product profile for COVID_19.WHO suggested that aclear demonstration of efficacy on population basis,ideally with afifty percent point estimate ,shoud be a minimum criteria for any acceptable vaccine and that efficacy cab be assessed against disease,sever disease and /or shedding/transmission end point.
So the main challenge
There will be no single vaccine winner, insufficient supply at least itially and aspect of product distribution and route of administration.
It is really problem but technically depends on Economic status of Country and stability of vaccine
These in fact are logistic challenges in maintaining quality of the vaccines. Maintaining the vaccine at - 80C will be challenging in many countries. I am sure there will be short term stability studies at room temperature or refrigerated temperature (a few hours) required for delivering the vaccines.
In developing countries challenges are definitely more than the developed world like:
1 Huge population.
2 Effective storage and transport facilities.
3 Training of HR
4 Crowd management
5 Requirement of additional HR
It depends on safe storage and transport, Economic status of the Country and stability of the vaccine.
Thanks to Hermann Gruenwald, Rajesh K Gupta, Gopal Chauhan, Helal F Hetta, and all others who have replied to the question. Based on your answers, it is evident that the primary challenges will be - choosing the appropriate mode of transportation which is capable of transporting the vaccine in the shortest possible time and, maintaining the vaccine quality during the period. So, for quite obvious reasons the transportation mode will be air transport. But maintaining the temperature below -80 degree celsius using dry ice is another challenge.
Furthermore, the distribution of the vaccine after reaching the national territory (airports) poses many more challenges. For example-
- What should the types of transport be used in country-wide/local distribution?
- How many distribution centers should be established and Where?
- What should be the mode of vaccination and how to manage the crowd?
Please, write your valuable opinions below.