To ensure rapid delivery of the life-saving (and normalcy-restoring) COVID vaccines developed by Pfizer/BioNTech, United Airlines has begun charter flights to position doses of the as-yet-unapproved vaccine for rapid distribution once the FDA authorizes its use, today’s Wall Street Journal reports. The Federal Aviation Administration had to make a special approval for the flights, because of the 15,000 pounds of dry ice required per flight to keep the vaccines cold.
FedEx and DHL are introducing temperature monitoring systems for future shipments, and UPS and Lufthansa are building “freezer farms” at airport hubs to safely store vaccines in transit.
