As you read this, 2.9 million doses of the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech are being shipped and delivered across the United States via FedEx and UPS to distribution points, hospitals and clinics, [cnbc.com] reports.
“‘As I speak today [Nov. 12], right now, vaccines are being packaged with a lot of emphasis on quality assurance. To that end, tomorrow morning, vaccines will start rolling from manufacturing to distribution hubs,’ said Gen. Gustave Perna, chief operating officer of Operation Warp Speed, at a briefing by the Health and Human Services Department Saturday. ‘And then by Monday, vaccines will be received.’’
The vaccine requires unusually stringent conditions for shipping - it must be stored at the extremely low temperature of minus 94 degrees F. (-67 C), kept in a sealed box with dry ice. These “mobile shippers” carry between 1,000 and 5,000 doses, and can serve as mobile freezers for those facilities which don’t have the specialty equipment. The vaccine can last up to 30 days in these shippers, and the dry ice must be replaced every five days.
To this end, UPS has spent the last few months stockpiling “portable freezer units capable of subarctic storage, near strategic air hubs in the U.S. and Europe.” It has also geared up its production of dry ice up to 1200 lbs per hour, which can be shipped to distribution sites.
The vaccine shipments will be closely monitored by UPS, FedEX and the directors of Operation Warp Speed; they’re equipped with high-tech tracking devices that will detect motion, temperature, exposure to light and their GPS location.
The FAA has given special clearance to the airplanes carrying this precious cargo - they’ll have prioritized landing rights at airports, and all airports have been put on alert to have extra staff to keep runways clear in case of snow and ice.
Truck drivers carrying the vaccine will also be prioritized, and each will have a security escort.
FedEx and UPS have divided up the country as to which will cover which area, and are coordinating closely to ensure that every zip code is covered. They have both hired thousands more employees to ensure timely delivery, even in the midst of the holiday season. [https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/12/how-fedex-ups-plan-to-distribute-fda-approved-covid-vaccine-when-will-you-get-the-coronavirus-vaccine.html]
