Even before the COVID-19 vaccines were in clinical trails, logistics managers were working to strategize with state, local and federal governments to coordinate how a vaccine could be sent across the country and around the world. Follow along as we walk you through how the COVID-19 vaccines are relying on top-notch logistics management to be safely delivered across the country and around the world.
Logistics Basics
At the very core of an operation as crucial as this one must be an experienced and world-class team of logistics managers with a wide network to fill out the entire supply chain. Ensuring the project is managed by the very best is much more high-stakes than a typical logistics job, with the health and lives of so many people on the line. By simply choosing the best logistics team for job, the country will be able to get much closer to normalcy, much faster.
Temperature-Control
Because the efficiency of the vaccines are dependent upon their ability to be handled in a temperature-controlled environment, the process of moving this cargo around the country becomes more complicated and more expensive. With so much on the line, the logistics management team must work to choose the most advanced and dependable cooling systems, such as refrigerator trucks and/or chilled boxes.
Types of Cargo Movement
With vaccines being shipped from various manufacturers around the country, there are different shipment types being used depending on where they’re coming from, where they’re going, and how quickly they need to get there. Additionally, the sheer volume of cargo involved requires a diverse operation made up of several transportation types to get the vaccines into arms as soon as possible. According to an estimate by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), about 8 billion doses will be needed in order to give a first vaccination to the entire global population, which amounts to a freight volume that would fill 8,000 Boeing 747s. Air, truck, and train cargo are being used to get doses across the United States and around other countries around the world.
Questions on Logistics?
Even if you may not be shipping vaccines anytime soon, many people have a need for logistics services, whether they own and operate a business or they have an upcoming cross-continental move. If you have any questions about logistics or the services we offer, contact us today for some answers!