How Indian cold chain companies are gearing up to deliver Covid-19 vaccines

With the Covid-19 vaccine expected to roll out early next year, Indian cold chain operators are gearing up to ensure an efficient logistics network.

Transporting the vaccines safely to the masses will be one of the biggest hurdles to cross, once the vaccine has been developed, as they require very specific temperature conditions, some as low as minus 80 degrees Celcius.

Read | How to ship a vaccine at -80 degrees Celsius and other obstacles

Planes, trucks, cold storage units will have to equip themeselves to transport and maintain vaccines at such low temperatures and glass vials, containers with the vaccines will also need to be packaged to withstand such icy conditions. A huge quantity of dry ice will also be needed. Vaccine storage and transportation might just be the biggest pandora box of issues after the vaccine's production and safety trials.

The bulk of vaccines in India will be distributed by the Centre’s Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) mechanism, and private cold chain companies will also be part of the transportation process. According to a report by the Mint, all available operators in the country will be required to deliver the vaccines, said the executives of the logistics centres.

“It is important to understand that there is not enough capacity available. So, in each city, they will have to look for companies, including private ones, who have cold storage facilities and who can take care of distribution, of course under the Centre’s directive," Snowman Logistics's chief executive officer Sunil Nair told the publication.

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Snowman Logistics, India's largest cold-chain network, aims to allot one chamber across its 31 facilities in India and deploy refrigerated trucks for vaccine distribution subject to regulatory approval.

Likewise, Gati Ltds's cold chain unit will employ its fleet of 120 trucks to transport the Covid-19 vaccines. “While we are not expanding our cold chain operations at the moment, we intend to do so after January and will proceed in accordance with a well-defined strategy and plan,” the company spokesperson told Mint.

Apart from delivering the vaccine to the public, another challenge is ensuring the optimum temperature is maintained throughout the transportation process.

Delivery giant DHL said in a white paper, co-authored with McKinsey & Co., “When vaccines enter the market for emergency use (potentially in Q4 2020), the lack of stability data might lead to stricter temperature control at the vaccine supply chain."

Globally, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) claims that as many as 8,000 jumbo jets, similar to Boeing 747s, will be required to transport the vaccine globally.

Also Read | 8,000 jumbo jets needed to transport Covid-19 vaccine globally: IATA

IATA is coordinating with airports, airlines, global health bodies, and drug companies to streamline the distribution process of the Covid-19 vaccine -- when there is one. The programme assumes one solitary dose per person.

However, as vaccines require optimum conditions and capacity to transport, such as very low temperatures and frozen conditions, certain aircraft which may not be incorporated with required facilities may have to be dropped.

(With inputs from agencies)