The U.K. became the first Western nation to start immunizing its residents from the coronavirus this week. But the speed of authorization and implementation of the program are being tempered by the reality of getting the delicate Pfizer – BioNTech vaccine to the most vulnerable, reports The Wall Street Journal (Dec,11. 2020).
Reaching the housebound and those in nursing homes is a challenge that offers a cautionary tale for U.S. health officials as they contemplate their own rollout. The main reason is that the conditions needed for the vaccine’s storage aren’t usually found in long-term care facilities. The vaccine must be kept at temperatures of minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit and once thawed, used within 2 hours if at room temperature–certainly a Chapter 11 logistics management problem if there ever was one. Another challenge is that the vials holding the vaccine come in packs of 975 and must all be used once opened—nursing home providers say no elderly-care residence exists in the U.K. with so many residents.
The vaccine must be turned upside down—but not shaken— and returned to resting before it is given. The delicate technology it contains, named messenger RNA, is so new that Pfizer is still running stability studies to work out whether it can be stored for longer periods at warmer temperatures. The clock starts ticking as soon as they thaw the vials and they have 12 hours to complete the pack down, label the boxes and then get the vials to the mobile teams and into care homes.
Distributing a biological product, which requires kid-glove treatment, to the hardest-to-reach corners of Britain has “very significant logistical challenges,” said a government minister.
Classroom discussion questions:
- A few OM issues are discussed in this WSJ article. Identify other major distribution problems we are sure to face.
- What can governments and/or citizens do to assist in implementing/administering the vaccine?