Airlines Poised to Distribute Vaccine

Following FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine, US distribution began within 24 hours.

The COVID-19 vaccine trial results have been promising and the United Kingdom became the first nation in the world to begin vaccinating its citizens with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. Canadian health officials followed suit this week saying “thorough independent review of the evidence” determines that the Pfizer vaccine meets the “stringent safety, efficacy and quality requirements for use in Canada.” The US wasn’t far behind as its Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) was granted by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) just last night. Most of us on this side of the Atlantic see this as hopeful news as our infection rates have skyrocketed.

Prior to its EUA, the FDA did affirm the Pfizer vaccine's safety and 95 per cent efficacy.

On a global basis, the pandemic has seen 58.9 million cases and 1.42 million deaths. Infections continue to surge in America with some reports suggesting there could be an estimated 20 million cases here by Inauguration Day next month. Hopes to end the pandemic rest with the vaccine candidates, the first of which should now be available in the US as early as next week. While frontrunners Pfizer and Moderna have completed clinical trials and reported efficacy in the 90 to 95 per cent range, there are others in various trial stages. No matter which ones follow Pfizer in gaining necessary Federal approval, US airlines have been gearing up for their distribution for some time and will play a pivotal role in ensuring they’re available in all areas of this large country as quickly and safely as possible.

American's transported test vaccines and specimens to research facilities around the world.

American Airlines is ready to start shipping COVID-19 vaccines now that one has received FDA approval. “This is going to be the biggest distribution effort in history, as we all work to distribute as fast as we can “ American Chairman and CEO Doug Parker told Yahoo Finance Live. The airline has been shipping medicine and vaccines for several decades. Last month, it began test flights with pharmaceutical and cargo companies preparing to distribute the coronavirus vaccine. American calls itself an expert in cold-chain logistics and has already transported components for Phase 3 COVID vaccine trials. Using a B777-200 aircraft based in Miami, it saw all the relevant protocols being followed ahead of vaccine approval. In some cases, like the Pfizer vaccine, these will require storage at temperatures close to minus 100 degrees Fahrenheit. “The containers themselves are loaded onto the aircraft containing cooling units. And again, other than the dry ice that is being used by someone like Pfizer, American already has enough cold storage facilities at its airport hubs,” Parker reported. “We have a huge hub in Philadelphia. We at American, because of the pharmaceutical companies in and around Philadelphia, we’ve been doing this for a long time. We are good at it. We’re prepared to do it.” Parker said confidently.

Delta's vaccine distribution plan has been guided by medical and pharmaceutical experts.

Delta Air Lines has also demonstrated it has proven proficiency for transporting COVID-19 vaccines after successful shipments earlier this year. With large warehouses and cooler facilities in Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York JFK and Seattle, as well as a network of 49 certified “Pharma Hub” airports across the globe, Delta has capabilities in place to support vaccine shipments at home and around the world. Pharma Hub airports are those designated by the International Air Transport Association as expert in the proper handling of sensitive pharmaceutical products shipped by air. The carrier has a broad and nimble global distribution function in coordination with Air France, KLM Martinair Cargo and Virgin Atlantic Cargo that enables end-to-end compliance. “Effective and rapid distribution of the vaccines as they reach final approval is one of the most crucial elements in containing the virus,” said Rob Walpole, Vice President-Delta Cargo. “That’s why we created a vaccine task force months ago charged with understanding requirements and working with healthcare and pharmaceutical experts, building scalable solutions to support the industry. After successfully shipping test vaccines throughout the summer and fall, we are confident in our capability and stand ready to help ensure approved vaccines are broadly distributed.”

Southwest Airlines may be uniquely suited to distribute the vaccine to smaller markets.

In a recent statement, Southwest Airlines reported they’ve been working with a number of freight forwarding and courier companies specializing in vaccine distribution to ensure the airline understood their needs and the role the carrier will play in moving the vaccine to locations throughout the United States. Southwest’s Managing Director of Cargo and Charters, Wally Deveraux, said the airline may be suited to step in to aid with vaccine transport to certain areas of the country. “We have a lot of unique destinations and we fly a little bit different with more of a point-to-point type schedule. That allows us to serve markets with a little bit larger aircraft than a regional jet,” Deveraux claimed. “So with a 737, you’re serving markets that aren’t necessarily served well by other carriers or easily served for that matter. That’s where Southwest can really come in and assist.”

United is ready for vaccine rollout, including an initial shipment of 23,000 doses.

In late November, United Airlines began operating charter flights to position doses of the Pfizer vaccine for quick distribution once the treatment was approved by Federal regulators. Those initial flights were but one link in a global supply chain assembled to tackle the logistical challenges of distributing COVID-19 vaccines. Pfizer‘s also laid the groundwork to move quickly after earning approval from the FDA and other worldwide authorities. What this means is that thousands of coronavirus vaccines may already be at United's hub in Chicago, just ready to be deployed. A company spokesperson was recently quoted as saying, “United Cargo established a COVID Readiness Task Team earlier this summer to help ensure we have the right people, products, service and partnerships in place to support a vaccine distribution effort on a global scale. We have made a commitment to our pharmaceutical and medical customers that we are ready to safely and effectively support their vaccine transportation needs. The safety and security of these commodities is our priority and we are proud to be a trusted partner in these efforts.”

The FAA has said it will give COVID-19 vaccine shipments priority in American skies.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has gone on record as fully supporting the mass transit of COVID-19 vaccines. The agency has worked proactively with other US Government bodies, as well as air carriers and aviation stakeholders, to ensure the continued safe transport of critical medical supplies and personnel. The FAA established the FAA COVID-19 Vaccine Air Transport Team in October to guarantee the safe, expeditious and efficient transportation of vaccines. Several of these need continuous cold temperatures during transport which, in some circumstances, require dry ice, a hazardous material. The FAA has worked with manufacturers, air carriers and airport authorities in providing guidance towards implementing adjusted regulatory requirements for safely transporting large quantities of dry ice in air cargo. In addition to mitigating safety risks, the agency is committed to ensuring ‘round-the-clock air traffic services in prioritizing flights carrying vaccine cargo and medical personnel critical to the nation’s response to and recovery from COVID-19.

The results of recently completed vaccine clinical trials and subsequent regulatory approvals have made for very welcome news. It’s also comforting to know our airline transportation network is geared up for the safe and rapid delivery of what we all pray will stop this vicious virus in its tracks.

Until next time...stay safe.