Articles by Cole-Parmer Blog Team

The COVID-19 vaccine is close to distribution in India The race is on to close in on a safe and effective vaccine. Particularly in India, vaccine distribution is likely to begin in January 2021, according to the BBC. With vaccine candidates entering the final few phases of development and human trials, it will not be long before more vaccines are out for distribution in the market. With at-risk individuals prioritized, the entire manufacturing and distribution effort needs to be able to facilitate the equitable access of these vaccines to protect people across the globe. Are you ready? India’s vaccination roll-out plan Vaccination roll-out plans are being made and will begin with at-risk people and health workers, followed by critical public services police, soldiers, municipal and other front-line workers. The next groups eligible for vaccinations would include people above and below 50 years of age with underlying conditions and comorbidities. Overall, India’s vaccination program aims to reach close to 300 million people by early August 2021. Vaccine cold chain stages and responsibilities To reach all these individuals in a timely manner, your cold chain needs to remain reliable. This may become challenging because the vaccine cold chain is a complicated supply chain with a lot of moving parts and numerous levels, along with many handlers from the time of manufacture to the administration of the vaccine. Every link in the cold chain is susceptible to incorrect temperatures that can render the vaccine ineffective. With lives at stake, the roles and responsibilities of all individual stakeholders – including manufacturers, distributors and providers – become critical through the entire vaccine cold chain. Vaccine cold chain stages Responsibility for the vaccine Vaccine manufacturing Manufacturers Vaccine distribution Manufacturers/Distributors Vaccine arrival at provider facility Provider Vaccine storage and handling at provider facility Provider Vaccine administration Provider Maximizing vaccine distribution Countering the effects of the pandemic requires efficient distribution and delivery mechanisms. You need the right tools and solutions required to maintain the efficacy of the vaccine while maximizing the reach to the masses. The solutions and tools will not only depend on the stage in your cold chain process but also the vaccine selected for distribution. Solutions Broadly, cold chain solutions can be classified into storage, monitoring and transportation. Storage Vaccine storage along the cold chain requires temperature-controlled enclosures and packaging to be maintained within strict temperature boundaries. Vaccine candidates today are required to be kept in strict temperature ranges that usually vary from -90°C to +8°C to maintain potency. Moreover, these also require a completely separate setup and not the standard refrigerator along with monitoring. Storage considerations range from large to small spaces depending on your product or your cold chain structure. Monitoring The criticality of delivering the vaccine effectively to the public increases the need for real-time temperature monitoring and increased data management with the ability to react quickly. This serious nature of temperature management is crucial to maintain effectiveness and minimize losses of the vaccine during transportation. Transportation The movement of the vaccine through the cold chain involves different types of transport and storage containers. These storage containers need to be able to travel vast distances spanning across cities, states, and countries. Consider solutions that can hold up for long periods of time to protect the quality and integrity of your vaccines. In India, vaccination roll-out plans are being made and distribution is coming soon. The right tools and solutions are required to maintain the efficacy of the vaccine while maximizing the reach to the masses. Do you have your tools and solutions ready? To know more, contact the experts In India at: response@coleparmer.in For all others, please reach out to your local representative.

Articles by Cole-Parmer Blog Team

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Geared up with the right cold chain solutions?