How Airlines Are Transporting COVID-19 Vaccines and What Difficulties They Are Facing

The airlines are joining the fight against the coronavirus . Since Friday 27 November United Airlines began operate charter flights between Brussels and Chicago to transport vaccine doses of Pfizer-BioNTech one week after the companies submitted the application for authorization to emergency use before becoming the first vaccine licensed by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The long wait for a vaccine may be over, but distribute it at 7, 800 millions of people around the world have become the next big challenge. In the United States, both the vaccine from the companies Pfizer-BioNTech and that of Modern require two doses that will eventually have to reach more than 330 millions of people across the country.

Although shipping is only part of the journey, it is a critical step. A report developed by DHL and McKinsey estimates that vaccinating the world will require up to 13, 000 flights .

In the United States, airlines have taken a step forward to become a crucial part of the supply chain together with the logistics giants such as UPS , FedEx and DHL.

American Airlines, Delta and United have been preparing since the summer of 2020 and went into action hours after the vaccines were approved for emergency use in the United States.