US firms gear up for distribution of vaccine

A woman holds her son as he receives a COVID-19 test in Lawrence, Massachusetts. PIC/AFP

With the imminent arrival of Coronavirus vaccines that will need to be stored at ultra-low temperatures, US companies are gearing up for a massive logistical effort to aid their distribution.

Automaker Ford has ordered its own freezers, while meat processing giant Smithfield said it is ready to put the cold room at its abattoirs at the disposal of vaccine roll-out operations. US logistics giant UPS is already producing 500 kg of dry ice an hour in its depots and has developed portable freezers capable of storing the vaccines at temperatures of between -4 to -112 Fahrenheit.

But companies not directly linked to the manufacture, storage or transport of vaccines are also stepping up. "We have assessed our ultra-low freezer capabilities and capacity and are ready and willing to assist health agencies if storage capacity becomes constrained," said meat giant Smithfield's chief administrative director, Keira Lombardo. For its part, Ford has ordered a dozen ultra-cold freezers in anticipation of the arrival of vaccine vials, to offer them to employees who want them when they are available.

WHO warns virus crisis not over
The World Health Organisation has warned that vaccines will be no magic bullet as nations gear up for a massive rollout. The word of caution comes as the United States clocked a record number of COVID-19 cases for a second day in a row.

Bahrain to give nod to Pfizer vaccine
The island kingdom of Bahrain said on Friday it has become the second nation in the world to grant an emergency-use authorisation for the Coronavirus vaccine made by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech. The United Kingdom became the first on Wednesday.

6,63,58,071
TOTAL Number OF CORONAVIRUS CASES IN THE WORLD

15,27,144
Number OF DEATHS WORLDWIDE

4,59,39,469
Number OF RECOVERED PATIENTS

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