IATA: delivering Covid-19 vaccines will be “mission of the century” for global air cargo industry
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has urged governments to ensure they are fully prepared for when Covid-19 vaccines are approved and available for distribution, warning of "potentially severe capacity constraints in transporting vaccines by air".
The association said that providing a single dose alone to the world's 7.8 billion people would fill 8,000 B747 aircraft, adding that "it is clear that the scale of activity will be vast, that cold chain facilities will be required and that delivery to every corner of the planet will be needed".
IATA's Director General and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac said that safely delivering Covid-19 vaccines "will be the mission of the century for the global air cargo industry".
"But it won't happen without careful advance planning," de Juniac warned. "And the time for that is now. We urge governments to take the lead in facilitating cooperation across the logistics chain so that the facilities, security arrangements and border processes are ready for the mammoth and complex task ahead."
IATA highlighted priorities for preparing facilities ahead of vaccine distribution, including the availability of temperature-controlled facilities and equipment, and staff trained to handle time- and temperature-sensitive vaccines.
