Pharmaceutical and logistics companies as well as governmental agencies need to create an ultra-low temperature cold chain in order to keep vaccines below sub-zero temperatures. Currently, the existing refrigerated transport infrastructure and supply chain is not prepared to handle these types of shipments. Dry ice, made of recycled CO2, will be essential in the safe distribution of every single one of these doses. It sublimates without creating any waste or residue, making it the perfect refrigerating medium during the shipment of vaccines.
“Dosing dry ice directly into temperature-controlled thermal shippers is the only way to maintain that temperature level during transit and storage,” said Wim Eeckelaers, Managing Director, EMEA, Cold Jet. “At all points in the vaccine transportation and distribution cold chain, dry ice is needed to maintain temperature.”
Dry ice has long been an essential contributor to the global economy. However, it has taken on a new responsibility in humanity’s fight against COVID-19. Once the vaccine reaches local communities, it will be further divided up and sent to vaccination centres, public and mobile clinics, hospitals, and pharmacies. Cold Jet is working with local distributors around the world to ensure that they are able to meet the needs of all communities, whether they are in the inner-city or in hard to reach rural areas.
The World Health Organization cites inadequate cold chain capacity as a major issue to vaccine distribution in developing economies. In recent years, millions of doses of vaccines were lost due to cold chain failures. Cold Jet’s Dry Ice Production Hub helps solve this issue. “We want to guarantee that any person, no matter where they live in the world, is able to obtain a safe and viable vaccine,” said Dennis Hjort, Vice President – Global Dry Ice Manufacturing Systems, Cold Jet.
