We are in an unprecedented time! No, not the pandemic – pandemics have happened before like the early 1900 Spanish flu. Today, the unprecedented time is the solution – speed to patient vaccines! The science behind the vaccines in “Project Warp Speed” is leveraging new science instead of traditional vaccine science. Modern science offers several critical benefits – leveraging messenger RNA (mRNA), viral vector, and others. Most importantly is the speed to a vaccine!! Currently, November is a target for the approval and delivery of a COVID-19 vaccine for at least healthcare workers. Awesome. Protect the brave and dedicated healthcare workers while getting the world running again!
One potential safety and security issue exists – the safe and secure delivery of the vaccines to the population. We are talking about hundreds of millions of vaccines.
Plenty of details still need to be worked out! How do Americans receive a COVID-19 vaccine and how do they pay vaccine?
Other critical and essential details exist. How do we protect and secure the vaccine shipments through the Supply Chain? Sounds easy correct? Actually, it is not that easy! Problems such as theft and counterfeit vaccine and others could quickly occur. First, the government needs to demand all vaccines are serialized (aka Drug Supply Chain Security Act). Second, all parties involved in the shipment and distribution of the vaccines need to electronically report where they shipped the vaccines at the serial number level.
All the shipment and distribution history can be accumulated in a cloud database which will provide easy verification. Hence, at the point of vaccination, a simple app can facilitate the vaccine’s validity through a scanning and verification process. Much of this technology exists today and is ready to expand its current use.
Furthermore, simple technology can collect the information regarding the vaccination to the patient level. Thus, the information will drive safe passage for the vaccinated consumers.
The solutions scientists have been working on tirelessly since the world began shutting down to provide a vaccine can only be realize through the government’s commitment of the safety and security of the vaccine through technology in an unprecedented time.
