¨Last Mile¨
by: Raquel Morgens
Although two companies have already confirmed that their vaccines appear safe and about 95 percent effective, there are still many obstacles that must be beat before we can see this to the end. Not just getting the vaccines to people but getting people to take them will prove as the greatest logical barrier. Usually potential vaccines have only a 10 percent chance of making it from Phase II clinical trials where they are tested for safety, dosing and effectiveness ,to approval within 10 years. On November 24 in the Annals of Internal Medicine it was reported that on average it takes successful vaccines over four years to go from Phase II trials to full regulatory approval. This is just one wall that stands in the way of getting vaccines out, in addition the time that these vaccines have to get to people is a challenge itself. The vaccines have to stay at regulated freezing temperatures in order for them to stay good and work effectively. Robin Townley in Washington, D.C., who heads special-projects logistics for A.P. Moller-Maersk, a company that handles supply chain states; “The vaccine race now is not a race out of the lab. It’s a race to the patient¨. Not only must we get the vaccines out and somehow maintain a temperature regulated environment for them, but the vaccine requires two doses for it to be effective. This brings other logistic issues such as keeping track who has gotten what does, when they got it, and getting those second doses to the patients in the time needed. Dry ice has been one idea brought forth as a way to keep the temperature at bay as well as specialized freezers to hold in the cold. The issue is that the dry ice will have to be refilled throughout the travel journey of the vaccines, but as the dry ice melts it turns into carbon dioxide gas which people can suffocate from. There also comes the problem that many other countries cannot supply the freezers and special needs transportation for the vaccines, if we lose vaccines through the delivery process the recovery from the pandemic may prove even longer and harder than ever thought.
Some of the worries are the cost that getting these specialized freezers and transportation will take, what are your thoughts on this, should we be worrying about cost or focus on taking any needs necessary?
What are some ideas that you have on how we can organize and help keep records of the vaccines?
There are many skeptical people about the vaccine which causes a problem because, if not enough people get it we won't see an improvement in stopping the spread of the virus; do you plan on getting the vaccine when possible?
We should be focusing on balancing the cost with distribution. Cost likely will not prevent the vaccine from being distributed to many places, we just have to try to limit cost. There needs to be a national plan for vaccination. If people are vaccinated in groups, it will be easier to keep records of how many people are vaccinated and how many more people need to get vaccinated. I do plan on getting the vaccine, however, this may take a while as the US currently has only purchased 50 million doses, and it may be difficult to receive more shipments before June.
ReplyDelete- Carissa Bersche
I think cost should be the last thing on our minds and take any needs necessary. More people are getting affected everyday and people are dying, It would be better to spend as much money to stop the virus so people are healthy and can go back to work
ReplyDelete-Angeline Upchurch
DeleteI think we shouldn't be focusing on the costs. The government owes it to to it's people to do everything in their power to get these vaccines out to people, no matter the costs. The government should think of paying for these vaccines as an investment in the economy. The more people are vaccinated, the more people can return to work and more people will start purchasing stuff and so on.
ReplyDelete-Ilori
I understand why some people/governments are worried about cost, but I don't think that should be a factor right now. This pandemic has been incredibly deadly and so many lives have been affected, that like others have said, we really shouldn't be focusing on how much the vaccines cost. The main priority is getting it to people and creating a system that ensures people receive the two required doses, which will be interesting to see how our government does so.
ReplyDeleteTrinity Mathis
I don't think cost will be much more than distribution so we need to even out both to try to find a balance in the storage and distribution. Maybe for record keeping there could be some type of online form because its usually faster or a vaccine card showing you received it. I will most likely get the vaccine especially because it would have gone through the phases by the time it gets to the teens so we will know for sure that it is safe.
ReplyDelete-Tyler A.
I think that the government should assume a major role in enforcing vaccination so that more people will be willing to get it. Scientists and the companies that cultivated these vaccines should publicize the side effects so that people can understand that the benefits outweigh the cost and also so they don't let irrational fears and speculation stop them from getting the vaccine. I also think that schools should make it mandatory for students to be vaccinated as they do with flu shots and other vaccines. -Shirin Saha
ReplyDeleteI think we should be worrying about the needs and people health before the cost. More people are getting sick everyday and the vaccine should the only thing we worry about because i think the cost won't actually be a problem.
ReplyDeleteAlyssa Butts