NYT: Big challenge: Keeping COVID vaccines cold

[Amethyst]

For some reason, most prospective COVID-19 vaccines seem to require sub-arctic temperatures. This article explains the logistical challenge of maintaining that frigid temperature, from laboratory to injection. From having enough low-temp freezers, to producing enough low-temp glass vials, to a shortage of dry ice for shipping - it's a huge challenge, and that's just for the first world. Developing countries may never be able to manage it.

The article didn't mention one thing which immediately leapt to mind: Does the vaccine go into your arm at 90 below zero? Or is it thawed out just before injection?

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/18/business/coronavirus-covid-vaccine-cold-frozen-logistics.html

 

[Gumby]

I'm thinking that really would lead to "pain at the injection site".

 

[ivinsfan]

AFIK the two dose Shingle vaccine is the same way and has to be combined and reconstituted before injecting. So they have experience with this, it's the scale of it that will be overwhelming.

 

[pacergal]

A few vaccines are that way, varicella and MMR off the top of my head.
Kept frozen, reconstitute just prior to injection, so it is given at approx room temp.

 

[sengsational]

The two major vaccine candidates that are mRNA based are the ones that need the very cold transportation temperatures. They are allowed to be just refrigerator temperature for a few days before used.