covid-19 vaccine

The Biden administration will drop its COVID-19 vaccine mandate at U.S. borders on Friday.

Donation platform GoFundMe shut down the Freedom Convoy fundraiser after consulting with police and reports of violence

Extra safety precautions, for cargo and crew, are needed when vaccines need ultra-cold transport by air. The FAA wants to fine-tune its safety guidance.

Here’s what it looked like in the middle of the “Freedom Convoy” protest In Canada.

Truck Tech is a weekly newsletter focusing on autonomous, connected and electric innovations in the trucking ecosystem for fleets.

OSHA extends compliance deadlines for its vaccination mandate to Jan. 10 and Feb. 9 as ATA takes the fight to the Supreme Court.

The unit plans to add facilities in the Netherlands, Germany and Mira Loma, California.

Reasons for Unemployment – Transportation & Warehousing industry

COVID-19 Pandemic drops 2020 household spending on transportation by nearly 14%

Demand for COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. has fallen substantially since a peak in early May. Now, boosters for older patients and a forthcoming requirement that large employers vaccinate or test workers could cause demand to rebound.

A FreightWaves poll found that 65% of 1,120 truckers who responded have been vaccined but nearly 73% of the holdouts would quit if forced to “get the jab.”

International transport rules for dangerous goods could have hindered the vaccine rollout by airlines without swift action by the air cargo sector.

UPS is partnering with companies like Zipline to take advantage
of drone technology to help deliver COVID-19 vaccines.

Health care distributors ramped up distribution of PPE and vaccines during the pandemic but normal health care usage fell.

How would intellectual property waivers affect the vaccine supply chain? Supporters say sharing IP will boost production. Others say a lack of workers, production facilities and supplies means sharing IP won’t help.

A giant Russian cargo jet was utilized to bring a special piece of machinery for bottling vaccines from Germany to a new manufacturing plant in the U.S. The equipment could help with the global effort to distribute COVID vaccines.

The air cargo industry quickly pulled together to deliver critical COVID vaccines and PPE last year. The same type of teamwork can be applied to other social needs, such as the environment and diversity, air cargo leaders say.

On the new FreightWaves show Medically Necessary, host Matt Blois takes you inside the health care supply chain and the work necessary to keep medical supplies moving.

Drug manufacturers are trying to massively scale up production, which will require companies to share information and governments to make financial investments.

The pandemic slashed ride volumes for medical transportation providers that brought patients to appointments. Now, some want to bring drugs and supplies to patients.

Criminals are trying to sell fake COVID-19 vaccines to desperate governments and citizens, threatening trust in the real health care supply chain.

On this episode of Midday Market Update, Kaylee Nix and Michael Vincent look at the first-mile logistics market and hear about a flurry of recent acquisitions.

The effort to stop the COVID-19 pandemic is generating a lot of waste. Now, health care providers have to dispose of those materials.

Logistics supply chains have delivered. More than 300 million vaccine doses have been distributed and administered.

Companies in a wide variety of industries are starting to offer vaccines to their employees at work. That protects employees’ health and the company’s bottom line.

The recent stimulus bill would funnel billions to the health care supply chain quickly. Recent executive orders indicate the feds aim to focus on health care supply chain long term.

Delaying second doses would change the distribution pattern for vaccines and reshape the supply chain. Also, vaccine manufacturers say supply is about to dramatically increase.

Infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci says winter storm disruptions are a “temporary setback” to COVID vaccine delays.

Brussels Airport may be the busiest airport when it comes to moving coronavirus vaccines by air.

Some supply chain experts believe a nationwide IT system for managing COVID-19 vaccine distribution would be more efficient, but it’s been difficult to create one.

Get caught up on every session from the FreightWaves Health & Pharma Supply Chain Summit here.

Pharmaceutical companies often get nervous that carelessness by a transportation provider will spoil a shipment of COVID vaccines or other medicines. Airfreight experts say data sharing and teamwork can eliminate most glitches.

Also on this week’s podcast: Diesel gains back almost all of the pandemic losses

DOT Secretary Elaine Chao emailed a farewell letter to employees on Friday detailing her resignation and COVID-19 challenges.

The Swiss logistics giant Kuehne + Nagel has extensive pharmaceutical experience and will handle the storage and transportation of COVID-19 vaccines for Moderna around the world.

Russia is shipping its COVID-19 vaccine to several countries, including Argentina.

After months of anticipation, COVID vaccines are finally rolling out across the country. However, both GM and Ford have decided against a mandatory vaccination policy.

In today’s edition of The Daily Dash, project44 has secured $100 million in funding; plus, Amazon was forced to close a warehouse days before Christmas because of rising COVID cases and McKesson has started shipping Moderna’s vaccine.

Team McKesson is implementing Phase 2 of Operation Warp Speed on Sunday, delivering the first Moderna COVID vaccines across the nation.

Railway supply workers support critical infrastructure, the trade group says.

The Defense Logistics Agency is the military’s in-house logistics management provider. It has its ducks in a row to receive new coronavirus vaccines.

McKesson is the middleman between Moderna and FedEx and UPS. Distribution is already in motion to deliver the nation’s second vaccine this week.

Michael Vincent and Kevin Hill bring you today’s headlines, an update on vaccine movement across the US, and how the vaccine will stress the air cargo market.

Delta joins the caravan of airlines moving COVID vaccines. Air Canada gets ready.

Frito-Lay is responding to customers’ demands and have introduced an option for consumers to customize their variety packs.

The dry ice shortage that many feared would crimp the ability to ship COVID-19 vaccines turned out to be a Y2K event.

Distribution of coronavirus vaccines isn’t limited to FedEx and UPS. Many freight transportation and logistics companies are already playing a large role in the global immunization campaign.

Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine could begin rolling out next week in much the same pattern as the Pfizer vaccine this week, but there are some operational differences.

COVID vaccines take priority, straining already ultra-tight delivery capacity.

American Airlines is moving a Pfizer vaccine shipment from Chicago to a Caribbean island via Miami.

The distribution of COVID-19 vaccines is finally a reality, but it’s a carefully orchestrated process among the federal government, the manufacturer, a major health care distributor and FedEx and UPS.

Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan, could play an active role in the U.S. and worldwide distribution of COVID-19 vaccine because it is the closest commercial airport to Pfizer Inc.’s (NYSE: PFE) Kalamazoo manufacturing plant. On Sunday, an Airbus A300 cargo jet operated by FedEx Express (NYSE: FDX) left Ford airport for […]

The Daily Dash is a quick look at what is happening in the freight ecosystem. In today’s edition, C.R. England became the latest carrier to announce a large pay increase for its drivers. Plus, analysts debate the value of the Tesla Semi program and industry groups push for transportation workers to be among those with early access to a COVID vaccine.

Anticipation for the first COVID vaccine is about to be realized and with it a huge ground and air operation to immunize the world. ABI Research quantifies some of the transportation requirements.

LATAM Airlines is offering to move domestic shipments of vaccines for free.

Nobody likes a line cutter, but when it comes to the rush delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, the Federal Aviation Administration is making an exception.

The more dry ice used to cool a pharmaceutical shipment, the less product that can be carried on a plane. That’s because dry ice is poisonous when it turns to gas. The FAA issued guidelines to help airlines manage the dry ice risk.

Who will get to the front of the COVID vaccination line? Virtually everyone agrees front-line doctors and nurses, and people in nursing homes, should be first, but after that industry sectors are fighting over who is more important. Freight transportation groups say they should be in the top tier.

Operation COVID Logistics is underway, with the auxiliary materials to administer vaccines moving out to local distribution sites.

FMCSA has included restrictions and limitations in waivers so far to avoid compromising safety.

The heavy-lift cargo plane is not the first aircraft that comes to mind for coronavirus vaccine delivery, but with the right planning, Volga-Dnepr says it can move many huge amounts of doses at once.

How important are cold chain logistics to vaccine distribution? PowerFleet CEO joins the show to discuss.

DHL will be the first to deliver COVID-19 vaccines in Germany. Integrated logistics companies like DHL, FedEx and UPS have an advantage with their closed networks and sophisticated delivery methods for keeping vaccines at the correct temperature.

Dooner and The Dude discuss why preventing counterfeit COVID vaccines will be a challenge.

UNICEF is helping less developed countries with supply chain needs associated with distributing coronavirus vaccines.

Port communities in LA, Charleston and Philadelphia already at risk, officials assert.

Bill Freidel of AIT Worldwide Logistics expects 2021 to be another challenging year for freight as the COVID-19 vaccine is prepped for release. He encourages logistics companies to invest in cold-chain technologies and continue to meet customer expectations.

The public-private partnership distributing the COVID vaccines is in the starting blocks. Planning is almost done. Now it’s time to execute the race once the FDA says the drugs are safe for public use.

Preparing for the massive global distribution of COVID vaccines for airlines is the equivalent of the military massing for an invasion. Here’s how United, American and Delta airlines are getting ready.

CDC data show transportation workers can be at increased risk for infection.

In today’s edition of The Daily Dash, tightness in the reefer market could drive up the price of COVID vaccine distribution. Plus, a charity group is helping truckers in need this year, and investment firms are buying into digital freight brokerage.

The adviser overseeing Operation Warp Speed said distribution of the first COVID-19 vaccines could begin as soon as Dec. 11.

Temperature-controlled equipment rates are already breaking records, could the vaccine distribution push them higher?

One in four vaccines loses its integrity during transit.

Operation Warp Speed is getting close to pushing out the initial supply of COVID-19 vaccines by the end of the year, but plans are still being refined for one of the most consequential logistics projects in modern history.

Logistics companies, apart from the big integrators, may feel like they’re in an information black hole when it comes to preparation for the COVID-19 vaccine. They don’t have clear information from drugmakers and have to collaborate with multiple partners that may be at different states of readiness.

How will Tesla fare on the S&P 500, Canada’s role in COVID vaccines, and an update on upstream supply chains  Tuesday’s headlines Tesla dropped the news that after five straight quarters of profitability, the company will be joining the S&P 500 index on Dec. 21.  Tesla’s revenue continued to gain in Q3 2020, and its […]

Dooner and the Dude kick off the week with another big vaccine announcement, plus a peek at some unique Christmas gifts.

Air cargo carrier names Yulia Celetaria health care director and forms vaccine task force.

Pfizer is laying the logistics groundwork for what is considered the largest-ever vaccine distribution campaign.

Pfizer and Moderna have developed vaccines that need to be deep frozen. Most freight distribution companies and medical facilities don’t have super-cold freezers, so governments and industry are mobilizing resources until less sensitive vaccines come along that they are equipped to handle.

The Defense Department, the biggest logistics organization in the world, is putting its expertise to work developing a strategic plan for efficiently delivering a COVID vaccine to every corner of the country.

Air freight demand for COVID-19 vaccines will be massive, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

COVID vaccines will be the highest priority for air cargo companies, and that means other types of shipments could sit in warehouses waiting to catch a flight if space is short.

In the world of politics, the complicated distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine is greatly simplified. It must be for messaging and public confidence. President Trump, in his rallies and in the first presidential 2020 debate, said the deployment was “logistically all set up” using soldiers to deliver “200,000 a day.” But is it really that simple? Absolutely not.

The challenges of delivering a coronavirus vaccine to 8 billion people are immense, but over time more logistics companies will be able to participate as shipping tolerances ease.

Airline industry experts are just guesstimating when they say 8,000 big freighter planes will be needed to rush COVID vaccines to the public. Until we know more about the shipping requirements and packaging logistics, folks will still be in the dark.

How do you prepare for the Super Bowl if you don’t know who your opponent is? That’s how airlines and freight managers feel about preparations for transporting a COVID-19 vaccine when one is approved because manufacturers aren’t freely sharing shipping details.

More airlines and logistics firms are fortifying their pharmaceutical handling capabilities and credentials ahead of an expected COVID-19 vaccine release. Several companies this week announced new product offerings, investments or logistics arrangements aimed at vaccine manufacturers. Industry officials have warned that there isn’t enough cold-chain infrastructure worldwide to support an immediate delivery schedule, and urged […]

President Donald Trump is trying to fast-track a COVID-19 vaccine and appears ready to mobilize military assets. A possible scenario involves an airlift with Air Force cargo jets, which offer two advantages: speed and cold storage.

From trucking, security and data exchange to customs and civil aviation permissions, the Amsterdam airport is covering all the bases for rushing out approved coronavirus vaccines.

The U.S. government is coordinating with the private sector how to quickly deliver a COVID-19 vaccine, but under one scenario officials are contemplating the military could deploy giant cargo planes to carry refrigerated trucks full of vaccines.

Rosenthal predicts Internet-based distribution to jump as high as 50%.

The freight-forwarding arms of DHL and DB Schenker are adding air capacity by leasing aircraft from all-cargo operators. The new services and features from DHL and FedEx are designed to meet growing demand associated with COVID and greater temperature requirements.

New medicines and life science products are more valuable and temperature-sensitive than before, requiring special storage and transportation conditions. Will there be enough of this infrastructure to handle a COVID vaccine?

Whether or not President Donald Trump’s optimism about an October surprise comes to fruition, there could be an approved coronavirus vaccine next year. A giant flotilla of all-cargo planes will be deployed to deliver the medicine around the world, but airlines are already short of capacity and there isn’t yet enough refrigerated infrastructure to safely store that much vaccine. Airlines are issuing a call to action.

The hot topics you may have missed this week.