There are many things that go into making COVID-19 vaccines. The supply issue does not lie solely on the vaccine itself, but all that it takes to be made.
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — There has been a lot of talk about how Alabama’s supply of COVID vaccines is not meeting public demand.
But why does there seem to be a shortage of doses?
The issues go beyond just supply and demand, they actually start with the supply chain itself.
“There’s vials, there’s syringes, there’s all kinds of those things that have to get the vaccine into a container, and then that container has specific storage requirements,” said Dr. Nicholas Loyd, Director of Management and Economic Research, UAH.
Transportation and storage have been issues as well, due to the need for extremely cold temperatures.
“[Vechicles that transport vaccines need] freezers that can store things at that temperature, and sites that have those freezers. So, I mean, immediately if a vaccination site doesn’t have those, then that kind of makes it difficult for them to administer. They don’t get on the list,” said Loyd.
There is also a bigger need for human resources.
“So, if you take all of those pieces and say that every one of them has to align correctly to get a vaccine, and then when you get the vaccine at the vaccination site, you have to have someone trained to administer it,” said Loyd.
This process has been extremely sped up, therefore, it’s difficult to have everything that’s needed right at our fingertips.
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“Vaccine needs freezers, freezers need to be built with parts, well, parts have to be gotten from suppliers, suppliers have to build those parts, to build those parts they need the raw materials and that’s just one little slice of it,” said Jim Steele, Research Writer, UAH.
Again, the supply issue lies not only in the supply of vaccines but all that goes into making them.
“Because it’s not as easy as just saying ‘why don’t they make more vaccine,’ well, I don’t think anybody is purposely limiting the amount that’s made but all of those things have to be in place for a successful vaccination to happen,” said Loyd.
So, what is the solution?
“The more decentralized the resources can get; the more people can be reached,” said Loyd.
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