How Location Intelligence and Last Mile Delivery Help in COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

Pharma companies like Serum Institute of India and Pfizer are gearing to roll out the COVID-19 vaccine. Emergency use authorization (EUA) and full approval of the vaccines have already been issued in India and other countries. However, companies are bracing themselves about mitigating the key challenges, including effective distribution, last-mile delivery, logistics, and infrastructure. Moreover, one of the biggest problems is storing the vaccine at super-low temperatures, as exposure to high temperatures affects their potency. Accessing remote regions and finding suitable cold storage for vaccines during the journey and on arrival will also be a daunting task.

Location intelligence (LI) and last mile delivery software will play an essential role in overcoming these challenges.

Role of Location Intelligence and Last Mile Delivery COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

Here’s how companies and government authorities can leverage LI and last mile delivery solutions for mass COVID-19 vaccination.

Leveraging Location Intelligence

A vaccine finder tool powered by a location intelligence platform can help government agencies and healthcare institutions track all the hospitals, retail pharmacies, and clinics where the vaccine will be administered. They can use GIS mapping to locate frontline workers and healthcare providers, followed by the elderly to kickstart the vaccination. Authorities will also leverage mapping tools and GIS mapping software to identify rural and remote areas that are not easy to reach. GIS will be instrumental in helping to plan and implement efficient vaccine distribution.

Managing the Last Mile

Last mile carriers will be responsible for transporting and handling the vaccines at extremely low temperatures and tracking their movement from the manufacturers to the distribution centers and finally to the general public. Moreover, they will also play a critical role in the supply chain that delivers the necessary raw materials drug companies need to manufacture the vaccines. A robust last mile delivery platform will enable smooth orchestration of the supply chain involved for mass vaccination.

As the COVID-19 vaccines will require people taking two doses for full effect, there will be a need for roughly 15 billion doses globally. It is a remarkable achievement to create the vaccines; however, the logistical challenges of getting the vaccines to the people will be every bit as challenging as the scientific issues.

Also read: 7 last mile delivery trends for 2023

Fleet Tracking of Vaccine Carrier Vehicles

Authorities will also be able to manage, track, and monitor the vaccine vehicle carriers in real-time. A good fleet management software can offer the vehicle’s exact location and condition and the security signals in real-time. It can even share the ETA and warn about temperature excursions in advance. The right fleet management tool will also alert following safe delivery of vaccines using Electronic Proof of Delivery (ePOD) combined with sensor data. Features like route optimization and scheduling of vehicles will also help companies and authorities for a seamless vaccine delivery.

Also read: The ultimate guide to fleet management

Final Thoughts

Governments, federal authorities, and healthcare leaders have relied on GIS and location technologies to track and analyze the COVID-19 patients and casualties in real-time with visualization dashboards and data sharing. The same approach will prove crucial for vaccine distribution.

Sneha Bokil

Sneha is a Content Strategy Lead at Dista. She is responsible for all things content and works closely with the product team. In her spare time, you can find her talking about plants, podcasts, and her next travel plans.