October 19, 20201:29 PM ET
REESE OXNER
UNICEF, the largest single buyer of vaccines in the world, wants to hit the ground running as soon as a COVID-19 vaccine is ready.
The United Nations agency said Monday it plans to stockpile 520 million syringes by the end of 2020. It also will map out global distribution and storage plans for a future COVID-19 vaccine.
Purchasing the syringes now will help reduce the pressure on the market, the organization said, and will ensure timely availability once a vaccine is rolled out.
... The World Health Organization and UNICEF will map out existing cold-chain equipment and storage capacity to ensure the vaccines are transported and stored at proper temperatures.
UNICEF provides around 600 million to 800 million syringes for its regular immunization programs, the organization said.
REESE OXNER
UNICEF, the largest single buyer of vaccines in the world, wants to hit the ground running as soon as a COVID-19 vaccine is ready.
The United Nations agency said Monday it plans to stockpile 520 million syringes by the end of 2020. It also will map out global distribution and storage plans for a future COVID-19 vaccine.
Purchasing the syringes now will help reduce the pressure on the market, the organization said, and will ensure timely availability once a vaccine is rolled out.
... The World Health Organization and UNICEF will map out existing cold-chain equipment and storage capacity to ensure the vaccines are transported and stored at proper temperatures.
UNICEF provides around 600 million to 800 million syringes for its regular immunization programs, the organization said.