Canada preps for first wave of vaccine shipments

Canada’s first shipment of Pfizer and BioNTech COVID vaccines touched down at John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport (YHM) in Ontario on Dec. 13, as airports across the country began receiving the vaccines upon approval for distribution in Canada on Dec. 9. [caption id="attachment_93715" align="alignright" width="288"] UPS delivers Pfizer vaccines. Photo/UPS[/caption] Early shipments of Pfizer vaccines destined for Canada originated at the company’s facility in Puurs, Belgium. Vaccines unloaded at YHM crossed the Atlantic via UPS’ European hub at Cologne airport (CGN) in Germany, according to a tweet from UPS . The next day, a UPS-operated A300-600 freighter departed the express company’s global air hub at Louisville (SDF), touching down at YMH later that evening. Neither the Canadian government nor UPS confirmed how many vaccines were included in the initial shipment or on which flight the vaccines were transported. Airlines and logistics companies have frequently declined to provide specific shipment details for security reasons. YHM is Canada’s fourth-largest cargo airport by yearly cargo throughput after Toronto (YYZ), Vancouver (YVR), and Montreal Trudeau (YUL). While UPS and FedEx have been handling most of the imported vaccine shipments , other carriers may take up responsibility for middle- and last-mile transport, according to Myron Keehn, vice president of air service and business development at Edmonton International Airport (YEG), which is preparing to receive its first round of shipments. As Canada gears up to receive the nearly 414 million doses of COVID vaccine it has ordered, cargo hubs that have not yet seen vaccine shipments — such as YEG — expect to receive the immunizations soon. “The five big Canadian airports had calls around how we’re all collaborating on vaccine distribution, ensuring that all the rules are in place,” said Keehn. YEG has CEIV Pharma-certified cold chain logistics capabilities that predate the pandemic. “We have quite a bit of cold storage facility here that the airport actually owns, and we license out for operators,” said Keehn. “We're expanding our ultra-cold capability right now.” The upgrade will render YEG well equipped to handle Pfizer’s vaccine, which requires ultra-cold storage temperatures in order to remain viable. “We'll be able to handle up to -90,” Keehn said. Edmonton is one of western Canada’s major cargo hubs for international cargo as the country’s closest airport to Asia via circumpolar navigation. The airport has seen explosive growth this year, thanks to COVID-related PPE shipments YEG’s charter growth was up over 200% this year, according to Keehn. “I think we brought in an extra 60 to 70 planeloads just on PPE,” he said. “That doesn't include e-commerce or anything else.” According to Health Canada, the vaccine will roll out in phases, delivered first to those with the greatest need. The country plans to vaccinate 125,000 citizens by the end of 2020, and the entire population of approximately 38 million by Q3 2021. While the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine requires specific ultra-cold storage, later vaccines will have more typical storage requirements and will be disseminated using “existing distribution mechanisms” across the country, according to Canada’s federal government .

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