The Macau government is negotiating to buy 1.4 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine for all residents in Macau. They are expected to arrive in this month and the first half of next year. Vaccine is coming to town, is it far away from returning to normal life? How to deal with the challenges of vaccine delivery, storage and usage?
Firstly is shipping. Alexandre de Juniac, chief executive of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), described the delivery of vaccines as the largest and most complex logistics operation in history. It is estimated that if there are 7 billion people on this planet, each person needs two doses of vaccine. If a Boeing 747 with a capacity of 110 tons, it can transport 8,000 doses of vaccine each time, it will take at least two years to deliver 14 billion doses of vaccine.
In addition, vaccines developed by Pfizer and Modena have a 95% protection rate. But the Pfizer vaccine must be stored at -70C. The Modena vaccine can be stored at -20C for 6 months, in the household refrigerator for up to 30 days, and at room temperature for 12 hours. This requirement limits the delivery and distribution of these two vaccines around the world.
The most ideal situation is that, next year, all parts of the world will be vaccinated one after another, it will return to normal later. At present, we can only hope that the vaccine will effectively prevent Covid-19. Next year, the prevention of pandemic will remain the biggest challenge, and the economic crisis come after. In Macau, the second round of economic assistance measures of the government, the second round of consumer cards will be finished at the end of December. There are voices in the community for launching the third round of economic assistance. The government said that there will not close for this door and it will be launched under special circumstances. To wish Macau be better tomorrow.
*Chinese editor of “Plataforma Macau”
