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The main challenge for vaccines is currently the R+D, not manufacturing enough doses.

dahdum 6y ago
The mRNA vaccines being tested may need down to -70°C cold storage during transport and immediately before use, so quite a logistical challenge. Prioritizing those most at risk will be critical to knocking down the CFR dramatically.
- guenthert 6y ago
  > to -70°C cold storage during transport and immediately before use, so quite a logistical challenge. Liquid N2. The same is done, e.g. for bull sperma. This isn't an insurmountable challenge.
  - bluGill 6y ago
    Liquid N2 is common in industry. There are national and local companies with branches scattered all over the US that can supply liquid N2 to anyone equipped to handle it. Since doctors use N2 (to freeze warts) they know how to deliver medial grade N2 (if there is such a thing). Those suppliers will work with their normal customers to ensure medical use gets what they need (if arranged in advance they can produce less in exchange for a vaccine for their employees which ultimately means better profits) That is N2 isn't a supply problem. However there are other logistical problems. Most industry uses of N2 are in very large quantities and so the ability to fill a millions of vial sized containers of N2 might not exist even though more than enough N2 exists.
  - ericb 6y ago
    Dry ice is -78°C so perhaps that could work?
bluGill 6y ago
We do not know that. The are several promising vaccines in stage 3 - that means R&D is over for them and has been for a while. If in the future we learn they work then the problem today is scaling manufacturing/delivery not R&D. Of course if it turns out they don't work then R&D remains the problem. We don't know which future we are in today.
- tonyedgecombe 6y ago
  The Oxford vaccine is being manufactured now, they aren't waiting for R&D to finish before they start.
  - bluGill 6y ago
    Not in enough quantities to vaccinate the world. This quantity is a hard problem.
    - tonyedgecombe 6y ago
      I think they are planning 2 billion doses, I’m not sure how long that will take though.

The mRNA vaccines being tested may need down to -70°C cold storage during transport and immediately before use, so quite a logistical challenge. Prioritizing those most at risk will be critical to knocking down the CFR dramatically.

guenthert 6y ago
> to -70°C cold storage during transport and immediately before use, so quite a logistical challenge. Liquid N2. The same is done, e.g. for bull sperma. This isn't an insurmountable challenge.
- bluGill 6y ago
  Liquid N2 is common in industry. There are national and local companies with branches scattered all over the US that can supply liquid N2 to anyone equipped to handle it. Since doctors use N2 (to freeze warts) they know how to deliver medial grade N2 (if there is such a thing). Those suppliers will work with their normal customers to ensure medical use gets what they need (if arranged in advance they can produce less in exchange for a vaccine for their employees which ultimately means better profits) That is N2 isn't a supply problem. However there are other logistical problems. Most industry uses of N2 are in very large quantities and so the ability to fill a millions of vial sized containers of N2 might not exist even though more than enough N2 exists.
- ericb 6y ago
  Dry ice is -78°C so perhaps that could work?

bluGill 6y ago

We do not know that. The are several promising vaccines in stage 3 - that means R&D is over for them and has been for a while. If in the future we learn they work then the problem today is scaling manufacturing/delivery not R&D. Of course if it turns out they don't work then R&D remains the problem. We don't know which future we are in today.

tonyedgecombe 6y ago
The Oxford vaccine is being manufactured now, they aren't waiting for R&D to finish before they start.
- bluGill 6y ago
  Not in enough quantities to vaccinate the world. This quantity is a hard problem.
  - tonyedgecombe 6y ago
    I think they are planning 2 billion doses, I’m not sure how long that will take though.