The race is on to develop a coronavirus vaccine, but once it’s created, how do we ensure it’s distributed equitably? Este Geraghty is the Chief Medical Officer and Health Solutions Director at Esri, a Redlands-based geographic information systems company. KVCR’s Benjamin Purper interviewed Geraghty about the logistical and planning challenges involved in distributing a potential vaccine and the role GIS mapping technology plays in doing so.
Geraghty highlights five considerations for COVID-19 vaccine distribution that she says health agencies and governments need to begin prioritizing now:
1) Identify facilities capable of storing and distributing the vaccine.
2) Identify and prioritize critical populations.
3) Identify gaps in access and formulate alternative distribution options.
4) Implement a vaccine management system.
5) Track performance and inventory.
