Logistics of Covid-19 vaccines: main challenges in theory and practice

Paper aims This paper presents the literature findings of the Covid-19 vaccines supply chain, its main challenges and best practices, which are compared and verified empirically. Originality The questionnaire developed in this study provides new empirical data about the Covid-19 vaccines supply chain, especially regarding the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic in the chain, as these events are still recent. Research method A questionnaire was sent by e-mail to specialists working with the Covid-19 vaccine supply chain in South America. Each response was compared to the literature findings. Main findings Despite the challenges faced by vaccination programs, some countries have achieved good results due to strategies adopted at the beginning of their immunization campaigns. The empirical research confirmed that literature findings match business reality, although some empirical results vary depending on the scenario of the country regarding the impacts of the pandemic. Implications for theory and practice This paper summarizes the Covid-19 vaccine supply chain and its challenges, best practices of the most successful countries regarding the immunization process, providing a better understanding of the pandemic scenario. Some empirical data corroborate the literature, and some discrepancies allow the formulation of suppositions that may be tested in future studies.