What vaccine distribution planners can learn from Amazon and Walmart model

Fast fulfillment of uncertain demand is not unique to vaccine distribution. Amazon faces highly volatile demand for millions of products and yet is able to offer same-day and one-day delivery

The initial rollout of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine has begun, and vaccines are shipping across the U.S. Demand for COVID-19 vaccines will outpace supply for the foreseeable future. Yet experts have warned that a substantial proportion of these highly perishable vaccines could go to waste if they are not being used before they expire.

With such short supplies and high demand, worrying about waste may sound paradoxical, but is actually a predictable result of two well-known medical distribution challenges: complicated storage requirements and variability in demand.

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