As pharmacists started vaccinations utilizing the Pfizer vaccine a few of them found that it was doable to extract a sixth and even seventh dose from a typical 5-dose vial. The place have been the additional doses coming from? The fortuitous discovery was not as a consequence of over-filling. The vials have been 5-doses vials utilizing normal syringes. However a number of the vaccine distribution websites had entry to low dead-volume syringes, syringes that depart much less vaccine trapped between the plunger and needle — the “lifeless quantity” — after a shot is given. Thus, much less vaccine was wasted within the syringe and extra obtainable for placing into arms utilizing the low dead-volume syringes.
That is fairly exceptional. Growing vaccine provide by 20% by constructing extra factories might value billions. We must always do this, it could be price it. However on this case, we managed to extend provide by not less than 20% use a comparatively cheap redesign of the syringe. What this means is the significance of pondering alongside your complete provide chain for alternatives for optimization.
The catch? Not all syringes supplied by Operation Warp Velocity and Pfizer are low dead-volume syringes so not each vaccine distribution website is getting the additional doses. We do want to take a position extra within the syringe provide chain.
