First COVID-19 vaccines arrived on Bonaire

First of several shipments

Today the first flight departed from European Netherlands and arrived on Bonaire and Aruba, with a shipment of COVID-19 vaccines. It is the first of several shipments of vaccines that will be delivered to the various islands in the coming weeks. The vaccines were loaded onto the plane in the presence of the Dutch State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sport and the CEO of KLM.

Unique transportation and security challenges

KLM handles more than 80,000 pharmaceutical shipments annually and has many years of experience in the transportation of temperature-controlled medicines. Distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines presents specific transportation and security challenges, and KLM has developed a special process to ensure fast, reliable and secure distribution.

Many people have worked extremely hard for a year to bring the coronavirus under control in the Caribbean region of the Kingdom. The first vaccines to reach all the islands this week are a hopeful turning point in the fight to end this crisis

Paul Blokhuis, the Dutch State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sport

Vaccines packed in dry ice

Each of the different vaccines has its own temperature requirements: +2 to +8 degrees Celsius, frozen at -20 degrees Celsius, or between -70 and -80 degrees Celsius. It is very important that these temperatures are maintained throughout transport. The Pfizer vaccine shipped to Bonaire and Aruba today is packed with dry ice. This keeps the vaccine at the right temperature for several days, as long as the containers are stored in an environment of +2 to +25 degrees Celsius. Upon arrival in Bonaire and Aruba, the vaccines are immediately stored in a suitable temperature-controlled environment.