A year has passed after the COVID-19 pandemic reared its head, and the world has changed drastically. In the past few months, leading pharmaceutical institutes were able to create a vaccine that will be able to help halt Covid-19. However,not all countries are capable of producing vaccines, because they lack the resources to mass produce them.Here are 7 essentials to set up a COVID-19 Vaccine facility.
1. A Secluded Location
When it comes to manufacturing a Vaccine for COVID-19, it is important that they are made far away from human contact.Remember that even if the employees are extra careful, they are still vulnerable to the virus. There is also a chance that contaminated materials will get put through the garbage disposal process.
As a rule, it is important that the location of the facility isas far from residential areas as possible. It is also a good idea to set up a perimeter, and guards around the facility. This might seem a bit excessive, however, the vaccine is considerably valuable, and some people might I want to steal and sell them.
The facility should also have tall walls, and fences around it to deter any crowds from gathering outside. While the vaccine is made especially for the people,they should still be mass produced and distributed the right way.
2. Lab Equipment
In order to make vaccines, it is very important that the facility has lab equipment. It is in the lab that the vaccine will be tested, retested , and finally mass produced. As a rule it is important that a facility has all the lab equipment required to replicate and mass produce the vaccine.
3. PPE Equipment
When it comes to running a vaccine facility, PPE gear is extremely important. Remember that the virus is extremely contagious, and one instance of contact is enough for the disease to spread.
When you choose PPE equipment, the most important is always the face mask and disposable gloves. When it comes to choosing face masks, you have two great choices. One choice is the surgical mask,which is the most common but still very effective. It is capable of stopping fluids and preventing contamination.
Another choice of face mask is the N95, it is far more effective at keeping out contaminants. They could also be used multiple times. However, it is far better to use surgical mask, because you will need to dispose of them right away, which lessens the chances of contamination.
4. Walk-in Freezers
In order to mass produce vaccines for a whole country, a facility will need a whole lot of materials. The vaccine contains a huge amount of materials, and only a select few truly know what they fully contain. However, if the facility is to function properly, it should have a walk- in freezer to store all the materials needed to make the vaccine.
5. Industrial Equipment
Aside from the large number of materials, a vaccine facility will need a lot of industrial equipment to properly package, and move the vaccines every day.
First things first, the facility should have a huge number of bottles and vials to store the vaccine in. The bottles will need to be as durable as possible, because they will need to be transported all over the country.
The facility should have a production line wherein the vaccines will be put into the vials, packaged, and transported in record time. For these procedures, the facility should use robot arms to speed up the production line. When it comes to the assembling of the vaccines, it’s best that human workers not be used.
Human workers are very vulnerable to the disease, and they might contaminate the vaccines in the process. They are also nowhere near as fast as the robot arms in assembling the vaccines. The best type of robot arms for these procedures are the pick and place ones, because these robots are highly efficient, accurate, and could work for hours on end with minimal maintenance.
If you want high quality robot arms for the facility, it is advisable to buy them from companies such as EVS. They specialize in customized robotic arms and could equip the facility with high-grade robotics options.
6. Moving Equipment
Once the vaccines have been made it is time to move them. However,you should know that this is precious cargo the trucks will be moving, so it is imperative that the facility has large scale moving equipment.
Aside from the production lines, the loading areas will also need robot arms to smoothen the process. While human workers will be needed to control the robotic arms and the trucks, the robotic arms will be doing the bulk of the work. They just need to be strategically placed in the warehouse. That way, they could effortlessly move the vaccines in the most efficient way possible.
7. Sterilization Rooms
Before a person could come into the facility, he or she will need to be sterilized for germs and other contaminants. This is where sterilization rooms are extremely important. The sterilization room will act as a sterilizing point for everyone who goes into the facility. Aside from hand sanitizers being installed in the room, it should have other features such as steam, dry heat and shoe baths to disinfect anyone going into the facility. It is also a good idea for employees to strip off their outside clothes, and change into sterilized work clothes to lessen chances of contamination.
Conclusion
If there is one thing that a country needs to stop COVID-19 it is a vaccine. Luckily, a vaccine has been created, and is being mass produced all over the world. Sadly though, not all countries are capable of mass producing them. With these essentials, countries will be able to set up a COVID-19 facility.
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