According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), shipping any coronavirus vaccine that is developed for the international market will be the "largest transport challenge ever."
"Safely delivering Covid-19 vaccines will be the mission of the century for the global air cargo industry," IATA's chief executive told the BBC. "But it won't happen without careful advance planning. And the time for that is now."
She added that not all types of aircraft are suited for transporting vaccines, which need to be kept at a range of between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius (although some require freezing). Her assessment is that the equivalent of eight thousand Boeing 747s will be needed to make the required number of deliveries.