Two British hospitals use blockchain to track Coronavirus vaccine in cold storage

Two hospitals in the UK are using a distributed ledger to scrutinize the cold storage of temperature-sensitive COVID-19 vaccines. The mass campaign to vaccinate people against COVID-19 is a monumental challenge. Adding to the problem is the fact that some vaccines become useless if not kept at ultralow temperatures.

Warwick in central England and Stratford-upon-Avon are the two hospitals working with Everyware and Hedera Hashgraph to ensure the life of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine using blockchain technology. This is breaking new grounds and paving the way for a wider rollout across the U.K.’s National Health Service.

The blockchain networks are provided by Hedera Hashgraph. The company is supported by firms including LG Electronics, plane manufacturer Boeing, Google, owned by Alphabet and IBM. Everyware is an equipment and asset monitor.

With Hedera’s blockchain system and Everyware’s sensors, the NHS is using distributed ledger. The ledger is an offshoot of blockchain technology. This is done to accurately keep an eye on the cold-storage equipment holding the vaccines.

NHS or U.K.’s National Health Service has adopted blockchain technology to support the rollout of vaccines. In order to do so, they will be using the system that supports cryptocurrencies like ether and bitcoin to track the cold storage and supply of vaccines at two hospitals.

Out of the 3 coronavirus jabs which are approved to be used in the U.K., the one manufactured by U.S. drug company Pfizer along with its German partner BioNTech must be stored at -94 degrees Fahrenheit (-70 degrees Celsius). While on the other hand, the jab manufactured by the University of Oxford and the U.K. Swedish company AstraZeneca can be stored at normal refrigerator temperatures. Also, the vaccine from biotech Moderna of Oxford must be stored at -4 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degree Celsius). The Pfizer-BioNTech jab once defrosted but still refrigerated remains good for another 5 days at 2-8 degrees Celsius.

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