US: Dry ice rules for massive Covid-19 vaccine airlift approved

Rules allowing the rapid shipment of Covid-19 vaccines by cargo aircraft have been approved by US transportation regulators. The DOT established safety requirements for carrying the potentially dangerous dry ice needed to keep some vaccines stable, the agency said in a press release Tuesday. It also set standards for carrying flammable batteries needed in the airlift and eased restrictions on how long flight crews involved in the effort can work. “The department has laid the groundwork for the safe transportation of the Covid-19 vaccine and is proud to support this historic endeavor,” Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao said. The government’s “Operation Warp Speed” program has been seeding pharmaceutical companies to develop vaccines and creating an infrastructure for delivering them across the country. Pfizer and Moderna have requested emergency authorization for their vaccines. Infections from the deadly virus are surging throughout the northern hemisphere. <br/>