Blockchain application in the distribution chain of the COVID-19
vaccine: a designing understudy
Authors: Eng. Leonardo López Ramírez, PhD
(leonardo.ramirez@unimilitar.edu.co)1 and Eng. Nicolas
Beltrán Álvarez (u1401152@unimilitar.edu.co)1
1Universidad Militar Nueva Granada, Bogotá-Colombia
Abstract: The impact of COVID-19 has challenged science in its
quest to control and mitigate it through a new vaccine. This is why the
world’s research centers and laboratories are in serious competition
over time to offer humanity an effective vaccine that prevents the
spread of this virus. From a technological point of view, the challenge
is to manage the distribution of this next vaccine, from its generation
anywhere in the world, to the site of application to the population. The
research results approximate the solution to the design of a secure
Blockchain-based supply chain surveillance design, to control the
variables and critical points of the next distribution of vaccines
worldwide. The expected impact of the application of this new design
will be the confidence of the population in the quality of the vaccine,
in the generating laboratory, and it supplies.
Research question: Is it possible to implement Blockchain to
track and control the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine?
Introduction: The different actions of society and its
governments demand an appropriate distribution chain.
The number of infected and demand for instruments: by the beginning of
April 2020, almost one million people were diagnosed as carriers of
COVID -19 (González Jaramillo et al., 2020); currently, many countries
continue with their borders closed and this causes the closure of
imports that causes a shortage of various medical supplies, such as
masks, gloves, disinfectants, toilet paper, among others. In addition to
a significant change in the income of families, who request humanitarian
aid, reduction of taxes, freezing of incomes, among others. (Otoya-Tono
AM, García M, Jaramillo-Moncayo C, Wills C, 2020).
Humanitarian donation and search for vaccines: During this
confinement, the gap between rich and poor is much more noticeable,
where thanks to donations, NGO support, government, and humanitarian
aids, many countries with social problems are supported with the
delivery of clinical supplies and groceries. (Poole, Escudero, Gostin,
Leblang, & Talbot, 2020).
On the other hand, the most developed countries that have already passed
the contagion curve increased investment in health and scientific
research, to find a cure that would end the pandemic. (Hugo & Avendaño,
2020).
Home deliveries and distribution of aid: During this period of
confinement, the provision of home services is very important, because
the population receives food subsidized by governments at home. In
Colombia, a mobile application was designed to allow the registration of
any citizen and to verify if he or she is a beneficiary of the aid or
not. (Marina Garriga & Vieta, 2020).
Delivery problems: In Colombia, even though the government’s
intentions to bring financial aid to those most in need is good, the
numerous errors in the digital platform due to the lack of tightness in
the authentication of the population, have generated several cases of
impersonation and corruption during the pandemic crisis (Cepaluni &
Dorsch, 2020). With this scenario, the distribution of vaccines is an
institutional challenge for the entire population to benefit and to
monitor their impact (Cetina, 2020).