DGCA issues guidelines for transportation of COVID-19 vaccine by air

As India gears up to start its vaccination drive against COVID-19, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on January 8 issued a set of guidelines that airline operators must follow while transporting the vaccine.

The DGCA has highlighted the importance of the carriage of vaccine from the place of manufacture to the place of administration considering 'the high expectations of the government(s), health care personnel and the general public'.

As per the guidelines, all scheduled operators that have currently been authorised to carry dangerous goods can transport the COVID-19 vaccine. Those that are not scheduled including operators in general aviation, need to seek specific approval before commencing the operations.

Dry ice as refrigerant material  

The circular clearly states the need for extremely low temperatures for the COVID-19 vaccine and hence identifies dry ice (carbon dioxide solid) as the refrigerant material in which the vaccine will be packaged. Subsequently, it is classified as 'miscellaneous dangerous goods'

The DGCA also said all operators while engaging in the transportation of COVID-19 vaccines packed with dry ice shall establish the maximum quantity of dry ice that can be loaded in a given cargo hold and/or compartment or in the main deck (passenger cabin) when a passenger version aircraft is deployed for all cargo operations.

“This maximum quantity shall be based on the aircraft manufacturers’ information on maximum recommended dry ice quantities that the aircraft ventilation can support, depending on the sublimation rate and also the requirement of the operators’ Safety Management Systems,” it noted.

Operators' responsibility

The circular also specifies in detail what responsibilities does the flight operator hold. It clearly differentiates between the rules for when the vaccine is being carried in a cargo compartment and when being transported in a passenger cabin. When it's being transported in a passenger cabin:

• Passengers will not be allowed on board
• The operator needs to take all necessary precautions to make sure the flight crew is not harmed by carbon dioxide intoxication.
• The crew also needs to be trained well in all the procedures involved in the operation and the risks and hazards of dry ice.

The operator is also responsible for preparing a list of do's & don'ts that must cover all details regarding loading and unloading of vaccine amidst various other rules. The package that is carrying the COVID-19 vaccine packed in dry ice must clearly mention DRY ICE or CARBON DIOXIDE SOLID and specify the net quantity contained in each package.