September 23, 2021: As COVID-19 vaccine trials neared completion and conversations around logistics began in the fall of 2020 with the U.S. Government, manufacturers, and distributors, FedEx was preparing for a mission unlike any in its history. With the worlds largest fleet of cargo aircraft, FedEx Express has the flexibility and customized solutions, including charter flights, refrigerator trucks and trailers, warehousing, thermal blankets, and temperature-controlled containers, to help safely move temperature sensitive shipments, such as vaccines and other bioscience shipments. Here, the facilities are helping the hospital, which serves an area of 1.3 million people, manage patient flow, triage and treatment. Utilizing our network to support critical need is who we are and what we do, said Udo Lange, President and CEO, FedEx Logistics. Pratibha: Delhi is full of migrant workers because of the lack of job availability in their home cities. Everyone is committed to collaborating, no matter what it takes. July 8, 2021: On the evening of July 8, 2021, a FedEx Express flight with 500,000 Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine doses landed in Montevideo, Uruguay. Cars were lined up for miles, it was a windy 20 degrees and people, many of them elderly, had been waiting for two or three hours, said Athow. January 28, 2021:It was a moment months in the making. Were used to handling direct shipments that have to be kept at certain temperatures, focusing on one customer at a time so there arent any distractions, said Sammy Garner. April 8, 2020: To our 475,000 team members around the world, thank you forcontinuing to deliver for our customers and communities. Playing a key role is Director of Government Sales Kirstin Knott. As plans came together to deliver COVID-19 vaccines to medical centers throughout the country, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) tasked FedEx with delivering COVID-19 vaccines to U.S. troops and their families serving overseas. December 14, 2021: One year ago today, FedEx Express delivered the first shipments of the COVID-19 vaccines to dosing centers throughout the United States. The mobile units join facilities that had already been delivered by FedEx to Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital, which operates in one of the most medically underserved areas in the nation and has been taking proactive measures to prepare for an increase in patients due to the spread of COVID-19. EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ East Brunswick has retracted its vaccination requirement for municipal employees, Mayor Brad Cohen announced. It was really special to be a part of it.. The team, working hand-in-hand with the testing centers and labs, quickly designed and implemented a safe process for transporting the critical samples, with contingency plans in place to accommodate severe weather and other unplanned interruptions. FedEx: I think youre downplaying the impact youve made. But the pair didnt hesitate to answer the call when local help was needed. Pratibha: Yes, after a couple of days many people started gathering. But like many of us on the ground, the pilots are ready for things to return to normal. The Custom Critical team was responsive to our needs and equipped us to service areas of our city that would otherwise be inaccessible to us. Oakleys and Evans recent efforts are a demonstration of FedExs Purple Promise at work: doing what is necessary to deliver the package on time in an efficient and timely manner. FedExFamilyHouse has always been a home away from home for families of LeBonheur patients receiving treatment, but COVID-19 brought new, unforeseen challenges. Employers that don . We realize that children need to come to the hospital when they are sick, so we have developed protocols to keep the entire family safe while they are in our care, says Sara Burnett, director of public relations for Le Bonheur Childrens Hospital. Dedicated healthcare customs brokerage team. Silveira is also grateful to be able to help and to witness the joy and relief as people in her community receive their vaccines. We're equipped to deliver temperature-sensitive vaccines with our expansive offering of temperature-controlled solutions and services: We have the knowledge and resources to move critical healthcare shipments through customs: We continue to support healthcare organizations and communities with mission-critical demands. The San Diego COVID-19 Vaccination Super Station administered more than 200,000 vaccines from January through the end of March. FedEx founder and CEO Fred Smith is stepping down from his CEO role as of May 31. FedEx marks anniversary of first COVID-19 vaccine deliveries, FedEx marks anniversary of first COVID-19 vaccine deliveries, At FedEx, we have no higher priority than to get COVID-19 vaccines delivered on time and to the right locations. In November 2021, President Biden announced a new mandatory vaccination program for all U.S. businesses with 100 or more employees. Experts agree that expanding testing availability and speeding up the turnaround of results throughout the country are vital to the fight against COVID-19. The flight went smoothly and paved the way for weekly charters moving about 500,000 suits per week. Read on for stories about FedEx employees who have worked to make a difference when it matters most in their communities. In addition to the vaccines themselves, FedEx also organized and moved thousands of ancillary kits for vaccine administration. This included inbound shipments from Houston and other parts of the country headed to labs in Dallas. FedEx: Youve served over 50,000 meals since the end of March, how does that make you feel? That's when hospital leadership leaned on FedExFamilyHouse to provide housing for additional out-of-town patients and help ensure families had a clean and safe place to stay free of charge. The team incorporated SenseAware ID technology for temperature control and real-time tracking of the shipments as they traveled by both air and ground from test centers to labs for analysis. Staying at FedExFamilyHouse is more than a room to us, says Gagel, it's coming home., FedExFamilyHouse Photo courtesy of Le Bonheur. June 30, 2020: When Pratibha Singh and his cousin saw hundreds of migrant workers trying to leave Delhi overnight because of the COVID-19 lockdown across India, they realized they had to help. Nearly 700,000 vaccine doses were delivered for the U.S. Dept. FedEx: The situation must have been very emotional for you to use your savings. We swiftly mobilized our global network to deliver their mobile health facilities to the LA community, to help with the surge patients battling COVID-19. We strongly encourage team members to get vaccinated and continue to communicate on the importance and access to Covid-19 vaccines," Chris Allen, a FedEx Global spokesperson said in a. Now embedded as a liaison with the COVID-19 Rapid Response team at the Department of Health and Human Services, Knott looks back at that first week with clarity. Every package is important to FedEx but knowing that these deliveries would help society as a whole improve was special.. She plans to continue to help until the pandemic is over. Shipments were monitored by the FedEx Air Expedite Network, a service that provides 24/7 monitoring with status updates approximately every six hours. FedEx SenseAware ID, a Bluetooth low-energy sensor device, will be affixed to vaccine shipments in the U.S., helping to ensure these temperature-sensitive deliveries move swiftly and safely through the FedEx Express network with FedEx Priority Overnight service. Weve shipped flu vaccines each flu season for the past decade. Four years ago, I never would have pictured myselfwatching my graduation ceremony from the comfort of my couch. FedEx Express team members take pride in doing their part to support relief and recovery efforts during this crisis, and we commend the work of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and companies like DuPont and Medline for their outstanding commitment to serving these needs said Don Colleran, President and CEO of FedEx Express. In February, thousands of Colorado residents were vaccinated against COVID-19 at a drive-through vaccination clinic at Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies baseball team. FedEx supported these efforts by equipping the team withan additional26-foottruckthat served as a distribution center, and the smaller van the Garners operated. By day two, the vaccination site was servicing 770 cars per hour with 5,000 shots in the arms. To help reach underserved communities with the COVID-19 vaccines, we've committed millions in cash and in-kind transportation to support several nonprofits serving communities around the world. We recommend using one of the following browsers to access this site. The time has come for the Biden administration to follow the science. Gallup found an even bigger rise, from only 6% facing a vaccination mandate at their work in June to 29% in September. First Officer Barlow piloted the first charter flight of Tyvek protective suits out of Vietnam. Its in our DNA. As part of her FedEx job responsibilities, Page helped coordinate three COVID-19 vaccination events for FedEx for team members in Memphis and is part of a team facilitating similar events in other states throughout the country with large team member populations. One of the largest firms in the U.S. and North America. So, we went down to Home Depot, bought some Lexansimilar to plexiglassand got to work.. We started with INR 30,000, around 400 US dollars. Public opinion . The transportation of vaccines is among the most important work in the history of our company and I am immensely proud of our team members and external partners for all of their tremendous efforts to keep supply chains moving throughout this pandemic, Stephens said. If you need to ship to a residential address, use FedEx Home Delivery , which delivers every day of the week. Thank you FedEx! And both UPS and FedEx plan to monitor the shipment of vaccines with high-tech tracking devices with built-in GPS and temperature, light exposure, and motion detecting systems. While necessary, these precautions meant that out-of-town families were faced with the burden of finding adequate lodging to safely meet their needs as they awaited COVID-19 test results prior to medical treatment for their child. The shipment involved close collaboration with the U.S. and Uruguayan governments. There was certainly less traffic in the air," said Captain Rich Huck, a Boise, Idaho based pilot for FedEx Express. 13. FedEx: Tell us about the situation in Delhi. Because of the nature of the business, FedEx was, and continues to be a bellwether of global supply chain logistics throughout this crisis. The process: Vaccine shipments arrived at the DLA facility in bulk, where DLA personnel packed-out and labeled the individual shipments of doses and ancillary kits. July 17, 2020:Le Bonheur Childrens Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., began preparing for the COVID-19 outbreak in January. To learn what these men did to help during the pandemic, we caught up with Pratibha, a FedEx Sales Account Executive based in Delhi, India. We recommend using one of the following browsers for an optimal website experience. It will take some time for the market to normalize. In the first six months, nearly 700,000 doses were delivered. All Federal Employees Must Be Vaccinated: Biden announced a mandate that U.S. federal employees get a Covid vaccine, with no option for regular testing, and for health-care facilities that get Medicare and Medicaid funding to have staff fully vaccinated. We now have met those . Through Project Airbridge, FEMAs leadership and partners such as FedEx, Medline is cutting out four to five weeks of time it would take to get product from the manufacturing line into the hands of healthcare providers across America.. Opening the packages with my friends and sporting our new caps and Rhodes gear made the event exciting, and something I'll remember for many years after my time at Rhodes.". FedEx: With the difference you are making, will it be hard for you to stop? There is no big story. We just wanted to make it happen for the customer and for the community for Albany., Albanys recent struggles are reflected in COVID-19 statistics for Dougherty County. Employers Are Requiring Inoculation A small group of anti-vaccination protesters gather outside a New York City hospital on Sept 1, 2021 following a. Page recently volunteered at a Shelby County-run vaccination site in Memphis and describes her volunteer experience as a six-hour shift of awesomeness.. A big hint: her hand may be getting tired. Oct. 23, 2021 -- The Cargo Airline Association, a trade group that represents companies such as UPS and FedEx, warned the Biden administration this week that its Dec. 8 vaccine mandate. But I sincerely appreciate Rhodes and FedEx for their effort to give us a meaningful experience before our send-off to post-grad life. The Kansas . As strains increased on essential supply chains, FedEx was matched with supply companies like DuPont to expedite the shipment of personal protective equipment to the United States as a part of a public-private partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Learn more about how we're supporting our healthcare customers and communities by rapidly and reliably shipping vaccines and essential medical shipments to help combat COVID-19. The ongoing operation by the YMCA has grown to serve 9,000 meals a dayat 65 sites across Memphis toprovide meal service to support entire families in need. December 2, 2021:FedEx is proud to have delivered its fifth shipment of COVID-19 vaccines to Mexico in coordination with the governments of the U.S. and Mexico. Recently, while delivering First Overnight packages on Wall Street at about 6:45 a.m., he was captured in this iconic photo. The Custom Critical team reached out to the Garners, who were on a nearby delivery,to see if they could help. Reports of the intubation boxes effectiveness spreadquickly. FedEx Cares. At the end of 2021 . Our solutions include:. Americans may be in store for a wave of vaccine mandates from governments, employers and businesses in the coming months once one or more of the Covid-19 vaccines receive full FDA approval. That disruption in serviceprompted quick action by the YMCA of Memphis and the Mid-South, who immediately took over the meal program to organize and distribute to those in need.. It was very rewarding to be able to help with this event, he says. None of this would be possible without the amazing people who give financiallyto FedExFamilyHouse. And even with these added vaccine delivery stops, the other shipments onboard are still scheduled to meet the customs processing and commit time windows at their ultimate destinations elsewhere in the region. After delivery to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis, the box was used twice in the very first night. By the time . It truly is a wonderful feeling to play a role in helping to end this horrible pandemic, Silveira said. It went off flawlessly, to be honest, Davis added. She was also called on for moral support when it came time for some patients to receive their shot, even holding the hands of those who felt nervous about the needle. Biden last week announced vaccine mandates for nearly all federal employees, federal contractors, and larger companies as the number of U.S. infections continued to rise, hospital beds in some . Athow has led initiatives across the globe from streamlining operations, to managing customer data, to his current role leading efforts to provide health care options to more than four-hundred thousand U.S. employees and their family members. I want them to see and learn about other parts of the country, says Fiske, who adds, people that got my postcards as children now tell me their kidsare getting them.. Lissa Smith, FedEx Office community relations advisor, was involved in preliminary discussions with the county and asked FedEx Ground Lone Star District Manager Jeff Johnson to assist with logistics at the countys main vaccination hub at the State Fairgrounds. "FedExs support is crucial, enabling International Medical Corps to immediately deploy medical shelters and supplies to help meet needs across hospitals in Los Angeles, as they prepare for the surge as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic," said Ky Luu, Chief Operations Officer for International Medical Corps. She said to me, Don, it reinforces who we are, its what we do.. Having each spent more than 15 years at the company mastering this mission, both men are now managers, setting a strong example for their team during a trying time. Tyvek protective suits produced in Vietnam that usually moved via ocean freight to the U.S. over the course of several weeks, were now being moved overnight on FedEx aircraft piloted by the company's essential team members. More unvaccinated workers will be required to get the Covid-19 vaccine by Jan. 4 or face regular testing under . More. I couldnt be more proud of the work they have done day in and day out to ensure global supply chains continue moving and critical shipments get to communities in need as quickly and safely as possible, said Joe Stephens, Senior Vice President, Global Planning, Engineering, and Technology, FedEx Express. 5. The mandate required that all employees full time and part time receive COVID vaccinations or, alternatively, produce weekly testing to prove they did not have the virus. The vaccines, donated by and delivered on behalf of Pfizer, are destined for a number of CARICOM members like Antigua, St. Kitts, and St. Vincent. We loved that we could be a part of helping the community but owe a lot of that success to the YMCA. Seeing the need, Athow stayed and worked a double shift. It was located in the parking lot of Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres baseball team. In this volunteer role, Page was responsible for the vaccine paperwork and completing vaccination cards. Thats how husband and wifeduo Sammy and Martha Garner explain their work. Hes seen just about everything over those years. I still see cars with the cross on the windshield and am comforted knowing theyve been vaccinated as a result of this effort., A number of people and teams from FedEx Office were also instrumental in making this event a success. Our Cold Chain Center in Memphis, TN, with 20,000 square feet of temperature-controlled contingency storage has connectivity to every ZIP Code in the U.S. To the extent vaccine shipments may require the use of dry ice, FedEx Express is capable of safely handling those volumes. FedEx Office provided signage to help those in line know where to go, what to do and what to expect. of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control to transport COVID-19 test samples from testing centers to labs for analysis throughout the country. Joel Zinberg. He helped set up the entire process from traffic patterns, traffic flow and number of vaccines given per hour under the tent. No other company could do what we are doing to support these efforts and we will continue to work hard on whatever unique challenges lay ahead., And FedEx team members are making it happen., What differentiates us is our people and I am incredibly proud of our team at FedEx Express for executing such a critical operation, Stephens said. Joined by his son Logan (also an aircraft mechanic who just started with FedEx in the last month) hedesigned a process and built the first two intubation boxes in a single afternoon. We are swiftly and safely transporting vaccines and essential medical supplies to communities in need. While keeping to the hospitals one caregiver rule, Gagel is able to stay with her daughter and her husband at FedExFamilyHouse. In spite of all that, every single person I encountered was grateful, relieved, and happy to be there. All of his shifts were for those receiving their second doses so checking in on the patients was more like a celebration. how we are helping the world move forward, Shipping Vaccines & Essential Medical Supplies. Fact check: COVID-19 vaccine makers did not halt animal tests, and there were no widespread animal deaths. We recommend using one of the following browsers for an optimal website experience. With more than 680 aircraft, 200,000 vehicles, 5,000 facilities, and nearly 600,000 team members, we're moving raw materials used to make the vaccines from the countries where they are produced to the manufacturing facilities around the world. President Joe Biden speaks in the State Dining Room at the White House on Sept. 9, 2021, in Washington. Hundreds of Staten Island residents holding anti-vaccine signs and waving American flags gathered on Sunday across the street from where New York Gov. Aug 24 (Reuters) - United Parcel Service Inc (UPS.N) said on Tuesday it would require employees in certain U.S. locations to be vaccinated when they return to the office, as COVID-19 cases rise . For us, the most important thing was the safe handling of the shipments and the safety of our people, Coburn said. Graduates across the world are putting their creative juices to work in finding ways to celebrate their academic accomplishments, like the FedEx team members in Fort Wayne, Indiana, who recently donated items for graduating high school seniors. There is an urgent need for PPE, not just for our brave healthcare workers but first responders, law enforcement and other essential workers as well.