BHS Logistics is managing the transport of COVID-19 tests and vaccines

The Danish strategy for reducing the infection rate of COVID-19 includes mass testing. The strategy has increased the working pressure at the country's test centers, which carry out inoculations of people, as well as at the laboratory that examines the samples. In order to further reduce the response time of the test results, BHS Logistics has been given the responsibility of transporting the samples for examination.

BHS Logistics has many years of experience in pharmaceutical transport, and in 2018, they took over responsibility of transporting the entire country's stock of vaccines. This made the company an obvious choice when the transport of the samples from the Danish test centers was send to tender earlier this year. Operations Manager at Statens Serum Institut, Pia Webster, also explains that BHS Logistics was chosen for the task based on their flexibility and high standards.

Flexibility in regards to transport time is crucial to reduce the response time of the daily tests, which means that BHS Logistics must collect between 60,000-70,000 samples from the country's 25 test centers around the clock, and deliver them for examination at, among others, the Statens Serum Institut.

“It is fantastic that we, as a transport company, can provide help in these difficult times. It is a huge social responsibility, and of course it must be reflected in our service level, «says the department director at BHS Logistics, Torben Sørensen.

The task has been the company's responsibility since the beginning of September, and everything must be coordinated simultaneously as the increase of regular vaccine purchases.

The challenges of flu season

This year, more Danes have been encouraged to get a vaccination against influenza, so as not to overload the Danish health system with a regular flu season on top of a pandemic. The extraordinary situation requires stronger measures, and in order for as many citizens to be vaccinated as possible, the Statens Serum Institut has expanded their stock of vaccines. BHS Logistics has therefore been responsible for delivering 1.6 million. doses of vaccine this year, which is a significant increase compared to 1 million. doses in 2019. The Danish demand has actually been so extensive, that a concern for a shortage has arisen, although a procurement of more vaccines is challenging. In the first two weeks of October alone, the demand was so high that the Danish pharmacies vaccinated approx. 120,000 people, which is as many as the whole of last year.

Despite their transport contract with the Statens Serum Institut, BHS Logistics hopes that they soon will see a declining number of infections and therefore less work, as this will ultimately mean a less pressured healthcare system