“Vaccines are a miracle of science, and the stockpile of Ebola vaccines we keep here at Thermo Fisher can be rapidly deployed whenever there’s an outbreak anywhere in the world. It’s really exciting to be part of this mission.”

Virginie Lamy works for Thermo Fisher Scientific in Basel, Switzerland, where she oversees the operation of the ultra-low temperature freezers storing ERVEBO, the world’s first Ebola vaccine.

The Ebola vaccine must be kept between -60 and -80°C, well below the temperature range of normal vaccine freezers. Virginie explains how dry ice, or frozen carbon dioxide, is used as a cooling agent to keep the vaccines at the correct temperature during storage and transport. She wears protective gloves to prevent burns and injuries caused by freezing.

Each freezer is equipped with a display showing the current temperature. Virginie carefully monitors any temperature changes and keeps track of when the freezers are opened and closed.

The stockpile at Thermo Fisher Scientific ensures Ebola vaccines are available for rapid global deployment. While accessible to all countries worldwide, low- and middle-income countries can access the stockpile free of charge.