Abstract Paper aims This paper presents the literature findings of the Covid-19 vaccines supply chain, its main challenges and best practices, which are compared and verified empirically. Originality The questionnaire developed in this study provides new empirical data about the Covid-19 vaccines supply chain, especially regarding the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic in the chain, as these events are still recent. Research method A questionnaire was sent by e-mail to specialists working with the Covid-19 vaccine supply chain in South America. Each response was compared to the literature findings. Main findings Despite the challenges faced by vaccination programs, some countries have achieved good results due to strategies adopted at the beginning of their immunization campaigns. The empirical research confirmed that literature findings match business reality, although some empirical results vary depending on the scenario of the country regarding the impacts of the pandemic. Implications for theory and practice This paper summarizes the Covid-19 vaccine supply chain and its challenges, best practices of the most successful countries regarding the immunization process, providing a better understanding of the pandemic scenario. Some empirical data corroborate the literature, and some discrepancies allow the formulation of suppositions that may be tested in future studies.

Abstract The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mortality rates varied among the states of Brazil during the course of the pandemics. The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) is a critical component of the antigen presentation pathway. Individuals with different HLA genotypes may trigger different immune responses against pathogens, which could culminate in different COVID-19 responses. HLA genotypes are variable, especially in the highly admixed Brazilian population. In this ecological study, we aimed to investigate the correlation between HLA haplotypes and the different regional distribution of COVID-19 mortality in Brazil. HLA data was obtained from 4,148,713 individuals registered in The Brazilian Voluntary Bone Marrow Donors Registry. COVID-19 data was retrieved from epidemiological bulletins issued by State Health Secretariats via Brazil’s Ministry of Health from February/2020 to July/2022. We found a positive significant correlation between the HLA-A*01~B*08~DRB1*03 haplotype and COVID-19 mortality rates when we analyzed data from 26 states and the Federal District. This result indicates that the HLA-A*01~B*08~DRB1*03 haplotype may represent an additional risk factor for dying due to COVID-19. This haplotype should be further studied in other populations for a better understanding of the variation in COVID-19 outcomes across the world.