Optimizing vaccine logistics: a taxonomy and narrative review

The topic of vaccine logistics, which entails the sourcing, storage, distribution, and administration of vaccines, has received considerable attention from researchers and policymakers in the last few decades. Interest in this topic has particularly increased after the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the importance of vaccine logistics and the need for efficient and effective vaccine distribution systems to contain the pandemic. Despite the substantial recent growth in the knowledge of various aspects of vaccine logistics, the literature is still vastly dispersed and inadequately analyzed. This paper offers a comprehensive narrative review of the vaccine logistics literature, delving into 82 articles centered around optimization models. We construct a taxonomy to categorize the existing body of literature and provide a systematic analysis of the scope, methodologies, and objectives that define the current research landscape. Our review aspires to contribute to a deeper understanding of vaccine logistics and optimization by synthesizing and organizing this wealth of information. The insights from this analysis provide valuable guidance for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners in the field. Ultimately, we aim to enhance the collective knowledge base and inform future endeavors in vaccine distribution and optimization strategies.