From now on, coronavirus vaccines may only be delivered by specialist transport companies, the public health institute RIVM has confirmed, following various media reports about amateur delivery services.

In one case, a caterer had been charged with delivering the Pfizer vaccine to a nursing home, even though the vials have to be kept a specific temperatures. All heathcare institutions are responsible for organising their own deliveries between different locations and the caterer, who had a refrigerated van, was a volunteer, the AD said.

In other cases, vaccines were moved in cool boxes, the Volkskrant reported.

In total, some 40 vials of the vaccine have had to be destroyed because of problems with delivery, the RIVM said.

Pharmacy wholesalers association BG Pharma told the AD it had been shocked at the ‘amateurish way’ some vaccines had been delivered.

‘Offers of help are meant well, but the transport of a delicate vaccine is something different to a croquette in a bread roll,’ chairman Leon Tinke told the VK. ‘It is not rocket science, but it is specialised work.’