One year ago this month, the coronavirus was declared a pandemic and the world changed, almost overnight. Since then, we've learned what social distancing means, gotten used to seeing and wearing masks, and changed the way we work, buy goods and ship them.

Wholesaler-distributors have been part of each of those shifts, whether in maintaining operations safely, finding new ways to sell to and support customers, or sourcing and shipping vital supplies such as personal protective equipment, COVID-19 treatments and vaccines.

In this Special Report, we examine how distributors are delivering during the pandemic, how the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors is raising awareness, and more.

Eric Hoplin, president and CEO of the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, recently discussed the distribution industry's vital role in supplying the US before, during and after this pandemic. He also talked about NAW's efforts to raise awareness. Here's an excerpt from the full Q&A:

SmartBrief: There's still a lot to do in terms of vaccinations, not to mention testing and treatments for COVID-19. What additional roles does NAW see for the wholesaler-distributor industry in vaccinating the country and opening back up?

Hoplin: As vaccine supply increases, it is more and more important to rely on the built-in advantages and innovative capabilities found in the existing supply chain. Over decades, the distribution industry has developed the world's leading network, knowledge, technology and logistics expertise to move products efficiently and safely across the country. By utilizing our existing comprehensive distribution channels, the government can create a much larger and efficient network of vaccinators -- reaching more hospitals, pharmacies, clinics, dental offices and community health centers, helping get the vaccine into the hands of the medical professionals whom people trust.

Beyond directly distributing the vaccine, NAW and our members are working with organizations like the Detroit Lions and the Pittsburgh Steelers by tapping into our network to source things like 300,000 pairs of medical-grade gloves, massive quantities of sanitizer and medical waste containers -- all of which will enable them to help vaccinate hundreds of thousands of people.

Looking ahead, as supply becomes more available, we'll share best practices with our members for how they can best incentivize their employees to get vaccinated, either by offering onsite vaccines or offering flexible work schedules and other benefits to encourage their workforce. Every piece of this is important, because the faster we can distribute the vaccine and the easier we can make it for more people to get the vaccine, the faster we will reach herd immunity, which will save lives and help get the economy moving again.

Read the full Q&A.

National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors President and CEO Eric Hoplin wrote last month about the industry's vital role in delivering vaccines and how distributors stepped up in the early days of the pandemic. "In partnership with the nation's world-class transportation carriers, we have the technology, cold storage capacity, knowledge, existing network and decades of experience needed to meet this moment," he writes.

The distribution industry has performed extremely well during the pandemic and could play an even bigger role going forward, says AmerisourceBergen CEO Steve Collis, who discusses why there hasn't been "a distribution problem." As vaccines ramp up, all possible avenues of getting them distributed should be examined, Collis argues, which could include existing distribution networks.

Scott Wells and Marianne Zecca of Performance Food Group share how they're going beyond distribution to help restaurant clients with all areas of strategy and operations, including menu consulting and improving takeout service. "The businesses love seeing you come in with the cavalry knowing the objective is to keep their doors open another day," Zecca says.

The COVID-19 vaccine rollout could be improved by utilizing more of the existing distribution network, along with better state and local government collaboration on guidelines, says Cardinal Health CEO Mike Kaufmann. Engaging with the entire pharmaceutical distribution network would be helpful in the long term and also remove the risk of "a single point of failure," he says.

Johnson & Johnson's one-shot COVID-19 vaccine is being distributed by McKesson, which has dedicated four distribution centers to the effort. McKesson employees at a Kentucky facility signed and wrote messages on the first shipments.

NAW recently launched #DistributorsDeliver, a campaign designed to bring awareness to everything wholesaler-distributors do to keep the supply chain running. You can email your own stories to [email protected] or join the conversation on Twitter or LinkedIn by using the hashtag #DistributorsDeliver. Share your stories and what lessons you've learned!

NAW helps distributors to be so good at what they do that no one else would want to do it. NAW is 100% focused on the business of distribution, and our unique position as the umbrella organization that represents the entire $6 trillion industry enables us to bring together the largest and best-in-class distribution firms to share best practices with their non-competing peers. Learn more and join NAW today!

The NAW Virtual Distribution Leadership Program is June 7 - 18. Designed to build the knowledge and skills that every employee needs to be a smarter business leader, this two-week virtual course will allow your leaders to conduct their day job and expand their skills at the same time. Learning how others operate, solve problems and drive solutions is one of the top reasons this NAW program is so highly rated. This course builds competence and confidence for everyone from emerging leaders to seasoned veterans. Register your team today!