| There are several diseases that raise their ugly heads. | | | | Care has to be taken that the vaccine is not |
| Thankfully the medical world has been able to find | | | | administered. |
| vaccines for several of them. With the development | | | | Measuring the temperature in the vaccine refrigerator |
| of these vaccines, their proper storage is also of vital | | | | also has to be done in the right manner. Ideally use |
| importance. A slight variation in storage temperature is | | | | separate thermometers for the fridge and the freezer. |
| enough to render the vaccine useless. Vaccine | | | | The thermometers have to be of good quality and of |
| refrigerators are built in such a way that they store all | | | | certified calibration. Temperatures always have to be |
| vaccines in an antiseptically clean environment and at | | | | checked manually. Some other pointers to keep in |
| temperatures that do not fluctuate once they are set. | | | | mind are that vaccines should never be stored in the |
| There are basic requirements that are needed of your | | | | door of the refrigerator. Pre-filling syringes too is a |
| laboratory refrigerator if it is to store vaccines safely. | | | | complete no-no as this can increase the risks in wrong |
| For one, it should be able to maintain a set | | | | administering of the drug. It also increases the chances |
| temperature range throughout the year. Your fridge | | | | of the vaccine getting wasted. Some vaccines do not |
| and freezer should be accessed from two different | | | | come with a preservative. In such cases, there is an |
| doors. In terms of capacity, it should be able to hold a | | | | increased chance of bacterial growth in them. |
| year's worth of vaccines. And finally, it should, in no | | | | It is always wise to take monthly stocks of your |
| way, be used to hold food items. | | | | vaccines. This way you can rotate stocks and use |
| When it comes to temperatures, a laboratory fridge | | | | them before their expiration date. Make it a point to |
| holding vaccines should be between 35-46 degrees | | | | check for these dates before administering the |
| Fahrenheit or 2 and 8 degrees Centigrade. Once you | | | | vaccine. An ideal refrigeration system for vaccines |
| have your vaccines stored, there are precautionary | | | | also includes a plan in the case of emergencies. Have |
| measures that have to taken at regular intervals. | | | | a set protocol for the removal and immediate storage |
| Temperatures in the laboratory refrigerator have to be | | | | of vaccines in an emergency situation. Have a back-up |
| monitored at least twice a day and a log of the | | | | for storage in place. |
| temperatures maintained. This has to be done for both | | | | Vaccines are life-saving drugs. Their proper storage |
| the freezer as well as the fridge individually. It would be | | | | and care has to be under the supervision of a single |
| ideal to maintain temperature logs for at least three | | | | authority. This will prevent duplication of work or the |
| years. Know the protocol well for when temperatures | | | | oversight when it comes to responsibilities. With the |
| are not at what they are supposed to be. The | | | | right protocols and timely maintenance, the safe |
| manufacturer of the vaccine should also be informed. | | | | storage of vaccines will not be a problem. |