subject: Temperature Controlled Containers for Vaccine Storage [print this page] Temperature Controlled Containers for Vaccine Storage
The correct climate controlled containers for storing vaccines are absolutely vital. Without these, the result may be that vaccines become useless, people cannot be vaccinated and money is wasted.
If you are transporting or storing pharmaceutical products such as vaccines, it is essential that they are stored under the right conditions and that contingency plans are in place to ensure that the temperature remains correct and consistent.
Earlier this year, it was reported in an Oregon newspaper that around 22,000 people in the state may have to have their vaccination repeated because mistakes were made with the storage of the vaccines.
Temperature monitoring
The major issue with the storage of the vaccines was that they were being stored at the wrong temperature. The already-significant problem was made worse by the fact that equipment installed to monitor temperatures was faulty and was not working correctly.
Although storing vaccines at the incorrect temperature does not make them dangerous to people, what it can do is make the vaccines less potent or in some cases almost useless.
Because of this, in Oregon, some of those affected needed to be re-vaccinated.
Good practices, policies, procedures and climate controlled containers are needed to ensure that vaccines are stored at the correct temperature. Temperature monitoring equipment is essential as well. There are various ways to carry out temperature monitoring.
One way is for staff to regularly check the temperature controlled containers in person. However, this is not the only option and more flexible high-tech solutions are available.
For example remote temperature checking equipment is available which means you can monitor the equipment from any location through the internet.
Climate controlled containers
It is also imperative that vaccines are stored at exactly the right temperature. Even with temperature monitoring in place and all the other necessary procedures, policies and practices, there also needs to be a back-up plan in place in case something goes wrong. An option is to have a two separate refrigeration systems. This means that if one piece of refrigeration equipment fails, the other one will kick on meaning you do not get any refrigeration downtime.
When you are looking into investing in climate controlled containers to store your vaccinations, it is highly advisable to work with a company that has experience and a specialism in refrigerated storage equipment for the pharmaceutical industry.
