Vaccine guidelines

Guidelines

Tips for your cold chain inspection

Ensure all staff are trained on proper vaccine storage and handling guidelines. Use this checklist as a guide to prepare for your annual vaccine fridge inspection.

Call Southeast Public Health Immunization Nurse at 613-549-1232, extension 0 for questions, or to report a cold chain incident.

  • Read the vaccine storage and handling guidelines; ensure a hard copy is available for staff.
  • Have a contingency plan for equipment malfunction, power outage or other emergencies. This should include a partnership with another cold chain site who could assist with temporary storage of your vaccines if needed.
  • Have a cooler with its own max-min thermometer on site available for short term vaccine storage and transportation of your vaccines.
  • Assign staff members as the primary cold chain contact and back up contact responsible for vaccine management.
  • Purpose-built vaccine fridge (preferred).
  • Domestic stand-alone fridge (with modifications to ensure stability).
  • Domestic bar size fridge is not recommended.
  • Ensure your fridge is placed away from direct sunlight, away from external walls and in a space that has good airflow.
  • Have a “Do not unplug” sticker by the electrical outlet so it is not accidentally unplugged or turned off. Utilize generator outlets whenever possible.
  • Ensure your fridge is serviced and maintained in good working order with adequate door seals and locks.
  • Keep vaccines organized by product and in their original boxes to protect from light damage.
  • Use short expiring dated vaccines and red dotted vaccines first; only take vaccines out of the fridge when ready to use.
  • Store only what your fridge has capacity for. Ministry guidelines state no more than one month’s vaccine supply at any time.
  • No storage of vaccine allowed in any doors or drawers of fridge at any time.
  • Use of a data logger (preferred) or digital max/min thermometer, with ability to measure in 0.1 degree increments, is required.
  • Temperature sensor must be placed on the middle shelf, in an empty vaccine box.
  • Batteries of your max/min device need to be changed at least every six months.
  • Test your device for accuracy annually.
  • Set device alarms to sound at 3°C to 7°C.
  • Twice daily documentation is required; document at the beginning and end of each day.
  • Must include time of documentation, date, current, max and min temperatures with each reading and must reset the max-min each time.
  • Ensure temperatures are maintained between 2°C to 8°C.
  • Contact Southeast Public Health as soon as an out-of-range temperature is discovered.
  • Report directly to the immunization nurse on call at 613-549-1232, extension 0.
  • Implement contingency plans if the fridge remains unstable.

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