Must-Have Vaccine Storage Equipment
Vaccines are humanity’s crucial line of defense against deadly diseases. They are not only important due to their life-saving functions, but they are also valuable in terms of their monetary worth.
Healthcare facilities often lose a large sum of money due to improper cold chain management. Cold chain, as per UNICEF, refers to “a chain of precisely coordinated events in temperature-controlled environments to store, manage and transport these life-saving products”.
As the definition suggests, it is important for vaccines to be maintained in controlled environments in a coordinated manner. Even minor errors can render vaccines ineffective or even fatal in some cases, if administered to patients.
In order to avoid dire circumstances such as these it is important to take preventive steps during the storage and transportation of vaccines. The CDC has identified specific equipment that are essential in management of vaccines especially during their storage and transportation.
The two most important vaccine storage equipment include medical refrigerators and freezers, as well as temperature monitoring devices. Let’s take a deeper look at each of these pieces of equipment in terms of their features, benefits as well as importance as per the regulations put forward by the CDC.
Medical Refrigerators and Freezers
Medical refrigerators and freezers are not just recommended for usage of vaccines, but also medication, blood and its components, human tissue, biological material and the like. When it comes to vaccines, the CDC specifically recommends a medical refrigerator or a freezer (depending upon the recommended storage temperature of the vaccine) over a dormitory style one.
Medical refrigerators and freezers are the best when it comes to maintaining a stable temperature suitable for the storage of vaccines. They are also often inclusive of an in-built temperature monitoring device, that is sensitive to even the slightest fluctuation in temperature. These devices alert users whenever a temperature excursion occurs, which is when the temperature goes above or below the recommended temperature range.
Such refrigeration units are also sturdier in terms of their built. They include glass doors that eliminate the need to keep the unit open unnecessarily. Doors are also more secure as they close shut firmly aiding in temperature maintenance. They also often include locks to prevent loss of valuable medical articles or even to limit the usage of the unit to a few selected individuals. Read more >
