Importance of Vaccine Storage Refrigerator

Since the outbreak of the new crown epidemic, vaccines have always been the topic of most concern to everyone. Therefore, the world is very concerned about the unique storage conditions required for vaccines. Some of these new vaccines require ultra-low temperature storage chamber at or near -80°C, while others require storage at higher temperatures such as -20°C.

Whether new vaccines or traditional vaccines, the storage conditions listed by manufacturers usually specify that vaccines need to be stored at +2°C to +8°C prior to administration, and that they must be prevented from freezing to protect their viability.

One would think that freeze protection would be a no-brainer for a refrigerator. However, with temperature storage requirements so close to freezing, any issues with refrigerator temperature control or anything that might impede airflow, such as excessive inventory overloads, could put the product at risk. In fact, a 2012 report by the DHHS Inspector General stated that the vast majority of clinical providers they studied allowed vaccine exposure to inappropriate temperatures, which compromised potency and efficacy and put vaccine recipients at unnecessary risk .

To help combat inappropriate storage conditions, CDC, in partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF) International and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), formed a committee to develop guidelines for vaccine refrigerators and freezers. The committee is composed of data from vaccine manufacturers , pediatricians, state health authorities, refrigeration manufacturers and industry experts from other interested parties who have spent the past six years working to develop the new standard. The committee needs to address several challenges. These challenges include overcoming the automatic thaw cycles present in many freezers that can take the vaccine out of its recommended storage conditions, and the inability of refrigerators to maintain strict temperature tolerances, or the potential for freezing due to differences in load or environmental conditions condition.

The committee issued vaccine storage guidelines in June 2021. The new standard will help ensure that refrigerators and freezers certified to the standard and used for vaccine storage are designed and manufactured to help maintain the efficacy of the vaccines stored in them.

When choosing vaccine storage equipment, carefully consider your freezer and refrigerated storage requirements, available space in your facility, and most importantly, equipment design. Choose a unit with a cold wall freezer section specially designed from the ground up to eliminate temperature spikes caused by freezer defrost cycles and refrigerators that maintain uniform temperature uniformity regardless of product load while protecting product from freezing is crucial.

When shopping for a dedicated refrigerator, there are a few key issues to consider.

Does the refrigerator maintain that temperature range throughout the cabinet? This consideration is key so vaccines can be stored uniformly on any approved shelf within the unit.
How reliable is the refrigerator? You should look for vaccine refrigerators with long-term, consistent performance records.
Do refrigerators meet current and emerging CDC, NSF, and ANSI guidelines that include stringent storage requirements for vaccines and biologicals? Following the recommended guidelines is the most effective way to ensure that no vaccines are wasted and no pets are left unprotected.

Consistency, recovery and reliability are the most important factors in any vaccine storage. Check out vaccine storage refrigerator manufacturer thchamber for more information.