Recommendations and Guidelines
Vaccine Storage and Handling
Assuring vaccine potency during storage and handling is increasingly important as new, more expensive vaccines are introduced.
Physician offices and clinics must be diligent in their vaccine storage and handling efforts. It is important to maintain strigent handling methods and have the necessary equipment for storage.
Resources on Proper Vaccine Storage and Handling
- Interim Storage and Handling Guidance NEW Oct 2012
- Vaccine Storage and Handling Guide Dec 2011
Guidelines for storage and handling of selected vaccines.
- Video provides guidance for proper storage and handling of vaccines from the 2012 Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases series. NEW May 2012
- Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit (being revised)
Includes checklists, common errors, tips, temperature logs, maintaining cold chain during transport, emergency procedures for protecting vaccine inventories, impact of power outage on vaccine storage, and a video. The Storage & Handling Toolkit is being revised and will be available soon. In the meantime, you can view or print the Vaccine Storage and Handling Guide.
- Provider's Role: Importance of Vaccine Admin. & Storage
Includes vaccine administration, timing and spacing of vaccine does, observation of precautions and contraindications, management of vaccine side effects, etc. - Contact Numbers for Immunobiologicals Manufacturers/Distributors
[PDF-30KB - 1 page] - Vaccine Storage Temperature Recommendations [PDF-62KB - 1 page]
Adapted from Table 11, ACIP General Recommendations on Immunization
Checklists and Tools for Vaccine Storage and Handling
These additional materials are provided by the Immunization Action Coalition web site,
the California Dept. of Health's EZ-IZ web site, and the Indiana State Dept. of Health's web site.
Many of these are listed also in the Pink Book Appendix C: Vaccine Handling Resources
- Emergency Response Worksheet
[PDF-63KB - 1 page]
What to do in case of a power failure or another event that results in vaccine storage outside of the recommended temperature range
from the Immunization Action Coalition - Refrigerator Buying Guide [PDF-126KB - 2 pages]
VFC requirements, tips, and a worksheet for buying a refrigerator for vaccine storage
from the California Dept.of Public Health's EZ-IZ web site - Setting Up Your Refrigerator and Freezer for Vaccine Storage
from the California Dept.of Public Health's EZ-IZ web site- Refrigeratorand Freezer [PDF-380KB - 1 page]
- Refrigerator
- Storing Vaccines in Your Refrigerator and Freezer
- Refrigerator and Freezer [PDF-320KB - 1 page]
from the California Dept.of Public Health's EZ-IZ web site - Refrigerator/freezer temperatures (Vaccine Handling Tips) [PDF-101KB - 1 page]
from the Immunization Action Coalition
- Refrigerator
- Transporting Refrigerated Vaccines [PDF-137KB - 1 page]
Guidelines for vaccine transport and short-term storage
from the California Dept.of Public Health's EZ-IZ web site - Refrigerator Temperature Logs (Fahrenheit) (Celsius) [PDF-58KB - 4 pages]
from the Immunization Action Coalition - Freezer Temperature Logs (Fahrenheit) (Celsius) [PDF-58KB - 4 pages]
from the Immunization Action Coalition - Signs
- English and Spanish--"Do not unplug" [PDF-144KB - 1 page]
from the Indiana State Dept of Health - English and Spanish--"Do not stop power to circuit breaker" [PDF-171KB -1 page]
from the Indiana State Dept of Health
- English and Spanish--"Do not unplug"
- Don't Be Guilty of These Errors in Storage & Handling [PDF-126KB - 1 page]
from the Immunization Action Coalition
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This page last modified on October 4, 2012
Content last reviewed on March 11, 2011
Content Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
