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Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Vaccines & Immunizations

Publications:

Vaccine Storage & Handling Guide
Protect your vaccine - Protect your patients


The Vaccine Storage and Handling Guide (October 2011) replaces the Vaccine Management: Recommendations for Storage and Handling of Selected Biologicals guide (November 2007).

And, provides shipping requirements; condition upon arrival; storage requirements; shelf life; instructions for reconstitution and use; shelf life after reconstititution, thawing and opening; and any special instructions for all recommended vaccines.

book cover: Vaccine Storage and Handling Guide

View or Print Guide

Use this link to view or print the Vaccine Storage and Handling Guide Adobe Acrobat print-friendly PDF file [PDF-688KB - 77 pages] NEW Dec 2011

Summary of changes

Note: This guide replaces the "Vaccine Management: Storage and Handling" document. Background images will not be printed so as to conserve printer ink.

Description

The Vaccine Storage & Handling Guide is based on the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the manufacturer's product information. And includes:

  • Shipping requirements
  • Condition upon arrival
  • Storage requirements
  • Shelf life
  • Preparation (instructions for use)
  • Shelf life after opening
  • Vaccines exposed to inappropriate temperatures (temperature excursions)
  • Special instructions

NOTE: For more detailed information on proper vaccine storage and handling please refer to CDC’s Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit.

 

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This page last modified on February 5, 2012
Content last reviewed on September 30, 2011
Content Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases

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Vaccines and Immunizations