On-farm vaccine handling (II): Storage

Once the vaccine is inside the farm, we must have a refrigerator for them that always stays within the right temperature range.

First of all, we must remember that: The temperature must always be between 4 and 8ºC. Temperature fluctuations of more than 6ºC can damage the vaccines.

The LOCATION of the vaccines inside the refrigerator must also be appropriate:

• There should be a 3-cm gap between the vaccine and the wall to prevent freezing.
• If we keep the vaccines outside the box, there should be 2 cm of separation between them to allow for air circulation.
• Vaccines should not be placed in the refrigerator door, as the temperature is more unstable there.
• Do not store vaccines inside a plastic container as it will not allow the air to circulate around them.
• It is recommended to place the vaccines in such a way that we can see their expiration date quickly so that we can always use the oldest ones first. The new ones should be placed at the back and the oldest ones at the front.
• We should not overcrowd the refrigerator.

THE REFRIGERATOR MUST BE EXCLUSIVELY FOR VACCINES! We should not keep other medications or farm materials in it and of course, under no circumstances should we keep food or drink in it.

The TEMPERATURE CONTROL of the refrigerator holding the vaccines must work perfectly:

• THE TARGET STORAGE TEMPERATURE SHOULD BE 5ºC.
• The temperature range should always be between 4ºC and 8ºC. It is very critical that it never falls below 4ºC.
• A special maximum and minimum thermometer for vaccines should always be inside the refrigerator and it is important to keep a daily record of these temperatures. The sensor of this thermometer should be located in the middle of the refrigerator where the vaccines are located. If we do not have a thermometer with a probe, we can use a maximum and minimum thermometer placed in the middle of the refrigerator. The problem is that we must open the door to check the temperature, so we must do so quickly to prevent the cold from being lost.
• Do not open the refrigerator door unless necessary as this causes temperature fluctuations.
• If we have a large refrigerator, it is recommended to place water bottles in the bottom part so that the desired temperature is reached more quickly upon closing the refrigerator. Vaccines should not be in contact with these bottles.
• It is important to have reserve ice packs in another freezer in case of a failure in the main refrigerator.
• In case of a malfunction of the main refrigerator, we MUST NOT open it until we have the entire contingency system ready.

For all this to be successful, it is necessary to keep STRICT MAINTENANCE of the storage refrigerators and storage areas that includes:

• Comprehensive annual maintenance including checking the refrigerator filter and compressor.
• An emergency system that warns us in case of problems with maintaining the proper temperature.
• A protocol for cleaning the refrigerator that allows us to keep it free of contamination, but also allows us to clean it in the shortest possible time to avoid fluctuations in the storage temperature of the vaccines.
• Have a complete pest control protocol that keeps storage locations completely free of potential cross-contamination.

In addition to maintenance, strict control of traceability is key in the use of vaccines. This requires:

• Having a stock control sheet of vaccines on the farm to:
  • Write down the incoming lots and all corresponding information.
  • Write down the expiration dates of these batches.
  • Write down the destination where the vaccines have been used and exactly how many of them, with their corresponding lot.

If finally, after all these controls, we have an open bottle of vaccine left over because we completed our batch, we should NEVER keep it and return it to the storage refrigerator since its properties may have been altered.