Temperature of COVID-19 vaccines

Measurement and monitoring the temperature of vaccines for COVID-19 vaccination.

The Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic has a clearly defined vaccination strategy for vaccination of vaccines against the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Here it is specified how vaccines must be stored and what temperature limits must be observed. SÚKL clearly describes the package leaflets for the approved vaccines Pfizer (Comirnaty), Vaccine Moderna a Vaccine AstraZeneca, which are approved for vaccination in the Czech Republic.

Vaccine storage conditions for COVID-19

• For long-term storage of vaccines, it is necessary to store vaccines in deep-freeze boxes and freezers at temperatures from -70°C. The temperature of the vaccines during the storage and during transport is ensured by GSM loggers which record the temperature at time intervals and the current temperature can be monitored online.
• In vaccination centres and doctors' offices, it is sufficient to monitor the temperature in refrigerators between 2°C and 8°C, depending on the type of vaccine. In this case, it is necessary to perform the immunisation within one working week and not to store the vaccine over the weekend.
• The monitoring of the temperature must be performed with a calibrated thermometer placed inside the refrigerator and a record must be kept with the signature of the responsible person.
• It is necessary to comply the temperature chain for the transport and storage of medicines in accordance with § 35a, § 38 (1) and (2), § 39 (1) to (4)  of Decree No 229/2008 Coll.

The distributor of the vaccine must ensure storage with appropriate technical equipment to monitor the temperature conditions. The equipment must also be regularly calibrated, once every 12 months in the case of monitoring temperature during transport and at least once every 24 months in the case of storage of medicines.