Vaccines have proven to be an efficient and economical way
of preventing numerous diseases and saving millions of lives.
However, vaccines are fragile products, and can be easily damaged by light and temperature fluctuations. Power outages, due
to extreme weather, can cause the refrigerators and freezers in
which the vaccines are stored to no longer maintain their temperatures, leaving their contents damaged and ineffective.
The need to protect these valuable products has also grown with the rising vaccine costs and the
demand for more extensive inventories. This primarily involves implementing a plan to safeguard vaccines
from power outages. Without power to the refrigerators and freezers that store the vaccines, the
necessary temperature cannot be maintained.
The purpose of this guide is to provide a document that explains best practices in vaccine storage
and how a battery backup system can help.
HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN FIND WITHIN THIS GUIDE:
HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN FIND WITHIN THIS GUIDE:
Challenges & Threats to Vaccine Storage
Solutions for Supporting Your Refrigerated Pharmaceuticals During a Power Outage
Why Battery Backup is the Most Viable Solution
Learn more about Vaccine Storage Protection
with our "Vaccine Storage Emergency Planning Guide"
CHALLENGES & THREATS TO VACCINE STORAGE
CDC Guidelines for Vaccine Storage and Monitoring – The Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) specifies how vaccines should be stored to ensure their efficacy and
durability. Our guide begins with a look at seven of the storage and monitoring guidelines
detailed in the CDC Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit. This includes obligations surrounding
the use of purpose-built cold storage units and the temperature ranges required for
vaccine storage. Understanding storage requirements under the Toolkit presents a valuable
start point for developing a vaccine handling and storage plan.
The Cold Chain Background – The CDC advises that maintaining vaccine potency and longevity
begins with an effective vaccine cold chain. Vaccines have to travel a long way from
their point of production to final destination, which can include some of the most remote
places on Earth. What is the vaccine cold chain and what are the responsibilities involved in
maintaining the cold chain? Our flowchart-style diagram helps visualize the distance vaccines
must often travel and the challenges of ensuring an unbroken cold chain.
How Power Outages Affect the Cold Chain – Power outages are one of the most disruptive,
yet most prevalent causes of breaks in the vaccine cold chain. The US electrical grid is outdated
and overburdened, having been designed in the early 50s and intended to last just 50
years. This section explains how the electrical grid is ill-equipped to support an uninterrupted
vaccine cold chain and where the challenges from the power sector often occur. We also outline how
power outages may compromise the cold chain
Weather Causing Increased Power Outages – Extreme, and even routine, weather events are
one of the leading causes of failures in the power grid. But to what extent are they a threat to
vaccine storage? Are we seeing more severe weather events compared to the past few years,
and how can we prepare for the risk that these weather events pose? This section outlines
the role of weather events in cold chain disruptions and includes charts that visualize the
increasing trend of costly weather and climate events.
Why Wait for Disaster to Strike? – With the combination of a sensitive vaccine cold chain
and an unpredictable electrical grid, it is almost certain that storage problems will arise.
Where will these challenges intrude, and what steps can we take to limit or forestall damage
from happening? CDC guidelines suggest that each practice should have a backup plan in
the event of a power outage. This section leads into the next which discusses the four major
types of backup plans and how they might work best for your practice or facility.
SOLUTIONS FOR SUPPORTING
YOUR REFRIGERATED
PHARMACEUTICALS DURING A
POWER OUTAGE
SOLUTIONS FOR SUPPORTING
YOUR REFRIGERATED
PHARMACEUTICALS DURING A
POWER OUTAGE
Transporting Vaccines During Power Outages – Does it make sense to attempt to move
your vaccines during a power outage? Although using a vaccine transport vehicle might
help move your vaccine cache to a better powered facility, how will the transportation affect
vaccine potency? What are the pros and cons of a vaccine transport vehicle? How does this option
compare with others regarding cost and vaccine integrity? This section explores the merits and
limitations of a vaccine transport vehicle and the competencies required to pull this off successfully.
Using an Ice Lined Refrigerator to Endure an Extended Outage – An ice-lined
refrigerator minimizes transporting vaccines during an extended outage. But does it provide a better option than other
backup vaccine storage methods? What happens if you are facing a longer power outage than you expect? We analyze the pros
and cons of using an ice-lined refrigerator here, including what such an option needs to function and the potential
challenges of using this backup method. If you are considering the merits of this approach, then this section is a must-read.
Installing a Fuel Powered Generator to Support Your Appliances – Rather than trusting a
non-powered backup option for your vaccine storage, you might choose to generate your
own power instead through a backup power source. Fuel-powered generators can help you
maintain the cool temperatures needed to store your vaccines. But will this option make
sense for you? Here, we provide an overview of this backup option, including the advantages
and limitations of using a fuel-powered generator for your vaccine storage.
Using Battery Backup System to Support Your Refrigerators & Freezers – Without the burden
to replenish fuel stores or devote a large space for installation, a battery backup system
has its advantages over other backup plans for vaccine storage. However, there are many
considerations to determine whether this option can meet your vaccine storage needs,
especially in maintenance, capacity, and longevity. Read this section to understand the
pros and cons of using a battery backup system and the obligations such a choice represents.
CALCULATE THE SAVINGS ON YOUR BATTERY BACKUP SYSTEM INVESTMENT:
CALCULATE THE SAVINGS ON YOUR BATTERY BACKUP SYSTEM INVESTMENT:
Common Questions About Battery Backup Power – In our experience, many practices and
facilities choose a battery backup power system to protect their refrigerated pharmaceuticals.
You might have questions about how such an option will fare, especially considering
concerns around the capacity of battery power systems and how long they can hold a
charge. People also want to know if lithium ion batteries are a part of Mediproducts backup
power systems. This section answers the most common questions we have been asked
about battery backup systems.
How to Select the Right Battery Backup System – Battery backup systems come in all
sizes and power capabilities, and Mediproducts offers a variety of these. How do you decide
which solution is right for your facility? This section explains the different considerations
to consider as you explore your battery backup system options. Some points include the required
runtime, power needs, installation, and temperature monitoring capabilities.
Can You Afford to Not Take Action? – What is the cost of not having a backup plan for your
vaccine storage? The costs can vary depending on the value of your vaccine holdings and
the amount of time that your cache was left without power. We have researched the
financial loss that a power outage can represent, and in this section, we present the numbers
from our findings. Lapses in temperature levels and power cuts can result in significant costs
for facilities. Read this section to learn just how high these figures can go.
Enjoy the Safeguard & Peace of Mind with a Battery Backup Power System – Learn about
the proprietary features that Mediproducts emergency battery systems include to protect
your vaccine cache. The goal of our backup power systems is to ensure that your vaccine
stores enjoy an unbroken supply of power, even with an erratic electrical grid. This section
outlines how you can benefit from our systems and how they protect your facility and investment.
Moving Forward with Your Backup Plan – If you do not already have a backup plan to protect
your vaccines, there’s no better time to start than now. Have you made a decision on
which backup plan meets your requirements? Use this summing-up section to reevaluate
the significant points we have shared as you move forward with your backup strategy.
If you have decided to invest in one of our battery power systems, learn how to get started here.
Ensure Patient Safety as You Realize ROI – Vaccine cold chain requirements are already
tough enough, but they can get even tougher. Mediproducts has been designing, manufacturing,
installing, and maintaining battery backup systems for years and we know how to
help you get through even the toughest cold chain requirements. Use this section to find
how you can contact us for a virtual power assessment or calculate your potential savings
with our online calculator.
Download Your Emergency Power Outage “Planning Guide” Now!
Download Your Emergency Power Outage “Planning Guide” Now!
VISIT OUR LEARNING CENTER
We would like to hear from you
Don’t Hesitate To Contact Us!
Our sales and technical support staff are available 8-5 EST, Mon-Fri
281 FIELDS LANE - SUITE 2B - BREWSTER, NY 10509 + TOLL FREE: 1 800-765-3237 + FAX: 1 203-612-5417