title: Vaccine storage in pharmacies on the Central Coast of New South Wales.
abstract: Pharmacies on the Central Coast of NSW were surveyed to assess the ability of refrigerators used for vaccine storage to maintain the recommended temperature range (2 to 8 degrees C). Refrigerators used for vaccine storage were monitored over a 3-day period using a temperature data logger. Fifty-nine (59) retail pharmacies were identified. The response rate was 90% (53/59) and 52 refrigerators were monitored successfully. Only 10 (19%) of the refrigerators maintained temperatures wholly within the recommended range for the 3-day monitoring period. The remaining refrigerators were considered in three groups--refrigerators keeping temperatures in the range 0.1 to 11.9 degrees C, below 0 degree C and above 8 degrees C for most of the time. There were 15 (29%), 12 (23%) and 15 (29%) refrigerators in these groups respectively keeping temperatures in the recommended range for 91%, 19% and 30% of the time. Of the refrigerators achieving temperatures below 0 degree C, none went below -5 degrees C and on average they kept temperatures less than 0 degree C for 49% of the time. This survey highlights the need for vigilance in vaccine storage for immunisation programs to be successful. Of the vaccines affected by freezing, hepatitis B vaccine was identified as being most at risk.
authors.affiliation: Central Coast Public Health Unit, Central Coast Area Health Service, Gosford, New South Wales.
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Reimer
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Lewis
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection; D004356:Drug Storage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D009517:New South Wales; D010594:Pharmacies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012034:Refrigeration / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013696:Temperature; D014612:Vaccines
chemical_list: D014612:Vaccines