England have now been giving out the third COVID-19 vaccine in the nations roll-out, Moderna, for two weeks.
England follows Wales and Scotland, which began using the Moderna vaccine in early April. The Vaccines Taskforce has secured 17m doses of the Moderna vaccine for the UK.
Along with the Pfizer jab, it offers an alternative to the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine for under-30s, after concerns about a possible link to very rare blood clots.
The Moderna vaccine uses a similar innovative RNA technology to the Pfizer jab, but it is stored at temperatures of between -25C and -15C, like a normal freezer, compared to -70C for the Pfizer vaccine.
Vaccine vials may then be stored in the refrigerator between 2°C and 8°C (36°F and 46°F) for up to 30 days before vials are punctured for use.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that “Storage unit temperatures must be monitored regularly and checked and recorded at the beginning of each workday to determine if any excursions have occurred since the last temperature check”.
For accurate temperature monitoring, the CDC recommend “using a digital data logger (DDL) with a probe that best reflects vaccine temperatures”.
Invisible Systems are able to provide suitable loggers – you can find more information on our medical-specific ultra-low temperature monitors with external probes here
If you would like more information on the comprehensive monitoring solutions Invisible Systems provide to the medical sector, please book a consultation with a member of our team.