COVID-19 has brought about an extreme change in the daily lives of every individual. However, things finally appear to be improving after nearly two years of major disruptions. Part of this change is thanks to the availability of COVID-19 vaccine and booster shots that are being used to combat the pandemic. Because these shots are so valuable, it is important to store them properly so that they work as well as possible to combat the virus. In this article, you can learn about the importance of pharmaceutical refrigerators to properly store COVID-19 vaccines and boosters for use in the battle against Covid-19.
What Type of Commercial Refrigerator is Used for Vaccines?
Because vaccines are fragile and highly sensitive to temperature, it is necessary to keep many of them in a pharmaceutical refrigerator or freezer to ensure that they do not spoil. Depending on the type of vaccine(s) being kept inside, they can differ greatly in temperature range. Typically, they operate between -4F to 37F, but some specialized units may drop to as low as -100F to safely keep certain vaccines. These refrigerators and freezers have heavy duty doors with modern insulation and seal gaskets to make sure that the temperature inside remains consistent, regardless of outside conditions. Many will also have digital displays and warning systems to allow you to be sure that the temperature is where it should be. Depending on the model, these refrigerators may also have keyed locks on the door to make sure that only certain personnel are able to access the vaccines inside.
Do Covid Boosters Need to be Kept in a Pharmaceutical Refrigerator?
Just like the regular COVID-19 vaccines, the boosters should also be kept in a pharmaceutical refrigerator or freezer. Depending on the producer (e.g., Moderna, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson), different vaccines can be held at different temperatures. For example, the Pfizer vaccine is generally kept at -100F, whereas the Moderna vaccines are usually shipped between -58F and 5F. Because these vaccines use mRNA as the basis of the vaccine, it is inherently unstable in higher temperatures, meaning that both those and their boosters should be kept cold to remain stable for injection. Vaccines and boosters are thawed in a pharmaceutical refrigerator or at room temperature prior to injection.
Why Does the Covid Vaccine Need to be Kept so Cold?
The COVID-19 vaccine and boosters are produced using mRNA, which is unstable at warmer temperatures. In the past, most vaccines have been produced using a weakened or inactive version of a pathogen. When these vaccines are injected into the human body, it promotes an immune system response that teaches the body to respond to the bacteria or virus. For an mRNA vaccine like the COVID-19 vaccine, mRNA cells are created in a laboratory. These cells are designed to teach our bodies’ cells how to make a protein that can protect us from the virus we are combatting. However, the mRNA used in these vaccines is extremely fragile and breaks down rapidly. To address this, storing doses in pharmaceutical refrigerators and freezers has been successful in prolonging the shelf life for vaccine doses, allowing us to extend the life of the dose to months instead of hours.
What are the Advantages of a Pharmaceutical Refrigerator?
The first advantage of using a pharmaceutical refrigerator is that it allows medications and vaccines to be consistently stored at an appropriate temperature to ensure its shelf life. Pharmaceuticals, such as vaccines, are extremely delicate when it comes to temperature, so maintaining them at the perfect temperature is essential. Pharmaceutical refrigerators are manufactured to be extremely insulated and to be highly reliable. Another advantage is that they have alarms and temperature monitors to ensure that they are always at the correct temperature, and if not, they will alert the owner. Another advantage is that they are designed to facilitate proper air flow, and to not lose temperature in the event of a power outage. Finally, because they can be locked, they prevent excessive opening of the door and unauthorized access to sensitive pharmaceuticals.
Contact Powers Equipment for More Information on Pharmaceutical Refrigerators
Powers Equipment has been in business for over 85 years and continues to be an industry leader in creating a variety of pharmaceutical refrigerators and freezers, and specialty coolers. We are known to only use the most high-quality materials when producing our equipment, and we are constantly working to adapt our business to whatever trends may be influencing the current industry. Powers Equipment has consistently produced some of the best pharmaceutical refrigerators and freezers used in the industry, and we will work with you to find the best piece of equipment for you and your business.