Challenges of Storage and Transport of Covid-19 Vaccines - A Review

ABSTRACT

A vaccine is a material administered to an individual to boost their immune system's resistance against infection. Diseases that can be prevented by vaccination can be controlled and eradicated with proper vaccine handling and storage. It is crucial to formulate and deliver stable, effective and safe vaccines. Since vaccines are intricate biological products so any kind of temperature fluctuation can result in reduction of their effectiveness. To prevent this, cold storage facility is set up;refrigerators, thermometers and storage protocols are in place. The main vaccines distributed for COVID in India are Covishield and Covaxin. In order to maintain a cold chain supply for these vaccines, they must be transported and stored at a regulated temperature in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines. The end-to-end supply chain for COVID-19 vaccines must adhere to specific cold chain standards from manufacturing to distribution in warehouses and healthcare facilities. Audits for cold chains and temperature monitoring should be performed regularly on the vaccine lots to ensure proper distribution practices are adhered. The present study focuses on the good distribution practice and storage of vaccines. Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications. All rights reserved.