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Helmer Scientific has gathered the top ten vaccine related blog posts from 2020. During the pandemic, vaccine storage and handling has become a hot topic as a vaccine for COVID-19 is anticipated in addition to gearing up for the influenza season. Blog topics also include defining medical-grade refrigeration and a look at emerging standards for vaccine storage. Helmer’s goal is to provide educational content and inform you on all things related to the proper storage and handling of temperature sensitive vaccines, medications, and pharmaceuticals.
CDC Vaccine Toolkit 2020: What’s New?
The 2020 Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit is a comprehensive guide that reflects best practices for vaccine storage and handling from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations, product information from vaccine manufacturers, and scientific studies. The toolkit has been updated for 2020 to clarify language including: Beyond use date (BUD), routine maintenance for vaccine storage units, and new glossary definitions…
Vaccine Refrigerator Best Practices Guide
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has detailed recommendations around the selection and operation of your vaccine refrigerators and freezers. To follow best practices for vaccine storage and handling, there are many important design factors to consider. The following checklist will help ensure all critical aspects are considered when selecting a unit for vaccine storage…
Medical-grade Refrigerators – What Makes Them Different
Healthcare facilities are under increased pressure to ensure consistent and reliable refrigeration for the storage of temperature sensitive medications, vaccines, reagents, and patient samples. There are significant implications when a refrigerator used for clinical applications fails to provide a safe storage environment. Improper refrigerators used for clinical, cold storage may…
Healthcare Providers Prepare for Huge Push of Flu Vaccination
Whether you’re a primary care physician, nurse, pharmacist, or other health care professional (HCP), you play a significant role in helping protect your patients against influenza. Experts predict a huge push for influenza vaccinations this fall to help curb the thousands of flu cases which may coincide with another influx of coronavirus cases…
Influenza (Flu) Season 2020-2021 and COVID-19: Patient FAQs
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has released a long list of frequently asked questions pertaining to the upcoming influenza (flu) season in relation to COVID-19. There is laser focus on increasing flu vaccination rates this year as the world continues to battle COIVD-19. The following questions have been identified and answered by the CDC as top questions from the public…
Helmer Refrigerator Safeguards Investigational Product for First US-Based Phase III Trial of COVID-19 Vaccine
CNN reported that COVID-19 vaccine was injected into a volunteer on Monday, July 27, as part of the first US-based Phase 3 clinical trial in Savannah, GA. The trial used a vaccine candidate developed by Moderna in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health. We are proud the Phase 3 clinical trial product was stored in a Helmer Scientific refrigerator…
Vaccine Storage Capacity and Quality Considerations
Vaccines have never been more important. According to the CDC, 2020-2021 influenza vaccinations further protect public health by decreasing flu symptoms that can be very similar to COVID-19. This can limit unnecessary stress on our healthcare providers by reducing severe illness and related hospitalization. Being prepared for influenza vaccinations, as well as preparing for the availability of new COVID-19 vaccines is a critical priority for our healthcare system. As part of these preparation activities, it is critical to consider the capacity and quality of refrigerators and freezers available to support vaccine storage needs…
Emerging Standards for Vaccine Storage Units
The CDC recently released a playbook to assist states, public health facilities, and partner organizations in planning for distribution of new COVID-19 vaccines. This document reinforces the critical nature of appropriate storage and handling of vaccines to prevent loss and to ensure maximum effectiveness of each dose. Currently, the CDC provide guidance to help ensure the quality of cold storage; however, new standards are also in development…
Critical Importance of Improving Immunization Rates During COVID-19
Why is it important to improve immunization rates? Vaccines have been proven to eliminate diseases. Since 1949, smallpox, polio, measles and rubella have been eliminated from the US. In addition, the cost burden of 4 adult vaccine-preventable diseases in persons age 65 years and older, in the US in 2013, was $15.3M. That climbs by an additional $11.2B when ages 50-64 are included. Unvaccinated individuals are responsible for almost 80% of the financial burden…
Resources for Maintaining Immunization and COVID-19 Vaccine Development Update
The Immunization Action Coalition has prepared a Repository of Resources for maintaining immunization during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is intended for use by healthcare settings, state and local health departments, professional societies, and more in their efforts to maintain immunization rates. The repository includes links to international, national, and state-level policies and guidance, as well as webinars, press releases, and media articles…
