Types And Usage Of Cold Chain Equipment

24 Feb 2022

Cold chain equipment is used for storing vaccines in good condition. Cold box is an insulated container that can be lined with water packs to contain vaccines & diluents in the required temperature range during transportation or short-term storage. These boxes can be used to store vaccines for periods of up to two days or more when there is no electricity available, depending on the model. Passive container is used when refrigerator is broken or being defrosted, while on the other hand, once packed cold boxes should not be opened until the vaccine is needed.

Every model of cold box or vaccine carrier has different vaccine storage capacity. It is important to use the right size as well as number of water packs, specified by the container manufacturer, or cold life will be affected. Vaccine carrier or cold boxes can keep temperatures below +10 °C when it is lined with frozen ice packs. Cold box in a hospital should be big enough to transfer at least a one-month supply of vaccines.

Ice packs

They are flat, square plastic bottles that are filled with water. They help in keeping vaccines at needed temperature inside the vaccine carrier or cold box.

Water packs

Water packs are leak-proof and flat plastic containers that are filled with tap water. They are mainly use to line the inside of the cold box or vaccine carrier. They are used to keep vaccines at the required temperature inside cold boxes. It is very essential to use the correct number and size of water packs in order to protect vaccines. Health facilities must have a minimum of two complete sets of water packs for each of their cold boxes.