A vaccine fridge needs a current, minimum and maximum temperature display so staff can check and manually record temperatures. Strive for 5 requires current, minimum and maximum temperatures to be checked and recorded twice daily: before the refrigerator is used for the first time each day and at the end of the day.
Strive for 5 also requires continuous temperature monitoring. This is usually done with a vaccine fridge data logger, either built into the vaccine fridge or supplied as a separate device. A data logger records temperatures over time and is useful for audits, reviewing temperature patterns, identifying cold spots and investigating possible cold chain breaches. Where a data logger is used, the data should be downloaded at least weekly, in addition to twice daily manual temperature recordings.
For sites with higher stock value, larger vaccine volumes or greater cold chain risk, wireless vaccine fridge monitoring systems can provide extra protection. These systems can provide real time temperature readings and send alerts by SMS or email if the fridge temperature moves outside the required range. They do not replace the need for twice daily minimum and maximum temperature checks, but they can help provide earlier warning of a problem. A UPS backup power solution may also help reduce risk during power outages.
