Vaccine storage in the community: a study in central Italy

Maintaining the vaccine cold chain is an essential part of a successful imm unization programme, but in developed countries faulty procedures may occur more commonly than is generally believed. A survey was conducted in a heal th district in central Italy to assess the methods of vaccine transportatio n and storage. Of 52 primary vaccination offices inspected, 39 (76.5%) had a refrigerator for vaccine storage but only 17 (33.3%) kept records of rece ived and stored doses. None of the seven main offices selected for monitori ng had a maximum and minimum thermometer and none monitored the internal te mperature of the refrigerator. Moreover, other faulty procedures, such as t he storage of food and laboratory specimens in vaccine refrigerators and th e storage of vaccines on refrigerator door shelves, indicated that the know ledge and practice of vaccine storage and handling were often inadequate.