Vaccines play an important role in protecting the body from many serious diseases. But if they are not stored properly, their effect may be reduced. Therefore, keeping the vaccine properly and safely is considered a very important part of the health system. It is necessary to keep the vaccine at a certain temperature from the time it is made to the time it is administered to the patient. This entire process is called cold chain. This means that the vaccine must be kept continuously at the prescribed temperature, so that its quality and effectiveness are maintained. If there is any negligence in this process, the efficacy of the vaccine may be affected.
For this reason, in hospitals and vaccination centers vaccine Special refrigerators and temperature monitoring systems are used to store it. Health workers also check the temperature regularly, so that the vaccine remains safe. Only a properly administered vaccine helps in increasing the body’s ability to fight diseases. Let us know how not keeping the vaccine at the right temperature can affect it.
How can not keeping the vaccine at the right temperature affect it?
Professor Dr. Subhash Giri, Director, Department of Medicine, RML Hospital. It is said that if the vaccine is not kept at the right temperature, its quality and effectiveness may be affected. The active ingredients present in the vaccine are sensitive to changes in temperature. Too much heat or cold can damage the structure of these elements.
For this reason, it is necessary to keep most vaccines in a cold environment between 2°C to 8°C. Cold chain system is used to maintain this temperature. If the vaccine remains outside this limit for a long time, it may no longer be able to create the correct immune response in the body.
Freezing can also cause damage to the vaccine
Many people think that it is safer to keep the vaccine too cold, but this is not always true. Some vaccines only need to be kept at cold temperatures, but freezing them can be harmful. When frozen, some of the ingredients present in the vaccine may get spoiled and its structure may change.
This may permanently reduce the efficacy of the vaccine. This is why the temperature at vaccination centers is controlled very carefully, so that the vaccine neither gets too hot nor freezes.
Know this also
To maintain the safety of the vaccine, it is very important to regularly monitor the temperature. For this, special thermometers and digital monitoring equipment are used.
Vaccine vial monitors are also installed at many places, which help in identifying the effect of temperature. Even if there is a power failure, alternative arrangements are made to keep the vaccine safe. The quality and effectiveness of the vaccine can be maintained only by proper storage and monitoring.