COVID-19: Vaccination management

It is very important to keep the vaccines cold enough from manufacture, through transport, to local delivery, and to when they are prepared for injection. If not, if the “cold chain” is broken, the vaccines will spoil and not work.

Check the information for your vaccine and keep it at the correct temperature. Some must be kept in a freezer (-25 to -15°C, -13 to 5°F) but many can be kept in a refrigerator (2 to 8°C, 35 to 46°F).

Make sure vaccines reach everyone
Provide information about how, when, and where to get vaccinated to everyone in the community. Make announcements and post notices in all the different languages people in the community speak.

Make a special effort to reach people with disabilities, elders, mothers of young children, or others who may have difficulties leaving their homes. Go door-to-door to ensure that no one misses out on being vaccinated.

Bring vaccines to the community instead of making people travel to get vaccinated. Set up vaccination sites in the community that are easy and safe for people to get to. If people must travel, arrange transportation for those who need it. If people will have to wait in long lines, try to protect them from strong sun or rain, and make chairs and drinking water available.

Learn how to store, prepare and give COVID-19 vaccines
Everyone can promote vaccination and it is easy to train people to give injections. For your own health and the health of those you are helping, wash your hands and wear gloves for vaccinations, wear an N-95 respirator mask, and have someone help you keep people who are waiting at least 2 meters (6 feet) apart. Use each needle one time only and then safely discard it.

Download the full guide below: