Choosing Vaccine Fridges

Appropriate Location
The placement of the vaccine fridge is very important. There needs to be adequate space around the refrigerator for ventilation. It is best to place the refrigerator in an insulated room and not against an outside wall which is subject to hot and cold with changes in weather. The size of the location will also have an influence on what capacity fridge you can fit.

Appropriate Capacity
The vaccine/pharmacy refrigerator needs to have the capacity to store vaccines safely to meet peak demand such as pre-influenza programs. It is important to avoid overpacking as this will impede cold air circulation and put the vaccines at risk. For this reason it is generally advisable to err on the side of caution and to get a slightly larger vaccine fridge rather than a slightly smaller one. Vaccine and pharmacy fridges fall into three main capacity ranges:

   - Under counter/benchtop vaccine fridges are typically around 130 to 160 litres in capacity.
   - Upright vaccine fridges are typically 350 to 650 litres in capacity.
   - Custom made pharmacy/drug fridges are available in capacities of around 600 litres and above.

Glass Door vs Solid Door
See SKOEP's information page about the relative benefits of Glass Doors vs Solid Doors.

Warranty
Take warranty into account when comparing prices. SKOEP sells Nuline vaccine fridges with 12 months warranty and ICS Pacific with 3 years warranty.

External Alarm
If you are planning to connect your vaccine fridge to your business's alarm system make sure that the vaccine fridge will allow you to do that. ICS Pacific fridges come ready-wired to be connected to an external alarm. A Nuline fridge must be optioned for an external alarm.

Data Loggers
Consider purchasing a data logger at the same time that you purchase a vaccine fridge. Data Loggers record temperature readings at set intervals by electronic means. The stored data can then be downloaded to a computer. Data loggers may be used for audits and to establish the recording patterns of your vaccine fridge over time. They can be especially handy for determining whether a fridge that has exceeded 8 degrees Celsius has done so for less than the critical 15 minutes that are permissible.