Movement of Vaccine

Thawed Tray or Vial (undiluted)

Prepared Dose

N/A 31days from time of removal from ULT.

Note: Transportation time at +2°C to +8°C is included in the 31-day limit.

N/A

6 hours 2 hours

6 hours

*Note: If you are transferring vials from -20°C to a +2°C to +8°C, you should expect vials to take approximately 30 minutes to thaw, provided they are spaced apart and not in a tray. In this scenario, vials would be spaced approximately 2.5cm apart in the +2°C to +8°C refrigerator.

Vaccine shelf-life is also visualised in the table below

Ultra-Low Temperature (-90°C to -60°C)

6 months from date of manufacture Refrigerated Temperature (2°C to 8°C) Room Temperature (8°C to 30°C)

31 Days Undiluted Vaccine

2 hours before dilution This includes time for thawing and/or to come to room temperature (may take up to 30 minutes)

Diluted Vaccine

Use within 6 hours Any vaccine remaining in vials or syringes must be discarded after 6 hours

Note: each of these “stages” are separate, so for undiluted vaccine, there is a 2-hour window where you can keep the vaccine at room temperature once removed from refrigerated temperature. Should you dilute the vaccine in 30 minutes, it does not provide an additional 1.5 hours of expiry to diluted vaccine in room temperature; once the vaccine is diluted, it only has a 6-hour expiry.

Vaccine in an ULT environment has an expiry of 6 months from the date of manufacture (this will be reflected as the expiry date on the vial and tray). Total time, if you were to only progress from each stage after the maximum allotted time, it will be as follows:

• Post-ULT→ 31 days in refrigerated temperature (not diluted) à 2 hours in room temperature (not diluted) → 6 hours in refrigerated or room temperature (diluted); that is 31 days + 2 hours + 6 hours.

1. Vaccine can be carefully moved around a vaccination facility, though you should minimize any unnecessary movement or handling. For example, carefully walking vaccine from one floor to another within a facility is okay; running with it in your pocket is not.

2. Do not shake the vaccine at any stage of transportation, preparation or administration.

Note: If vials are dropped or if you are concerned about whether the vaccine is still viable, please contact IMAC for advice on 0800 IMMUNE (466 863), option 1 (Health professionals) and then option 2 (COVID vaccinator support).