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Managing COVID-19 Vaccines: Guidance and SOPs

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Topics: COVID-19 vaccinePreparingService advice and planning

A series containing guidance and Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs) for managing COVID-19 vaccines

This article forms part of a series
  1. Managing COVID-19 Vaccines: Guidance and SOPs
    1. Ordering, receiving and storing COVID-19 vaccines
    2. Transporting COVID-19 vaccines
    3. Safe and secure handling, spillage and disposal of COVID-19 vaccines
    4. Moving COVID-19 vaccines legally within the NHS
    5. Preparing Comirnaty 10 Concentrate vaccine
    6. Preparing Comirnaty Original / Omicron BA.4-5
    7. Preparing VidPrevtyn Beta vaccine

Overview

COVID-19 vaccines must be handled with care, and following the manufacturer’s instructions. Our articles and Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs) will give vaccination providers the information they need to ensure that the vaccines are fit for purpose when they are administered.

This linked series of articles provides advice and SOPs for:

  • Ordering, receipt and storage of COVID-19 vaccines. This includes an SOP for receipt and storage of vaccines at 2°C-8°C
  • Transporting vaccines from their initial receiving site to a vaccination clinic or to domiciliary settings. This includes an SOP for using cool boxes to maintain the cold chain.
  • Preparation of each of the vaccines ready for administration, including control of expiry at room temperature. This includes a preparation SOP for each of the different vaccines.
  • Disposal of un-used vaccines, and dealing with spillages.

In addition, we have created a linked series of articles to enable users to understand the characteristics of each vaccine.

Spring 2023 Update

Following the JCVI announcement that there will be a Spring 2023 COVID-19 vaccine booster campaign, SPS has updated our guidance and example Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to include only the vaccines which will be used initially for the spring campaign in England. These are:

  • Comirnaty Original / Omicron BA.4-5
  • Comirnaty 10 Concentrate for children
  • VidPrevtyn Beta

Additional materials will be published as other vaccines are deployed.

Useful Resources

COVID-19 vaccination: vaccine product information – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Update history

  1. Updated to include vaccines used in spring 2023 campaign
  1. Nuvaxovid resources not prepared by SPS. Statement added to clarify this.
  1. Published