Getting ready
Organisations will need to consider a number of pharmaceutical handling aspects specific to each vaccine prior to first use. They should also be familiar with the legal aspects of vaccines use.
Understanding the characteristics of COVID-19 Vaccines
An introduction to the Understanding the characteristics of COVID-19 Vaccines pages
Managing COVID-19 Vaccines: Guidance and SOPs
A series containing guidance and Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs) for managing COVID-19 vaccines
Legal mechanisms and their application to give COVID-19 vaccines
A summary of the different legal mechanisms available, a priority order for the options, and advice on their application to different professional groups.
Good governance guidance when handling multiple COVID-19 vaccines
Practice points to ensure good governance when planning or designing vaccination services where multiple vaccines are used.
Maintaining the COVID-19 vaccines cold chain
Correct storage of the vaccine ensures its efficacy and the cold chain must be maintained during storage and transportation
Continuing use
Use our range of COVID-19 vaccines content by theme below to help support continuation of the vaccination programme.
Administering
- Non-registered HCPs giving COVID-19 vaccines legally
- Pharmacy professionals giving COVID-19 vaccines legally
- Programme volunteers giving COVID-19 vaccines legally
- Optical professionals giving COVID-19 vaccines legally
- Nursing and midwifery HCPs giving COVID-19 vaccines legally
- Dental professionals giving COVID-19 vaccines legally
- Allied healthcare professionals giving COVID-19 vaccines legally
- Osteopaths and chiropractors giving COVID-19 vaccines legally
- Doctors and physician associates giving COVID-19 vaccines legally
- Legal mechanisms and their application to give COVID-19 vaccines
Adverse effects
Anaphylaxis
Cautions and contraindications
- Using intramuscular injections in people on oral anticoagulants
- Managing anaphylaxis in the COVID-19 vaccination setting
Cold chain management
- Transporting COVID-19 vaccines
- Ordering, receiving and storing COVID-19 vaccines
- Using COVID-19 vaccines during hot weather
- Quality Improvement Alert - Cold Chain Management of COVID-19 Vaccines
- Maintaining the COVID-19 vaccines cold chain
- Transporting COVID-19 vaccines whilst maintaining the cold chain
- Managing temperature excursions for COVID-19 vaccines
- Using fridges appropriately to store COVID-19 vaccines
- Maintaining the vaccine cold chain in primary care
Excipients
- Understanding the characteristics of Comirnaty 10 (XBB.1.5) ready to use vaccine
- Understanding the characteristics of Comirnaty 30 (XBB.1.5) vaccine
- Understanding the characteristics of Comirnaty 3 (THREE) Concentrate vaccine
- Understanding the characteristics of Spikevax Original/Omicron BA.4-5 vaccine
- Understanding the characteristics of VidPrevtyn Beta
- Understanding the characteristics of Comirnaty Original / Omicron BA.4-5 vaccine
- Understanding the characteristics of Comirnaty 10 Concentrate (for children 5-11 years) vaccine
Interactions
Medicines Safety
- Safe and secure handling, spillage and disposal of COVID-19 vaccines
- Quality Improvement Alert - Cold Chain Management of COVID-19 Vaccines
- Good governance guidance when handling multiple COVID-19 vaccines
- Safe practice for handling multiple COVID-19 vaccines
Preparing
- Preparing Comirnaty 10 (XBB.1.5) ready to use vaccine
- Preparing Comirnaty 30 micrograms (XBB.1.5) vaccine
- Preparing Comirnaty 3 (THREE) concentrate
- Preparing Spikevax Original/Omicron BA.4-5
- Preparing VidPrevtyn Beta vaccine
- Preparing Comirnaty Original / Omicron BA.4-5
- Managing COVID-19 Vaccines: Guidance and SOPs
- Preparing Comirnaty 10 Concentrate vaccine
Safety in Breastfeeding
Safety in Pregnancy
Service advice and planning
- Understanding the characteristics of Comirnaty 10 (XBB.1.5) ready to use vaccine
- Understanding the characteristics of Comirnaty 30 (XBB.1.5) vaccine
- Understanding the characteristics of Comirnaty 3 (THREE) Concentrate vaccine
- Understanding the characteristics of Spikevax Original/Omicron BA.4-5 vaccine
- Understanding the characteristics of VidPrevtyn Beta
- Understanding the characteristics of Comirnaty Original / Omicron BA.4-5 vaccine
- Managing COVID-19 Vaccines: Guidance and SOPs
- Safe and secure handling, spillage and disposal of COVID-19 vaccines
- Transporting COVID-19 vaccines
- Understanding the characteristics of COVID-19 Vaccines
- Ordering, receiving and storing COVID-19 vaccines
- Understanding the characteristics of Comirnaty 10 Concentrate (for children 5-11 years) vaccine
- Supply of COVID-19 vaccines under Mutual Aid
- Legal mechanisms and their application to give COVID-19 vaccines
- Archived model policy for NHS COVID-19 vaccine handling and management
Stability on the shelf
Allergy and immunology
- Understanding the characteristics of Comirnaty 10 (XBB.1.5) ready to use vaccine
- Understanding the characteristics of Comirnaty 30 (XBB.1.5) vaccine
- Understanding the characteristics of Comirnaty 3 (THREE) Concentrate vaccine
- Understanding the characteristics of Spikevax Original/Omicron BA.4-5 vaccine
- Understanding the characteristics of VidPrevtyn Beta
- Understanding the characteristics of Comirnaty Original / Omicron BA.4-5 vaccine
- Understanding the characteristics of Comirnaty 10 Concentrate (for children 5-11 years) vaccine
- Managing anaphylaxis in the COVID-19 vaccination setting