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
The legal mechanisms available for giving COVID-19 vaccines and their application
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.
Adverse effects
Anaphylaxis
Cautions and contraindications
- Advising individuals with allergies on their suitability for COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna
- Using COVID-19 vaccines in patients taking immunosuppressive medicines
- Using COVID-19 vaccines in individuals with acute severe febrile illness
- Advising individuals with allergies on their suitability for COVID-19 Vaccine Pfizer-BioNTech
- Using COVID-19 vaccines in patients with anticoagulation and bleeding disorders
- Vaccinating individuals with COVID-19 or with a history of COVID-19
- Managing anaphylaxis in the COVID-19 vaccination setting
- Using COVID-19 Vaccines in patients with porphyria
Cold chain management
- Transporting COVID-19 vaccines
- Ordering, Receipt and storage of 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
- Example policy for Maintaining the Vaccine Cold Chain in Primary Care
Excipients
- Advising individuals with religious or other dietary practices and beliefs on their suitability for the COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna
- Advising individuals with allergies on their suitability for COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna
- Advising individuals with allergies on their suitability for COVID-19 Vaccine Pfizer-BioNTech
- Advising individuals with religious or other dietary practices and beliefs on their suitability for the COVID-19 Vaccine Pfizer-BioNTech
Immunosuppressives
Interactions
Medicines Safety
- Good governance guidance when handling multiple COVID-19 vaccines
- Safe practice for handling multiple COVID-19 vaccines
Porphyria
- Using COVID-19 Vaccines in patients with porphyria
- Medicines that are considered safe for use in the acute porphyrias
Preparing
- Preparing Comirnaty Bivalent vaccine
- Managing COVID-19 Vaccines: Guidance and SOPs
- Preparing Spikevax Bivalent vaccine
- Preparing Comirnaty 30 Concentrate vaccine
- Preparing Comirnaty 10 Concentrate vaccine
- Preparing Spikevax Original vaccine
Safety in Breastfeeding
Safety in Pregnancy
Service advice and planning
- Understanding the characteristics of Comirnaty Bivalent vaccine
- Understanding the characteristics of Spikevax Bivalent 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, Receipt and storage of COVID-19 vaccines
- Understanding the characteristics of Comirnaty 10 Concentrate (for children 5-11 years) vaccine
- Understanding the characteristics of Comirnaty 30 Concentrate for adults and adolescents vaccine
- Understanding the characteristics of Spikevax Original vaccine
- Supply of COVID-19 vaccines under Mutual Aid
- Model NHS COVID-19 Vaccine handling and management policy 2020-21 for Trusts and Vaccination Centres
Stability on the shelf
Testing and diagnosis
Allergy and immunology
- Advising individuals with allergies on their suitability for COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna
- Advising individuals with allergies on their suitability for COVID-19 Vaccine Pfizer-BioNTech
- Managing anaphylaxis in the COVID-19 vaccination setting
Cancers
Haematological disorders
Infection and infectious diseases
- Using COVID-19 vaccines in individuals with acute severe febrile illness
- Vaccinating individuals with COVID-19 or with a history of COVID-19