Vaccine resources for health and social care professionals - Storage, distribution and disposal of vaccines
The correct handling and storage of vaccines prior to administration is essential in maintaining the effectiveness of vaccines. The key concept is the cold chain, which includes everything necessary to maintain vaccines under the required storage conditions from manufacturer to administration. The following links offer guidance on the ordering, handling, storage, distribution and disposal of vaccines.
- Protocol for ordering, storing and handling vaccines (external site)
- Advisory document on ordering, storage and handling of vaccines (external site) – Currently being updated.
WHO Temperature sensitivity of vaccines (external site) offers information on vaccine management to protect vaccines from both heat and cold and incorporates vaccine stability details for vaccines used as part of national immunisation programmes.
Vaccine Incident Guidance: responding to vaccine errors (external site) (Updated July 2022) Guidance for health professionals involved in immunisation on actions to take in response to vaccine errors.
ImmForm should also be used to report cold chain incidents (external site).
Use of vaccines off-label
The dosage regimen for some licensed childhood vaccines is occasionally different (“off-label”) from the recommended regimen in the company’s Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC). This is generally known as “off-label” use.
In these cases, the “off-label” recommendation is supported by guidance from government, the JCVI or a Green Book recommendation and is included in the PGD templates.
Page last reviewed: 9th June 2026