Vaccine storage and handling

Updated October 24, 2025

General information

COVID-19 vaccine storage, handling, and receipt

Influenza vaccines shelf life

General information

Cold-chain Management

• Pharmacies must comply with the cold storage equipment and requirements set out in PPP-68 Cold Chain Management.
• Visit Knowledge Base article Cold-chain incidents for information on CCIs.

Useful resources:

• BCCDC Quick Reference Guide – Vaccine Storage and Handling
• Vaccine Storage and Handling Course -recommended for anyone involved in vaccine storage, handling or administration (Course Code # 19652). 
• BCCDC Immunization Manual – Appendix E Management of Biologics
• BCCDC Handle vaccines with care
• Checklist for safeguarding the storage and handling of your vaccine supply
• Equipment malfunction or power failure

Best practice reminders:

• Use min/max thermometer with an accuracy of 0.5 (+/-).
• Place thermometer probe with glycol tip in the middle of fridge to better reflect state of vaccine.
• Record temperatures to one decimal place (e.g., 4.5°C) on all temperature logs for better accuracy.
• Reminder to account for the accuracy of the thermometer when recording temperatures to consider CCIs.
• Have refrigerators serviced a minimum of once per year.

Pre-drawing vaccines

• Pre-drawing multiple vaccine doses prior to administration is discouraged.
• According to BCCDC guidance, drawing up multiple doses of vaccine(s) prior to administration is not considered best practice and is strongly discouraged.
• Vaccines should be drawn immediately before administration to reduce the risk of:
  • Administration errors
  • Contamination
  • Product wastage
  • Uncertainty about stability in syringes
• Refer to BCCDC Appendix B- Administration of Biological Products (page 5) for details.

Fraser Health Authority: Updated refrigerator temperature log and instructions

• Fraser Health Authority (FHA) have updated the Refrigerator Temperature log and instructions and Vaccine management support checklist for Community Vaccine Providers (CVPs).
• These are available under “Temperature monitoring and vaccine management” in the FHA immunization resource webpage.
• Please print the updated Refrigerator Temperature Log and begin using this form immediately.
• Key points:
  • Thermometers accuracy:
    • Thermometers cannot measure and display EXACT temperatures.
    • A thermometer with an accuracy range of ±1.0°C has a margin of error of ±1.0°C. For example, if your thermometer displays +7.5C, the actual temperature may be between +6.5°C or +8.5°C.
  • Understanding the margin of error:
    • This accuracy range, written as “±°C” represents the possible variation above (+) or below (-) the displayed value. This is also known as the margin of error. 
    • Knowing your thermometer’s accuracy range is essential, as a reading that appears within the recommended cold chain range could in fact be out of range when the margin of error is applied.
  • FHA resources:
    • FHA Immunization resources for community vaccine providers
    • Vaccine Management Clinical Checklist for Community Vaccine Providers.
    • Fraser Health Refrigerator Temperature Form/Log Instructions

Management of vaccine administration errors

• Guidance on the “Management of Vaccine Administration Errors” can be found in BCCDC Immunization Manual Part 1: Immunization Schedules Section 5.
• This section outlines how to manage vaccine administration errors that have already occurred (e.g., vaccines given at less than the minimal interval, expired vaccines, incorrect route, or site, higher or lower than authorized dose, incorrect reconstitution).

• To help prevent such errors, follow the guidelines within the BC Immunization Manual when administering vaccines. See also Strategies to Prevent COVID-19 and Influenza Vaccine Errors.  

• Additional resources on vaccine administration practices are available in Appendix B – Administration of Biological Products.

COVID-19 vaccine storage, handling, and receipt

Please follow the updated guidance in BCCDC Part 4 Biological product pages:

• Spikevax® (Moderna)
• Comirnaty® (Pfi​zer-BioNTech) Adult/​Adolescent

New for 2025/2026 fall season: Pfizer pre-filled syringes have a different storage requirement than vials and can be stored at refrigerated temperatures +2°C to +8°C up until its printed expiry date.

MDV: multi-dose vials; PFS: pre-filled syringes; BUD: beyond-use-date

COVID-19 vaccine shipment and receipt 

• Shipping temperatures: From Distributor to Pharmacy
  • COVID-19 vaccines arrive in refrigerated temperature conditions (+2°C to +8°C)
• Instructions upon receipt:
  • Immediately store vaccine in the refrigerator (+2°C to +8°C)
  • Check transportation documentation/labels accompanied with the vaccine
    • This documentation should always stay with the vaccine. 

  • Note the time-period if/when vaccine was stored at +2°C to +8°C at distributors, including time in transit. Subtract from usage time at +2°C to +8°C if applicable (e.g., for MDV and Moderna PFS).

  • Ensure the new beyond-use-date (BUD) is clearly labelled on the vaccine carton
• Record receipt of inventory in the ImmsBC system.
  • See Inventory management for instructions.

Influenza vaccines shelf life

Summary of shelf-life for influenza vaccines

Reference BCCDC Part 4: Biological Products