The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) COVID-19 Vaccine Program is implementing a new temperature log requirement for all enrolled providers. Providers will be required to begin documenting paper temperature logs on March 1, 2022, and begin submitting those logs on April 1, 2022. This will be a monthly requirement moving forward in order to receive COVID vaccine.
When storage units experience out-of-range temperatures, it can cause the vaccine to be less effective. If the out-of-range temperatures are not identified and responded to immediately, it can result in needing to revaccinate.
Currently, providers are required to check and document their temperatures daily. DOH believes the added step of turning in those temperature logs to DOH monthly will help DOH identify temperature excursions, provide training on proper temperature documentation, and provide a level of accountability that is needed for public confidence. Visit the DOH Covid-19 Vaccine Information for Health Care Providers webpage for more information.
WSHA appreciates DOH staff alerting us about the need for this new requirement and the rationale behind it. While we want to minimize documentation burden for hospitals, this requirement will help ensure consistent temperatures, so the vaccine remains effective and people do not need to be revaccinated.
The DOH plan to use the same CDC temperature logs that providers are currently using for this process. Examples of those temperature logs are below:
Ultra-Cold:
- Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine: Temperature Log for Ultra-Cold Vaccine Storage (Celsius) (cdc.gov)
- Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine: Temperature Log for Ultra-Cold Vaccine Storage (Fahrenheit) (cdc.gov)
Frozen
- Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine: Temperature Log for Frozen Vaccine Storage (Celsius) (cdc.gov)
- Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine: Temperature Log for Frozen Vaccine Storage (Farenheit) (cdc.gov)
- Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine • 12 Years of Age and Older (Purple Cap) • Temperature Log for Frozen Vaccine Storage (Celsius) (cdc.gov)
- Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine: 12 Years of Age and Older (Purple Cap) • Temperature Log for Frozen Vaccine Storage (Fahrenheit) (cdc.gov)
Refrigerated
