Latest updates
Victoria has updated the Cold Chain management policy.
- Immunisation providers must report all cold chain breaches for government funded vaccines
- Use the new Cold chain breach report form to report vaccine cold chain breaches.
Key messages
- The Department of Health Immunisation Unit will advise you on the steps to take after a cold chain breach.
- Contact to report vaccine delivery cold chain breaches
- For all COVID-19 vaccine cold chain breach information and action, see the COVID-19 Cold Chain Breach (CCB) reporting .
Immunisation providers should follow the principles of safe vaccine storage management to ensure that clients receive effective and potent vaccines. The principles are contained in the National Vaccine Storage Guidelines - Strive for .
Cold chain is the system of transporting or storing vaccine within the safe temperature range of +2°C to +8°C (strive for +5°C – the midway point).
A cold chain breach is
- exposure of vaccines to temperatures outside the recommended range of +2°C to +8°C, excluding fluctuations up to +12°C lasting no longer than 15 minutes when restocking, cleaning the fridge or stock taking
- exposure to light as vaccine has been removed from the packet and the glass fridge door allows light to penetrate.
Cold chain breach reporting – standard procedure
- Complete the Cold chain Breach (CCB) report form when vaccines have been
- Exposed to temperatures greater than +8°C (greater than 15 minutes)
- Exposed to temperatures less than +2˚C
- Exposed to light (if removed from packaging and exposed to direct sunlight or ultraviolet (UV) light, including fluorescent light).
- Determine length and extent of breach
- Download the data logger to assess the duration of the breach and the extent of temperatures reached.
- Assess affected government funded vaccines
- Count the number of doses of each vaccine exposed in this breach
- Review your practice records to identify any vaccines exposed to a previous breach.
- Complete the CCB report form and email to the department
- Complete a separate report for each vaccine refrigerator affected
- Attach all required documents (refer to form)
- Email the form and attachments to immunisation@health.vic.gov.au.
Cold chain breach report form
Follow these steps for all CCBs
- Isolate the vaccines and place a sign on the vaccine refrigerator 'Do not use or discard vaccines until further notice'.
- Download and complete the Cold chain breach report form as soon as possible, complete and email to the department
- Continue to store vaccines between +2°C to +8°C. The vaccines may need to be transferred to an alternate purpose built vaccine refrigerator or cooler if available.
- Await advice from the Department of Health Immunisation Unit about what to do with each vaccine.
- Determine the cause of the breach and, where possible, address this to reduce the risk of the event recurring.
Reviewed 29 January 2025