5 EMERGENCY BACKUP POWER FEATURES TO PROTECT COVID-19 VACCINE STORAGE FACILITIES

The World Health Organization estimates that as many as 50 percent of vaccines go to waste each year because of improper handling, including temperature control problems. New vaccines to fight the Covid-19 pandemic require storage at precisely controlled temperatures, which makes addressing this issue more critical than ever before. In Southeast Asia, temperature control is also complicated by the warmer climate and infrastructure gaps in rural and remote areas.

- ARUNANGSHU CHATTOPADHYAY

As the first round of Covid-19 vaccines is distributed in Singapore, and other countries in the region finalise deals with providers as well as prepare rollouts to their citizens, preventing waste will be a key priority.

Healthcare organisations need to act now to ensure they are ready to receive and administer these potentially life-saving pharmaceuticals.

Hospitals with ultra-cold freezers designed to hold vaccines at temperatures as low as -80 degrees Celsius, or intentions to purchase this essential equipment, may be overlooking two key components of their solution: power conditioning and emergency backup power. To maintain such low temperatures, the freezers consume a great deal of power. If the power source is compromised, the limited vaccine supply is put at risk when it is needed most.

Given the high stakes, emergency backup power must be a part of a solution for storing vaccines in low temperature freezers. The right solution will include an intelligent Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) that includes five features: