NOAH #VaccinesWork campaign: tips to make every dose count

Launching in the New Year, the campaign will be working with farmers

• To raise awareness of how and why vaccines work and the range of diseases they protect against
• To review and improve how vaccines are stored and administered
• To encourage use of existing vaccines

Dawn Howard, NOAH Chief Executive, explained: “It is encouraging that vaccination of the UK’s calves and sheep against livestock diseases has risen to one of the highest levels in seven years. ⁽¹⁾ Farmers clearly understand the role of good welfare and husbandry in helping to reduce disease spread.”

“However, research shows that farmers could be losing out, despite their best intentions, if vaccines are not stored properly or administered correctly. In this campaign we will focus on simple tips for storing and using vaccines. If this is not done correctly, effectiveness may be reduced, the vaccine may fail to protect animals against disease and farmers may have wasted their efforts, potentially deterring future vaccinations.” she said.

Our top storage tips are:

1. Correct fridge storage is between 2-8 degrees Celsius (with 5 being the optimum)
2. Keep cool on the road – leaving a vaccine for 30 minutes in a hot vehicle can render it ineffective – use a cooler box/bag when transporting vaccines
3. Use a dedicated medicines fridge
4. The middle of the fridge has the most constant temperature
5. Store vaccines in date order and use in sequence – ONLY USE vaccines in date

“We will be sharing more tips on handling and disposal,” Dawn added. “And if you have any questions regarding administration techniques and timing of vaccinations, both your veterinary surgeon and SQP are great sources of information.

“We want to make sure that every dose counts!” she said.