Some say the “last mile” of any endeavor is the most challenging, and that’s where we find ourselves now. As we move from development, testing and manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines to the next phase of transport, storage and administration, we face new challenges. Around the world, we’ll need to stand up vaccination clinics that provide safe, efficient vaccine administration to a staggering number of people. There are many good resources available to provide guidance on how to set up and oversee these vaccination clinics, focusing primarily on best practices for safe vaccination storage and administration. But on-site hygiene also is important – especially as we consider the scale and scope of vaccination clinics in non-healthcare settings.
Here are my six tips for creating a more hygienic environment for vaccinations:
How much hand sanitizer do I need?
While only one pump is needed for Ecolab products with controlled dispensing, people often dispense two or more pumps, so you may need to factor in extra for that possibility. For example, if you are planning to vaccinate 500 patients on a given day, you may need a minimum of 1,000 doses of hand sanitizer for the staff alone, and another 500 doses if each patient performs hand hygiene once. So, you could assume that you will need a minimum of 1,500-1,800 doses of hand sanitizer on hand for every 500 patients vaccinated.
Bioquell is Ecolab’s hydrogen peroxide vapor decontamination technology.
Cleanliness at vaccination clinics is essential to patient and employee safety. Download this pdf for key considerations for creating a clean environment when administering vaccines.