Vaccine Storage Issues

[tednlou2]

I wasn't sure where to post this, as it doesn't directly deal with HIV.  However, we do rely on vaccines to keep ourselves as healthy as possible.  And, it is news worthy--just not sure whether this investigation by the CDC is just being overly cautious, or whether it really is a big concern.  The investigation found many vaccines are stored improperly, either too hot or too cold.  They say some offices stored them in the same refrigerators used for employee lunches.  The report says this could render the vaccine less effective or possibly not effective at all.  I have gotten in the habit of double checking what I'm being given, after getting the wrong vaccine that wasn't picked up for a few months.  But, storage and whether the vaccine was expired has just been a passing thought.

Anyway, thought it was worthy of a post.  Most of the stories about this focus on vaccines for children.  In this story, they discuss improperly stored whooping cough vaccines and a rare outbreak of whooping cough.  However they also talk about vaccines for adults and possible issues as well. 

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/vaccines-stored-improperly-warning-parents-16512696?tab=9482930&section=1206853&playlist=16513090 

[Matty the Damned]

Are pertussis outbreaks rare in the states?

Here they're routine. Every winter in those parts of the country infested with filthy hippies and alternate lifestylers there are epidemics of whooping cough which claim the lives of unprotected children.

Usually children who are too young to be vaccinated and rely on herd immunity to protect them.

We're also subjects to plagues of measles for the same reason.

MtD