Temperature Monitoring Best Practices for Frozen Vaccines–Celsius (C)

1 Thermostat should be at the factory-set or midpoint temperature setting

Report out-of-range 

temperatures 

immediately!

2 Record daily temperatures

• Contact your state or local health department

immediately. Or for private vaccines, call the

manufacturer directly.

• Tell them the total amount of time the freezer 

temperature was out of range.

Distributed by

CS243541-B Revision February 2018

Visit www.cdc.gov/vaccines/SandH

or contact your state health department for 

more information.

LOW BATTERY

RESET

-23° C

-28° C-16° C

Frozen Vaccines

Too Cold!

Take Action!

Within Range Too Warm!

Take Action!

-50° C -15° C

-57° C -54° C -51° C -46° C -43° C -40° C -37° C -12° C -9° C

3 Take action if out of range!

3 steps, daily: Check and record min/max 

temperatures at the start of the workday.

1

2

3

Min/Max: The coldest and warmest 

temperatures in the refrigerator since 

you last reset the thermometer

Note: If your device does not display min/max temperatures, then 

check and record current temperature a minimum of 2 times (at 

start and end of workday)

Reset: The button you push after 

you have recorded the min/max 

temperatures

Current temperature: Check current 

temperature each time you access 

vaccines in the refrigerator

• Take your time. Check and record temperatures 

accurately.

• Make your mark! Initial the log when recording 

temperatures.

• Leave it blank. If min/max temperatures 

were not recorded, leave the space blank!

Best Practices
Test Your Knowledge

1 A. Current temp and min/max are within range—no action necessary

B. Current temp is within range, min/max out of range—take action

C. Current temp is within range, min/max out of range—no action necessary

D. Current temp and min/max are out of range—take action

2 A. Current temp and min/max are within range—no action necessary

B. Current temp is within range, min/max out of range—take action

C. Current temp is within range, min/max out of range—no action necessary

D. Current temp and min/max are out of range—take action

3 A. Current temp and min/max are within range—no action necessary

B. Current temp is within range, min/max out of range—take action

C. Current temp is within range, min/max out of range—no action necessary

D. Current temp and min/max are out of range—take action

4 A. Current temp and min/max are within range—no action necessary

B. Current temp is within range, min/max out of range—take action

C. Current temp is within range, min/max out of range—no action necessary

D. Current temp and min/max are out of range—take action

5 “Take action” means (circle any that apply):

A. Call the state/local VFC program (or manufacturer for private vaccines) for guidance.

B. Notify the practice’s vaccine coordinator to get the freezer temperature back in range.

C. Remove all vaccines that are out of range and discard them.

D. Discard any vaccine that does not look frozen.

Answers: 1-A, 2-D, 3-A, 4-B, 5-A and B

LOW BATTERY

RESET

-18° C

-27° C-11° C

LOW BATTERY

RESET

-26° C

-30° C-18° C

LOW BATTERY

RESET

-14° C

-17° C-14° C

LOW BATTERY

RESET

-17° C

-23° C-17° C

Review the temperature readings below and select the correct answer.