Covaxin should be stored at:

DSSSB October 2024

Pharmacology

Easy

Appeared in: DSSSB October 2024

Explanation

Covaxin is a whole-virion inactivated vaccine, which requires storage at standard refrigeration temperatures to remain stable.
The recommended storage temperature for Covaxin is between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius.
This temperature range aligns with the existing cold chain infrastructure in India, facilitating its distribution and storage alongside other routine vaccines like DPT, TT, and Hepatitis B.
Maintaining this temperature prevents both freezing and heat exposure, either of which would damage the vaccine and render it ineffective.

Option B: This temperature range (minus 15 to minus 25 degrees Celsius) is for deep-freezing, which would damage Covaxin, an inactivated vaccine.
Option C: This sub-zero temperature range (minus 2 to minus 8 degrees Celsius) would cause the vaccine to freeze, destroying its potency.
Option D: This is an extremely high temperature that would lead to heat denaturation of the vaccine's proteins, making it completely useless and unsafe.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Vaccine storage and cold chain management, specifically for Covaxin as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses are directly responsible for maintaining the vaccine cold chain, which includes monitoring refrigerator/freezer temperatures at least twice daily and documenting them in a log.
A breach in the cold chain (a temperature excursion) can lead to the administration of a non-potent vaccine, offering no protection to the recipient and wasting valuable resources. The nurse must report any such breach immediately.
What if? - If a nurse discovers the refrigerator storing Covaxin is at 10°C, they must immediately quarantine the vials, label them 'Do Not Use,' and report the temperature excursion to the person in charge. The vaccines should not be used until their viability is confirmed by the health authority.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question, which is asking for the specific storage temperature of the Covaxin vaccine.
This is a factual recall question. Access your knowledge about common vaccines used in the national immunization schedule and special vaccination drives.
Recall that vaccines are broadly categorized by their storage needs: refrigerated (most common), frozen, or ultra-cold frozen.
Evaluate each option. Eliminate the extreme temperature (50 to 70°C) as it's clearly destructive.
Differentiate between the standard refrigeration temperature (2 to 8°C) and freezer temperatures (-15 to -25°C).
Associate the freezer temperature with specific vaccines like OPV, and the standard refrigeration temperature with most other liquid vaccines, including Covaxin and Covishield.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Vaccine storage and cold chain management, specifically for Covaxin.
Stem keywords: Covaxin, stored, temperature
Lead-in keywords: BEST, MOST RELEVANT CLUE
Negative lead-in flag: false

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