The Cold Chain
In many different countries, the wheels are in motion to help families battle measles. The 'cold chain' is the trip a measles vaccine takes from the manufacturer to a child's arm. If a vaccine is not kept cold it may lose its potency and the child's vaccination is ineffective.
The cold chain lies in the first part of the two-part measles vaccination campaign. The first part is assuring supply: bringing in the necessary items such as the vaccine into the country to be distributed to temporary vaccination posts. The second part is creating demand: bringing the mothers and children to the vaccination posts to receive the vaccine. The local Ministries of Health play a key role in training healthcare workers and recruiting trained vaccinators to carry out the vaccinations during the campaign.
Based on census information and experience with other health programs, officials can estimate how many vaccines must be shipped to a particular vaccination site. Usually about 10% extra vaccines are included as many times more people arrive than are planned for. Many times there is over 100% coverage because parents bring children from outside the targeted area and outside the target age range because there is a high demand for the vaccine.
Once the vaccinators pick up their small refrigerator box of vaccine, syringes, cotton balls, safety box and other supplies, they travel to their designated vaccination post. The measles vaccine is kept at -20 degrees Fahrenheit in the freezers and is kept at 0 degrees Fahrenheit when it is traveling. Some vaccinators ride on the backs of bicycles with the refrigerator box on a strap around their shoulders, others walk, others ride motorcycles. Red Cross volunteers join them at the vaccination site to hand out vaccination cards, help with crowd control, and help keep thorough lists of children who have received the vaccine to be sure no one is missed.
The logistical process of getting the vaccine, keeping it cold, training the workers, mobilizing the mothers, following up with the records, etc. can seem an overwhelming task. Although it is daunting, the process is calm, orderly, seamless, smooth, leaving more than a million children with a chance of a future without measles.
From a country in Europe to a child’s' arm on an island in the middle of nowhere, the cold chain stays intact to save the lives of the most vulnerable children in the world.
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