Vaccine storage, handling, and wastage

Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ vaccine distribution ensures that each facility storing publicly funded vaccines follow appropriate storage and handling of vaccines. Our staff conducts annual visits to each facility to ensure that the refrigerators are maintained at the appropriate temperature and that facility staff record these temperatures on an ongoing basis.

Ordering vaccines

Public Health Sudbury & Districts coordinates vaccine distribution for health care providers across the district. In order to maximize resources and provide quality service during vaccine pick up at Public Health Sudbury & District (1300 Paris Street), effective October 14, 2025,

Submitting Orders:

• Please submit temperature logs here: Vaccine Fridge Temperature Log Report Form
• Temperature logs must show compliant storage for the previous two weeks, with minimum, maximum, and current temperatures recorded twice daily.

Routine Vaccine Orders

• Orders are packed on Fridays and ready for pick-up the following week starting on the first business day between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
• No vaccine pick-ups on Fridays.
• Routine orders do not receive email notifications.

Seasonal (Respiratory) Vaccine Orders

• Includes influenza, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines.
• You will receive an email notification once your order is ready for pick-up.  Orders can be picked up between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (closed between 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m.)
• Orders must be collected within 48 hours of receiving the confirmation email.
• If you are unable to collect within this timeframe, please contact Katelyn Cooper at cooperk@phsd.ca to make alternate arrangements.
• Orders not picked up within 48 hours, and without prior notification, are subject to return to inventory.
• No seasonal vaccine pick-ups on Fridays.

Transport Requirements:

Bring an appropriate number of insulated, pre-conditioned coolers, ice packs, cooler blankets, and temperature monitoring devices when picking up vaccines. Ice packs will not be supplied by PHSD.

Note: These procedures apply to health care providers only. Pharmacies follow a separate vaccine ordering and delivery process.

• Vaccine Order Form (PDF, 154 KB) for publicly funded routine, school (page one), and high-risk vaccines (page two).
  • IMPORTANT: When placing an order, you must provide a copy of your vaccine fridge temperature logs from the last two weeks.
• Respiratory Vaccine Order Form (PDF, 886 KB) for publicly funded seasonal and respiratory vaccines.
  • IMPORTANT: When placing an order, you must provide a copy of your vaccine fridge temperature logs from the last two weeks.

Vaccine storage and handling

• Vaccine storage and handling guidelines (Ministry of Health, PDF, 5 MB)
• Vaccine temperature log book (Ministry of Health PDF, 500 KB)
• Vaccine refrigerator maintenance log book (Ministry of Health PDF, 120 KB)

Vaccine wastage

Public Health relies on primary care practitioners to report all vaccine wastage in their offices. In turn, Public Health is required to report all vaccine wastage to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Vaccine wastage due to spoilage or expiry is a concern for all immunization programs. Standardized protocols to manage publicly funded vaccines:

• ensures the proper storage and handling of vaccines
• strengthens quality assurance activities
• minimizes and reduces wastage
• promotes vaccine safety and efficacy

To report wasted or exposed vaccine:

Call Public Health at 705.522.9200, ext. 458 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200). A public health nurse will advise you of the steps to take and will answer any questions related to completing:

• Non-reusable vaccine return record (spoiled or expired) form (PDF, 2 MB)
• Vaccine cold chain incident exposure/wastage report form (Ministry of Health, PDF, 2 MB)

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This item was last modified on November 14, 2025