A Q&A about the "J-BOX BIO MISSION II" cooler bag for transporting vaccines has been released! !

Q1.Can the vial holder be put in the aluminum inner box made by Sugiyamagen?

A1.Yes. It is designed to be put in. After being verified by the local governments of Kyoto Prefecture and Fukushima Prefecture, we have adopted our vial holder for the third vaccination.

*Because it is just the right size, we have received feedback that it is a little tight to put in and take out.

For this reason, we will improve the product for shipment in late February and provide a better fitting product with an aluminum inner box.

Q2.Is it possible to simultaneously deliver heterologous vaccines in one cooler box?

A2.Yes. Our "J-BOX BIO MISSION II" comes with a vial holder and 2 sets of inner bags (2 each) by default. As an operation method, by simply changing one of the vial holders, Pfizer vaccines and Moderna vaccines can be delivered simultaneously. In addition, since two inner bags are attached, if you put a sticker on the inner bag, it will be easier to distinguish different vaccines. Please check the image below.

①Simultaneous delivery of Moderna vaccine and Pfizer vaccine in one cold box

First, the inner bag below is for vaccines made by Pfizer.

Next, the upper inner bag is for moderna vaccines

Finally, the pocket on the inside of the lid will be labeled to indicate that the vaccine is mixed with other vaccines.

In addition, by simply adding some ideas to the inner bag, it is possible to distinguish between different vaccines at a single glance even when storing them in the refrigerator at the venue.

 

Q3.Can I stack ice packs and freeze them?

A1. If the accessory ice pack is placed horizontally and frozen, it is okay to stack up to two sheets. If you place it vertically instead of horizontally and leave a gap of 5 mm , it is okay to stack it vertically on top of it ( 2nd layer) and freeze it.

Q4.Can I use the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment of a household refrigerator?

A2. For ice packs with a melting point of 5°C that can be transported at 2-8 °C, the recommended temperature for freezing ice packs in a freezer is " -20°C ± 2 °C ". The temperature of a home freezer is -18 °C, so if you can control the temperature, you can use it without any problems. In addition, the recommended temperature for freezing ice packs using a refrigerator is 2°C to 4°C . When using a household refrigerator, make sure that the internal space temperature is " 2℃ to 4 ℃". Please note that even if 4℃ is set, the internal temperature may reach 5℃ to 6℃ depending on the performance of the equipment . Refrigerants with a melting point of -25 °C for transportation below -15 °C must be frozen in a freezer below -40 °C, so they cannot be used in a home freezer.

Q5.Is it okay to use other commercially available ice packs and vial holders?

A3.It is not recommended to use ice packs other than the accessories. Since the melting points and usage methods of commercially available refrigerants are different, we cannot guarantee the cooling effect of maintaining 2°C to 8°C for 12 hours. Also, it is not recommended to use other commercially available vial holders as they may cause shaking during transfer.

Q6.Is it okay to put the vial holder directly into a deep freezer (ultra-low temperature freezer)?

A4. The ultra - low temperature of -75 °C reduces the adhesive strength of the adhesive, and may cause the vial holder's sponge part to come off. It is recommended to put it in the inner bag and then put it in the deep freezer.

Q7.Can I freeze the ice pack in a deep freezer (ultra-low temperature freezer) at -80℃?

A5.I can't really recommend it. If you put it in a deep freezer, the ice pack container will harden easily. It is more likely that the hardened container will crack if dropped. Never use a broken ice pack.

Placing a large amount of thawed ice pack in an ultra-low temperature freezer may cause the temperature of the freezer to rise and affect the vials stored inside. Also, always wear gloves when removing items from the ultra-low temperature freezer.

Q8.Please tell me about the cold insulation performance when transferring from 2 to 8°C.

A6. Keep 2 °C to 8 °C for 14 hours at an external temperature of 34°C to 35°C .

Q9. Please tell me about the cold insulation performance when transferring below -15℃.

A7.Keep -15 °C or less for 14 hours at an external temperature of 34°C to 35°C

Q10. Please tell me how to tell if the ice pack is frozen or not.

A8.

Q11.For ice packs with a melting point of 5°C that can be used for transportation between 2 and 8°C, which is recommended, frozen or refrigerated?

A9.First of all, when using ice packs for the first time, be sure to put them in a freezer at -20 °C for at least 12 hours in order to maximize the cold insulation effect .

Basically, freezing in a freezer (-20°C ± 2 °C) is recommended. Freezing is more stable than the cold insulation effect, and the cold retention time is longer.

The advantage of refrigerated freezing is that you can use the refrigerator space smartly, and you can refrigerate for a long time after freezing. It is convenient for operation. So if you're short on freezer space or want a simpler operation, refrigerated freezing is also available.

Q12.Which is recommended, refrigerated transfer at 2 to 8°C or frozen transfer at -15°C or lower?

A10 .Vaccines can be managed more stably by frozen transportation at -15°C or less, and if the linked facility has a DF ( deep freezer), it can be stored for 14 days. That's the advantage of cryopreservation.

However, in that case, there are some inconveniences depending on the number of DFs in the facility. -40 °C is considered to be the best environment for freezing ice packs with a melting point of -25 °C and pre-cooling inner bags . Placing a large amount of thawed ice pack in a -75°C freezer may cause the freezer temperature to rise and affect the vial, as well as cause the ice pack container to harden. Therefore , it is considered safer to separate the DF ( -40 °C) for freezing ice packs with a melting point of -25 °C and the DF ( -75 °C) for storing vaccines .

If the required number of DFs can be secured, we recommend freezing transfer at -15 °C or less.

If the DF is insufficient , refrigerated transportation at 2 to 8 °C may be convenient for operations. In that case, since ice packs with a melting point of 5°C are used , freezing in the refrigerator compartment or freezer compartment of a household refrigerator is possible if the temperature can be adjusted.

Q13.Does opening and closing the lid of the cooling box during transport affect the internal temperature?

A11.It depends on the external temperature and the time it is opened, but according to a temperature test , the internal temperature can be kept within the range within 30 seconds after opening the lid of the cooling box body at an environmental temperature of 35°C . increase. However, it is not recommended to open the lid of the inner bag at an ambient temperature of 35 °C. If you want to take out the vial inside during transportation, take out the inner bag from the box, put it in the freezer for frozen storage, or in the refrigerator for refrigerated storage, and then take out the vial.

Q14.What happens if the inner bag is not pre-cooled?

A12. If the inner bag and vial holder are not precooled for refrigerated transfer at 2 to 8 °C, the cooling time will be shortened. Pre-cooling the inner bag and vial holder is recommended for long-term use.

For frozen transfers below -15 °C, the inner bag does not need to be precooled.

However, even if precooling is not used , keep the cooler box, inner bag, and vial holder in a cool place.

Q15.Does it affect the cold insulation effect if the inner bag is double layered?

A13.If the inner bag is stacked in two layers and the ambient temperature is 35°C and the temperature is -15 °C or less, the cooling time will be shortened by 2 hours or more.

However, if you start with two layers of inner bags and take out one in the middle, there is almost no effect on the cooling time. See next question.

Q16.If the inner bag is transported in two layers and one is taken out in the middle, will it affect the cold insulation effect?

A14.If you stack two inner bags and take out one in the middle , there is almost no effect on the cooling time.