With an easily accessible vaccination in the UK getting closer and closer, vaccination centres must be prepared to be as safe and efficient as possible.
So that this can be possible, these centres need to have the right supplies and equipment at the ready, so that the vaccination process can run smoothly from the off.
We’ve created this extensive guide to supplies that we think will be necessary when vaccination centres do eventually open their doors.
Outdoor Spaces, Car Parking & Drive-through Facilities
During the recent pandemic, it’s been advised that outdoor settings are more appropriate than indoor settings to help reduce the spread of the virus.
This means that some vaccination centres will offer drive-through facilities, where vaccinations can be given from the comfort of the patient’s vehicle to prevent the need to gather in enclosed spaces.
However, outdoor clinics bring many challenges that you wouldn’t find inside. For example, an outdoor clinic needs to be prepared to deal with a variety of weather conditions and also needs to be safe for both pedestrians and drivers.
We recommend the following supplies and equipment:
- Traffic management – The likes of cones and bollards are important to guide vehicles in and around car parks and drive-through facilities
- Outdoor furniture – It’s important that employees have a space to rest and sit down on breaks and while waiting for patients. Outdoor storage units are also likely to be necessary to store equipment and outdoor furnishings
- Winter essentials – If the vaccination centre is in operation during the winter, the likes of salt bins and snow ploughs are essential in ensuring the centre can continue operating safely in snowy conditions
Indoor Vaccination Clinics
Indoor vaccination centres must be fully equipped to ensure only the safest environment for patients and employees alike.
From maintaining social distancing measures to making the vaccination process as easy as possible, there’s plenty of equipment and supplies available to make vaccinating indoors as safe as possible:
- Industrial hand hygiene stations – The importance of washing our hands has been emphasised greatly by health professionals in the past year, and it’s equally as important to continue washing hands, even before and after vaccination. Setting up hand sanitiser stations at the entrance/exit of the indoor vaccination clinic, as well as in multiple places throughout the clinic is vital in ensuring patients can be vaccinated safely
- Social distancing signs – Installing social distancing signs and social distancing floor stickers help remind patients of government guidelines, as well as assists in ensuring everyone keeps 2m apart to adhere to social distancing measures. It’s also recommended to instil a one-way system, and designate a specific entrance and exit
- Partition screens – Partition screens should be placed between desks and chairs where 2-metre social distancing can’t take place. It’s also advised that these partitions are put up at any help or information desks
- Queue management – Rope and pole barriers, as well as retractable belt barriers, can be put up to create a safe queuing area that’s organised and managed safely
- Climate control – Installing heaters and fans will make sure no one at the vaccination centre will feel uncomfortable
Pandemic Control
Whether the vaccination centre is indoors or outdoors, doing everything you can to prevent any spread of the pandemic is key in making sure the centre is safe.
Including everything from keeping on top of cleaning and hygiene procedures to having readily available PPE for staff, the following pieces of equipment and supplies will help any vaccination centre keep control of the virus:
- Hand sanitiser – Keeping hand sanitiser and soap stocked up makes sure everyone can always have clean hands to prevent the spread of germs
- Lockers – Lockers in the vaccination centre allow employees to store clothing and personal items while working, which helps stop cross-contamination between home and work clothes
- PPE – Equipping employees with PPE keeps them safe, as well as any patients
Storage, Shelving & Disposing
All equipment and supplies need safe storage while not in use, including medical supplies. It’s also key to a hygienic environment that waste is disposed of efficiently, with good recycling and waste management systems in place.
Making sure there’s efficient and effective storage to store the vaccine in should already be sorted, but keeping other supplies organised helps to ensure the vaccination runs smoothly and efficiently for everyone:
- Galvanised shelving – Ideal for storing heavy loads and other items, items stored on galvanised shelves are easy to reach. The shelves are also easy to keep clean which is essential in a vaccination centre where high levels of hygiene are key
- Chrome shelving – Chrome shelving is incredibly hygienic, with antibacterial coated shelving available from Equip4work today
- Recycling and waste management – Recycling bins are essential in having an environmentally friendly vaccination centre, while large capacity bins can store enough to keep the centre tidy
Browse Equip4work’s full range of vaccination centre supplies, alongside our vast array of commercial products and discover everything from cleaning and hygiene equipment to premises management equipment.