15 March 2020

Key points

  • What do parents need to prepare at home? Nothing — everything needed comes in this “treasure box”.
  • The most important item is the professional vaccine cold box. Vaccines have to be held between 2°C and 8°C to work; if a vaccine arrives below 2 or above 8, the injection may be as good as not given at all.
  • A professional cold box carries a temperature display, so a mother can check for herself that it is between 2°C and 8°C.
  • We come prepared: masks; we ask whether we may wash our hands at your home, and bring our own alcohol hand rub if that is not convenient; and surgical gloves are worn.
  • The order of things: take the baby’s temperature first, disinfect the injection site with an alcohol swab, then give the injection.
  • We bring our own sharps box and take away every needle and all the medical waste, and we carry the emergency injection in case of a serious allergic reaction.