Safe injection practices and waste management

If provided through seasonal campaigns rather than year-round routine delivery, influenza vaccine will put temporary stress on waste management. Managers should plan to integrate the ordering and distribution of injection and waste-disposal equipment with the management of other vaccines used in the country (Toolbox).

Health-care worker training must include safe injection practices in order to prevent re-use and needle-stick injuries. The WHO guideline on the use of safety-engineered syringes for intramuscular, intradermal and subcutaneous injections in health-care settings provides information and tools for avoiding unsafe practice issues.