The Hague, Netherlands:
Vials of Pfizer/BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine can be kept at regular freezer temperatures for quick periods alternatively of in ultra-cold storage, the EU’s drugs regulator mentioned Friday.
The modify would enable the “rapid roll-out” of vaccines across Europe, exactly where vaccination campaigns are stalling due to provide and logistical problems, the European Medicines Agency mentioned in a statement.
The EU regulator had “given a positive opinion to allow transportation and storage of vials of this vaccine at temperatures between -25 to -15 degrees Celsius (-13 to 5 Fahrenheit)… for a one-off period of two weeks.”
The EMA mentioned this was the “temperature of standard pharmaceutical freezers”
“This is an alternative to the long-term storage of the vials at a temperature between -90 to -60 degrees Celsius in special freezers” the Amsterdam-based watchdog added in a statement.
“It is expected to facilitate the rapid roll-out and distribution of the vaccine in the EU by reducing the need for ultra-low temperature cold storage conditions throughout the supply chain.”
The US produced a equivalent choice about the Pfizer vaccine on February 25.
The Pfizer vaccine’s higher effectiveness against coronavirus has been tempered by the difficulty of storing and transporting the jab due to the will need for super-cold situations.
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