Daily US Times: The European Medicines Agency (EMA), the European Union’s drugs regulator has said the Pfizer Covid vaccine can now be stored at fridge temperature for much longer than it previously recommended.
EMA said that once the vaccines thawed, unopened vials could be kept in the fridge for up to a month.
The current limit to keep the vaccines in fridge is just five days.
The increased flexibility is expected to have a significant impact on the vaccine roll-out across the continent.
The need for storage and transport at very low temperatures has been one of the major disadvantages of the Pfizer vaccine.
The previous storage requirements for the vaccines have made them harder to use in some parts of the world.
In February, the US approved storage and transport of the Pfizer vaccine at standard freezer temperatures of -15 to -25C for up to two weeks, as opposed to between -80 to -60C that it usually requires.
Canada authorised the use of the Pfizer vaccine for children between the ages of 12 and 15 earlier this month, becoming the first country to do so for that age group.
The EU storage change also comes as the United States and German drugmakers are seeking approval of the vaccine for inoculating adolescents aged 12 to 15 years. The US and Canada have started vaccinating this group with the shot, which uses the brand name Comirnaty.
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