THURSDAY, May 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — New storage rules for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine after it has been thawed that will make it easier to transport and deliver the doses have been announced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA now says that after being thawed from temperatures of about −94 degrees Fahrenheit, vials of the vaccine can be kept in an ordinary refrigerator for up to a month instead of just five days, The Washington Post reported.
The new guidance means the vaccine can be used in more locations that do not have ultra-cold storage facilities, according to experts.
“Making COVID-19 vaccines widely available is key to getting people vaccinated and bringing the pandemic to an end,” said Peter Marks, director of the FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, The Post reported. “This change should make this vaccine more widely available to the American public by facilitating the ability of vaccine providers, such as community doctors’ offices, to receive, store, and administer the vaccine.”
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