Pfizer says its COVID vaccine no longer needs to be stored in ultra-freezing temperatures

Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine no longer needs to be stored in ultra-freezing temperatures and can be safely stored in normal medical freezers – making distribution easier, the company said in a report on Friday.

The makers of the plans, including German biotech company BioNTech, have found that doses can stay anywhere between 5 and -13 degrees Fahrenheit without spoiling – instead of -94 degrees as previously thought, according to the Financial Times.

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The ability to store vital jabs at higher temperatures gives vaccine distribution centers “greater flexibility” and makes them “easier to transport and use” in rural or hard-to-reach areas, the vaccine distribution center said. CEO of BioNTech, Ugur Sahin.

The new vaccine “stability data” revealed by the companies has now been submitted to the United States Food and Drug Administration, the newspaper reported.

Pfizer’s breakthrough vaccine was the first to be approved in the United States and Europe last year. But in November, experts warned the vaccine could become a logistical nightmare to distribute due to sub-zero storage temperatures.

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Companies involved in shipping the shots have also complained since the government failed to take into account the temperature challenges of the “last mile” delivery.

The need to store and transport the vaccine at ultra-freezing temperatures has delayed its deployment, especially in remote areas without so-called “cold chain” infrastructure.