Coronavirus jab may have to be stored in wholesalers’ freezers

By Liz Wells in Industry News 16th November 2020

The coronavirus vaccine may have to be kept in wholesalers’ freezers because of the need to keep it below 80C, according to the head of immunisation at Public Health England.

While some parts of the country have facilities that will be able to store the virus, other parts will see it being placed in commercial freezers.

Dr Mary Ramsey told BBC England: “The Pfizer vaccine would have to be stored in hubs in each region and then delivered to GPs.

“We will have hubs around the country that will be storing it. Some of them are in hospitals where they have those very low freezers, but also … maybe some wholesalers in particular parts of the country.”

She said that the NHS has plans in place to start delivering the vaccine this year, but that “will depend on having the vaccine supply”.