Topic: Cold Storage

A new Israeli study published in The Lancet suggests that a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine is 85% effective, supporting the UK's policy of delaying second doses. Pfizer also submitted data to the FDA showing their vaccine can be stored in standard pharmacy freezers rather than ultra-cold units. This revelation raises questions about the necessity of the massive prior investment in specialty deep-freeze infrastructure.

The Pfizer vaccine requires ultra-cold storage at minus 70 degrees Celsius, presenting significant logistical challenges for local administration. Additionally, Pfizer and BioNTech reported a cyber attack on the European Medicines Agency targeting vaccine-related data, with various foreign nations named as potential suspects.