Some details: Vaccine storage and preparation The Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine has the most difficult storage requirements of all the COVID-19 vaccine

Some details: Vaccine storage and preparation The Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine has the most difficult storage requirements of all the COVID-19 vaccine candidates currently undergoing trials. Currently, it needs to be stored between -80 to -60°C and has a six-month expiry. Over time and with more data being collected this may change.(4) The vaccine needs to be thawed (for approximately three hours in the fridge or 30 minutes at room temperature) before use and may be stored undiluted at 2–8°C for five days, or for two hours at 25°C prior to use.(4) To prepare the vaccine, it should be diluted using 0.8 mL of sodium chloride 0.9% solution for injection, marked with the date and time, and can then be stored between 2 to 25°C. It must be used within six hours or the remainder discarded.(4) To equalise the pressure in the prepared vial, 1.8 mL of air should be withdrawn using the same syringe for preparation, after which it can be mixed by gently inverting 10 times, producing an off-white solution that is ready to be administered. The vaccines are available in packs of 195. There are five 0.3 mL doses within each vial. In comparison, the Moderna vaccine can be stored at -20°C for up to six months, 30 days at 2 to 8°C and up to 12 hours at 25°C. Each vial contains 10 doses. The AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine is much simpler than both options, with storage allowance of 2 to 8°C for up to six months. Once open, the vials should be used within six hours stored in a fridge or 48 hours if at room temperature. They are delivered in packs of 10 vials with each vial containing eight or 10 doses of vaccine.