Specialised storage for Covid-19 vaccine The UK is the first country in the world to roll out a Covid-19 vaccine, but the drug must be kept at -70°C – much lower than the average vaccine Polystyrene dry ice container: Trucks carry temperature-sensitive Covid-19 vaccine from Belgium to UK, via Channel Tunnel, in boxes able to hold up to 5,000 doses safely for 10 days TWINGUARD FREEZER National Health Service: Hospitals use Ultra Low Temperature (ULT) freezers to hold vaccine safely Dec 8, 2020: Initial batch of 800,000 doses (enough for 400,000 inoculations at two shots per person) rolls out, prioritising people aged over 80, frontline healthcare workers and care home staff and residents Independent refrigeration systems: If one breaks down, another can still maintain essential -70°C temperature Vaccine must be kept at -70°C (-94°F) UK has bought 40 million doses Two evaporator circuits Puurs, Belgium Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine production plant 300km 186 miles North Sea Folkestone, UK FRANCE Sources: Reuters, LBC, PBS, PHC Corporation © GRAPHIC NEWS