Foundation Donates Ultracold Freezers to Greek Health System for Vaccine Storage

A total of fourteen ultra-cold freezers will be donated by the Bodossaki Foundation to the nation of Greece for the storage of the coronavirus vaccine when it is delivered, according to the Foundaiton’s announcement on Thursday.
The freezers are needed for the storage of the new RNA-based vaccines developed by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, which need to be kept at much colder temperatures than most other vaccines.
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine needs to be kept at extremely cold temperatures (below -70 Celsius) and the new vaccine from Moderna must be preserved at
Pfizer/BioNTech May Produce up to 1.3 Billion Doses by End of 2021
Pfizer and BioNTech say that they are capable of producing up to 50 million doses of the vaccine in 2020 — and up to 1.3 billion doses by the end of next year.
The BBC reported that the UK has preordered 40 million doses and is expecting to receive 10 million by the end of December. Updated information on the Oxford University- Astra Zeneca vaccine, also currently undergoing phase three trials, is expected to be released soon.
Unfortunately, ultra-cold temperatures are needed for both the Pfizer BioNTech and the Moderna vaccine, since they are made with RNA. This will make it more expensive and more difficult to store and transport them.
The Pfizer vaccine has to be stored at around minus 80C, although it can be refrigerated for five days before use. The Moderna vaccine can be stored at the much easier to maintain temperature of minus 20C for up to six months and refrigerated for up to one month.
The Foundation’s generous donation will help enable the Greek government in the establishment of special warehouse for the storage of the vaccines. The facilities will house freezers which will each have capacities of 360 to 600 liters (79 gallons — 159 gallons).
The statement said that the new appliances will be delivered immediately and that they will be available in perpetuity for the use of the Greek health system, well after the end of the pandemic, for the storage of other medicines.
Pfizer has formally requested that its vaccine be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in hopes that the Emergency Authorization to distribute and begin using the vaccine will be issued as soon as possible.

Με 14 υπερκαταψύκτες τελευταίας τεχνολογίας για τη φύλαξη των νέων εμβολίων κατά του κορωνοϊού, ενισχύει το Ίδρυμα Μποδοσάκη το ΕΣΥ.
Μαζί, με στόχο το μέγιστο κοινό καλό.https://t.co/WsLp7w3BYv#bodossaki pic.twitter.com/oRSi9XQzul

— Bodossaki Foundation (@bodossaki) November 19, 2020