The European Union's drugs regulator has said that the Pfizer COVID vaccine can now be stored at fridge temperature for up to a month. The current limit is just five days.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said that once the vaccines thawed, unopened vials could be kept in the fridge. The increased flexibility is expected to have a significant impact on the vaccine roll-out across the EU.

The need for transport and storage at very low temperatures has been one of the major disadvantages of the Pfizer jab. The previous storage requirements for Pfizer vaccines have made them harder to use in some parts of the world.

In February, the United States approved storage and transport of the Pfizer vaccine at standard freezer temperatures of -15 to -25 degrees Celsius for up to two weeks, as opposed to between -80 to -60 degrees Celsius that it usually requires.

Earlier, Canada authorized the use of the Pfizer vaccine for children between the ages of 12 and 15, becoming the first country to do so for that age group.