The Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine can be stored at refrigerator temperatures for up to a month in the United States, the country's health regulator announced, in a change expected to help distribution of the shot.

The US Food and Drug Administration said it had made the decision “based on a review of recent data submitted by Pfizer,” and will allow vials of the vaccine to be stored at refrigerator temperatures of 2-8 degrees Celsius for up to one month.

The vials were previously only allowed to be kept at such temperatures for five days, according to AFP.

“This change should make this vaccine more widely available to the American public by facilitating the ability of vaccine providers, such as community doctors' offices, to receive, store and administer the vaccine,” said Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.