Tube from dilution kit for Pfizer-Biontech COVID-19 vaccine

Empty tube of Sodium Chloride 0.9% solution for injection, part of dilution kit for the Pfizer-Biontech COVID-19 vaccine from the Science Museum NHS COVID-19 vaccination centre, 2021

Some COVID-19 vaccines such as the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine need to be diluted before use. This is done following the protocols set out by the vaccines' manufacturers. Vaccines needed to be frozen and/or refrigerated and can only be used for a limited time period after being prepared. Knowing the number of people attending appointments was crucial so vaccine waste was kept as low as possible.

After weeks of careful planning and installation, the NHS COVID-19 Vaccination Centre at the Science Museum first welcomed people to receive their COVID-19 vaccine on 11 March 2021. Run by NHS staff and volunteers, the clinic delivered over 122,000 doses to people over the course of a year. People had to pre-book their appointments when invited by the NHS. When the clinic first opened, the museum was closed to visitors but reopened on 19 May 2021 for five days a week.