VACCINES for COVID-19, which are set to expire by December 31, are being used as booster and second dose shots to avoid any wastage, according to the National Task Force against COVID-19 (NTF).
Dr. Ted Herbosa, NTF adviser, said the vaccines nearing expiration are donated by countries through the COVAX Facility, a global vaccine-sharing scheme, and delivered to the country with only a couple months before the expiration date.
He said none of the vaccines that have been distributed or are being used nationwide have expired, but some of them may be nearing expiration.
“Meron tayong a few din na tinanggap natin noong November na pa-expire sa December 31. Ito ay binibigay natin ngayon bilang booster dose, at sinama na dun sa mga binigay sa mga local government units at sinabi sa kanila na unahin nilang ibigay as booster shots sa ating mga kababayan (We have a few that we received in November that are expiring on December 31. These are being given as booster dose, and have been distributed to some local government units that were told to use these first as booster shots),” Herbosa said in interview with radio DZBB on Tuesday night.
He said these vaccines will also be used for the second dose. Some of them will be used during the vaccination days from December 15 to 17.
Herbosa said there are, however, some AstraZeneca vaccines that expired last November and these have been placed under quarantine pending an analysis by the manufacturing firm.
He said the lot number and manufacturing dates of the “expired” vaccines are being checked to determine if they still have a long shelf life and can still be used without reducing its efficacy and without compromising its safety.
He said the government is still waiting for the analysis and recommendations of AstraZeneca.
Herbosa said there have been similar cases in other countries wherein expired vaccines had been allowed to be used after it was found that he vaccines have a longer shelf life and remains safe and effective.
He said the COVAX Facility had vowed to deliver vaccines that have longer expiration dates.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Tuesday said the shelf life of some Pfizer vaccines has been extended by three months after studies. He also said he has coordinated with AstraZeneca about the shelf life of its vaccines.
Duque and NTF chief Carlito Galvez Jr. yesterday said there have been instances when expiring vaccines were quarantined but the manufacturer, after analysis, declared a shelf life of up to February. These vaccines have been administered before they expired, they said,
The NTF said that to date, about 149.1 million doses of vaccines have been delivered to the country, excluding the 1.08 million doses of government-bought Pfizer vaccines set to be delivered on Wednesday night.
All the deliveries are bought by the government or the private sector, or donated through COVAX.
Herbosa and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the target of the government is to fully vaccinate 54 million to 55 million people by the end of the year.
Nograles said the government hopes to fully vaccinate, or administer the second dose to, more people during the December 15 to 17 national vaccination days.
As of December 7, about 92.75 million doses of vaccines have been administered nationwide with 38.699 million people fully vaccinated. More than 53.49 million people received the first dose and 561,125 received booster shots.
Labor Assistant Secretary Dominique Tutay said 13 million economic frontliners are fully inoculated out of the targeted 28 million.
“This is already a sizeable number, although many still need to get vaccinated based on our labor market,” said Tutay.
She said the November 29 to December 1 national vaccination program was was a big help in covering more workers.
“From only 10 million prior to the activity, we are now at 13 million fully vaccinated workers,” she said Tutay.
Department of Health records show 13.9 million frontline workers have been fully vaccinated, as of December 6. The total target population for the A4 priority group is pegged at 28.3 million. — With Gerard Naval
