The Center on Monday rubbished reports alleging that expired vaccines were being vaccinated in the country under its national COVID immunization programme. “This is false and misleading and based on incomplete information,” the health ministry said.
India has started vaccinating children aged 15-18 years, and is currently using Bharat Biotech’s COVID vaccine – Covaxin – for the campaign.
The Ministry said today that the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) on 25 October 2021 had approved the extension of the shelf life of Covaxin from 9 months to 12 months.
Similarly, the shelf life of Covishield has been increased from 6 months to 9 months by the National Regulator as on 22 February 2021.
The shelf life of vaccines is extended by a national regulator based on extensive analysis and testing of stability study data submitted by vaccine manufacturers.
The clarification came after some people complained on social media that they were being given expired vaccines. However, the government clarified that the vaccine had not expired as the shelf life was extended.
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