DOH says no expired COVID-19 boosters given, explains shelf life was extended

The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday said they have not given expired COVID-19 booster shots, saying that the shelf life of some vaccines has been extended by their manufacturers.

At a media briefing, Health officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire issued the remark when asked on whether vaccines used for boosters have expired.

“Unang-una, there is no truth that what we are distributing as booster shots na doses ng COVID-19 are expired. Ito pong mga bakunang binibigay natin, may iba dito, may tinatawag na extended shelf life,” Vergeire said.

[First of all, there is no truth that we are distributing booster shots that are expired. These vaccines that we give out have what we call an extended shelf life.]

“Everybody knows about this because when these vaccines were expiring already, we coordinated with FDA so that they can coordinate with manufacturers to determine kung puwede ma-extend ang shelf life,” she added.

[Everybody knows about this because when these vaccines were expiring already, we coordinated with the FDA so they can coordinate with manufacturers to determine if the shelf life can be extended.]

Vergeire said vaccines that undergo extension go through a stability study.

“So whatever we are distributing now sa ating mga communities, these are vaccines within expiry date. So ibig sabihin, mabisa pa yung bakuna, safe pa rin siya dahil nakapag extend tayo ng shelf life,” she said.

[So whatever we are distributing now in our communities, these are vaccines within the expiry date. So this means the vaccine is still effective and safe because the shelf life was extended.]

Vergeire said the issue was that the indicated expiry dates of vaccines were no longer changed as the government could not return the vials.

“What we have are certificates na nakalagay doon yung extended shelf life. So ito po ay ibinigay namin sa bawat vaccination site na kopya para kung saka sakali ay mapapakita natin sa bawat babakunahan na ‘yung kanilang bakuna is viable pa,” she said.

[What we have are certificates that indicate the extended shelf life. So we gave this to every vaccination site to show that the vaccines we use are still viable.]

Meanwhile, Vergeire also shot down a proposal to set a deadline for free COVID-19 vaccines for now, saying the government allocated a budget for these vaccines.

However, she said this will happen eventually.

“Sa ngayon, hindi pa natin sila puwedeng bigyan ng restriction o limitasyon as to until when they can avail of free vaccines because specifically, tayo ay nag pondo ng ganitong pera para bumili ng bakuna para ibigay na libre,” she said.

{As of now, we still can’t limit when they can avail of free vaccines because we have a budge for thist.]

“Pero darating tayo sa panahon. Hindi ngayon. Maybe in the coming years na itong COVID-19 vaccine ay makakasama na sa ating national immunization program at pipiliin na lang natin kung sino ang mga vulnerable sectors na bibigyan ng ating gobyerno ng libreng bakuna para dito,” she added.

[But we will arrive at that time. Now now. Maybe in the coming years, the COVID-19 vaccine will be included in our immunization program and we will pick out vulnerable sectors that will have them for free.] — RSJ, GMA News