Negros Occidental was not able to utilize 14,620 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines received in November because they were nearing expiration and local government units did not want to accept them, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Thursday, December 2.
“We value our vaccines, we want to use them, we do not delay but we value more the vaccinees,” Diaz said.
The potency of vaccines decreases as the period of expiry nears, he said.
So if expiring vaccines are used they may not give adequate protection to the recipients and would give a false sense of security, Diaz said.
“The vaccines are important, but if made to choose we will value more the health and safety of our vaccinees,” he said.
More than 45,000 doses of Astra Zeneca vaccines arrived on November 8 that were set to expire on November 30 so within a period of three weeks they could not all be immediately utilized, he said
Dr. Claudelia Josefa S. Pabillo, Negros Occidental designated cold chain coordinator, in a letter to Dr. Adriano Suba-an, Department of Health 6 regional director, said they received 4,530 vials (10 doses per vial) or 45,300 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines on November 8, and 3,172 vials (8 doses per vial) or 15,376 doses on October 25, all with expiration dates on November 30.
The unutilized 1,462 vials were from the November 8 batch, Pabillo said.*