NegOcc to return ‘expired’ COVID vax

BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA

BACOLOD City – The province of Negros Occidental is set to return 1,492 vials (14,920 doses) of expired AstraZeneca vaccine against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to the Department of Health (DOH).

According to Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz, the jabs were part of the 4,530 vials (45,300 doses) delivery received by the province on Nov. 8.

The rest have been utilized, said Dr. Claudelia Pabillo, officer-in-charge of the Provincial Storage Facility.

The city and municipal health offices hesitated in accepting the vials upon learning that the expiration dates of the vaccines were nearing (Nov. 30).

“The potency of the vaccine decreases as the expiration nears. We did not roll them out. (The vaccines) are important, but we value more the safety of the vaccinees,” Diaz said.

Pabillo, meanwhile, said the expired jabs were still at the cold storage./PN 

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