Expiry date of Cuba’s Abdala vaccine extended

Abdala vaccine of Cuba (Photo: AFP/VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Health has announced the extension of an
additional three months to the shelf-life of Cuba’s against
COVID-19.

On
October 8, 2021, the Ministry of Health issued Decision No. 4749/QD-BYT on
conditional approval of the Abdala vaccine for urgent needs in the prevention
and control of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the producer’s instructions
for use, the shelf life is six months at storage conditions of two to eight
degrees Celsius.

Like
other COVID-19 vaccines, the Abdala vaccine is researched and approved on a
rolling basis, meaning it is approved for completed portions while the
manufacturer continues doing research on others.

According
to the Ministry of Health’s statement on February 28, based on additional
studies assessing the stability related to the vaccine’s shelf life, Vietnam’s
specialised agencies have considered and appraised it.

Specifically,
on February 23, the agreed to increase the shelf
life of the Abdala vaccine from six months to nine months at storage conditions
of two to eight degrees Celsius.

The
affirmed that increasing the shelf life of the Abdala
vaccine would not change the quality, safety and effectiveness of the
vaccine./.